Damn, How'd I DO that?

[paragraphs]

From 250k to 212k down to 135.5k, I've managed to whittle this manuscript down to a much more manageable, and much stronger story. Not through with rewriting all the scenes yet (SO MUCH MORE TO GO!) but I am so happy with what I've accomplished this weekend. Seriously chuffed, honestly.

Never, Ever, EVER AGAIN will I write something and let it get so long, let the story get so out of hand! Ever! (I can try not to at least, right?)

Emailed with editor today. All is well there. I may have this baby turned in by the end of September after all. She was happy to get in touch with me, so I am happy about that. YAY!!!

And then it is on to my fantasy at last! WOOT! Actually, prepping it for Nano first--yeah yeah I've got parts of this thing written, but then again...it is highly probable I will pull it back to earlier, as the editor at Armadillocon suggested I do. Too tired to do so tonight but I will try and write about that experience tomorrow. I'm not going to pressure myself to get 50k during November--25k is my goal, which with my work schedule is reasonable.

One other note before I collapse happily into bed, this is a thought-provoking article by Sherwood Smith sartorias about that amazing writing phenomena she calls 'writing the white fire novel.' This really zinged home to me as I've experienced it myself once, and it was an amazing thing to experience (and lasted for the entire book), as well as amazingly-difficult to accept not all stories will be white fire novels. How I wish! This article was very good for me to read as I finish up a project that definitely was NOT a white fire novel (but I tamed it anyway!), and start a new one that I have this underlying sense will bring that experience to me again. There's a momentum started, writing is back on top with me as being my #1 thing I do outside of work and spend time with my family (Nick, dogs, kids lol and yes, in that order...I love having older kids!).

Here's the link if you'd like to read it: http://blog.bookviewcafe.com/2010/09/05/writers-on-writing-the-white-fire/

Okay, to bed! Getting up will be hard tomorrow. Ugh. Gotta take my walking stuff with me as I am determined to start walking that track again tomorrow, right after work. Sitting around writing most of the weekend, and then sitting around staring at monitors all week at work has started to really get to me. I feel fluffy and crickety, even though I haven't gained anything. I hate it!

Comments

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

How on earth did you manage to go from 250,000 words to 135,000? What's your secret?

[paragraphs.livejournal.com]

I tried alot of different ways, but what finally got me on the right track was to use Page Four, which is kind of like Scrivener for Mac users, to break apart the entire fic by chapters, then I went through each one and colored in red all the ones I thought I could get rid of. After that, I started to rebuild the fic a chapter at a time. Scenes that had important things in them but were ridiculously long got pulled out and rewritten and then put in the finished part...absolutely INSANE method, but I knew the major storyline, which of the minor storylines I wanted to keep, and killed the rest. Still have 4-5 scenes I need to rewrite.

I also realized I had no choice but to entirely change one of the character's behavior. I didn't like it. So he's going through a total redo, which means major reworking of his pov... LOL! INSANE.

I so don't recommend this method, but it has been really interesting to pull apart a story and rebuild it. Whew!

[amproof.livejournal.com]

do you have a link for this wonder of software?

[paragraphs.livejournal.com]

here you go...

http://www.softwareforwriting.com/pagefour.html

the guy is a Doctor Who fan. His company is Bad Wolf Software. LOL. And yes, i asked him if that's why he named it that and yup, he did indeed. :)

[amproof.livejournal.com]

it says it's for ms-dos. But it works for mac?

[paragraphs.livejournal.com]

Oh no, you need Scrivener! Check it out. Page Four came after Scrivener but was created with Scrivener in mind.

[amproof.livejournal.com]

dl-ed. omg it looks so confusing! Spent 10 minutes on it and then went back to word. I assume it gets easier with a lengthy instruction manual? LOL

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

So you sort of start way, waaaay back and then go in closer? That makes sense. Thanks. :)

[amproof.livejournal.com]

I am excite!

Cannot wait to see the cover for this one!!

[paragraphs.livejournal.com]

LOL A GIANT RED MAN THIS TIME! Or a GREEN one maybe?

[amproof.livejournal.com]

FINGERS FIRMLY CROSSED.

[paragraphs.livejournal.com]

LOL I don't care what they put on it, I just want them to buy it. It has been a long time after all... :)

[catsintheattic.livejournal.com]

Whoho! *applauds*

And thanks for the link. *wanders off to read*

[paragraphs.livejournal.com]

LOL what did you think about that, Cats? It really resonated with me, that white fire writing thing.

[catsintheattic.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure if I already have experienced such a kind of writing. Maybe no. Maybe yes. I've written stories I felt I simply had to write, and if this equals white fire, then so be it. I've written stories that wrote themselves, but those weren't necessarily the ones I had to write. So, if white fire means the urge and the easiness rolled into one, then no. :-) And I think it also means to put everything else aside and live in that storyverse - I didn't dare that so far. But I will, one day. I know that.

Long winded comment is long. LOL.

[paragraphs.livejournal.com]

LOL I can never say anything simply, myself. But yeah--that combination-thing? That was Red, and it was amazing, and depressing that the next two books I wrote did not have that. Maybe this new one will--I am going to talk about it as I write it, I think, as even one or two comments seem to help the excitement, you know?

[catsintheattic.livejournal.com]

Comments help so much. I work so much on my own, even for my job, that I'm really grateful for people who listen to my ideas. It helps me get them clearer and learn more when I can talk about a story (or a project) to others.

[paragraphs.livejournal.com]

Yes! That is why I am so glad I found my local kids. They are way into the direction I am going with fantasy, and I have a couple of other friends from Torchwood fandom who are too, and are avid readers of the genre so that helps TONS.

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

Wow, good work on the cuttage!

Though all processes are different, I tend to believe, let the the first draft be what it's going to be. There is always rewriting.

I hope the fantasy takes off like a rocket for you.

[paragraphs.livejournal.com]

Rewriting wears me out but I think it has been a good thing that I didn't give up. It's made me work hard and I needed that.

I hope so too. Lord knows I've put an awful lot of work into learning all I can before I even get started. LOL.

[amand-r.livejournal.com]

omg your editing skills leave me in AWE.

[paragraphs.livejournal.com]

I so don't recommend this method, AT ALL. I started working on this rewrite when Nick was here! Two years ago. My first attempt was on the computer that was stolen, all that work gone. I was really overwhelmed after that with starting over again but LOL you know my #1 incentive for getting this done. That, and I just am tired of being all talk and no product. It is embarrassing!

This next ms the approach is going to be so, so, so very different.

[talekyn.livejournal.com]

So glad to hear that the editing is going well and you feel like this thing is nearing completion. That's excellent! And the fantasy as your NaNo project -- yay! I think I need to force myself to use NaNo to finish Ambergrin.

I don't think I've ever had a "white fire" novel.

[paragraphs.livejournal.com]

Yes, it is time for Ambergrin to be done. The story is too good to let sit there. Dang it Anthony...I may have a problem re: that Sunday. I think it is the same day my daughter has her big ring ceremony at TCU. :*( What day were you going to be here?

[momebie.livejournal.com]

Good work you! And I can't wait to hear more about your fantasy novel. And also to talk about steampunk. We need a date! (Why don't you live closer?)

[paragraphs.livejournal.com]

I will be yacking in here about the whole shebang and I KNOW... I would love to just sit and talk away the night about this stuff.

[fictional-one.livejournal.com]

Face it, Snookums, you were not meant to write a short story! The day you are at a loss for words to fill a page will indeed be a sad day for your readers...myself included.

[paragraphs.livejournal.com]

LOl at Armadillocon, the workshop leader was horrified at me and one of the others in our group when we said we don't write short. She was insistent that we do it, or else. LOL!!! I talked to the other person after the con and she said "I don't think so. I write novels, and that is that!" LOl me too, really.

[samueljames]

Thanks for the link, very interesting article. Lots of luck with your writing.

[klgrem.livejournal.com]

Never, Ever, EVER AGAIN will I write something and let it get so long, let the story get so out of hand! Ever!

Made me chuckle.

But of course you can try. And if you don't write short, you can always edit, right?

Good luck with it.