Thursday, March 3, 2011

Drafting

So, I tend to have some trouble finishing novels, but I believe it is because I tend to be too unorgainzed with my story, and I never draft/outline it properly.  I'm beginning to discover the best way for me, personally, to outline my story.  I need to get every idea down.  Write in incomplete sentences, in miniature paragraphs, using no punctuation or dialogue, it doesn't matter how ugly it is, I simply need to put the entire plot onto paper from beginning to end.  I find that I build the story better this way.  I am about half way through my outline which is turning out to be several pages long.  In the past two days I have written over 7,500 words (11 pages) and I am not yet done for the day.  This way, when I finish the entire story in bits and pieces, I can go back and build it more.  Then I can go back and build it even more.  Retouch and retouch until it starts to resemble a novel.  Adding details, dialogue, action that makes sense, flow to the story and actual sentences.  And by writing it in a novel style I will, of course, be adding my length. I actually enjoy revising and editing much more than originally putting my ideas down.  I have a problem, and that is writing a paragraph and spending three times the amount of time it took to write it, editing it.  I don't want to move onto the next paragraph until I feel it is perfect.  Bad idea.  I get frustrated because I gain no length, so I give up.  But this way I can get the entire main story down with only very little detail.  Then I can go back and edit to my hearts content.  If I keep up this pace (which I won't because I'm about to plunge into the weekend where I will be spending time with the boyfriend), I believe I can get the story down within two days.  That would be wonderful and inspiring to me.

Any writers out there?  What are you favorite ways and times to write?  I love how every writer is different and not one way is right.  I tend to be a night writer for example, that is when I gain my best inspiration.  What's your story? (no pun intended)

1 comments:

Young Adventures... said...

Hi Andrea!

Welcome to the blog world! I'm interested in seeing how your novel comes along. I'm your latest follower. Have a wonderful weekend!

Blessings,
Rachel

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