News and why a lot of authors don't like first drafts
First the news -- I can now update my NEWS and EVENTS pages all by myself! (Thank you, Webmaster Todd!) This means you can always go to my NEWS page for up-to-the-minute book news and happenings. When I know it, I'll post it!
In fact, there's some book news over there that a lot of you have been waiting for -- The Trouble with Demons is now available for pre-order on Amazon. It should be up on Barnes & Noble soon.
Now to today's blog topic. Many authors (myself included), don't enjoy first drafts. That doesn't mean we go grumbling to the computer every day, it means that most of us are perfectionists. And unless you're blessed, lucky, or unbelievably skilled, your first draft is going to be what we southerners call "butt ugly." Or as I've read it on many authors' blogs: "First drafts suck. Live with it."
First there's the struggle to get what's in my head onto the screen. But mainly my problem is that I'm still working out the guts of the story while I'm writing it. I know the beginning, some scenes scattered throughout the book, and I know the ending. The trick is to come up with the story to link all of those together. The key there is come up with the story. Get it right the first time, and I've got relatively smooth sailing. But if I take a wrong turn, I lose valuable writing time trying to get myself back on the right track. And when I'm on a tight deadline (as always), this can cause stress, which causes my muse to clam up. This is a bad thing.
For me, I want the entire story neatly plotted out in advance. Well, most of the time this doesn't happen for me. In fact, it's only happened once (with TTWD). As I've said before, my writing brain is a chaotic place; the rest of me treasures structure and order. It's a wonder my head doesn't explode from the conflict.
That doesn't mean that first drafts are all bad. There are always those moments of revelation where I get a grin on my face and say: "I didn't see that coming" or "I didn't know that about Mychael. Cool!"
I just always breathe a big sigh of relief when I've got the first draft done. That means the fun of filling in the details can begin. BTW -- I finished Chapter 5 of TTWD this weekend, and start Chapter 6 today.
Coming up this week: I'll answer more reader questions. And coming soon: I told you how Raine came into being, and someone asked where did Tam come from. I honestly can't remember. But since I don't throw any scrap of paper away, I'm going to do some digging and find the origins of Tam for all of you "Team Tam" ladies out there.
Yep, it's Monday, but try to make the best of it. ; )
Lisa
In fact, there's some book news over there that a lot of you have been waiting for -- The Trouble with Demons is now available for pre-order on Amazon. It should be up on Barnes & Noble soon.
Now to today's blog topic. Many authors (myself included), don't enjoy first drafts. That doesn't mean we go grumbling to the computer every day, it means that most of us are perfectionists. And unless you're blessed, lucky, or unbelievably skilled, your first draft is going to be what we southerners call "butt ugly." Or as I've read it on many authors' blogs: "First drafts suck. Live with it."
First there's the struggle to get what's in my head onto the screen. But mainly my problem is that I'm still working out the guts of the story while I'm writing it. I know the beginning, some scenes scattered throughout the book, and I know the ending. The trick is to come up with the story to link all of those together. The key there is come up with the story. Get it right the first time, and I've got relatively smooth sailing. But if I take a wrong turn, I lose valuable writing time trying to get myself back on the right track. And when I'm on a tight deadline (as always), this can cause stress, which causes my muse to clam up. This is a bad thing.
For me, I want the entire story neatly plotted out in advance. Well, most of the time this doesn't happen for me. In fact, it's only happened once (with TTWD). As I've said before, my writing brain is a chaotic place; the rest of me treasures structure and order. It's a wonder my head doesn't explode from the conflict.
That doesn't mean that first drafts are all bad. There are always those moments of revelation where I get a grin on my face and say: "I didn't see that coming" or "I didn't know that about Mychael. Cool!"
I just always breathe a big sigh of relief when I've got the first draft done. That means the fun of filling in the details can begin. BTW -- I finished Chapter 5 of TTWD this weekend, and start Chapter 6 today.
Coming up this week: I'll answer more reader questions. And coming soon: I told you how Raine came into being, and someone asked where did Tam come from. I honestly can't remember. But since I don't throw any scrap of paper away, I'm going to do some digging and find the origins of Tam for all of you "Team Tam" ladies out there.
Yep, it's Monday, but try to make the best of it. ; )
Lisa
posted by Lisa Shearin at
8:04 AM
4 Comments:
BTW -- I finished Chapter 5 of TTWD this weekend, and start Chapter 6 today.
Um, do you mean Bewitched and Betrayed?
and congratulations! That's wonderful!
I would love to know where Tam came from!
What does a writer do if they have a world and people, but no problem?
If you have a world & people, find someone who's unhappy in the world. If they're unhappy 'cause something isn't right in their life, there's a character story. If they're unhappy 'cause they're evil and not running things, there's your bad guy; find a hero (or heroine) to stop them.
LOL! Yep, I meant Bewitched & Betrayed. When you're writing one book, copyediting another, and thinking a couple books down the road -- you tend to get confused.
And to answer your question, if you've got a world and people in it, there WILL be conflict, just give it time. Somebody will start acting like a jerk and somebody else will want to stop him. ; )
Conflict is the lovely new word I'm incorporating into my work. It's wonderful! I'm loving create havoc for everyone!
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