My muse balked at the jump -- again.
I had another blog topic planned for today, but I'll push that one until next week (Keeping your story believable). I thought all of you writers would be more interested in the quagmire I find myself in now.
On the first draft of Con & Conjure, I got up to Chapter 17 before I realized that I couldn't go any further (let alone actually finish the book) until I went back to Chapter 1 and filled out the story a bit more. Basically my foundation wasn't strong enough to support the entire story. So I went back and I wrote, and I went ahead and called this Draft 2.
And to tell you the truth, all this didn't bother me because I remembered that this ALWAYS happens. I've never been able to write a book all the way from start to finish, even in a rough draft form. I need to have more details -- physical details, but mainly more character emotional depth -- before I could go any further. And I typically don't get the depth of character feeling and emotional punch I need until subsequent drafts.
Thus, feeling reassured, I started at Chapter 1 and went through to . . . you guessed it, Chapter 17. I spent the past two days trying to force the story forward, but it just isn't going. That tells me that I'm missing an important sub-plot somewhere, the mortar that will hold the book's bricks together. And who always has ended up being book "mortar"?
Piaras and Talon.
The boys just haven't fit into the story so far (the story's plenty action-packed without them) . I didn't want to leave them out, but they just didn't fit. This also happens in every book, but not to the extent it has here.
So Talon and Piaras are the problem. Though Talon being a problem is no surprise to anyone who knows him. The two of them are essentially standing on the other side of the Chapter 17 "wall" keeping me from getting through. And I'm sure Talon has been laughing at me the whole time. (growl, grumble) Punk kid. So I'm going to relent and let the boys in to play.
Your newly enlightened author,
Lisa
BTW -- To pacify Piaras, Monday's snippet from Bewitched & Betrayed will feature him.
On the first draft of Con & Conjure, I got up to Chapter 17 before I realized that I couldn't go any further (let alone actually finish the book) until I went back to Chapter 1 and filled out the story a bit more. Basically my foundation wasn't strong enough to support the entire story. So I went back and I wrote, and I went ahead and called this Draft 2.
And to tell you the truth, all this didn't bother me because I remembered that this ALWAYS happens. I've never been able to write a book all the way from start to finish, even in a rough draft form. I need to have more details -- physical details, but mainly more character emotional depth -- before I could go any further. And I typically don't get the depth of character feeling and emotional punch I need until subsequent drafts.
Thus, feeling reassured, I started at Chapter 1 and went through to . . . you guessed it, Chapter 17. I spent the past two days trying to force the story forward, but it just isn't going. That tells me that I'm missing an important sub-plot somewhere, the mortar that will hold the book's bricks together. And who always has ended up being book "mortar"?
Piaras and Talon.
The boys just haven't fit into the story so far (the story's plenty action-packed without them) . I didn't want to leave them out, but they just didn't fit. This also happens in every book, but not to the extent it has here.
So Talon and Piaras are the problem. Though Talon being a problem is no surprise to anyone who knows him. The two of them are essentially standing on the other side of the Chapter 17 "wall" keeping me from getting through. And I'm sure Talon has been laughing at me the whole time. (growl, grumble) Punk kid. So I'm going to relent and let the boys in to play.
Your newly enlightened author,
Lisa
BTW -- To pacify Piaras, Monday's snippet from Bewitched & Betrayed will feature him.
posted by Lisa Shearin at
7:16 AM
5 Comments:
Threaten them with somethng scary so they will chat to you.
Yay Talon! Stick to your guns (or knives), guy. We want to see more of you!!!
As an author, I never cease to be amazed by the power the characters have to shape the books... (mutter, mutter, mutter)
Huh, kids these days! :)
I'm so glad you wrote this. I've been working on a time travel historical, but only got so far before I felt the urge to go back and flesh out what I had so far. And I'm glad I did, because I never would have met the Romany time travelers had I not.
And they solved some plot problems, too!
Glad it helped, Tia! I'm on my fifth book, and I'm just now learning to listen to my gut within a day or two of running into a wall. Before I would just stand there pushing against it like an idiot and getting nowhere.
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