I wrote two chapters in my book and I'm stuck, having lost confidence in myself; at least temporarily. The closest person I have to a "wise reader" read over those two chapters because I was having misgivings. He found several holes where I need to put in more description, exposition, or even whole scenes. I read back over what I'd written and agreed with him.
The question is, should I make those revisions now? Will the quality of the rest of the story rest on getting the beginning right before I continue? I'm happy with my opening; all the holes occur after that. If I go back and rewrite everything at this stage though, will I lose pulse of the story and not be able to continue?
Thoughts?
Shasta
Posted by srhowen (Member # 462) on :
Get the whole story down. If you get stuck on making these first chapters "right" you will never go on.
Also consider that as you go on, you will discover things that need to be worked intot he start to make sense.
That's what a rough draft is, a rough draft. A draft to flesh out the idea---
In my first drafts I do little description, and leave out scenes and don't write in order.
So plow ahead.
Shawn
Posted by Rahl22 (Member # 1411) on :
I think that if the whole idea of your beginning is not quite down, though, you may consider going back and rewriting, in order to find a beginning that works for you. If you don't have the foundation how you need it, it will be hard to build an entire novel based on it. But if it's just revision that you're concerned with, go ahead the way it is. Once your S***y first draft is done, you can go back and edit the whole thing.
Posted by JK (Member # 654) on :
Carry on, my friend. Note down what your wise reader said, and when you finish the whole story, you can go back to the beginning. By that time, you'll have things you want to change already, as well as plugging those holes. Besides, you'll learn more in writing a novel full of holes than you will rewriting two chapters again and again.
quote:In my first drafts I...don't write in order.
I've never been able to do this. Plus, in my opinion at least, I don't think it's a great idea. Leaving stuff out means that, when you go back to fill in chapters eight, twelve, and twenty-one, things might change in the writing. At the very least, you could write in some trivial little thing that your characters would refer back to. So you'd have to rewrite a number of later chapters to tie them in with the ones you left out. But that's just my opinion, and it's a bit of a minority. JK
Posted by Survivor (Member # 213) on :
Yes, you have to put off extensive rewriting of the story until you have actually worked out the framework of the entire story. Until you understand where the story is going, and what elements are central, peripheral, and unimportant, you don't have the basis for a rewrite.
Go ahead and write out a rough draft, then make an outline of all the important dramatic elements that appear, along with any that you decide should appear, and start rewriting with that in mind.
Posted by srhowen (Member # 462) on :
JK, haven't you ever had a scene running around in your head that used your current characters, but didn't "come next"? I often have this happen, so I write out that scene, it may be near the end, or it may never get used and end up being back story. Sometimes I find that I am starting in the middle of the story and the reason those first chapters don't work is because something has to come before.
<shrug> each person has to write the way it works for them. But, one common thread seems to be that getting the first draft down has to be (though I have heard of writers who get each word perfect before going on to the next)(they seem to be rare though).
What ever works for you, do it.
Shawn
Posted by Rina_Mystery (Member # 1487) on :
Well, every writer does things differently, right? It is important to get the whole rough draft down without worrying about every single particular, but if you want to do one rewrite on your chapters (to boost your self confidence) maybe you should try it. When my self confidence drops from such a reason, I find it awfully hard to pick up a pen and continue. If rewriting your chapters will kick your inspiration into gear again, why not?
Then again, I do things differently than most people, I guess? At least from what I've read here. Usually I write a rough chapter straight out of my head, look it over and see if I need to research something or flesh this or that out, and do a rewrite on it. I go on to the next chapter after that etc...
Posted by JK (Member # 654) on :
If I'm thinking of a scene that doesn't come next - the end of the story, for instance - I leave it in my head. For starters, the thinking's pretty much limited to 'wonder how that'll turn out' because I can't yet write the ending. I don't know what happens in the middle, which will determine said end. If I know one thing will happen, Bob will get a broken nose from projectile mashed potato for instance, then I'll remember that. I might write down a snatch of dialogue, but I won't use it. By the time I get to that scene, using the dialogue will mean forcing it in rather than letting it flow. I just use it as a frame. Backstory scenes don't usually get written for me, just a vague outline. Guess I'm just in love with cause and effect. *shrugs* JK
Posted by Cosmi (Member # 1252) on :
i guess i'm like Rina on this one. if you are stuck, go back through it. i have to. usually i come out of it with a subplot i never thought of before. and that can have a large impact on the rest of my story. then again, if you can continue, don't worry about it now. something will strike you later and you can add in then.
jmho
TTFN & lol
Cosmi
Posted by Survivor (Member # 213) on :
It is worth writing a scene that will never be incorperated into your body of work just as a literary exercise, so long as you don't agonize over it. Never begin agonizing over word choice and plot elements and other such things before you are to the final rewrite (and even then, don't agonize unless you have to).
As a writer, you should feel free to write any time you darn well please, even if you immediately burn the page (or, in a more modern context, exit without saving). You should enjoy writing even when you are never going to show it to anyone (of course, you should also enjoy showing your work to people if you plan on getting published).