Carolyn CordonGetting on with the Second Draft
July 25th 2009 00:12
My novel has been languishing on my computer's depths, I have barely even looked at it. I was supposed to be working on it all last semester when I was doing a writing workshop with Jeff Guess.
The workshop members would get together once a week with Jeff Guess and we would all work on our special project in our own time. My stated special project was to work on the second draft of my novel in progress. When we all got together with Jeff we would do writing exercises.
For the whole semester all I did was work on the first chapter and a half, that was it, so a total of maybe 2,000 words, if that. Pathetic. I felt like I had fallen out of love with my WIP, and I was happy to let the relationship die.
Then, a small group of the people working with Jeff Guess, some of whom were going on to another semester with him, some of whom weren't, decided to form an informal group, meeting once a week in the home of one of the members. And a miracle occured. This group worked! It was loving, caring, supportive and the critiques given were knowledgeable, and useful.
So, I decided I would bring along the second draft of the first chapter of my WIP, and another miracle - several people really want to hear more of this work. I feel energised and eager to return to my characters so I can fix up the errors in the first draft and journey on the completing the second draft. It feel wonderful.
I love my novel again and it's all good. For writers, the best advice I could give is to find yourself a good writing group. Make sure it is a group of people who will add to your writing, and be prepared to give. You, your writing and the whole group will benefit.
The workshop members would get together once a week with Jeff Guess and we would all work on our special project in our own time. My stated special project was to work on the second draft of my novel in progress. When we all got together with Jeff we would do writing exercises.
For the whole semester all I did was work on the first chapter and a half, that was it, so a total of maybe 2,000 words, if that. Pathetic. I felt like I had fallen out of love with my WIP, and I was happy to let the relationship die.
Then, a small group of the people working with Jeff Guess, some of whom were going on to another semester with him, some of whom weren't, decided to form an informal group, meeting once a week in the home of one of the members. And a miracle occured. This group worked! It was loving, caring, supportive and the critiques given were knowledgeable, and useful.
So, I decided I would bring along the second draft of the first chapter of my WIP, and another miracle - several people really want to hear more of this work. I feel energised and eager to return to my characters so I can fix up the errors in the first draft and journey on the completing the second draft. It feel wonderful.
I love my novel again and it's all good. For writers, the best advice I could give is to find yourself a good writing group. Make sure it is a group of people who will add to your writing, and be prepared to give. You, your writing and the whole group will benefit.
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Comment by Dianna G
I Wish This Was 42
Fictional Worlds
That's so, so true. Personally my groups are all online (except for, of course, the offline Nanowrimo people, who are also online xD) for a variety of rasons. One of which is I know a lot of writers who aren't part of a specific real-life group. Another of which is I can't really make it to once-a-week meetings every week. The last of which is I simply don't know of any in my area, and personally I'd rather one that's recommended by a friend than one I find via internet.
The community at Nanowrimo (and all the communities that are its offspring) is absolutely amazing though; they really make it a lot easier for me to keep writing when I'm feeling down.
~Dianna
Comment by Carolyn Cordon
Light Within
How do You Express Your Creativity?
Food Leaf
I was sick of having partly written novels hanging around my neck, that I never worked on again, so I gave myself a deadline that meant something to me and told husband and son not to talk to me if I was writing or thinking for the entire month of June.
At the end I had just over 50,000 words, and I had no idea of what to do next, so I hid it away and ignored it. But I felt I could now tell people I was a novel writer, because I had written that many words.
It wasn't satisfying though, and it niggled, but I kept just ignoring it for a year, then this writing workshop thing came up and I dragged it out again.
I have written a little about it here before, and I am closer to committing to it than I have been at any time since I got that first draft down on paper.
Wish me luck!
Comment by Dianna G
I Wish This Was 42
Fictional Worlds
It's sometimes immense fun to write and rewrite novels; at other times, you hate it.
Even if you write the first draft in one month, my one biggest piece of advice is NOT to rush yourself with the editing. First off, if you do too much at any given time, you WILL hate your novel and throw things. Second off, you'll burn out. Third, you won't catch everything if you don't take time.
Took me six months to edit a 60K novel. And three and a half months to write it. (I ended up scrapping the first half, starting the novel at the former halfway point, and then writing it back up to 60K in December/January/February. I started it during Nano.)
~Dianna
Comment by Carolyn Cordon
Light Within
How do You Express Your Creativity?
Food Leaf
Comment by Dianna G
I Wish This Was 42
Fictional Worlds
A little bit of both?
~Dianna
Comment by Carolyn Cordon
Light Within
How do You Express Your Creativity?
Food Leaf