Comments | rj_anderson: Indigo Update

rj_anderson

Indigo Update

Apr 25, 2007 11:39

Hit the 40,000 word mark last night. More than halfway there ( Read more... )

Comments 10

izhilzha April 25 2007, 16:10:21 UTC

Aw, I know this feeling. The knowledge that everything you've written is...kind of crappy, even if it does mean that you're on the right track.

Just think, though. Rewriting will be so much more satisfying, having gone through this. (At least, so I've found.)

rj_anderson April 25 2007, 17:43:28 UTC

Have you? *takes deep breath* Okay. Okay.

izhilzha April 26 2007, 16:23:49 UTC

Yeah, I call my first drafts "how NOT to write this story," which means it gets a lot of the obvious and unworkable stuff out of the way, freeing me to get even more creative than I usually would when I come back to it for the rewrite.

dolorous_ett April 25 2007, 16:39:13 UTC

I get just the same feeling with my translations. For the first draft I churn out as much as I can - including multiple meanings of words or phrases if I can't decided which one will do, rude comments about the plot, notes to self to check things...

It looks awful... And yet, given enough time and polishing, you can get a convincing final version out of it all.

Be strong!

rj_anderson April 25 2007, 17:43:06 UTC

Thank you, that's very reassuring. *clings*

(The comment has been removed)

rj_anderson April 25 2007, 17:40:19 UTC

Yeah, any new approach is scary. I'm so used to growing my story from a tiny seed and seeing it branch out in unexpected directions, and only finding out at the very end what kind of plot it really is (even though that often means I have to do a lot of pruning)... whereas this method feels more like I'm building a house with Lego, while looking at the instructions all the while. Efficient it may be, but I'm still not sure I like it!

But I really appreciate the encouragement -- thanks so much. And yay for you, too! I think this FDE thing has been great and I hope it continues.

rose_in_shadow April 25 2007, 17:38:41 UTC

I felt the same upon writing my NaNo novel--50,000 words in 30 days should be a torture reserved for the deepest, darkest part of the dungeon.

The good side though, is that, as you mention, you'll have an outline and the revising process should be easier.

Good luck!

rj_anderson April 25 2007, 17:44:10 UTC

Were you pleased with your NaNo novel, once you'd revised it? Or have you not got to that stage of things yet?

rose_in_shadow April 25 2007, 18:30:31 UTC

I haven't gotten to the revising stage yes. I got distracted by another plot bunny for "Fairborn" and that's occupied me for more than a year now. However, I was pleased after NaNo ended that I did have the story down and out and revising should be easier when I do get around to it. Yes, the writing quality is not what I would like, but still, the bones are there. Muscles and organs will come later.

jmprince April 26 2007, 05:39:23 UTC

Thanks for sharing the thought that the first draft is really more like a 300-page outline. I've felt like this might be the case with my WIP, and it's heartening to know that published professionals feel this way, too. Because, the thing is, I know my WIP has some redeeming qualities that I'm hoping I can mold and sculpt into something really great...but right now, it sucks!