Whew! We made it! I successfully completed the A to Z Blogging Challenge, and you, if you chose to, participated and helped me write a new story every day by suggesting a word or a theme or a place.
I had so much fun, I'm initiating Fiction Fridays here at Doesn't Speak Klingon. A new story every week, starting with some of the prompts I was given during AtoZ but didn't use. I hope you'll all enjoy it as a break from the humdrum of my world.
Meanwhile, it's back to the grind.
The grind of writing. When April started, I was in the throes of a re-write of my Work In Progress. I have completed that re-write, printed it out, and finally the other day I sat down to read it with my colored pens in hand to make notes.
It's terrible.
I remember when I sat down with a manuscript of the first draft, I realized how much my writing had improved since writing that draft! So I set about to improve it.
It's still awful.
I bored myself within the first three pages.
WHAT THE HELL, ME?
Sorry, this is generally a curse-free blog, but seriously. I deserve a good tongue-lashing.
I know, I know. Growing pains and blah blah blah.
I know I can write, and I do think I have an interesting story here.
I've read tons about typical pitfalls that new authors land in, and I have avoided most of the glaring ones. Grammatically, I am REALLY skilled. I mean, that was my job before. That's my degree. I just need to give the book a boost.
Maybe I need to do the "Cut the first scene - Cut the last scene" and see if it reads better. What do you think? If I was bored in the first three pages...
If you are writing, or teach writing, or involved with the writing universe, I welcome any and all suggestions!
My only claim to expertise is the only remaining member of my writing group (everyone else had to drop out due to "life") seems to like my critiques. Without seeing the manuscript, my guess would be you didn't start the story in the right place. (If you need a second set of eyes, I'm willing.)
ReplyDeleteI can absolutely do without that first scene. Starting on the following scene, I'm finding places I can easily inject any vital information from the original first scene, if needed.
DeleteThat's usually what happens. Many times you'll find yourself starting your story too soon. What is the incident that really sets off the plot of your story? That's where you start.
DeleteIt's hard to see it until you're there. I am learning a LOT about the concepts I've read about regarding fiction writing.
DeleteI have that sometimes happen and find I do best by trying a new chapter one from a different approach (person, timeframe, etc). In fact, been having that issue with my upcoming "Paradise Dream", fourth book in my C'Mon Inn Mystery series.
ReplyDeleteDB McNicol
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Truly, moving to the next scene, I realized most of the critical exposition is repeated in fragments. A few character-illuminating moments will need to be recreated elsewhere, but it's so much more fun without the opening I had given.
ReplyDeleteThis was the one I re-worked from a one-act play I'd written eons ago. A lot has been added and changed, and some things I think were kept just because they would have played well on-stage.