Writerly Ways
Jan. 28th, 2024 10:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
cornerofmadnessI am having another bad day, feel rather blech but I suspect it's my sugar. However I do have time at least to talk about what I wanted to: going back to an abandoned story.
Let's face it, most of us have stories we've started and never finished for one reason or another. Some will be fated to be drawerfic. Some may never be finished. Others you decide 'why the hell didn't I finish this? It's good.'
There are many answers to that question. But what now? My suggestion is always read it through again before even contemplating the what nows. Clean it up as you go if you want. Take notes. After time with fresher eyes you might be able to see the why didn't I finish issues.
If you're like me you might not even have written the damn thing in linear order. I mostly do but occasionally I write a future scene that won't stop screaming in my head. Others of you never write in order which is probably easier if you're working in something like Scrivener. Once you get your notes, go from there.
This idea brought to you by Beneath the Torn Sky which I started at least in 2009 (as some files haven't been updated since then). I have been talking about this for a while now. I think I've found all the bits. Annoyingly I saved things multiple times under multiple names (WTF was I going through 15 years ago?) More on that in a bit. I think that I set it aside for Jana because in 2010 I sold my first story as her. Things I could sell as her took precedence unfortunately (because no one at the time was interested in Dana's stuff).
I'm 100% sure I can save this story.
1. I wrote the damn last chapter. Oh it no longer tracks with the main story but a lot of it is useable.
2. I know the big problem (Link saw it) I tried to tell this from only Placid and Melantha's povs. So as a story about loss and grief and PTSD it worked but it failed miserably as a mystery.
3. It's a mystery. So now what? Even then I knew I needed more scenes with Placid's police partners.
4. Killingswowrth, Wakefield and Reanna ALL need better fleshing out.
5. They need to DO SOMETHING. So right now we don't really see them investigating. In the existing document all we see is them talking to one person AFTER Placid hands them the lead. In the bits and pieces I found them talking to this world's version of AA which gave them a lead (not followed by the time I left this in the drawer)
6. We have a possible suspect in another police officer Geraint who is young and admires Placid as they're both lower limb amputees and he sees in Placid what is possible. Only we NEVER see this guy. So I need to go back to the beginning and work him in a few places.
7. Keep looking for the ballroom scene. I swear I wrote it. I have the aftermath.
8. Figure where to put in the scenes for the detectives that won't destroy the flow of the other chapters.
9. cut a lot of the jokes and handsy stuff. We're literally a different generation since this was begun, attitudes are different
10 that said find better ways for men to joke with each other (none of it in the story is misogynistic but body image came under fire)
11. Julian (Placid's brother) needs to be more/do more than be the fussy younger brother.
12. World build a bit more. Decide is this gas light or electric (maybe transitioning) Name a few other countries since Killingsworth/Violet have a non-White parent (For that matter we only have town names NO country name) and Wakefield might be entirely non-white (you whiffed a bit on his description there...) Geraint needs to exist period.
So yeah it's a lot. I'm not so sure I need much in the way of religion. They've mentioned there is a god but it's not really part of this story. But seriously there's nothing other two towns worth of world building. We don't even know much about them and where they are. Dogwood Hollow is your generic rural farm town. Mount Olivier is basically Pittsburgh PA without the industrialization. Literally the whole thing is Pennsylvania but even that's not one homogenous thing so I need to work more in without it being TOO much detail (because damn I'm reading something right now that is an oversaturation of every minute detail. Pretty bored, have to admit)
OPEN CALLS
Brink Literary Journal: Now Seeking Submissions
Baen Fantasy Adventure Award 2024
Heduan Review: Narratives of healing, reflection, and rebirth
Silence Stories featuring Algernon Blackwood’s ‘Psychic Doctor’ I have never read these but now I'm curious
40 Magazines Publishing Literary Fiction
From Around the Web
12 Ways Authors Can Use Instagram Reels to Increase Engagement
7 Tips to Craft Compelling Character Motivation in Fiction
How to Establish a Character’s Voice
Moving beyond ‘Likes’ to real connections with readers
Finding Writing Inspiration
How to Write a Book Title That Gets Attention
How to Use Chekhov’s Gun to Enhance Your Story
JOHN HARTNESS: FIVE THINGS I LEARNED KICKSTARTING A NOVEL
How to Write a Novel in 10 Steps
How to Plan a Book Tour on Your Own
Novel vs. Book: Three Key Differences
From Betty
The Dos and Don’ts of Using Magic in Romance
Brainstorming Your Perfect Protagonist
Ways to Know Your Characters, Part 1- Background
Novella Words of Wisdom
How Much Description Does Your Book Need?
The One Rule No Writer Should Break
Tension and the Power of Unanswered Questions
Designing Thriller and Mystery Twists That Work
Six reasons you’re confusing the reader
TIPS TO MAKE SURE YOUR WRITING VOICE IS AUTHENTICALLY YOU!
PEP & PROMPT #4: HOW DO I CREATE AN UNSETTLING ATMOSPHERE IN MY STORY?
4 Tips How to Write a Villain Readers Truly Hate
Let's face it, most of us have stories we've started and never finished for one reason or another. Some will be fated to be drawerfic. Some may never be finished. Others you decide 'why the hell didn't I finish this? It's good.'
There are many answers to that question. But what now? My suggestion is always read it through again before even contemplating the what nows. Clean it up as you go if you want. Take notes. After time with fresher eyes you might be able to see the why didn't I finish issues.
If you're like me you might not even have written the damn thing in linear order. I mostly do but occasionally I write a future scene that won't stop screaming in my head. Others of you never write in order which is probably easier if you're working in something like Scrivener. Once you get your notes, go from there.
This idea brought to you by Beneath the Torn Sky which I started at least in 2009 (as some files haven't been updated since then). I have been talking about this for a while now. I think I've found all the bits. Annoyingly I saved things multiple times under multiple names (WTF was I going through 15 years ago?) More on that in a bit. I think that I set it aside for Jana because in 2010 I sold my first story as her. Things I could sell as her took precedence unfortunately (because no one at the time was interested in Dana's stuff).
I'm 100% sure I can save this story.
1. I wrote the damn last chapter. Oh it no longer tracks with the main story but a lot of it is useable.
2. I know the big problem (Link saw it) I tried to tell this from only Placid and Melantha's povs. So as a story about loss and grief and PTSD it worked but it failed miserably as a mystery.
3. It's a mystery. So now what? Even then I knew I needed more scenes with Placid's police partners.
4. Killingswowrth, Wakefield and Reanna ALL need better fleshing out.
5. They need to DO SOMETHING. So right now we don't really see them investigating. In the existing document all we see is them talking to one person AFTER Placid hands them the lead. In the bits and pieces I found them talking to this world's version of AA which gave them a lead (not followed by the time I left this in the drawer)
6. We have a possible suspect in another police officer Geraint who is young and admires Placid as they're both lower limb amputees and he sees in Placid what is possible. Only we NEVER see this guy. So I need to go back to the beginning and work him in a few places.
7. Keep looking for the ballroom scene. I swear I wrote it. I have the aftermath.
8. Figure where to put in the scenes for the detectives that won't destroy the flow of the other chapters.
9. cut a lot of the jokes and handsy stuff. We're literally a different generation since this was begun, attitudes are different
10 that said find better ways for men to joke with each other (none of it in the story is misogynistic but body image came under fire)
11. Julian (Placid's brother) needs to be more/do more than be the fussy younger brother.
12. World build a bit more. Decide is this gas light or electric (maybe transitioning) Name a few other countries since Killingsworth/Violet have a non-White parent (For that matter we only have town names NO country name) and Wakefield might be entirely non-white (you whiffed a bit on his description there...) Geraint needs to exist period.
So yeah it's a lot. I'm not so sure I need much in the way of religion. They've mentioned there is a god but it's not really part of this story. But seriously there's nothing other two towns worth of world building. We don't even know much about them and where they are. Dogwood Hollow is your generic rural farm town. Mount Olivier is basically Pittsburgh PA without the industrialization. Literally the whole thing is Pennsylvania but even that's not one homogenous thing so I need to work more in without it being TOO much detail (because damn I'm reading something right now that is an oversaturation of every minute detail. Pretty bored, have to admit)
OPEN CALLS
Brink Literary Journal: Now Seeking Submissions
Baen Fantasy Adventure Award 2024
Heduan Review: Narratives of healing, reflection, and rebirth
Silence Stories featuring Algernon Blackwood’s ‘Psychic Doctor’ I have never read these but now I'm curious
40 Magazines Publishing Literary Fiction
From Around the Web
12 Ways Authors Can Use Instagram Reels to Increase Engagement
7 Tips to Craft Compelling Character Motivation in Fiction
How to Establish a Character’s Voice
Moving beyond ‘Likes’ to real connections with readers
Finding Writing Inspiration
How to Write a Book Title That Gets Attention
How to Use Chekhov’s Gun to Enhance Your Story
JOHN HARTNESS: FIVE THINGS I LEARNED KICKSTARTING A NOVEL
How to Write a Novel in 10 Steps
How to Plan a Book Tour on Your Own
Novel vs. Book: Three Key Differences
From Betty
The Dos and Don’ts of Using Magic in Romance
Brainstorming Your Perfect Protagonist
Ways to Know Your Characters, Part 1- Background
Novella Words of Wisdom
How Much Description Does Your Book Need?
The One Rule No Writer Should Break
Tension and the Power of Unanswered Questions
Designing Thriller and Mystery Twists That Work
Six reasons you’re confusing the reader
TIPS TO MAKE SURE YOUR WRITING VOICE IS AUTHENTICALLY YOU!
PEP & PROMPT #4: HOW DO I CREATE AN UNSETTLING ATMOSPHERE IN MY STORY?
4 Tips How to Write a Villain Readers Truly Hate
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Date: 2024-01-30 05:46 am (UTC)Sorry you had a bad day. Hope things will look up for you soon.
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Date: 2024-01-31 04:44 am (UTC)and thanks