HELP…
I have a wonderfully rare gift tomorrow. A day off from work, almost entirely child free that I intend to dedicate to writing. Whilst I am acutely aware I now have an overdue assignment, tomorrow is dedicated to my novel. But I have a problem.
I have 50 something thousand words written – that need a heavy edit, I have some major character development needed too, and probably before I carry on. I have also lost a bit of confidence due to the mis-timed feedback and I’m not sure how to get it back. But it has knocked me significantly off track, and now I feel like I need to go back and edit major storylines, sub-stories and character lines.
But here is my question, Should I go back and spend the time I have between life admin editing the 50K? Or do I spend a couple of hours on character development and then soldier on with the story and edit at the end?
Now – before you all charge in and tell me to plough on (because thats what everyone has said without exception)
There are a few caveats –
I need to either raise my confidence with what words I already have down on the page or I am not going to be able to continue, OR someone needs to provide me with an extremely rational logical argument as to why I should continue.
Listen to me. I already know the answer, I am inviting you to tell me to continue, but I am stuck. Stuck wanting to edit, to critique and perfect what I have before carrying on… the urge to edit is overwhelming.
Also now I haven’t looked at my novel since the 26th Nov when I completed NaNo, the usual ‘carry on to keep the flow going’ doesn’t really apply, as I am a bit out of the flow now anyway.
So what do I do???
Answers on a blogpostcard!
Keith Channing says
That’s a tough one, Sacha!
I am in a similar position with my NaNo work. It has reached the end (and is crying out for a sequel for which I already have a working title, a headline summary and a candidate cover). However, it needs more middle, sub-plots need finessing, character consistency is possibly suspect and the whole thing needs critical revision.
However, to do NaNo, I interrupted work on the original story (from which my NaNo work is a spin-off) and that needs revising and editing first – I think.
Having said all that, I don’t have your time pressures; it’s really just a question of organising my head.
Sorry, I’m not being very helpful, am I?
In your position, I think I would try to press on with the story, unless you believe that your edits and revisions will change the flow of your story and put it in a different place to where it is now. Rationale? If you do that, you will have a completed product to work on, rather than a half-completed one, which will still need developing and revising when it is finally finished.
But what do I know? This time last year I was thinking about writing my first short story!
esthernewton2013 says
Great advice from Keith!
leila samarrai says
as someone who hates editing above all, though others assure me editing is re -writing, just listen to Gogol’s advice: write in a flash what you hold dear to heart in the first draft, then let it rest for a while, not for eternity, god forbid.. then go to the third (mine)favorite stage: killing your darlings…
Sacha Black says
What a brilliant quote 🙂 thanks so much for stopping by and reading (my clearly unedited blog post!) shame on me! I must have written it tired! thank you again 🙂