My story does not hold water. Why? Because there are tons of holes in it. (You should have seen that one coming.)
I've come up with a plan, though. This month I am going to guess where the holes are and try to fill them. I say "guess" because have you ever tried to write a novel? I just can't picture the whole of it--ha! it's a pun. In some vague, misty, romantic way I can, but not how every single word of every single chapter fits together to form the beautiful, flowing narrative I aspire to. I can't clearly see the big picture and it Makes. Me. Crazy.
So back to my plan..I write, write, write, then at the end of the month I take all my chapters and smush (a writer's term) them together like a play-do ball into one gigantic, multi-colored mass. Then I, and other hapless readers, will devour it from start to finish. That's the only way to get a grasp on it, I think.
I feel I'm at that point. I've got 26 chapters and well over 50,000 words at last tally, so what else is a writer to do but SMUSH?
4 comments:
Sounds like great progress, Valerie! I like the term "smush." But since I'm such a plotter, I usually have my novel fairly well mapped out before I start. (I know, I know, don't shoot me! I'm one of THOSE writers!) Actually, it's very interesting to see the variety of writing styles and to know that there really isn't ONE right way!
Thanks again for swinging by my blog today!
I feel your pain. Until I started setting up a few key scenes along the way and had a loose idea of where I was going with the story, I ended up with stories so holy I could have taken them to church! I wrote The Stranger She Married by the seat of my pants and it meant for a lot of rewrites. I mean, a LOT. But it's okay. It's the journey that's fun and as long as you get to the end eventually, it's all good.
Good luck "smushing." he he. I like that term :-)
Except for the non-fic about my husband, I write the same as you, as it comes. No way is anything involved as to pre-plotting - my character names have changed so many times they don't know who they are.
Love your blog,
Barbara B
That's funny, Barbara! Way to keep your characters on their toes!
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