Thursday 13 August 2009

Did I write THAT?!

So, after a bit of a break, I've started on the bizarre process of the Second Draft. I've never got this far before, so I'm slightly making it up as I go along, but that's fine. It's fun, and fresh, and different from trying to churn out words. Now I'm trying to recognize the ones I wrote 8 months ago.

I've got a shiny new notebook with handy sections, and I've started reading through the 1st draft, making notes on what happens in each chapter in the blue section, while I'm making notes about the characters in the red section. I found that when I was getting to the latter stages of writing, I couldn't remember what I'd called some of the more minor characters, and other little details, so having the main points jotted down should help when I start putting it all back together. My 1st draft is printed out in a big blue folder, and I've been making quick edits on obvious things I've spotted as I go, and also underlined important things in green. It's quite weird - I've foreshadowed things that I hadn't even thought of when I wrote the beginning and I'm also trying to highlight all the little clues I've left through the text to make sure they all come to something later on.

When I've finished my read-through, my plan is to draw a map of the book on a piece of A3 paper, and start working out what needs to change and where the extra chapters that I've thought of need to go. I might start off with this on Post-Its so I can move them around, but I want to end up with a chart I can stick on the wall (if I can persuade S to let me stick something up! Blue tack stains, you know!). And then comes the actual writing again. Phew, it all seems rather complicated now...

4 comments:

CL Taylor said...

"it all seems rather complicated now..."

I can SO relate to that!

Fiona Mackenzie. Writer said...

I can relate to that too and have decided to adopt the triage method with mine. This will reduce my 80,000 words to 8,000 I expect.

Kate said...

Good luck

Kate x

missykimmy said...

I got interested in reading your blog because you're a "lazy perfectionist". I am too, I think. ^_^

Anyway, I'm glad I did because you wrote a book and are planning to publish it! (right?) I'm writing a book too - trying to, anyway. I've never gotten to the Second Draft part but I hope to one day.

So, how hard was it to write up the first draft? My story doesn't even have a Chapter 1 yet. Just a few in-the-middle ones. Keep us updated on how your book is progressing.(: And good luck!

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