‘ve seen it everywhere–you’re supposed to finish a draft before you start a rewrite.
I have decided to take this advice and chuck it down a drain. Why? Because at about the 50,000 word mark–about 36,000 of which are connected–I’ve realized that I’ve lost sight of the story I wanted to tell. I thought about it, and thought about it, and realized I needed to make some major changes. I could try to finish it, but I think I’ve already written all the major scenes, and if I try and fill in the minor ones at this point, I’m going to lose sight of the whole thing.
I hereby officially stamp the 50,000 word thing as Draft One, and I start over again. Among other things, I realized that I need to start my story about six months earlier then the first events in the current version.
I’ve been told that finishing is important. But I’m already motivated to finish, and for a variety of reasons that are, at this point completely out of my control, I’m not in a rush to get this to market, because I can’t market anything until mid-2008 anyway. So I figure that there’s no reason not to do it right.
January 13th, 2007 at 7:28 pm
I’m manic about finishing my rough drafts, but that’s because I wasted 20 years on revisions of a book I never could finish. When I start something, the fear it could happen again lingers, driving me to get the rough draft done all the way through. However, in at least four cases I had to delete off the last 20,000 words or so and replace them wholesale.
So if you can actually finish this thing without finishing it *grin* then go for it!
Alice
January 14th, 2007 at 4:48 pm
From Robert Cormier: The beautiful part of writing is that you don’t have to get it right the first time, unlike,say, a brain surgeon.
January 14th, 2007 at 5:10 pm
I should add that I think you’re smart to start again if the first time didn’t feel right. I’m sure much of what you’ve written will find a new home in the second version, and I hope I’m around in 2008 to see the finished product.
January 17th, 2007 at 5:49 pm
My Jade Skull is like this. I ended up putting it on the back burner while I actually finish two shorter works that have been clamoring to be written. I have one more, a Regency historical, that HAS to be written before I can get back to The Jade Skull (or whatever I end up calling it). . . so, good luck with this one. Can’t wait to see it on MY bookshelf!