Hi Everyone,
I love finding out what books you’re reading and what you currently recommend. I was influenced by reading Laini Taylor’s recent blog post about not writing through the end and getting the first one third right, and in the comment section, I came across her book recommendation list. Her posting about the values of spending gobs of time over the beginning of your WIP is funny because I had recently just written a post about the value of writing through to the end, and it made me realize something BIG. I actually do exactly what she does which is obsess over the first quarter to one third of the book for a long time before I can move forward. This is because I’m trying to find the correct way to launch into the book, the right voice, the right way into the story and this, unfortunately takes me awhile, usually. There is one WIP, only one, where I just got that whisper in my ear and I knew pretty much exactly the cadence and how to start the story because of the muse in ear moment. It sounds freaky, I know, and it’s only happened once but it was sweet.
Of course, I have not finished that WIP. It’s in the first draft phase and someday I need to do a real second draft but I’m focused elsewhere right now. And when I do get to that revision, I’m probably completely change the beginning and the voice lol.
And my point was? Yes, my point was this. That I agree with Laini that there are no rules. That for some writers the write-through-to the-bloody-end, even if it’s complete crap, works and for others, polish, polish or obsess over the beginning until launching forward works, too.
But here is quasi rule. I mean I agree with the no rule thing. But here is a semi one. If you want to turn something into a publisher or your agent or your beta readers (I had to put that in since that’s the term I hear bandied about I just say readers in real life) you probably should have a full draft.
But of course, I have sold books on a few chapter and I know other authors who have done this as well. But trust me it’s very nerve wracking because I change everything so much along the way that it means that the publisher doesn’t really know what they are buying. They just have to trust me as much as I trust myself. Gaw. I hope that my editors don’t read my blog because I’m giving too much away right now. I’m admitting that I never know exactly where I’m going. Like this blog post. I had an idea what it would be about–book recommendations, and it’s taking an unexpected turn.
Actually I wasn’t going to actually write in today’s blog. I was going to write up a list of book recommendations and post a photo and get back to writing. I was jealous when I read that Laini Taylor has been mostly putting up visual things on her blog because she’s actually writing her manuscript and on deadline, and I realized that last week I had put way to many hours into my blog post and spent like four hours writing it and perfecting and futzing with it, which meant that day I really did actually very little writing.
How do other authors do it? I’m not sure. But I guess I’m not capable of just posting a cute visual, and leaving it at that. But it’s a good goal. Look for a quick and clever fast visual in the near future. But I have been writing this blog post very quickly in the write to the end mode of finishing things, and it works. In it’s own way. Still, you might prefer last week’s post where I spent egob of hours writing it than this seat of my pajamas one. Yeah, it’s 7:40 a.m. and I’m still in my fuzzy Peace and Love P.J.s
See, there are now rules. Obsess vs. write through to the end. I hate that. I so want there to be rules.
Oh, and back to the original intention of this post. What are you reading? I’m reading Do Androids Dream of Electric Sleep by Philip K. Dick, and LOVIN’ it! Sure, there were a a few annoying FYI moments but, overall, he’s such an amazing storyteller and world-builder and has so much to say while I’m turning those pages. I love Blade Runner, so I’m shocked that it’s taken me this long to get to the book that it’s based upon. I have a feeling that if I re-watch the movie I’ll see it very differently. Probably be irritated that it’s not the book. But I wanted be irritated to see a young Harrison Ford up on screen.
Okay, it’s Spring Break, my youngest is up sneezing. I should probably go. And here’s that link the Laini Taylor post. http://www.lainitaylor.com/2012/03/maybe-post-about-writing.html Then scroll down to the comments to see her current book recommendations.
Enjoy!
p.s. Excuse any typos or mechanical errors in the post. I wrote it in 15 minutes and I’m sticking to that!
Hillary