Before the Weekend
Aug. 4th, 2006 01:22 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jpskewedthroneI've got errands to run today that I put off all week, so only half a day of writing today. I did manage to finish off chapter 7 though, which is good. Things did not go well for Varis today. She got insulted and couldn't retaliate with her dagger, and she's beginning to realize that politics in Amenkor was SIMPLE, compared to what she's getting into now.
Some cool revelations occured today though that have nothing to do with this chapter, but stuff later on. I finally realized what one of my characters has been doing the entire book (one of those "subconscious is writing it already and finally let me in on the plan" things), which makes the end scene for that MUCH more powerful. And I had a small lightbulb moment about the very end of the book, dealing with one of Varis's internal conflicts. It's nice to have things click and come together like that. Makes me think this book isn't deadending like it feels like sometimes.
I have to admit that this book is writing differently than the first two. In book 1, each chapter had a specific goal: kill someone. Things changed slightly during revisions, focus shifted, etc, but that's what drove me through the first draft. That was the focus. In book 2, I had a problem at the beginning, but then pulled the same trick and focused on a goal a chapter again: magic. I tried to do something different with the magic in each chapter that advanced the plot. Again, a structure that as a reader hopefully you don't see but that got me through the first draft. In this book . . . nothing. No focus like that, although I do feel focused. I have to tie all the plotlines up after all, and they all head to one place. But there isn't the same feeling of structure that I had before. It's got me slightly worried.
And in the end, it looks like I'll get half the book done this summer. That's exactly what happened with the first 2 books: half a book a summer. So I shouldn't be surprised. But I was hoping for a little more productivity this summer. I guess the flooding, the painting trauma, and just life events slowed me down more than I expected. I'll have to write during the semester though, to get it finished on time, and that might be rough. I totally respect any of you that write while working at a regular job.
Word!
Vacant Throne
Some cool revelations occured today though that have nothing to do with this chapter, but stuff later on. I finally realized what one of my characters has been doing the entire book (one of those "subconscious is writing it already and finally let me in on the plan" things), which makes the end scene for that MUCH more powerful. And I had a small lightbulb moment about the very end of the book, dealing with one of Varis's internal conflicts. It's nice to have things click and come together like that. Makes me think this book isn't deadending like it feels like sometimes.
I have to admit that this book is writing differently than the first two. In book 1, each chapter had a specific goal: kill someone. Things changed slightly during revisions, focus shifted, etc, but that's what drove me through the first draft. That was the focus. In book 2, I had a problem at the beginning, but then pulled the same trick and focused on a goal a chapter again: magic. I tried to do something different with the magic in each chapter that advanced the plot. Again, a structure that as a reader hopefully you don't see but that got me through the first draft. In this book . . . nothing. No focus like that, although I do feel focused. I have to tie all the plotlines up after all, and they all head to one place. But there isn't the same feeling of structure that I had before. It's got me slightly worried.
And in the end, it looks like I'll get half the book done this summer. That's exactly what happened with the first 2 books: half a book a summer. So I shouldn't be surprised. But I was hoping for a little more productivity this summer. I guess the flooding, the painting trauma, and just life events slowed me down more than I expected. I'll have to write during the semester though, to get it finished on time, and that might be rough. I totally respect any of you that write while working at a regular job.
Word!
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44,775 / 100,000 (44.8%) |
Vacant Throne
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Date: 2006-08-04 05:44 pm (UTC)The one-goal-per-chapter thing is very good advice, by the way.
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Date: 2006-08-04 05:55 pm (UTC)The Point of This Chapter is _________________
Thanks for the inspiration. It's helping :-)
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Date: 2006-08-05 03:15 am (UTC)For example, I've finished chapter 7 so now need to think about chapter 8. I know that in chapter 8 I need to have Varis's ships pass through the sea lane that the enemy controls. Will they run into the enemy while there? Probably. I'd like to have a sea battle . . . but a minor one, so I can have a more serious one later on. But the main goal is get them through the sea lane.
But this is where the multiple plot threads gets in the way. While the main goal is get them to Venitte (a city), I've got a relationship going on, dissension between Varis and her advisor, two spies on a ship in the convoy (one of which is a possible rival to the relationship), some assassins who are getting antsy . . . ARGH! Not all of these need to advance in the next chapter of course.
I think the chapter will have to begin with a war council of sorts, but we'll see. The goals in this book are just not as structured as I'd like. Perhaps the problem is not that the plots are more complicated (which they are) but because these are third books? Or perhaps that's why the plots seem complicated--the final book requires that all threads be tied up. You can't have anything dangling. Thus you HAVE to focus on all of the threads. In book 2, I ignored for the most part the relationship thread. It's there, but didn't need to be developed much. However now . . .
(This reply ended up being longer than anticipated.)