In which progress is made

[rolanni]

I've been working.  Monday was one of those fragmented days where I couldn't get my hours-together to focus, though I did some, um, deconstruction work on the third iteration of this novel, and realized that part of what was making things more difficult than they needed to be was the structure, and! for Extra Writer Bonus Points! if I restructured the third iteration, I could actually rescue words from the two iterations I had set aside.

Win!

So, yesterday morning, I pulled the chapter-by-chapter files for each of the three iterations (as I said on Facebook, thank ghod that the person who writes my books takes the time to keep a running chapter-by-chapter summary of each book-in-process.  They're a huge help in identifying which chapters/scenes can be rescued and where they are.

Having identified the words which could be folded into the WIP with good effect, I spent the afternoon unbraiding the (very lightly braided) narrative threads of the third book, and cut-n-pasting the rescued scenes into the (hopefully) correct order.  That was a little harrowing, and in the end, I couldn't rescue anywhere near 50,000 words.  I did, however, get 13,000 words in several nice, chewy scenes that will definitely improve the final story, so the work was worth doing.

This morning, I compiled the book in its Pretty New Structure, and printed it out.  Tomorrow, probably (since today is another chopped-up day), I'll sit down with the compiled manuscript and do a continuity edit.  I'm feeling good about the new structure; and while I'm doubtless up for some Serious Work in building bridges, and switching scenes/viewpoints around so characters don't know about certain events before they happen, that's just -- work.

Over on Facebook, someone commented that this novel had gotten very messy, which is certainly true.  There are a bunch of reasons for that.  Part of it's depression, as I mentioned.  It's hard to think when you're (when I'm) depressed; especially, it's hard to do the kind of free-flow, instinct-level thinking which is the Very Best Space from which to write a novel (IMHO).  Which means I've got to Figure Things Out by the Numbers, which is no fun, and I have to do it when I have the Stupids.

Another thing that played into this novel becoming quite so messy is --  given that there are a lot of choices open to us in terms of where to start, where to go, where to end, and who to include in the party, it stands to reason that no matter what we decide to do, someone(s) will be angry and disappointed, and therefore conclude that we can no longer write, and will feel compelled to tell us so, and. . .I really, really, really don't right now have the spoons to deal with that.  Odds are good that I will have the spoons to deal with it once the book is in a position for people to be disappointed in it, but right now, that future Angry Reader is kinda hanging over my head like a machete.  I'm trying to ignore him/her/it/they, and write the story that's true, which, some days, is easier said than done.

The result of all these choices and other situations is that we have three starts to this novel, two of which petered out at around 25,000 words (for a total of 50,000 words), including  about -- eh?  20,000 words? -- detailing the adventures of a group of characters who (among all the characters who do) Don't Actually Belong in this book.  It's not Bad Stuff, it just doesn't belong in *this* book, and is being preserved (as writers do) against the future book in which they do belong.

We've written messy books in the past (by which I mean, we wrote them messily.  I have. . .perhaps fond isn't the word I want. . .memories of laying all the chapters of Conflict of Honors out on the living room floor and literally cutting pages apart and Scotch-taping the scenes together, until we had a novel that Actually Made Sense), but this is the messiest I've been lead on in a long time.  Of course, I was off writing Carousel books for a little while there, which are, compared to the Liaden books, really pretty straightforward.

. . . and that's where we stand

For those playing along at home, we're +/- 46,000 words into a firm draft of a book that is obstinately remaining nameless, and construction is continuing, with deliberation.

In other news -- Tomorrow is the first day of Spring!  . . .and the weather predictions for us here in Central Maine is for one to three inches of snow tonight.

Comments

[reedrover]

memories of laying all the chapters of Conflict of Honors out on the living room floor and literally cutting pages apart and Scotch-taping the scenes together

I highly endorse this process! I got a much better product for my first thesis than trying to cut/paste on computer alone, so kept that formula for the rest of my post-high-school years.. There is something necessary to my thought process in having all of the pages available at once. Scissors, tape, three colors of highlighters (and a key to what they are supposed to mean), post-it notes for thoughts that I just can't park for later, and a large flat surface are the tools for my editing strategy.

[6-penny.livejournal.com]

I send you a large box of virtual spoons. Wish they were real enough to help.
I heard a song sparrow this morning - which gives me a smidgen of hope that spring will eventually show up.

[catherine kelleher (from livejournal.com)]

Bad news on the snow, good news on the book. I wish you sunshine and mild breezes and some time to enjoy them.

[martianmooncrab.livejournal.com]

the only way to make me an Angry Reader is if you gave up and we didnt get More Story... because, we are all about More Story To Be Read...

[attilathepbnun.livejournal.com]

Yes!!! I *totally* agree with our favorite extra-terrestrial crustacean!

Hmm..

[mindsurfer1.livejournal.com]

So, that's why Conflict of Honors was so good!
It was the first one I read - in the original paperback - from a Walden's store at a mall - way way back. Then hunted up Agent of Change. AND, wanted more more more. But, then the anquish of the drought years....
excuse me, I don't want to think about it. It was too depressing ... are you taking your vitamins?

unconscious activity

[gareth griffiths (from livejournal.com)]

Sometimes when I'm beating my head against a problem I suspect hat the back brain is still working on it which is why I can't seem to really do anything else well either. When it finally has finished its rather slow processing suddenly everything makes sense, and I can do other things well. It's like the pc when the darn thing is doing windows updates or virus checks in the background - the whole system (brain) seems slow because you don't realise what's going on in the background. Occasionally I think it's a looping process which is where distraction comes in. Doing something else that needs full concentration forces the back brain to power off a bit and maybe get re-booted without that stuck process.

Paper over the floor has worked for me a few times though I've never written anything as long a novel. On computer it's too hard to keep the big picture.

Sounds like progress though - hope the weather improves for you soon.

[the wol (from livejournal.com)]

I would loan you the borrow of a spoon or three, but I'm moving house in midMay, a move which entails downsizing, i.e., craigslistings, garage sales, and packing, packing packing. Take care of yourself. Since I can't send spoons, here's a large glob of good vibes.

Carousel Sun: wonderful!

[ohlibn.livejournal.com]

Have been experiencing difficulty getting into my LJ account so I apologize for not putting this in the correct post, but I finally had the time and braincells to read Carousel Sun last weekend and I *love* it! So exciting to meet the new girl in town, to learn more about the trenvay and to see how Kate is growing, changing and becoming more involved with the town.

Congratulations for topping your wonderful Carousel Tides with an even more entrancing sequel. It was quite a wait but well worth it, and I think it makes a great gateway series for some of our teen readers.

Re: Carousel Sun: wonderful!

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm really glad that you liked it.

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

Moving house is never fun. I've said that the next time I move, I'm taking the cats, the computers, and the books and buying everything else new.

[brock-tn.livejournal.com]

Allow me to reassure you that THIS reader will not get angry about whatever story it is he eventually is able to read. I long ago came to terms with the premise that the it's the author's story to write. After reading, as a reader, I may tell the author whether or not I enjoyed reading the story, and if at all possible why that is so. But it's not my part to tell you how to write your stories.