The Great Wall was built one stone at a time; you climb it one step at a time; your story is written one word at at time. Slow and steady can create magnificence. (I am in the orange & white hat.)

I’m at the point where I probably need to commit to one structure, write a draft and get feedback. Sigh. The writing process needs that feedback loop. I will need to know how clear my ideas are and if someone can use this to accomplish something: will the information be helpful in this format?

As I write this draft then, I will keep my audience firmly in mind. Sometimes, I just write for the story or the ideas and don’t worry about the audience. But this draft is different. After a couple drafts, I know the material, so this draft is about communicating with clarity. Fiction gets to that point, too, when you know the story and the next draft is about clarity so the reader experiences the emotions of the story.

The first draft is almost always about finding the story or the idea. After that, the purposes of a draft of fiction is to find the most dramatic way to tell that story so it will impact readers emotionally. For nonfiction, the purpose of subsequent drafts is to find clarity and, if it’s creative nonfiction, to find that reader experience, too.

That’s where I am today–where are you in your writing process today?

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Wisdom, the Midway Albatross

by Darcy Pattison

Giveaway ends March 11, 2012.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Writing is recursive.

I heard this some time ago, but it’s being brought back to me this month, as I circle back on things. Looking at old drafts, looking back at what I wrote yesterday, last week, last month, last year, 5 years ago.

The writing process is plastered everywhere by now: prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, publishing. But what we forget is the recursive nature of what we do. We prewrite and draft, but in the drafts, we circle back and do more prewriting. It’s not a linear process at all!

Do you remember learning to write in cursive, the exercise where you write loops, making sure you stay within the lines. That’s what this feels like sometimes: each loop advances just a bit, but you must circle back to touch the baseline, the top line, the confines of the story that you’ve created. You’re looking for that perfect loop, but never quite find it, but the more you practice, the closer it gets.

Recursive: using a procedure that can be applied repeatedly.

This is why I try to teach strategies for revision. My daughter’s sixth grade teacher asked the students to pay attention to the process as they wrote an essay. Then, she asked them to write down the exact process so they could follow it again.

No! The point is the the process never repeats exactly. Instead, there are strategies, approaches, tools, ways of working, recursive procedures. And each time we write, we apply different strategies in a different order. The only constant is the recursiveness of the process.

Today, I’ve very aware of circling back on myself; tomorrow, I hope I’m very aware of the moving forward part of this process.

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Wisdom, the Midway Albatross

by Darcy Pattison

Giveaway ends March 11, 2012.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

When I teach Novel Revision Retreats, I need a variety of ways to explain this thing called “revision.” Lately, two ideas have helped.

Plot: Aiming for Bull’s Eye

There are two things novelists must do when writing a story. First is figure out “what story are you telling?” Second is “what is the best way to tell that story?”

What story are you Telling. This is a plot question.
Especially when talking about the plot of a novel, a metaphor that helps me is to think of a draft as an arrow that hits a target. The first draft is way off bull’s eye. The second draft hits one ring closer to the center because you focused on selecting great scenes, revised those scenes, layered plot layers and subplots, all the while avoiding the most common pitfalls. Successive drafts should sharpen your aim, until you’re hitting in the red circle. Many stories sell successfully when they just hit that red circle in the middle; the really great stories hit smack in the middle of the bull’s eye. It’s worth that last revision to try to hit exact center.

Voice and Character: Sharpen the Focus

What is the Best Way to Tell This Story? The second question is about voice and character.

Generic descriptions, no inner life and a so-so voice — these are indications that your camera lenses needs to be focused. You can do this with great sensory details, showing the character’s attitudes, thoughts, emotions, and by careful attention to language. Each successive draft should sharpen the focus on your character and how s/he views life, in particular, the events of this story. Like hitting bull’s eye, don’t be satisfied with almost-in-focus; work until each detail is sharp and crisp, revealing the inner life of your character.

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Wisdom, the Midway Albatross

by Darcy Pattison

Giveaway ends March 11, 2012.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

I’m waiting for critiques from four readers on the second draft of my novel. I know what I think needs work, and it will be interesting to see if the readers agree.

Meanwhile:

Between Drafts

Despair v. Hope. I’m vacillating between hope and despair. My gut tells me this draft is a big improvement, but my inner critic is harsh. I don’t know if I should hide my head in shame or tall taller with pleasure in what I’ve done.

Cleaning the office. Yes, that chore got done. Sorta. I’m doing neglected chores, like filing, updating my bio on various websites, planning holiday meals, and actually reading.

Shorter pieces. I’m working on some shorter pieces. I’ve had a nf article accepted by Highlights, I’m working on another short project, and I’m re-reading almost every failed picture mss in my files to see if I know how to fix any of them. I wrote a piece for our regional SCBWI newsletter. These aren’t time-wasters, but important things which just get muscled out of the way by the heftier novel. I’m glad to be playing with the chihuahuas for a change.

Preparing Emotionally for the Next Draft. I’m getting ready emotionally to “kill my darlings,” to give up my attachment to the current plot and form of the novel if needed, and to dig in and work hard.

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Wisdom, the Midway Albatross

by Darcy Pattison

Giveaway ends March 11, 2012.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Finding the Best Way to Tell a Story

First drafts are for finding out what story you are telling. Second and subsequent drafts are for finding the best way to tell that story.

I finished a second draft yesterday and someone asked what I concentrated on in that draft. Basically, refining the story and exploring options for telling it.

Specificially, I worked on these things:

Facts: I had several experts in child behavior read the mss and saw that there were several checks on the reality of my situations. I’m dealing with kids in foster care, so I had to look up state laws, read manuals for foster parents, etc. Then, replot with that in mind.

Plot: There were major plot holes that needed to be addressed. The climax of a major subplot had to be totally overhauled because of the factual corrections. Smaller plot holes had to be filled.

Transitions: Often there were abrupt changes from scene to scene, without enough details for the reader to follow when/where/what.

Character: Motivations were unclear. I added more internal thoughts, backstory, and discussion of events. It’s a delicate balance to keep the story moving, yet make it clear. This draft, I concentrated on making it clear. If my readers want me to be more delicate on the next draft, I can do that.

Villain: The villain was too cut and dried and needed some softening.

Voice: OK, I’m doing that hard thing of alternating voices. So, I had to make each voice distinctive and stay consistent within each voice. I’m sure there’s more to do here with consistency, but this is a good start.

Setting: There’s still some work to do on portraying this specific school and community, but it’s pretty good now.

Clarity: Above all, I tried to get the story out of my head and onto paper with more exactness and completeness.

So, the first draft blocked in the major elements, this draft refined them. I’ll need at least one more draft to refine and to add highlights.

Plan for Third Draft

Specifically, I want to work on consistent voice, refining the language, clearing up any remaining plot problems, keeping a balance of action and internal motivations, making sure Darcy-the-author stays out of the story and the kids are really kids, cutting about 10,000 words (It’s about 60,000 right now and I think 50,000 would be better), and keeping the pace taut.

I already want to start on the consistency of the voice, but I think I’ll try to wait a couple days, so I have fresher eyes. But I won’t let a lot of time pass, or I’ll lose momentum, especially with the holidays.

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Wisdom, the Midway Albatross

by Darcy Pattison

Giveaway ends March 11, 2012.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Write a Story

To write the first draft of a picture book text, just write a story. That’s is. Just like you would normally write any story. Keep in mind that you want it to be short and you’ll leae visual details to the illustrator, but, otherwise, write the story.

Don’t Worry About These 3 Things

1. Vocabulary. Picture book vocabulary doesn’t have to be limited, because usually an adult is reading the story to a child. Don’t limit yourself on this first draft.
2. Style. Just relax and write.
3. Length. Remember you’re writing a picture book, which implies you’ll write short. But how short doesn’t matter much on this first draft, unless you go over 10 typed double-spaced pages. Just write.

ACTION POINTS

Write.

How to Write a Children’s Picture Book A Fiction Notes Ebook 110 pages packed with information. Everything in one, easy-to-read format. Instant access!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Wisdom, the Midway Albatross

by Darcy Pattison

Giveaway ends March 11, 2012.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win