Novel to-do list and update

I find that putting things on paper helps me focus my efforts. Chrisd, whom I met during NaNo has been nudging me to think more about my novel, and we’ve been exchanging plot points and revealing spoilers in an effort to create a pair of coherent narratives.

My initial plan for working with my NaNo novel, and, come to that, my original idea for the novel have all evolved to my current place which actually involves my first edit, even before the story is completely written down.

Three months ago I would have called this unwise, but today, as I told Chris, it seems merely practical. I’ve never worked with a 95-page (single-spaced!) manuscript before, and since I’ve already cut seven pages (written early in the month before my vision had evolved very far), I decided to learn now what is worth keeping.

The image I presented to Chris was that of wanting to unpack before I started buying things for my new house.

In this way I won’t waste time writing transitions or making elements fit that are no longer important.

Did I mention here my husband read the manuscript last weekend?

He gave me some good things to think about, like the need to add some description to slow things down a little.

I was hauling all through November and it reads that way, so now I need to marble my stake a little.

Though, to pull that meat analogy just a bit further, I’m not sure how much I will add. I’ve always preferred moose to beef– there seems to be less waste. Moose is much more accessible too. You just go to the freezer and pull as much as you want– zero mulling over whether one can afford good cuts of meat.

Okay, enough with the Alaskan metaphors.

My other organizing project is to re-frame an outline with my new vision of conflict etc. I think this will help with the editing project and staying focussed on where I want to go.

*This concludes my self-serving announcement. I now retun you to the regularly scheduled program of whatever else I feel like writing.*

4 thoughts on “Novel to-do list and update

  1. I’ve been reorganizing my conflict outline as well-and realized that I really haven’t pinpointed what the bad guys are really up to. Kind of important.

  2. I have written nothing since last week. I’m so bad. But for me it’ll be a long process and I’m committed to it.

    I look forward to reading the prologue, Amy. You’ve already read mine at NaNo but I’ve revised it somewhat already.

    You’re doing great and I’m so proud of your hard work. My goodness-all this and little children and wilderness.

    Moose? ???

    I’m too citified.

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