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Perfecting
Jul. 15th, 2010 10:47 pmI don't know how other writers work. I should find out. I've heard they bash out a draft and then go back and rework slowly. Of course, I've also heard they worry over commas for days before continuing.
I constantly circle back. I finished chapter 3 of my novel, but the rhythm of it felt wrong. So I went back to chapter 2 to read my way into it. I ended up reworking a major section of 2 and generally tightening it. So now, I will move forward and see if 3 works again. Maybe I'll move on to 4, but I won't leave 3 alone. I'll be back there, fiddling until it's solid. Only then will 4 actually make sense.
Maybe this is because I spent four years serializing a novel online. This approach meant each chapter had to be publication-worthy before I moved on.
I think it's also because I tend to lose confidence in the novel if I see anything other than polished words on the page. Fixing 2 today gives me the confidence I need to address what's wrong with 3.
I constantly circle back. I finished chapter 3 of my novel, but the rhythm of it felt wrong. So I went back to chapter 2 to read my way into it. I ended up reworking a major section of 2 and generally tightening it. So now, I will move forward and see if 3 works again. Maybe I'll move on to 4, but I won't leave 3 alone. I'll be back there, fiddling until it's solid. Only then will 4 actually make sense.
Maybe this is because I spent four years serializing a novel online. This approach meant each chapter had to be publication-worthy before I moved on.
I think it's also because I tend to lose confidence in the novel if I see anything other than polished words on the page. Fixing 2 today gives me the confidence I need to address what's wrong with 3.
