Here's what I've learned about my writing this week:
- I have a lot of trouble silencing my inner editor. She just wants to mark up the page like mental patient who hasn't been allowed to hold a pen for the last year.
- I like dialogue. A lot. Probably too much. I could write dialogue all day without any tags or actions in between. Sometimes it's a mundane conversation, but I'll just keep writing.
- I don't describe things enough. I'm trying to make each scene at least 1,500 hundred words. When I'm done with a scene I go back and read it, and I realize someone reading it wouldn't be able to figure out if the characters were in a jail cell or a school hallway. I know you're not supposed to, but I usually end up going back to fill in descriptions.
- I like revising better than drafting. It's easier to make something better than to conjure it out of thin air.
Also - a PSA for all you Jimmy Eat World fans. If you haven't purchased the new album yet, the digital version is $5 all month! Get over and grab it before it's gone
. (I guess they can't technically sell out of it since it's digital, but you know what I mean.)
:O you're the only person I've ever known who has liked revising!! I freaking hate it!
ReplyDeletehehe, I love revising too. It's my favourite part!
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Haha, I'm totally the same: I'm mostly writing dialogue and leaving description for later. I always do this when writing the first draft, and then I revise like crazy.
ReplyDeleteI write like that too. Although my mental censor has learned to shut up when I pick up a pen.
ReplyDeleteI love dialogue. And it saddens me to think that some of it will go in edits. Sigh.
As for detail, I'm more concerned with getting the story done. When I write the new draft, I'll put in detail to my heart's desire. But until then, I don't want to get bogged down in descriptions that ruin the flow and might have to be cut out anyway.
Best of luck with NaNo!
I'm trying to avoid your last issue - no scene context but having a hard time too!
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, I agree with every point in this post! I'd much rather go back and edit something...and my inner editor is very unhappy these days but I'm trying to ignore her. She's pretty annoying.
ReplyDeleteMy first draft of anything sucks. I re-use words, sometimes many times in the same sentence. I'm like you and it's nearly devoid of description or internal dialogue.
ReplyDeleteI sometimes wonder how many sentences I write in my first draft remain untouched through the whole process. I would guess it's startlingly few.
My favorite is the second time looking over what I just wrote and then printing it off and rubbing my hands over the newly printed pages. It's awesome.