Welcome to Week 36!
A quick post to say that I am still here. Still fixing sentences, moving paragraphs, and adding sentences…
Editing continues to be more challenging than I originally anticipated, and yet there is something gratifying about seeing your story mold and morph.
After some line editing, I am back to fixing plot issues. One of my biggest challenges right now is finding the right amount and frequency of backstory.
I have my Novel structured into a traditional three-act structure, and like most beginner Novelists, I have too much material for Act I and not enough for Act III.
Making sure that the ending is not rushed is one of my top priorities. I made that mistake with the last book and am working hard not to repeat it.
For those interested, here is a short checklist of items I have been referring to as I edit.
All major plot points and story arcs are mapped out
There is a cohesive story
Key characters are introduced early
Characters are not one-dimensional
I am mostly using active voice
Settings and world are described
Ensure the timeline is consistent
Flag areas flagged that need more development
Scenes that do not move forward are cut
Am I showing the scene rather than telling it? How often am I using is?
This book continues to be the project where I have seen the biggest fluctuation in my creative confidence(usually in the negative direction, but that’s a story for a different issue).
The bright side of such frequent oscillation of confidence is that I’m never too far away from a good day and never too far away from a bad one. This means on days when I am stuck in the lowly trough, feeling like I am not making any progress, all I have to do is look back to my diary entry from a couple of days ago.
Thus continues this self-taught journey into the world of fiction writing.
If a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing well. If it is worth having, it is worth waiting for. If it is worth attaining, it is worth fighting for. If it is worth experiencing, it is worth putting aside time for.
-Oscar Wilde
Ideas I was trying to incorporate.
Ideas from previous weeks:
As always, thank you for following along with my writing journey. Until next time, keep writing and stay inspired.
What are you writing this week?
P.S.- If you are new here, you can learn more about the project and find the previous week’s updates here.
Great to see you're still at it! I can't wait to see the finished product 🤓