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Aim For The Heart: Go to the end and work backward.

Go to the end and work backward.

I wrote the last page of my most recent work-in-progress (WIP) today. And I've almost narrowed down the genre of the book! Win.

I'm not done with the first draft; not even close. I probably have another 50-100 pages to write (12K-25K words) in the middle (at least three major scenes I know of). Draft #2 will add another 50-100 pages. Don't ask me why I work this way; I haven't a clue. But it works, so I do it.

Right now the story has no personality. It has a plot; it has characters--though if you read it, you'd think they were all schizophrenic, since personalities change on the fly--and it has setting. It still has a long way to go, but I'm excited to have something I really like.

Tell me all about your current WIP.

posted by Carla Harker at Thursday, August 23, 2007

3 Comments:

Blogger Maria said...

You do not want to know about my current WIP. I never write in order. It's more like a bunch of scenes that must be thrown up in the air...and a cross between an outline and a bad paint job with half the colors missing.

I usually have a beginning chapter or two. But sometimes by the time I'm finished--they become a middle chapter somewhere in there...

It's a disorganized mess and a miracle that it ever takes a shape.

BTW, on your above post. I keep hearing really good things about the electric church. I'm going to have to read it. OTOH, I have never seen a trailer for a book that I "got" or liked. The visuals just serve to confuse me in general. (Yes, I realize this is a personal problem. Most people love those trailers.) And the electric church one looks very good. But I had to stop watching it because...well, I want to create my own atmosphere when I read. I guess that's why I don't watch movies either.

:>)

August 26, 2007 8:53 AM  
Anonymous Carla said...

My beginning chapters often get a 100% rewrite, and last time, when I realized I wasn't getting to the plot until page 75, I was switching and rearranging everything like crazy. It's almost like magic when I look back and realize I finally ended up with a coherent story.

By the way, there's an excerpt for
The Electric Church online.

August 26, 2007 10:45 AM  
Blogger Maria said...

I try to write the opening scene with an action scene...which means sometimes I write four or five of them. I use almost all of them, however, just later in the book. I think writing short stories trained me to write this way, although the "hummingbird" method of writing has always been my style (A flit here, a flit there.)

I'm not reading any excerpts!!! I refuse. I have the book on order and I want to read it all at once!!!!

:>)

August 27, 2007 9:30 AM  

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