Wednesday, January 1, 2014

THE NATURE OF WRITING: TAKING STEPS BACKWARD AND FORWARD by Rolynn Anderson


I’m kicking off this month's theme: Backward and Forward.  We writers forge boldly forward on our manuscript in the morning, then cringe and take steps backwards that afternoon.  Some days we cut out whole scenes; other days, we add a brand new character, a villain, perhaps, and we have to revisit and revise the first half of the novel to properly weave the turkey into our ever-changing plot.
I suspect that part of my problem might be in my nature: a pantser.  But even you linear, ultra-outliners probably suffer the backwards/forwards problem when you find your pacing isn’t quite right, or your growth arc for a certain character turned out too flat.
Sitting on my desk right now is a novel I thought was finished…needed polishing, but not much more.  Was I ever wrong, according to my editor.  She wants me to collapse two villains into ONE!  Tear your hair out with me, please!  This means major plot and character changes from page one to the final scene.  If I didn’t believe in my editor and the tiny voice coming from my head that says: ‘The editor is right…the story would be tighter and the heroine would look stronger if she faced this one terrible villain.’
Heavy sigh here.  Writing is ALL about backwards and forwards.  Commitment time:  I’m starting on page one on Jan. 1 and moving forward on that ding-dang manuscript.  
Happy 'Moving Forward' New Year to you all!  Rolynn
SUSPENSE SPIKED WITH ROMANCE 
LAST RESORT * FADEOUT * SWOON
FADEOUT won a RONE award!  LIE CATCHERS is out on KDP right now!
Web: http://www.rolynnanderson.com

12 comments:

Margo Hoornstra said...

Rolynn. We have all been there. In fact, I'm pretty much at the same place you are. (heavy sigh!) Page one it is. (Nice to have the company!)

Rolynn Anderson said...

I'm with you, Margo! That we're in this together is such a relief! Happy New Year to you!

Joanne Stewart said...

Oh, I feel for you, Rolynn! I've been there, too, having to revise what ended being half the plot. Fingers crossed for the revisions. Just keep reminding yourself how fabulous the book will be once it's done! Because once I was finished, I *was* impressed with how much better the book was. Good luck!!

Angela Adams said...

When plotting, I always know the beginning and the end. It's the middle that often gives me brain-freeze. Best wishes for 2014!!

Jannine Gallant said...

In my current WIP, I'm really worried about where it's going and feeling like I'm just writing random scenes. So, in order to avoid the whole forward-backward dilemma, I'll probably open the year taking a hard look at what I have. And do my best to get it on a forward track! Apparently we've all been there!

Rolynn Anderson said...

Thanks for your upbeat comments, Joanne, Angela and Jannine. It's easy to go backward when all we have to do is change a name or a day of the week or something like that, but a major change takes looking at every scene and making adjustments. I love critique, really I do, but the kind that makes me 'start all over' is confounding. I'm girding my loins here...thanks for propping me up. I can do it....I can do it....so....go do it!

Barbara Edwards said...

Good luck with those edits. It will be worth it

Vonnie Davis ~ Romance Author said...

An editor once had be rewrite an entire chapter, changing the pov from the heroine's to the hero's. I fussed and fumed, but the story was so much stronger for that change. Your story will be more powerful, too. But that doesn't make the work involved any less daunting, does it. Like Thomas, the little engine, you can do it.

Liz Flaherty said...

Definitely the story of our lives, isn't it? :-)

Rolynn Anderson said...

Thanks, Barbara. Need all the luck I can get. Vonnie, I'm going to chug along...thanks for the encouragement. Liz...it IS THE STORY OF OUR LIVES! THANKS FOR STOPPING BY!

Alicia Dean said...

You are 'on the nose' with the backward and forward observations for a writer. It's amazing how that works. Sometimes my backward is bigger than my forward, but I keep plugging along.

Best of luck with the rewrites. How awesome that you have an editor you trust that much, and who is so instinctive as to what your story needs. Happy New Year!

Leah St. James said...

Um...yikes! Wishing you much luck with the rewrites!