I've found that, on average, my process can be summarized in five stages: concept, outline, first draft, first re-write, final version. Some of these stages I've already outlined elsewhere, but I'll include them (in brief) for ease of reading.
In the conceptual stage, ideas float around in my subconscious colliding with each other until they create a spark. I'll take note of these momentary flashes of inspiration, and then leave them to float around some more. The ideas that stick together develop a sort of gravitational pull that result in further ideas being pulled in. This process can take months.
Once a concept has enough substance to it, I'll actively develop an outline. The outline commits the main actors and plot points to paper, and it's this step that I would consider the official start of the writing process. The outline takes a couple weeks to complete, regardless of the length of the story. The initial writing is usually a matter of an hour or two, but I like to give myself time to contemplate the events of the story for a while and let them settle properly.
The first draft takes the outline and creates the structure of the story, and in my mind represents the start of proper writing. Here we take the point form of the outline and transform it into proper prose. At this stage I try to set out the main scenes in a way that makes sense.
The first rewrite addresses gaps in the main plot and fleshes out subplots and secondary characters. The aim is to have a fully formed story by the end of this process. It's not pretty but all the pieces are there and they work.
The second (and usually the final full) rewrite addresses language. Once the bigger picture is in place, the magnifying glass comes out and I look at the construction of individual sentences and paragraphs. I'm no poet by any stretch but I like to tune the cadence of the words, to make sure they fit well, or well enough, within the rhythm and pace I'd like to set for the scene.
Being able to summarize the process in such simple terms doesn't mean the process is anything but painstaking (or sometimes even painful). Though the first draft is usually cranked out in one pass, the first and second rewrites can involve retooling the same few paragraphs a dozen times or more.
Yes, but how long does it take? I can manage about 500 "words worth reading" per hour when I'm on top of my regimen. If I write every day it minimizes the amount of chaff that I need to blow out before the useful if not necessarily usable words start to flow. That means a short story in about two weeks and - if I thought I could stay sane (someone please ask my wife not to give me that look) - a novel in about 9 months.
Realistically, though, I would double both estimates as I like being married.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
xlxi - Day 22 - Tell us about one scene between your characters that you've never written
Admittedly, I'm not sure where this one is intended to go.
I can think of two ways to interpret it. One is to assume an implied "yet", that is to say, a scene I intend to write but haven't got around to writing. The other is in more of a cutting room floor sort of way...the scene spent some time in development but never formed enough to make it into the first draft.
I've got to answer to the first interpretation, because, frankly I'm not known - well, at all really - for anyone to be interested in reading about the scenes I didn't feel were worthy of making an initial draft. Perhaps sometime, if I ever get lucky enough to have a tenth (our more) anniversary edition of one of my works, I can include that kind of stuff. For the time being, though, I'm not nearly that pretentious.
That means I get to tell you about a scene I've thought about but haven't put into words yet. Fortunately I have a few of those handy thanks to outlines for sequels to the two books I'm working on. The trick is for me to find a scene that might be interesting without giving too much away.
In my fantasy novel there's a boy. Of course there's a boy. This boy even becomes godlike in power, and the story is essentially about his rise from humble origins to dizzying heights of power. In my defense, he's not the main character (an homage to The Malloreon), and the story isn't as much about him as it is about the things that happen to those around him.
As an aside, I like to think of the main character as the love child of Aragorn and Indiana Jones.
The thing about the kid is that he's blind, and not an orphan, but an outcast, nonetheless. The protagonist ends up becoming the kid's protector, and the wizened elder in their entourage teaches the youngling the ways of magic. Naturally, the elder senses a great deal of latent ability. He has it in his mind that the kid, through the power of magic, might one day regain his sight or be gifted with some kind of mystical facsimile thereof.
The scene I'm envisioning is of the two together, perhaps with the protagonist (I'll have to think about the potential symbolism of humanity in its three stages of life), perhaps not. The youngster has come a long way in developing his abilities and has known for some time that his mentor's wish cannot come true. Hopefully the scene has a good emotional impact, with the mentor accepting that his vision (no pun intended) is not possible and the child coming to realize his own unique strengths.
I can think of two ways to interpret it. One is to assume an implied "yet", that is to say, a scene I intend to write but haven't got around to writing. The other is in more of a cutting room floor sort of way...the scene spent some time in development but never formed enough to make it into the first draft.
I've got to answer to the first interpretation, because, frankly I'm not known - well, at all really - for anyone to be interested in reading about the scenes I didn't feel were worthy of making an initial draft. Perhaps sometime, if I ever get lucky enough to have a tenth (our more) anniversary edition of one of my works, I can include that kind of stuff. For the time being, though, I'm not nearly that pretentious.
That means I get to tell you about a scene I've thought about but haven't put into words yet. Fortunately I have a few of those handy thanks to outlines for sequels to the two books I'm working on. The trick is for me to find a scene that might be interesting without giving too much away.
In my fantasy novel there's a boy. Of course there's a boy. This boy even becomes godlike in power, and the story is essentially about his rise from humble origins to dizzying heights of power. In my defense, he's not the main character (an homage to The Malloreon), and the story isn't as much about him as it is about the things that happen to those around him.
As an aside, I like to think of the main character as the love child of Aragorn and Indiana Jones.
The thing about the kid is that he's blind, and not an orphan, but an outcast, nonetheless. The protagonist ends up becoming the kid's protector, and the wizened elder in their entourage teaches the youngling the ways of magic. Naturally, the elder senses a great deal of latent ability. He has it in his mind that the kid, through the power of magic, might one day regain his sight or be gifted with some kind of mystical facsimile thereof.
The scene I'm envisioning is of the two together, perhaps with the protagonist (I'll have to think about the potential symbolism of humanity in its three stages of life), perhaps not. The youngster has come a long way in developing his abilities and has known for some time that his mentor's wish cannot come true. Hopefully the scene has a good emotional impact, with the mentor accepting that his vision (no pun intended) is not possible and the child coming to realize his own unique strengths.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
xlx - Day 21 - Do any of your characters have children? How well do you write them?
I'm starting to think, as I make my way through this meme, that you could probably estimate the type of week I'm going to have based on the Sass Quotient (SQ) of my answer to each week's topic.
This week is a perfect example. I'm very much inclined (approx. 80%) to just say, "yes, because everyone is someone else's kid," and, "hopefully, because if everyone's a 'child' to someone else, an inability to write them would be problematic given my desire to write books and stuff." Though it might be funny it's not that helpful - not that my straight answer will be once I get around to actually giving it to you, either.
I'm sure someone, given the urge and the necessary tools to measure the tone of my language, could predict to a relative degree of accuracy when I will tire of having to politely try to disembark from my train and decide to allow the laws of physics to do their thing. To wit: "An object in motion tends to stay in motion," and perhaps more importantly, "I'm a lot bigger than you are." Or, if you prefer: "I'm getting off now. You can get out of my way or you can come with me."
A strong understanding of the physical sciences is essential in writing believable speculative fiction!
Please forgive the tangent.
At any rate, if my answers don't seem that useful on the surface, upon reflection there is a kernel of truth. I tend to see characters as existing along a continuum. I don't know if this is due to the years of playing (C)RPGs, but I have a very mathematical way of visualizing traits. Kids are just characters with terrible strength and wisdom scores. They're shorter, sure, but anyone who's been around kids knows they have their own personalities and interests, and are really like adults with (occasionally) less refined vocabularies and social skills.
The kernel of truth, then, is that to think of characters solely as kids doesn't focus the lens enough. Much like my answer about culture, a character's age can serve as a starting point but needs to be refined with a much finer view lest one's characterization remain stiff and uninspired.
As for a "serious" response, my answers would have to be, "Yes, a handful," and "Hopefully my second year Childhood Psychological Development courses paid off, we'll have to see."
Hmm, maybe that was the smart alec response after all. Interesting.
This week is a perfect example. I'm very much inclined (approx. 80%) to just say, "yes, because everyone is someone else's kid," and, "hopefully, because if everyone's a 'child' to someone else, an inability to write them would be problematic given my desire to write books and stuff." Though it might be funny it's not that helpful - not that my straight answer will be once I get around to actually giving it to you, either.
I'm sure someone, given the urge and the necessary tools to measure the tone of my language, could predict to a relative degree of accuracy when I will tire of having to politely try to disembark from my train and decide to allow the laws of physics to do their thing. To wit: "An object in motion tends to stay in motion," and perhaps more importantly, "I'm a lot bigger than you are." Or, if you prefer: "I'm getting off now. You can get out of my way or you can come with me."
A strong understanding of the physical sciences is essential in writing believable speculative fiction!
Please forgive the tangent.
At any rate, if my answers don't seem that useful on the surface, upon reflection there is a kernel of truth. I tend to see characters as existing along a continuum. I don't know if this is due to the years of playing (C)RPGs, but I have a very mathematical way of visualizing traits. Kids are just characters with terrible strength and wisdom scores. They're shorter, sure, but anyone who's been around kids knows they have their own personalities and interests, and are really like adults with (occasionally) less refined vocabularies and social skills.
The kernel of truth, then, is that to think of characters solely as kids doesn't focus the lens enough. Much like my answer about culture, a character's age can serve as a starting point but needs to be refined with a much finer view lest one's characterization remain stiff and uninspired.
As for a "serious" response, my answers would have to be, "Yes, a handful," and "Hopefully my second year Childhood Psychological Development courses paid off, we'll have to see."
Hmm, maybe that was the smart alec response after all. Interesting.
Monday, January 2, 2012
xlix - Day 20 - What are your favorite character interactions to write?
I'm not sure what this question means. The concept of a "character interaction" seems simple enough but are we talking about things like fights or interactions between specific characters or even specific interactions?
I have no idea.
In the most general sense I like to write pretty much all character interactions. I think I'd be barking up the wrong tree if I didn't. Then again, there is a Tolkien like approach to writing speculative fiction that places a premium on the descriptive facet of narrative. I'm not sure that kind of writing, which tends to be very wordy, really works outside the realm of fantasy these days. Anyway, even if the relationships between my characters aren't always going to be the driving force behind all my stories, they still play a primary role in bringing them to life. It doesn't really matter what kind of interaction it is - positive or negative - if it helps propel the story, I'll be happy writing it.
Which isn't to say I'm good at all of it. Anything straight forward I can usually manage, but I haven't become comfortable with "cloak and dagger" conversations yet, ones where one or more of the participants have an ulterior motive. Like Iago in Macbeth. For that matter, and I suppose it's the same for most novice writers, it's a lot of work to write characters whose personalities are quite different from mine. As an example, one of my characters has a way of infuriating those he speaks to through seemingly innocuous offhand comments. Trying to write a conversation that works on two independent levels takes a bit of doing.
But, really, and I can't say this enough, I really like all of it.
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