Once I completed my scene by scene breakdown, including a timeline for all the important events prior to and during the story, it was time to start working on the manuscript again. I chose to rewrite it from scratch, using the previous draft as a reference.
I had a few reasons for this. The first being that if I just changed every sentence with tracked changes on, it would end up a confusing red mess and my brain just wouldn’t cope with that. I wanted to work on a fresh canvas, so I wasn’t painting over the previous brushstrokes.
Some authors like to write whatever scene comes to mind and can write a story out of order. I am not one of those authors, it breaks my brain too much and I get myself confused. I prefer writing in chronological order. Of course, having a timeline mapped out helps with that.
Did I rewrite every word? More or less, but there were sections I liked enough to copy them and edit. Snappy bits of dialogue and descriptions I liked. I think it helped, taking a break after finishing the first draft before starting this process. It keeps things fresh and it’s easier to evaluate what I wrote before.
The other reason is that it’s easier for me to track my progress. Seeing the wordcount climb with each new scene written helped keep me on track. As well as keeping up with my numbers for ZAPWHAMPOW! Much of this work took place during the challenge cycle of my writing group.
What I’ve Learned About My Writing
I have learned that I tend to underwrite more than overwrite. This surprised me as just like Shaine, I tend to overexplain things in person. I suspect it is partly because I learned to be concise in my writing. Written assignments at school and university generally had upper word counts, and as a vet, getting enough time to write notes was a challenge so I had to be concise and precise.
Fiction is a different thing. Sure, there are accepted word count limits for books, and the bigger the book the more expensive printing costs are. But I have more wiggle room and I can take the time to stop and smell the flowers. So in this draft I put more effort into ensuring there was enough description and detail.
These details do matter. Setting the scene helps set the mood, foreshadow what’s going to happen, indicate how characters are feeling and simply transporting the reader into the world I’ve created. You’re seeing my world through the eyes of three very different people, with a common goal.
Of course, this is only draft two and there’s a long way to go, but I wanted to fill in some of the gaps I noticed in my first readthrough. Along with ensuring the events of the story make sense and sit where they are supposed to be.
As you’ll see next week, draft three involved some major changes. Such as adding that third point of view character. Aidan wasn’t content with being a major character, he is the one who experienced an immediate emotional wound during the plot. So I realised I needed more from his perspective and he needed further development.
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