You will not understand your story on the first draft. You will
not understand your story on the second draft. On the third draft, you will
discover what you are trying to say. On the fourth draft, you will work toward
developing that story.
Any drafts
after that should enhance the story and ideas and characters. Understanding
what you want to say is CRUCIAL. Don't pretend you know exactly what your story
is about on the first and second drafts. You don't. You can't. IT WILL CHANGE.
 |
| My life is a lie. |
Lesson: Don't
fight it. You will either give up, or write something you aren't totally proud
of because it seems forced.
#2. UNDERSTAND YOUR CHARACTERS
Need I repeat the first paragraph of #1? You will not understand
your characters on the first draft. You will not understand your characters on
the second draft. You will....
Catch the
drift?
It's true.
Characters change. They will. Again, don't fight it. You WILL lose. The purpose
is to let characters become their
own, unique person. Just like everyone on Earth is different,
so should be characters. Don't label characters. Don't. Once you have them and
have an understanding of the story, let them choose their own path.
You will
notice when this happens, because as you write dialogue or actions, you will
feel drawn toward a certain style for each character. One might be funny. One
might be serious. One might be sad. One might be a jerk. One might...yada yada
yada. Get the point? Let them do their own thing. You just write the words.
I know my characters' fears. Nearly all of my
characters' deepest, darkest fears. I know what makes them cry. I know what
makes them laugh. Everything. PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR CHARACTERS. They run the
show.
#3. SOME SCENES JUST. DON'T. WORK.
And sometimes, whole chapters. Editing, we all know, can be really
hard on us. We don'twant to delete this and change
that. But IT HAS TO HAPPEN.
When you know
your story and your characters, it is really easy to understand how a situation
will play out, and what characters will or will not do for each other. USE THAT
TO YOUR STORY'S ADVANTAGE. Sometimes you'll have to change a scene to make it
fit with the plot better, or because a character changed and just wouldn't act
that way anymore. Maybe the scene just doesn't seem realistic anymore. Or
contrived. Or forced. Or hinders development/develops characters and story in
the wrong way.
 |
| Could I have some sugarcoat with that? |
Whatever the
reason, KNOW WHEN TO CUT. You don't need every word you write. And the early
drafts will always be worse
than later ones, because you will figure out what works.
Use it to your advantage.
#4. COLLABORATE WITH OTHER WRITERS AND READERS
The best way to fix a story is to let other people read it. You
have worked so hard for so long...and yet that's the downfall. When reading
your story to edit your story, your brain will think it's fine after a while
and miss some flaws and faults and mistakes and and and and....
When other
people read your story, your words are fresh to their brains. Sure, they don't
know what's going to happen. AND THAT'S THE POINT. Listen to their comments.
Appreciate their feedback. If they don't connect with a character, or
understand a plotline, you know you need to develop more.
You might
think your characters are real people and fully developed...but remember, you
have spent MUCH more time with them than anyone else. You get them. You
understand them. Now it's time to let other people understand them by providing
as much as possible to make the characters seem real to the readers.
Development
in every aspect of the story is crucial. Don't let characterization overpower
the story, or vice versa. Don't let the world-building bury the rest of the
story, either. Balance. Is. Key. Let other people read your work, and you'll be
well on your way.
Hint: Grow
some skin and tell your readers to rip your story apart. That is the only way you
will improve. Seriously. It hurts at first...but then you start unconsciously
fixing those flaws on the first try and voila, you become a better writer,
faster!
#5. READ YOUR WORK OUT LOUD
We've all heard this one. So that should be enough evidence to
convince yourself to do it. Reading something in your head is a much different
experience than reading it out loud. Your voice finds errors. If you stumble
over a sentence, you know it needs to be changed. If you hear something
strange, you might have the wrong tense or number.
Reading out
loud slows you down and lets you process your words. Remember how giving your
work to other people lets fresh minds read it? Well, reading your work to
yourself (or others!) out loud, is as close as you'll ever come to being
completely fresh. And if something sounds off, fix it. Don't convince yourself
that other people won't notice it. Remember, THEY are completely new to the
words. If you catch something when your brain is already mushy, IT. NEEDS.
FIXED.
#6. TALK POSITIVELY TO YOURSELF
Yes, I am being 100% serious. And I mean out loud, using your
voice. No, you don't haveto do this around other people, but I encourage you
to talk to yourself positively all the time, especially when going through a
difficult section of editing or writing.
Say, "I
can do this. I can get through this. Yes I can. I can finish. i can power
through this. I will fix this." Any of those phrases. Just talk like that
for a minute or two. Positive words, even mixed with negative attitude, can
raise you up and make you feel better and more enlivened.
I talk
positively, out loud, all the time. It helps. There are days when I
feel like I'll never finish. But I never quit. Motivation is ESSENTIAL. Guess what positivity does?
MOTIVATES YOU
AND MAKES YOU PRODUCTIVE.
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