When the neat scene downloads into your conscious mind, and you tell yourself that you don't need to write down the plot points and bits of dialogue because you will remember them, do not listen to yourself.
today in the car as I was waiting for Twin B (at his violin lesson) I started thinking about the opening scene for the next book, and sorting things through my head, and lining up stuff, and beginning to doze off . . . and I immediately thought of this post. So I found paper and pen, and wrote everything down.
I feel like the subject of one of those posters they sell at Despair, Inc. There's one entitled MISTAKES that shows a sinking ship with the caption: It Could Be That The Purpose Of Your Life Is Only To Serve As A Warning To Others.
Yesterday I managed about 1400 words on the scene in question. It occurs several chapters ahead of the part of the book I'd been working on, and I don't like to work out of sequence. But I thought I'd hammer away at it given that it was on my mind and all.
It's different than it might have been, although I'll never really know. I like parts of it. It makes its point, namely that Jani had been holding back information and now everyone is angry with her. We'll see how it stands up to edits.
I've had both the experience of writing the scene and feeling it wasn't as sharp as it would have been had I made the notes, and writing the scene and having it take off in a way that I couldn't have done three days before.
I've even written things that felt awful while I was writing them, that later looked unexpectedly good. and vice versa, of course
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winterfish
no subject
Date: 2006-01-19 05:10 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-19 04:47 pm (UTC)Yesterday I managed about 1400 words on the scene in question. It occurs several chapters ahead of the part of the book I'd been working on, and I don't like to work out of sequence. But I thought I'd hammer away at it given that it was on my mind and all.
It's different than it might have been, although I'll never really know. I like parts of it. It makes its point, namely that Jani had been holding back information and now everyone is angry with her. We'll see how it stands up to edits.
no subject
Date: 2006-01-28 02:32 am (UTC)I've even written things that felt awful while I was writing them, that later looked unexpectedly good. and vice versa, of course
You just never know.