McAnally's (The Community Pub) > Author Craft
It's Crap! Should I finish???
blgarver:
So I'm in the final battle scene of this monstrosity of a fantasy/horror novel I've been working on for almost 3 years now. This thing began as a one page romp, just to break the monotony of my office job. It spread like a rash, and now I'm 400+ pages into it, and nearly finished.
I'm losing steam though. Because i was writing by the seat of my pants, many of the scenes seem forced to me. It is very apparent that I had no idea where the story was going. I like the overall story, and some of the characters are good, but the book is so meandering and disjointed that it's just depressing to think about.
My plan is to use this as a rough draft/treatement, and go back after for a restructuring and a serious rewrite. I feel I should finish this thing, get the rough draft to its completion, but I'm so disinterested in the thing as it exists right now. At this point I'm just putting words on the page to get the thing done, and everything is coming out half-assed and lame.
I'm sure everyone has been in a spot like this before. What did you do? Finish the crap draft just to tie up the lose ends before the rewrite? Or set it aside and begin restructuring instead of putting a lot of time into the few final chapters?
I'm trying to get this thing to a stopping point by the beginning of October so i can have that entire month to write a treatment of my Nano novel.
meg_evonne:
Slash your way to the end, edit later... Don't even look back or the crap will catch up with you! Run bl, run and write as fast as possible!
the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh:
--- Quote from: blgarver on September 12, 2008, 02:33:01 PM ---So I'm in the final battle scene of this monstrosity of a fantasy/horror novel I've been working on for almost 3 years now.
--- End quote ---
If you're that near the end, finish it. There are times when it's worth restructuring in the middle, if you realise you've gone six chapters in the wrong direction so what you might do after that won't make any sense with what you need to do before, but this does not sound like one.
--- Quote ---My plan is to use this as a rough draft/treatement, and go back after for a restructuring and a serious rewrite. I feel I should finish this thing, get the rough draft to its completion, but I'm so disinterested in the thing as it exists right now. At this point I'm just putting words on the page to get the thing done, and everything is coming out half-assed and lame.
--- End quote ---
I won't say everyone gets that, because I can't actually speak for everyone. (some of the time). But most writers get that. World Fantasy Award winners get that - I have heard this directly from two of them - both before and after the award, and for some of the most brilliant books in the genre, so think of it as a phase you will pass through, and with time and work you'll come to a point of seeing what you like about the thing again.
Kris_W:
Finish the manuscript before rewriting.
Let the manuscript age for several months before re-writing.
Finish the manuscript before rewriting.
Write another manuscript before editing the first.
Finish the manuscript before rewriting.
A useful writing tool in a big old bottom drawer where you can stash finished manuscripts while they ‘age’. But most importantly, finish the manuscript before rewriting.
(Yes, I do have very firm opinions on this. ;) )
InfernoMDM:
Finish it. I will also read it over if you want since I am just about done with the last Dresden book.
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