This post is just a diary note to myself really. I’ve got myself a nice enough little novel complete with a first self-edit and proof read. I could progress from this point with a beta read – but the thing is I’m not entirely happy with it.
At 65,000 words it’s too short. I know it’s not every author wants to embark on a 140,000 word epic but I feel mine is at least 10,000 short. The good news is that the structure of the book gives me lots of scope to add material without necessarily messing with the main storyline.
At the same time it gives me an opportunity of stripping out some of the padding that I discovered on the read-through. For example, my MC ponders the fate of her faltering marriage a zillion more times than the reader will be interested in. So, just as Jersey’s workmen are presently raking the flood debris back onto the beaches I’m sure I can thin some of the wordiness out and replace it with a bit of action.
Handwriting a first draft! I think I’m concluding that, for me, it was a waste of time. It was a worthwhile experiment and I’d read that maybe creativity flows better that way. I’m not convinced, and it took me too long to type up everything into Scrivener. And neither did this transcription – which was effectively a first edit – result in many changes.
Scrivener! I’m unconvinced so far with this programme. Some writers swear by it. Yes it has some nice features but I’ve spent too much time trying to get to grips with its way of working. Also, there have been too many moments wondering where the hell my work has gone. But I’ll persevere with it if only for the fact that I know where all my projects are without having to search document folders high and low. The jury is out.
So that’s where we are. A few more weeks writing then a beta read. In the meantime I’ve knocked out a short story for a Channel Islands anthology. And, in the background, a longer-term project of script-writing a full-length play.
But for now, back to the office after a few productive days break.
Back On The Rock 
I appreciate your honesty in regards to Scrivener, Roy. I’ve heard nothing but rave reviews from writers. Every one says you’ve got to have this program. I’ve hesitate for the exact reason you mentioned, I think I would waste more time trying to learn the program. My writing time is so limited and extremely valuable. I don’t want to waste it becoming frustrated. Time will tell, I guess. Good luck with your story!
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Maybe I’ll learn to love it Jill. I’m getting too old to respond well to new ideas. I hear there’s something called an iphone you can buy now – I’m still using a Nokia Mark I 🙂
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Lol! I’ve still got my trusty flip phone…it hasn’t failed me yet!
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Damned if I could write more than a page in my own hand, nowadays. Can`t for the life of me imagine how I`d read it afterwards, either. So well done you on both getting your story down on paper and doing it by hand.
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Hi RH. I quite enjoyed the process but I don’t think it produced anything different really. I’m pleased I gave it a go.
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Wow – you have an admirable work load Roy. I remember you saying somewhere that you don’t have TV – and it obviously means that you don’t get side tracked into watching drivel like the rest of us! I haven’t even looked at Scrivener – sounds far too technical for me, but then again, I’ve nothing like anything near 65,000 words to deal with.
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Hello Jenny! Yes I daresay I miss some good stuff not having a TV but I just don’t want the distraction. I’ve usually got local radio going or 5Live for the sport, but I can get on with other stuff at the same time 🙂
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I’ve never heard of Scrivener, Roy, but I’ll google it now to see what it is. I don’t think I could ever write a novel by hand because I make too many changes as I write (a 65,000 word novel would end up with another 90,000 crossed out words) 😉
A big congrats on writing 65,000 words. My novels are usually much shorter – maybe because I’m inherently lazy 😉
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Ah, maybe Scrivener hasn’t reached the colonies yet. I hear there may be parts of Jersey yet to have the electric installed 😉
On my present project I’d also feel it was an opportunity missed not to use some ideas I have that would blend in nicely.
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Roy, I still can’t believe you wrote that much in longhand. Your writing hand must be positively muscular by now!
Interesting, your comments on Scrivener. I haven’t tried it, though like Jill, have heard other writers talk it up like the best thing since sliced bread. Maybe when I start a new project I’ll give it a try for curiosity’s sake, but honestly, keeping all my various files organized on my computer isn’t really that big an issue for me as I’m already the most organized person I know.
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Hi Janna, yes – organisation is probably its biggest feature and for someone like me that works quite well. It’s also very neat the way it gathers chapters and sections into a single document in a number of formats, including ebook. But an organised animal using Word wouldn’t need it.
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In awe of you! I find my style changes when I write long hand though, so best I keep to one method or the other (and that means typing!).
Looking forward to the final copy 🙂
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Thank you EBL. Interesting that your style changes – if mine does then I haven’t noticed.
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WOW, you’re a real busy-bee! Well done on juggling so much so well.
I’m a long-hander a lot of the time and find that it helps the flow but there is the ‘but’ of the sense of time-wasting. Interestingly, I’m back to my Nokia Mark 1 as well.
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We ought to feel very virtuous with our Nokias – nothing to consult or check every few seconds 🙂
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You mean milliseconds, if that’s how you spell it!!!
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Congrats on 65,000 words! I’m not really won over by Scrivener either – I’m sticking to Word
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Thanks Laura! We’re gonna have the Scrivener police after us!
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That’s great that you already have a good draft of the story written, good job! It must be hard to know which parts to get rid of, no? Even if you feel like you know what parts are excessive or redundant, I would think it would be tough to know which exact passages should be deleted.
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I suppose it’s basic editing which only comes with experience. It was when I started to shout ‘oh shut up!’ at my MC that I realised something was not quite right 🙂 It will be easier to zap 1,000 words if I’m adding 10,000 better ones!
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Hahaha, yes, when you start shouting than that’s a clear sign 🙂
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I’m quite a fan of Scrivener, although I am sure I am not using anywhere near all of its features. I like it mainly because it signals to my brain that this is a different type of writing that I am doing now; I do so much “work” writing in Word that I needed something completely separate. So I bought a cheap Mac and installed Scrivener, and that seems to work. I daresay it’s like you handwriting a draft, Roy – something to shake the brain out of its comfort zone.
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Hi Susan! Yes, that’s a good way of looking at it. I’ll certainly persevere and might, with time, grow to love it.
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Thank you for sharing this peek into your writing process. I’m always fascinated by that. I’ve often contemplated writing a draft longhand because I’ve heard that there’s some creativity connection made between your brain and hand. Like you, I would have hoped that by doing this and then typing it, I’d start to make revisions, but sounds like that’s not necessarily the case. Good to know.
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Thank you Julie. I daresay it works well for some and I’m happy that I gave it a shot.
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I appreciate the honesty in both endeavors, handwriting and Scrivener. I’m pretty happy with my own control freak process, I have to say. Sure i get sick of staring at a computer, since I do the same at work all day. But, the computer offers the gift of rapidness, which is crucial with a batty mind like mine that goes a hundred miles an hour. : )
Congrats on your progress, Roy! Can’t wait to read.
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Thanks Britt! You can probably type like the wind. I am like (1) middle right finger typing and (2) left index finger hovering above Shift key 😦 It’s a holy wonder I get anywhere.
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I’m annoyingly fast. Just ask Mr. H. Luckily, my laptop has a quieter keyboard than my desktop did. He used to cringe on the other side of our little place when it was writing time…all the time. ; )
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Dear Roy,
Congratulations on finishing your draft. I’m with you–I could never go back to writing by hand. It is embarrassing how helpless I have become without a computer to capture my thoughts and words. Best of luck!
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Hi Naomi,
Yes it is scary how technology has become indispensable. I well remember the days of power cuts in the office (for example) when we just found a box of candles and carried on as before.
Best wishes.
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Good luck taking your mystery novel to the next level. I prefer short and sweet novels (I don’t think reasonably priced indies need to feel the same pressure about giving readers their “money’s worth” in filler). So, I probably wouldn’t add 10,000 words unless the plot really needed it or unless additional description would beef up the setting or motivations of the characters. I’m looking forward to hearing more about your progress with your book.
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Yes, there was a decision to be made. But I have two or three major batches of material rattling around demanding to be included. These are historical stories that swim under the modern-day storyline and I think should add to the overall project.
Thank you for your support AMB.
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Congrats, Roy! It is always a feat to finish a first draft 65k is nothing to sneeze at. Props for handwriting it…and even more props for trying out Scrivner! I’ve never attempted the program myself. On one hand I figure it’s unnecessary if I already have a system that works for me…and on the other, having learned to navigate Photoshop these last couple years, I see a great potential of useful tools and effects. Perhaps someday…because like you say, learning new software is time-consuming!
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Thanks Julie – I had to look up ‘props’ and indeed it’s not a Julieism 🙂 Yes I could go ahead and polish up what I’ve got but I know I’d be for ever a bit dissatisfied with it.
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Hahaha, I don’t make everything up! 😉
Revisions seem to necessitate a sort of balance: improving the work, and knowing when to say ‘It’s good,’ and put it down and move to the next thing. All the best with yours!
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