Thursday, April 1, 2010

Writing update.

Crazy news. I'm abandoning yet another version of Talonshale.

208 pages this time. Which brings the scrap pile up to over 800 pages -- no exaggeration.

The problem with the current version was that it was based on a plot that was based on knee-jerk reaction to my agent's criticisms of the version before. Does that make sense? Doesn't matter. All you really need to know is that ultimately, I hated the whole freaking thing. Every freaking word. My writing was so consistently awful and uninspired, that I quit everyday feeling depressed. I had to force the words out through sheer, frustrated willpower, and even then, I could barely write thirty pages a week (which is shameful for me). The plot just didn't feel like one my babies. There were no surprises, no twists, just a linear climb up the mundane slope of 'Mount Escalating Peril'. And that's just not how I roll.

And then yesterday I closed my eyes to snooze for ten minutes, and woke up with an amazing idea. One that changes everything. And best of all, it's one that fits my agent's suggestions. I set right to work, and since then, have unleashed a tsunami of creativity that has filled over ten pages of notes: plot, characters, world building, lore, even its own technical jargon. And all of it is more plausible, more creative, and more exciting than anything in any other version. Seriously.

Unfortunately, this also means I'll be starting over again with a new chapter one -- for literally the seventh time. S'okay though. This time I'm finally gonna nail it.

14 comments:

Debra Lynn Shelton said...

There's nothing better than getting a creative spark and turning it into a raging fire. Best of luck w/the awesome new idea!

Tina Laurel Lee said...

I'm so excited for you!

Vikki said...

I'm so happy you got a jolt of creative inspiration, Ray!! I am sorry you have start all over, but I've done than MANY times with my WIP and I'm finally now done with what I really think it was meant to be. May the tsunami of creativity keep smacking you in the face!!

Anita said...

I'm crossing my fingers this is the version you're going to looooove. And you know what? You are inspiring.

K. M. Walton said...

Many times you have to wade through the do-do to get to the good-clean-stuff. Doesn't it feel good to abandon the awful weight of that other draft???

It'll all come together...

cindy said...

i'm so proud of you!

Anonymous said...

Good luck.

"The best ideas survive." - Edukators

Ray Veen said...

Deb -- You ain't kidding. It's downright invigorating.

Tina -- You are too kind.

Vivi -- Yeah, 'smacking me in the face', I can agree with that.

Anita -- Shucks. Inspiring? Really?

Km -- It does feel good to cut the dead weight. It also kind of sucks to have written so much and have zero pages completed.

Cindy -- And I love you.

BJ -- Awesome quote. Let's hope my idea falls into that category.

Keri Mikulski said...

Love it!!! Best of luck. :)

Bryan B. said...

Congrats, man!

Kelly Polark said...

You ARE going to nail it this time! Good luck!

Sarah J Clark said...

Good for you. Nail it with a big, bad hammer. Or nail gun. Just not a jack hammer, as those don't really deal with nails but slabs of concrete and whatnot.

Ronald L. Smith said...

Well, I hope your absence on the blog means you are working away. I'm glad you found that moment of inspiration.

Anonymous said...

Oh, yay, Ray! You have 100% of my support and kick-butt vibes coming your way.

I've very much missed stopping by your blog. I haven't been reading blogs as much and I feel very out of the loop lately. I need to schedule my time.

-Mercedes