The Novel Diary: Week 56
Word count: 40,082.
Though I still have yet to outline with the help of Black Road Stout (will I ever do that?), I had a breakthrough last Thursday. For the first time ever I listed, in chronological order, the very basic plot points of the novel. Never before have I set to paper exactly what I want to happen, beginning to end. (Amazing, huh? Especially since I have already written 40,000 words of partially aimless drivel.) The 12- or 13-point plot agenda will now serve as the foundation for a chapter-by-chapter outline.
I have already brainstormed a couple chapter ideas, and they include the usual suspects from just about every other outline I have ever attempted. I have yet to order them but have decided what I will do when I finally start writing again: rewrite a pivotal event that is now part of Chapter 5. Will it be in Chapter 5 afterward, when the first draft is finished? I have no clue, but more than likely I will eviscerate everything I did last year in much the same way. Perhaps all of last year was just another educational false start; I have absolutely no problem with disregarding all 40,000 words from 2011. However, I will need to see what is salvageable. This next phase of the novel will be much more propulsive and organized, and the two will not jell well at first.
The way things look now I should have some kind of serviceable outline within the next three weeks. My tentative goal is to start rewriting by the end of the month or March 4.
Though I still have yet to outline with the help of Black Road Stout (will I ever do that?), I had a breakthrough last Thursday. For the first time ever I listed, in chronological order, the very basic plot points of the novel. Never before have I set to paper exactly what I want to happen, beginning to end. (Amazing, huh? Especially since I have already written 40,000 words of partially aimless drivel.) The 12- or 13-point plot agenda will now serve as the foundation for a chapter-by-chapter outline.
I have already brainstormed a couple chapter ideas, and they include the usual suspects from just about every other outline I have ever attempted. I have yet to order them but have decided what I will do when I finally start writing again: rewrite a pivotal event that is now part of Chapter 5. Will it be in Chapter 5 afterward, when the first draft is finished? I have no clue, but more than likely I will eviscerate everything I did last year in much the same way. Perhaps all of last year was just another educational false start; I have absolutely no problem with disregarding all 40,000 words from 2011. However, I will need to see what is salvageable. This next phase of the novel will be much more propulsive and organized, and the two will not jell well at first.
The way things look now I should have some kind of serviceable outline within the next three weeks. My tentative goal is to start rewriting by the end of the month or March 4.
Comments
Post a Comment