Drawing from the Well
The last month has been, well, it’s been something else. It’s personal and I’m not going into it as that’s not the point of this blog. Suffice it to say that life had its way with me but now I’m back.
To that end, I’m jumping back into writing. I did some over the last month but we’re still not back to drafting after three months post-NaNo. Soon, though, and I’m excited for it.
22/22 Major Character Profiles Complete
77/90 Side Character Profiles Complete
Filling the Well
While writing has been slow, reading has not. In the last month, I’ve chewed through TEN books to stay well ahead of pace. The last few days have been busy on the business side, so I’ve read very little, but that’s the advantage of being ahead. More to come here, but here’s the update:
Binti: The Night Masquerade
Planetfall
Think and Grow Rich (FINALLY!)
Rise of the Dragons
Facilitating Breakthrough
Rise of the Valiant
The Weight of Honor
A Forge of Valor
Realm of Shadows
Night of the Bold
They were all good, though Planetfall was probably the low point on that list. The last Binti book was outstanding and the Kings and Sorcerers Series by Morgan Rice was great, though not as impactful as The Sorcerer’s Ring Series. Now I’m checking out Whill of Agora which has been on my list a long time while finishing up The Anatomy of Story. This first read on that one is really to see what all this brilliant man has to say. I will read this book at least twice more over time, dissecting all the knowledge he put in here. I look forward to how it will affect my writing.
21/100 for #ProjectBookworm2022
Well Chat
We’ve talked about the benefits and pitfalls of overwriting and underwriting. If there’s an over and an under, logic would say that a sweet spot right in the middle must exist.
The question isn’t whether or not the ideal zone exists. It absolutely does. The question is when it matters.
The sweet spot is nice during drafting, there’s no question about that. When the sweet spot matters most, though, is during editing. For me and for many, drafting is getting your thoughts on the page. Terry Pratchett said that “The first draft is telling yourself the story.” and I wholeheartedly believe that. What comes after that is the real work and we’ve talked about that plenty on this blog.
That’s the point, though, is that editing is the hardest, most important part of the writing process and that’s why hitting the sweet spot between under- and overwriting during that period is so important. Editing is your last chance (or, in my case, your last seven chances) to hit that sweet spot. You want to give enough detail to make the world feel realized and lived in but not so much that it turns into a history or geography essay. You want to hear the waves, see the wind blow through the trees, smell the food, taste the salty tears, and feel the coarse leather but you don’t want to do all that for just one item. It’s a balance and editing is the time to hit it.
My best advice, whether it’s warranted or not, is to get in your characters’ bodies, including that of your world. During editing, take moments to STOP TYPING, and dreamcast or astral project or at least visualize yourself standing exactly where your POV character is at exactly the moment they’re standing there. What do you see, smell, hear, taste, and feel? Use your senses and target what is most impactful. Take a hard look at long descriptions (more than three paragraphs when introducing settings and more than two sentences otherwise) and trim where you can. Pair action with emotion but don’t drown it out.
Sounds complicated, right?
Well, in some ways, it is. Anyone can write but writing well is real work. You can do it. I’m still honing my craft (and ever will be) to do just that. Join me on the journey as I learn my way to excellence.
In the next blog (I aim to post it next week), we’ll take a quick break from series-style posts and jump into a topic that is caught in my teeth right now. I call it the Cutting Room Floor.
Lastly, a word on Ukraine. It boggles my mind that in this day and age, we are witnessing a country committing a full-scale invasion of another. In times of relative peace, you start to forget that such a thing can happen. I fear the implications this can have for the world if it goes on too long, but I fear more for the Ukranian people. I pray for them regularly that they find safety and shelter and that a peaceful end to this conflict is swift in coming to restore the status quo. I don’t like what’s happening over there. I feel it isn’t fair and it isn’t right. If you feel led to donate to charity to support the Ukranian people, here are a couple links:
The Ukranian Red Cross Society
May the tide carry you to safer shores.
BSG