As a writer I spend a lot of time reading about writing. In fairness I could probably be using that time more productively by writing, but personally I prefer reading about writing to the actual writing itself (I dread to think what that says about me). Anyway, a lot of the advice I've read is not to edit too much before you finish the story - if you do, you probably won't ever finish writing it. And up until now, that has been pretty sound advice for me, especially as I seem completely unable to finish anything without a deadline.
As my regular readers will have noticed, the wordcount for my NaNo novel hasn't been creeping up as it should have been. And I've finally figured out why - I'm not telling the story right. I have been forcing myself forward with it in the belief that I can edit out the problems later, but not I realise that the only way to edit the problems would be to rewrite the whole thing anyway. So I've decided to start again. I know this may mean I never actually finish it but personally I'd rather rewrite from now than wait until I have a completed version which I'd have to start again.
I am making my own rules. While I have listened to the advice out there, and what I'm saying here is nothing new, I am doing what I believe is right for my writing, right for me. I know there is no 'correct' way of writing, the only way you can find what works for you is to try many things. So I'm going to try again and see if I have better luck. If this doesn't work than perhaps this isn't the project for me right now. But for now I'm following my gut instinct and that is to start again and not follow the rule of waiting til I'm finished to make it work.
1 comment:
I think with writing you have to make your own rules, as everybody writes differently. Good luck with your story. I'm sure you will finish it someday!
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