Comments on: Heading for the Finish Line http://writerunboxed.com/2008/09/04/heading-for-the-finish-line/ about the craft and business of fiction Sat, 11 Feb 2012 16:08:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Juliet http://writerunboxed.com/2008/09/04/heading-for-the-finish-line/#comment-86632 Juliet Thu, 25 Sep 2008 10:52:30 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2008/09/04/heading-for-the-finish-line/#comment-86632 Samira, Daughter of the Forest was planned out in advance, but my writing method was a lot less organised than it is now - that novel was written part time over three years, while I had a full time day job. The fairy tale The Six Swans provided me with the framework of the novel, and I did know exactly what I planned to do with it right from the start. I did write quite a lot as a student, and had one or two short pieces published (I haven't retained copies.) However, in the 30 years or so prior to writing DOTF I wrote almost no fiction, short or long, and didn't submit any for publication. My reason for getting published so late in life wasn't that I tried and failed to be published. It was more that I wasn't ready to write seriously until then. Samira, Daughter of the Forest was planned out in advance, but my writing method was a lot less organised than it is now – that novel was written part time over three years, while I had a full time day job. The fairy tale The Six Swans provided me with the framework of the novel, and I did know exactly what I planned to do with it right from the start.

I did write quite a lot as a student, and had one or two short pieces published (I haven’t retained copies.) However, in the 30 years or so prior to writing DOTF I wrote almost no fiction, short or long, and didn’t submit any for publication.

My reason for getting published so late in life wasn’t that I tried and failed to be published. It was more that I wasn’t ready to write seriously until then.

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]]> By: Samira http://writerunboxed.com/2008/09/04/heading-for-the-finish-line/#comment-86501 Samira Wed, 24 Sep 2008 05:00:11 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2008/09/04/heading-for-the-finish-line/#comment-86501 Just curious: Did you always use the planning method? Was that the method you used on Daughter of the Forest? Had you published anything prior to DOTF such as a short story? Just curious: Did you always use the planning method? Was that the method you used on Daughter of the Forest?
Had you published anything prior to DOTF such as a short story?

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]]> By: Juliet http://writerunboxed.com/2008/09/04/heading-for-the-finish-line/#comment-85460 Juliet Mon, 15 Sep 2008 06:07:58 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2008/09/04/heading-for-the-finish-line/#comment-85460 I'm sure that depends on the individual writer, Maureen. Some people do revise obsessively, and some books take a lot longer to write than others. I don't have that problem. I'm almost always writing to fulfil a contract, with a deadline to meet. I hate being late for anything. That means that, although the period leading up to the deadline can be somewhat fraught, as now, I make sure my manuscript is finished and polished in time. I'm reasonably efficient about editing because I have to be. Of course, after the ms deadline there's another phase when the editor's report arrives, no doubt full of further suggested revisions. I'll share that experience here in January, the month in which I will be working on that report. I’m sure that depends on the individual writer, Maureen. Some people do revise obsessively, and some books take a lot longer to write than others.

I don’t have that problem. I’m almost always writing to fulfil a contract, with a deadline to meet. I hate being late for anything. That means that, although the period leading up to the deadline can be somewhat fraught, as now, I make sure my manuscript is finished and polished in time. I’m reasonably efficient about editing because I have to be.

Of course, after the ms deadline there’s another phase when the editor’s report arrives, no doubt full of further suggested revisions. I’ll share that experience here in January, the month in which I will be working on that report.

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]]> By: Maureen Moulton http://writerunboxed.com/2008/09/04/heading-for-the-finish-line/#comment-85455 Maureen Moulton Mon, 15 Sep 2008 05:20:22 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2008/09/04/heading-for-the-finish-line/#comment-85455 When revising, is it hard on occasion to stop revising? I believe that I would have that problem, being obsessive compulsive when it comes to writing, the endless possibilities of how you can end this chapter, what certain event leads to another to another; Things such as this would drive me mad if I were to write a book. Maureen When revising, is it hard on occasion to stop revising? I believe that I would have that problem, being obsessive compulsive when it comes to writing, the endless possibilities of how you can end this chapter, what certain event leads to another to another; Things such as this would drive me mad if I were to write a book.

Maureen

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]]> By: Juliet http://writerunboxed.com/2008/09/04/heading-for-the-finish-line/#comment-84951 Juliet Tue, 09 Sep 2008 03:43:30 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2008/09/04/heading-for-the-finish-line/#comment-84951 Thanks Kristan - I'm on target so far. Thanks Kristan – I’m on target so far.

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]]> By: Kristan http://writerunboxed.com/2008/09/04/heading-for-the-finish-line/#comment-84876 Kristan Mon, 08 Sep 2008 15:50:25 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2008/09/04/heading-for-the-finish-line/#comment-84876 Instinctively I started doing 1-5 too, and I'm finding a huge upswing in productivity. Best of luck finishing on time! Instinctively I started doing 1-5 too, and I’m finding a huge upswing in productivity. Best of luck finishing on time!

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]]> By: Juliet http://writerunboxed.com/2008/09/04/heading-for-the-finish-line/#comment-84596 Juliet Sat, 06 Sep 2008 03:46:32 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2008/09/04/heading-for-the-finish-line/#comment-84596 I'm glad it was useful, Nora. I reckon rather than straight out planners and pantsers, we're all somewhere on a continuum between the extremes. You and I are close to the arch-planner end of the line. I hope it works for you! I’m glad it was useful, Nora. I reckon rather than straight out planners and pantsers, we’re all somewhere on a continuum between the extremes. You and I are close to the arch-planner end of the line. I hope it works for you!

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]]> By: Nora http://writerunboxed.com/2008/09/04/heading-for-the-finish-line/#comment-84502 Nora Fri, 05 Sep 2008 14:54:46 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2008/09/04/heading-for-the-finish-line/#comment-84502 Juliet - Thank you, so much, for sharing this. I work much the same way, writing then revising, and then revising the revising, and so forth. I thought perhaps I was the only writer in the universe that revisited their work in that manner. I take heart from your words as I have not yet been published as a novelist. Perhaps all the painstaking will in the end pay off. Juliet – Thank you, so much, for sharing this. I work much the same way, writing then revising, and then revising the revising, and so forth. I thought perhaps I was the only writer in the universe that revisited their work in that manner. I take heart from your words as I have not yet been published as a novelist. Perhaps all the painstaking will in the end pay off.

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]]> By: Juliet http://writerunboxed.com/2008/09/04/heading-for-the-finish-line/#comment-84496 Juliet Fri, 05 Sep 2008 11:33:00 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2008/09/04/heading-for-the-finish-line/#comment-84496 Thea, Outlaw and Sonia usually don't rest in such a cosy position - it was one of those felicitous moments! They are both lovely, sedate old animals. It's the other two who create most of the drama around here. Kath, a lot of the time I'm not so calm, but having a plan helps me keep my focus. I floundered in the middle of this book. To get out of the slump, I tried writing in more of a pantser mode for a bit, which went against all my natural inclinations. That got the flow going, but I wasn't happy with what I had written and axed most of it. The final book is going to be far, far different from the original synopsis I wrote about two years ago. Which just goes to show (I hope) that the planning method doesn't necessarily stifle creativity. Thea, Outlaw and Sonia usually don’t rest in such a cosy position – it was one of those felicitous moments! They are both lovely, sedate old animals. It’s the other two who create most of the drama around here.

Kath, a lot of the time I’m not so calm, but having a plan helps me keep my focus. I floundered in the middle of this book. To get out of the slump, I tried writing in more of a pantser mode for a bit, which went against all my natural inclinations. That got the flow going, but I wasn’t happy with what I had written and axed most of it.

The final book is going to be far, far different from the original synopsis I wrote about two years ago. Which just goes to show (I hope) that the planning method doesn’t necessarily stifle creativity.

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]]> By: Kathleen Bolton http://writerunboxed.com/2008/09/04/heading-for-the-finish-line/#comment-84382 Kathleen Bolton Thu, 04 Sep 2008 16:37:15 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2008/09/04/heading-for-the-finish-line/#comment-84382 Wow, Juliet. That's a pretty ambitious time-table. Kudos for remaining calm. "A switch between writing methods or a change of physical setting can spark creativity." I'm I big believer in the power of the pencil, too. My stuff is scribbled all over the place. And it offers the bonus of mobility. I haven't yet had the emotional fortitude to do #3. :-) Wow, Juliet. That’s a pretty ambitious time-table.
Kudos for remaining calm.

“A switch between writing methods or a change of physical setting can spark creativity.”

I’m I big believer in the power of the pencil, too. My stuff is scribbled all over the place. And it offers the bonus of mobility.

I haven’t yet had the emotional fortitude to do #3. :-)

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