Then vs. Now
Just for kicks, I was looking back through my archives last night from when I first began this blog. Originally, I started this as a way to keep a daily journal of my progress in a writing challenge I gave myself. I was to write a 300 page novel in 90 days. I did no plotting before taking on this challenge, and I jumped in without thinking much about the story. Needless to say, I did not meet the challenge. I also found serious problems with the manuscript, and it has been put on a temporary hold.
It was interesting to look back on my thoughts during this process, and this particular snippet from a post jumped out at me. It came at a point when I realized that the novel was not measuring up to the kind of work I wanted to be writing.
A couple of months ago, I told someone that I did not care if I wrote something brilliant. I was just going to write a silly story. But now, I want to write something more meaningful. I want to write something that addresses, in my own way, issues that are important to me. Issues that I am passionate about. I want my story to be more than it is.
And then a month later, this.
I already have another idea in my head for a novel. However, I’m not going to start writing it for awhile. I did jot down some preliminary notes, just so that I won’t forget. First, I would like to finish this novel. And then maybe another mystery novel after this for some exercise. This idea I have could turn into something great, and I would like to improve my writing, plotting and character development skills before undertaking something quite so intense.
The idea I’m talking about there is the WIP I’m currently writing. I wrote that six months before I ever began working on it. I may not have completed the two mystery novels as planned, but regardless of that, I am extremely glad I decided to write this novel now. What I said before about writing something that means something to me, something I can be passionate about and something I can be proud of, well that is this story. I absolutely love what I am writing, and I have never before been this excited about one of my stories.
I also see now some things that I was doing wrong for the challenge novel, and I have learned from those mistakes. I have learned that I need to plot before diving into a story. I have learned that I need to really know my characters before writing too much of the story. Some writers do not need to do this, and I envy them. I’ve just learned that I need some structure. Not too much because I need the freedom to let the story flow in its own way. Just enough to give me some guidance.
It will be interesting to see how my writing has grown in six more months. That’s one of the great things about having these blogs as a writer. You can look back on your progress and your journey.
Quick Status Update: I have passed the 10k mark!
Quick Status Update| Favorite Sherlock Holmes Detective Stories - April 2008 Giveaway » »
Leave a Comment