Complete Overhaul of Chapters

Yzabel / September 22, 2005

Well, I did something crazy: I threw away a good 30 pages of work yesterday. On the premises of a dream. And I’m happy about it.Of course, I’m not going to feed you all with talks of premonitory dreams. No, I just happened to dream a scene that, with some changes, would have fit my novel well. I mulled over it almost all day long (travelling by train to Strasbourg and back gives me lots of time to think), and the more I wondered about it, the more I wondered why I hadn’t thought about it before. Sure, I’d never directly use a scene from a dream—mine are so weird it wouldn’t bear any sense. Bouncing on one in order to enhance an already existing idea, on the other hand, isn’t something I’m afraid of.Sometimes, I tend to clutch too much to dead wood, to things I’ve written weeks or months ago, wanting to use these elements no matter what because I like them. Indeed, it’s not rare for me to scribble down a scene for which I have inspiration; later on, when what precedes this part of the story is written, I simply add it, tweaking it if there’s need to. However, such scenes may happen to be more bothersome than anything else, especially if I find myself filling the blanks with elements that aren’t very thrilling just so that I can link them to the main body of the story. When I find myself thinking “this development is boring”, this tells me something.Well, this development was indeed boring, in that it was leading me directly to one or two chapters of “explanations”, which I usually dislike as a reader. My planned summary of these chapters looked good on paper at first, but not so good anymore once I was actually writing them. I don’t like explanation scenes, I prefer give out clues and information here and there along the story. Why I found myself dragged toward such a direction is a mystery even to me.I don’t have any regrets. There are things an author sometimes has to let go, things that were pleasant to write, but don’t fit the current story anymore. Recognizing when to do so, and with what, is a nifty skill to develop, I think.planning, writing

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Comments

  • Cavan

    I know all about that – not too long ago I threw out the first 10,000 words of a novel. Instead of depressing me, it made me far more optimistic about my writing.So, good for you for being able to know when to let go. You’re right, it is a very good skill to develop.

  • melly

    Yzabel, sounds like you did what you needed to do. It’s a good feeling, isn’t it?

  • Jennifer

    Ahhh isn’t it nice when we feel good about tossing something? I take that as a sign I did the right thing. If I’m feeling good then it must have had to go.I did that recently cut my first chapter by half practically. Some stuff went a little later in the novel but most of it just went to the trash can and it’s amazing now when I read how much better it is!:)

  • Yzabel

    It wasn’t especially easy to let go at first, but indeed, I felt so much better afterward that this is what told me I had taken a good decision. I’ve rewritten about half of the scene now–in twice less words than before–and I find it looks, sounds and tastes better, so to say. I’ll be able to spend a satisfied week-end after that, I think 😉

  • ME Strauss

    Even your post about doing it reads beautifully. That has to say something about it.

  • Shanti

    Much respect to you for getting that far in your novel.I tried writing a novel when I was in NYC last year, and boy was it tough.Screenplays I found much easier… That’s the American thing I guess these days — everyone’s got a screenplay. 🙂

  • Yzabel

    Aaah, I’ve never even written screenplays myself… probably because I’ve never thought of it before 😀

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