When I first started writing Enura in December 2009, I had a simple system. I'd write a short 500-word chapter, edit it the same day, and post it. For a while it worked, and I wound up publishing around 75 chapters in all. But the writing got tighter as I went along, and after completing large sections of the story, I knew there were things that I should go back and add.
But I was so focused on moving the story forward and getting every word as perfect as I could, that the process eventually broke down. The last chapter I worked on, chapter 76, was actually written by hand (which I transitioned away from years ago). There was a lot of description--far more than I was willing to deal with at that point--and so the chapter sat, half transcribed.
The project had simply gone on too long. I'd been writing for months, and although I'd made good progress, I was moving in quicksand towards the ending. I knew that a great battle lie ahead, and I was hardly excited about dealing with another complex action scene with loads of description. Like a boxer heading into the tenth round, I felt bruised, battered, and my punches were only so effective.
It was at that point I decided to stop, and it was the right decision. There was no point in screwing up all of the perfectly good work I'd done so far.
But I never expected to step away from it for so long. I played around with short stories for the next four years before finally making it back.
And that's far too long.
So what am I going to do differently this time? Good question.
First, I'm simply going to allow myself to write. I placed too much pressure on myself the first time around to write "the blockbuster" or "the best story that I am capable of." That resulted in early editing and a lot of critical voice to see the story to completion.
I'd also forgotten what got me there in the first place. Since I'm a panster at heart, or one who "writes by the seat of his pants," I allow my subconscious to write the story. I prefer to listen to the story coming out of me by tapping into my stream of consciousness. I'm kind of like a scribe taking dictation when I enter this state, and by limiting, or in some cases eliminating, the number of rewrites, I can simply focus on the story.
And that's what I want to do this time around.
I want to explore the world that I am writing about. I want to understand. I want to see all of the sights there are to be seen, and know the story intimately. I'm intent on using exploratory writing to deliver Vampire Hunters as well as Enura.
Should I be outlining? I suppose I could give it a try, but in my experience, it's the kiss of death. When I figure out a story, particularly how it ends, I lose interest in it. It's a sad thing to say, but it's the truth. Conversely, I find myself invigorated and intrigued when I don't know what I'm writing about. I can enter the world, explore for awhile, and then report back on what I've found. It makes every day far more interesting, if not fun.
And keeping the writing fun goes a long way to building a satisfying, productive career.
Before I stopped because I was no longer having fun. The grind was getting to me. I had simply done too much editing too soon. Everything was overanalyzed. Doubts began to spring up more and more every day. Instead of listening to the story, I began listening to my fears. Maybe it wasn't as good as I hoped for. Perhaps I should work on something else instead? (A classic diversion tactic that I am all too good at.)
I refuse to fall into that same trap again. Thankfully, I've refined my system where I don't do anymore than one rewrite, but even that is optional. Actually, I'm trying to get away from rewrites, but I find that they can be an effective tool for raising overall quality as well as filling in holes. Beyond that, I only intend on rereading it a maximum of three times before putting it aside. After a few days, I'll come back to it, do my final edits, and ready it for publication. (I largely self edit, but I do incorporate feedback from advance readers from time to time.)
That's the worse case scenario, and I no longer work in 500-word chunks. I've found that it's far more effective to write at least 2,000 - 3,000 words in one session. This prevents me from tightening up too much, which you can easily do with short pieces of text. Actually, I think it's inherent for writers to perform more editing than is wise for short chapters rather than long ones, simply because it's so easy. It's tempting to look at it "one more time" when you really should be putting it aside and moving on.
The act of writing longer alleviates many editing woes, and produces much more content, which is really what you and the reader are after.
Another major departure that I will be using is working in sequences (which I like to call "working in wholes"). While I was publishing a chapter per day before, I'll only be doing that for entire sequences or installments. One of the first things I will be working on is Vampire Hunters: Prelude, the beginning of the series, and will only begin publishing it once all 20+ chapters are done and in good shape. Enura will feature 20-30 short chapters per installment, though I do plan to publish the teaser in advance (the first five chapters).
While I don't believe in spending too much time on any one project, there's plenty to keep me busy in this world. I'm not content on merely referencing events that happened in a character's past. I want to write them. I want to be knowledgeable about them in ways that only can come through experience. Then, and only then, can I write "the best story that I am capable of."
I fully intend on writing side stories such as Red Wind and Carmella of Sidon and weaving them into the fabric of Enura. I want to understand. I want to explore. This is what makes the writing so exciting. If I'm not excited, I'll wind up like I did before, and I can't let that happen.
A fresh approach is just what the doctor ordered, and I can't wait to see what I come up with next.
That's the way writing should be, every single day. An adventure!
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