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This photo of the Full Moon, made on 21 January 2008 in our garden is a reminder. It alludes my mind back to the original track of writing THAT short story.No, I have not forgotten about it - although I'm much more obsessed with the present work (Halo) at these days and weeks.
Right now, I don't have much time to write Halo either, but that I will probably finish in January, as I promised myself.
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Many liked the drawing I made and I thank the words of encouragements from you. The drawing below is, or can be a great scheme for a great chain of events in an interesting landscape. However, the chief focus of Halo is not this field of adventure, nor are the events that actually or potentially take place within this environment. Which means that I don't think I will explore every part of the drawing. Basically, the story is not about this landscape and the potential events in it. It is about the protagonist, his stance and development.
Many liked the drawing I made and I thank the words of encouragements from you. The drawing below is, or can be a great scheme for a great chain of events in an interesting landscape. However, the chief focus of Halo is not this field of adventure, nor are the events that actually or potentially take place within this environment. Which means that I don't think I will explore every part of the drawing. Basically, the story is not about this landscape and the potential events in it. It is about the protagonist, his stance and development.
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I have to remind myself to my original purpose. Otherwise I might get lost in the 'maze' of my words. Perhaps all I need is a little break of a few days to re-think about the idea.
I think the original idea is/was neat, or...uhm...sort of interesting.... and I think I'll stick to it.
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I know I have asked a similar question once, and the best answer I got was: 'I stick to my pen' - but as I have a purpose with 'Halo', I have to brush aside words that are not closely related to my subject. 'Halo' is not a novel - it's going to be a short story of about 3000 words... I simply don't have a span wide enough to wonder around contemplating events and feelings that are not STRICTLY important.
What would you do?
Write those wanderings anyway only to delete them at the end if they do not fit?
Or save them for whatever might come later on, for a future story?
Or discard any non-related material to stick with the original plan?
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This latter is my option, but how about you?
10 comments:
I think all three of your options are reasonable and are practiced by different writers according to their particular methodologies. It's a question of what works best for you. I was taught under the school of "write it all down and then go back, agony though it is, to separate the wheat fom the chaff." It's a tough way to proceed, however. If you favor the last option, which is easier, then I'd go with that gut instinct. I think our emotions are usually good guides, but most people, including myself, are not good at tuning into what our emotions, our guts, are trying to tell us.
Every though worth to keep.
"Or save them for whatever might come later on, for a future story?"
You never know...
;)
Billy,
what is taught seems the best, and sometimes I follow that method as well. Now however I see that describing the events within this drawing in every minute detail is NOT the purpose of the story. I think I have come to realize what the story is about - and it's not about the game he plays. It's rather about his emotions and spiritual development.
Emperor Ropi,
well, thoughts are. But the things I discard are mere actions and not the most interesting ones at that.
Myladysa,
I might keep additional thoughts, but not everything.
To all,
Thanks for your contribution!
if a side pathway really intrigues me I"ll write it anyway, and save it for a time when I might use it. but if it's just a passing thought I'll usually let it die on the vine.
I'd delete them from the project if they don't add value, but save them somewhere.
Those meanderings might provide seed for another story or fit into another story another time.
SzélsőFa, I keep being reminded to come back here when I see your name on Ropi's blog.
So. I'm back.
I marveled over that same moon later on when it got over Alaska. It was so big and beautiful.
I tend to save the scraps to a page or two with the title of the project but with some other extension, like otherideas. I have discovered that some ideas come back when they are needed without having to look them up. But some only come back when I look at those scrap pages.
But, it also sounds like you know what you want to write about. So, another option is to save the original file and copy the stuff you want to work on and paste it into a new clean page. All that environmental stuff that you will eventually leave out, helps you understand the character better and you can leave hints in the finished story.
Probably you've heard of the term 'back story'. It's other stuff about a character or story that you know, but don't write, but it is there even though the reader never sees it directly.
Charles,
that sound reasonable. That is what I'm going to do anyway.
Bernita,
I agree - if those wandering are valueable, they worth saving. Who knows what creates a spark for another project? And cut'n'paste is way too easy, also.
Back in earlier times, writng had many other difficulties.
Steve,
the punching scene in Chapter 7 of your Dickens Challenge work is also a backstory I think. There are hints and the reader is clever enough to get what happened without being explicitly told.
SzélsőFa,
Different Steve I'm afraid. I have no punching scenes or Chapter 7s. :)
Oops, Steve, the other one :)))
I'm sorry!
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