Preparing for National Novel Writing Month 2016 - Pt 4

Today's Earworm: "Eyes" by Kings 810
Today's Date: October 24, 2016

I don't really know what to say. I'm exhausted is the first thing that comes to mind.

The second is that I'm on a binge watching all sorts of documentaries on things. Ghosts and spirits and the such.

Fueling the thoughts for Bad Dog. Which is good yet bad since I'm still fighting with myself in regards to working on it. I can't. Not until the first of November and it's a week away yet.

So I'm kind of sitting here. Sick. Exhausted. Binge watching documentaries. Working on Bad Dog. And trying not to toss people off a cliff.

I hate the build up towards the next round of Nano. I always end up twitchy and growling. And I've been very anti-person lately. Which is kind of surprising but yet not?

Okay, so let's me tell you what insanity has been going on and how it has been utterly *censors the line of curse words that would make a sailor sniff in proudness but comes down to messing* with my life.

1) My friend is currently trying something to help with her chronic pain issues. She doesn't do needles and since these are  about an inch long going into her back, she needs to be put under which means I have to go with her.

2) I lost my outline for my short piece set! I'm crying. I need to clean up some more and hope to find the bitch. I can hope yes?

3) As stated above, I have been very anti-person lately. I don't know why but it's starting to make me twitch. Which isn't good.

4) Depression has attacked me a bit but I'm working on getting through it.

5) The muses and will to write has been fluctuating.

I'm hoping though that by the time November comes around that I will be back on balanced ground again.

I'm hoping.

Anyways, I got thinking about if I've ever told you guys about my writing process...

And I don't think so! At least not in the last year. I've talked about my Plot Mountain (found here), but I don't think I've ever quite gone over what I do after that.

Well, let me explain that since I'm getting prepped for Nano in a week and the process after is just as important, if not more so in some cases, as the writing process.

Please remember, that what may work for me may not work for you. So experiment, learn, discover. Don't be afraid to find a new way if your current way just doesn't work for you.

Step 1: Write the First Draft

I went over this in my Plot Mountain Post all those months before. I write that first draft.

Step 2: Ignore the First Draft

Depending on the story and size that I wrote, I usually ignore that first draft from anywhere from a week to six months. Why? Because I want to forget what I wrote in that first draft so I can come back to it with fresh eyes.

Step 3: Reread (groan) over the first draft and make notes on changes like I'm a reader.

This is just what it says. After that time of forgetting the first draft, I stick the draft into a GDoc, make sure it's accessible on my tablet and sit in bed with pen and notebook to reread it while making notes.

I look at it like I'm a first reader (thus why I ignore it for so long) and I have to give this writer an honest critique. But then again, I'm meaner to myself and tend to rip the story apart in my notes.

I did this with my current M/M novella (which I'm in step 4 and 5 right now for it). It took me about 6 pages of legal pad paper; front to back; to write all the notes.

Step 4: Write out a new outline

This outline will include the old chapters and new chapters I want to insert.

For the old chapters, I tend to make notes on what I want to insert into them and if I want to split a chapter into two chapters instead of one.

For the new chapters, I make sure I know just how they would fit into it as I go along. This will be a long process because I'm going back and forth between the first draft and my notes to see just what I need to do.

This also includes about 5 different colored InkJoy pens so I can color code things.

Step 5: Start to fill in those chapters and write out the new chapters

AKA: Rewrite round 1.

Yep, time to rewrite. It's not fun. Nope. Not in the least. But I will do it! My page will bleed RED from this first round of rewrites.

Step 6: REWRITE!

This time I'm going from start to finish and literally rewriting each chapter to fix things such as tense, wording, some grammar (not really expected at the moment), characterization and making sure it all flows together.

It will take me anything from a month to four depending on length and how often I work on doing the rewrite.

Step 7: Rewriting AGAIN

Okay, this rewrite is pretty much a combination of step 3 and 5. I'm going to read through it after about a week of not touching it and making notes before inserting what I need.

It's pretty much a lighter version to help start to tighten things up.

Step 8: Actual editing

This is the step where I sit down and go through with grammar and punctuation in mind. I sit there and don't read like a writer or a reader (like above), but this time as an editor.

I had to train myself to stop from worrying about most editing bits during the last 7 steps. Thank you, NaNo for training that out of me.

This takes me about a week or two to finish from beginning to end. It's not that extensive.

Step 9: Send it to a first reader and get their opinion on the story.

I usually have someone in the background waiting to read my story and go over it, critique things and the such.

Step 10: Go over what they say and insert and maybe do some light rewriting.

Once I get that information back from them, I sit there and fiddle around with things, filling in holes or making it clear that a hole is there for a good reason for future books depending on what I'm working on.

Step 11: Repeat 9 and 10

Just that. I repeat 9 and 10 a few times (usually with more than one reader) and then I get to this step.

Step 12: Edit then send to editor/beta and forget about it.

This is where I wait for the editor to go over it, make their notes and tell me what I need to fix. I usually send it after I do another quick once over to catch anything.

Step 13: Fix what needs to be fixed.

I fix what needs to be fixed and once I get it to a point where I'm happy with it, where it reads well and looks good, it's done.

Yeah, 13 plus steps later (because sometimes there's a couple more rewrites and edits in there).

Now mind you, I figured this out over the course of my fanfiction writing career and I can tell you that yes, it works just as well for when it comes time to editing original worlds.

Again this may or may not work for you. If it works, great! I'm happy. If it doesn't or just parts works, that's all good! I'm happy you have discovered what works for you. As I have. We all have our own processes. 

This is just my process. 

So for now, I will see you next week with the start of Nano!