 | 18 Jul 06 |
At the John Lescroat brunch and interview, held on the closing day of Thrillerfest, one of the things he said really stuck out in my mind. I don’t remember the exact wording of either the question Gayle Lynds asked him, or his answer, so I’m going to have to summarize, but the advice he gave was “Just write the book.” So many times writers go back and fix, and refix, and edit, and delete and change, and they never get to THE END.
Lescroat said that even if he does write the book, and he realizes down the road that he accidentally changed a character’s name, or dropped a thread, if he keeps going back repeatedly he will never get done. First things first. Finish the book, and THEN go back and fix it.
And this really rang true for me, because I am a serial fixer. I have little “aha” moments all throughout the writing of a book, where I realize I have not done something and I MUST go back and fix it.
I suppose to a certain extent this might just be my process, but as I head to the end of my latest book, I think I’ve spent more time fixing than usual. Part of that could be the nature of this book, because it is high concept and detailed, and it carries with it lots of little subplots that need intertwining, and the “aha” moments are more frequent and the sleepless nights getting longer.
I wake up from a dead sleep with “aha” running through my mind. Or, of course, “DAMN, I missed that. I have to go clean that up.”
In short, I’m in the “living the book” mode. My family does not much like this part of my writing process. I am a stranger to them. I get up at odd hours and work on the computer. I am short with them, and tense, and I take a lot of Tylenol because I have a “lack of sleep” headache, but I suppose it won’t change anytime soon. Will I ever be able to just “write the book” and not go back and fix as I write.
Probably not. And I guess that’s not a problem as long as I CAN get to THE END. The day I can’t get there, it’s time to reevaluate.
I know not everyone writes like I do, and I’d love to hear how some of you work through the book and get to THE END.
© 2006 – 2009 Natalie R. Collins. All rights reserved.
Natalie R. Collins was born in Logan, Utah and attended the University of Utah. She worked for eleven years at The Salt Lake Tribune, Utah's largest daily newspaper, before leaving to devote more time to her family. During the ensuing years, she wrote five novels. She also worked for the 2001 and 2002 Sundance Film Festivals as an editor. Natalie is a member of the International Thriller Writers, Mystery Writers of America, and Romance Writers of America.
Subscribe to Posts 
I’m a serial fixer and draft writer. I tried to plot, but it didn’t work out very well, since I don’t really know my characters until they are on paper. My characters like to run away with the plot. I mean, not just across the street, but across a plain, up a mountain, down the other side, to the cliffs of the sea and then jump off it.
I’m working on it by starting the book 3-4 months after conception–this seriously helps if you keep tossing the first draft. But there are hiccups. The trick is to expect one and figure out how to deal with it LATER.
Except that I can’t tell you how to deal with it later instead of now because I’ve not figured it out either.
by May July 18th, 2006 at 4:52 amI was inspired by John Lescroart’s talk, too, Nat. I used to fix things contstantly, going over and over everything I wrote, adding hours to my day. Then I’d mark the hard copy in the afternoon and the next day I’d make all the changes, fool around with the previous day’s work, tinker endlessly, and then write a little more. It was slow, but at the end I had a polished book – that I didn’t want to change at all because it *was* polished. I’d do a quick clean-up, and send it out.
What’s wrong with that? I never got deeper in the book. I never threw anything out, or reworked the story for the big picture, because all those beautiful words were so hard-won.
When I decided to start over and write a different kind of book, I read the book IMMEDIATE FICTION, which suggested I just start and keep going. I did, and by the end I had a pretty good book, but I didn’t worry about changing it. After that I’d have a Big Picture Draft, where I made sure everything was in the right place, and after that, I’d concentrate on character–bringing that out—and polishing the book. The time on the back end was as long or longer than writing the book itself, which went pretty fast.
As I listened to Sandra Brown and John Lescroart, I felt that tingle of recognition—I did it like they did! In fact, now, I write my pages, and the next day I pick up where I left off, only brushing up a couple of paragraphs before.
by J. Carson Black July 18th, 2006 at 5:07 amThis happens to me ALL the time – even with a detailed outline! I have a “Revision Notes” file where I note the changes, then keep writing as if I’d already made them. Sometimes the story changes by the time I’m done with the first draft and I don’t need to make the revision after all, but a different one instead.
by the way I loved Wives and Sisters!
by Jennette July 18th, 2006 at 5:29 amMy beginning has to feel right to me. It sets the tone for the whole book. So I might do a lot of revisions and fixing in the beginning. After that, I “just write the book”. I don’t have a revision file, like Jennette (I wish I were that organized). I write myself notes and hope I understand them later.
I agree that we all have different styles. Just writing a book might not work for some writers.
by Edie Ramer July 18th, 2006 at 6:19 amI seem to do every book a little differently, but one thing I’ve noticed is that I tend to hit somewhere between page 100-200 and have an epiphany and need to go back and rewrite everything I’ve already put down, deleting most of it.
I’ve been trying to do the two steps forward one step back thing–write a chapter, then revise it the next day and write another chapter, etc. It’s been working fairly well, except that I still tend to rewrite the beginning.
I’m really bummed that I missed John Lescroart. My flight left too early
by Allison July 18th, 2006 at 6:47 amI too am a serial rewriter. And I simply HAVE to find the right opening for my book before I can write the rest of it (which means I tinker with it for ages, but once it’s solid I can move on pretty smoothly). I do drastic things to my MSs when I’ve finished the first draft. Chop out chapters. Remove unnecessary secondary characters. Decide that my penultimate chapter is really my first chapter. I have no problem ripping the thing to shreds once it’s “done”. LOL!
by Tonda/Kalen July 18th, 2006 at 7:06 amI’ve zipped through a book without going back to tinker or fix a thing, and I’ve done the seemingly endless serial fixer approach many many times. Of late I’ve hit on something in the middle. I reread the last 10 pages I wrote previously to refresh my memory and get me right back into the action/characters, then move forward with the writing. So far it’s worked. I wrote 100K in 8 weeks, and I’m revising it now. Much slower process, but I tend to gut sections, add/kill off characters, rewrite, write and mull every bloody thing over a bazillion times.
by Jan July 18th, 2006 at 7:06 amI’m a rewriter. Natalie knows it because she’s sees my twice-a-book breakdowns where I’m convinced the book is not working. For smaller issues, I’ve trained myself to type the question, problem, solution or change in captial red letters right into the manuscript. Then I’ll see it when I’m revising. That frees my mind up to keep going forward.
by Jen July 18th, 2006 at 7:16 amI do something like that, too, Jen. I make all sorts of notes in the manuscript. I also write the first version in 14 point Ariel, single-spaced. If feels more like a book.
by J. Carson Black July 18th, 2006 at 9:39 ama brilliant author once…no many times…told me she’s not one of those authors who is in love with her words…but take my word for it, you all sound like those people who clean obsessively before the maid shows up on Monday morning. This is said by a critiquer with total love
by Cele July 18th, 2006 at 10:02 amI’m somewhat relieved to hear that I’m not the only person on the planet who writes this way. I am a serial rewriter as well. If it’s crap, I usually put it aside and try again, if it’s workable, I look at it a couple of weeks later, pick it apart and rewrite it again with all my changes.
by Ktzmom July 18th, 2006 at 2:09 pmMay, I think it is a little confusing, and it takes time to figure out what way works for you. I think I still do a little mix of it all, because I’m afraid if I remember something now, I might forget it later. So I HAVE to go back and fix it, or I won’t sleep that night.
Jake, I’m writing like that more and more, except for the abovementioned. I think part of it comes with selling and deadlines. We simply don’t have TIME to go back incessantly. I couldn’t take two years to write this book, or any of the other books I have coming up. I USED to have that time. I don’t know.
Edie, I agree about spending extra time on the beginning, and especially the opening lines. Those are SO important.
Allison, I wish you could have seen Lescroat, too. It was pretty inspiring. He talked about worrying later about how one of his characters suddenly changed names, or careers, or even eye color. Since I JUST discovered I changed one of my main characters eye color early on in the book, I laughed when I remembered that. I wonder, too, if maybe the same method doesn’t work for every book?
Tonda/Kalen, serial rewriting because a REAL issue when you have pressing deadlines. I swear, I have got to find a way to cure this, before my editor says, “are you EVER going to send us that book, Natalie?”
Jan, again, I’m thinking maybe the method changes by the book you are writing. Is anyone else getting that?
Jen’s worst problem is she changes small problems into HUGE problems. At least in her mind. She’s convinced a small error is unfixable. With her clean and smooth writing, it NEVER is. So remember that, Jen.
Cele, hey those WORDS sound familiar…..
Well, let’s hear it for serial rewriters and book by book writers. We all rock….
by Natalie July 18th, 2006 at 3:10 pmAs someone who thinks the word “The End” will never come, this has been very interesting. I am not far enough along to consider myself a serial re-writer, but I am making the mental leap from non-fiction to fiction. I find that has me stopping to check facts much more than it should
. I’m trying to convice myself just to get to the end at this point.
by JulieB July 18th, 2006 at 4:41 pmI loosely plot then give myslef permission to write crap until I type the end. Then go back and revise.
by Karin July 18th, 2006 at 5:30 pmBUT, if I know the story isn’t working, I chuck it and start over.
Guilty of a similar writing pattern…
It’s only when I put it down then go back to it later do I really see where it needs work.
I have to give my stuff breathing room on occasion
by Candice Gilmer July 18th, 2006 at 6:31 pmI tend to write through while doing mini-polishes as I go. How’s that for fence sitting? I write through and if something small is fixable, I’ll fix it as I go just so it doesn’t bug me. But bigger things will get a red lettered note mid-page or XXX’s so I know to go back and do something. I’ll generally summarize for myself what the changes are and what affect it will have on the subsequent sections so I’ll be able to pick up as if this part was already written. This way I can keep moving but satisfy that need to know what result the changes will have so that I have a sense of consistency in the story-telling process.
Well, so far, that’s what works. I reserve the right to completely lose my mind with this draft, chuck it and start it over. (Which, ironically, usually means I’ll be okay with it. Feeling like I have the freedom to chuck it is the satisfying part.)
by toni mcgee causey July 18th, 2006 at 7:58 pmWhat’s always stumbled me is the tendency to revise something already written. I used to re-read everything and then tweak, tweak, tweak… I’ve never written “THE END” on anything, except a few short stories. The longer projects always seemed to evade me. Sometimes they even intimidated me.
Now I just re-read one page back, to refresh my head for the current scene, and I use an outline to keep myself on the major plot path. When I think of new ideas to enhance character, setting and story, I’ve scribbled the details down in a composition notebook so I don’t forget and keep writing. Sometimes, if the idea hits while I’m actually writing, I’ll switch in mid-stream and annotate the change in the notebook for later revision/editing.
The end result of this approach is going to be a very messy draft, but I tell myself that’s okay… I’m just grateful that I chose not to share anything to keep my chaos away from everyone else.
by Mariann July 19th, 2006 at 6:41 amJust found the blog. Great stuff.
I’m a rigid outliner, and have spent the most of this year rewriting my horrid draft that came about from National Novel Writing Month, so I understand the addiction to ‘fix’ things.
I will be adding ya to my blogroll! Cool stuff!
by Eric July 20th, 2006 at 7:35 amI’m dropping in on this discussion late. I missed that final brunch/interview at ThrillerFest and I’m actually glad I did now. I’ve heard many times that we should just write through to the end and everytime I hear it, I start feeling guilty for working the way I do.
I’m a serial fixer, too. Always have been. I can’t leave a scene until, at least in my mind, it’s ready for typesetting. My “first” drafts are extremely polished.
But I finish things. I type THE END. Have been working this way for over fifteen years (formerly with screenplays) and while this method may seem slow, when I’m done I’m done. I think that has a lot to do with why KISS HER GOODBYE went through very few changes once my publisher got hold of it.
Working this way allows me to digest what I’ve written, see how it lays and plays, allows me time to work my way through plot and character details without discovering 100 pages later that I’ve made a wrong turn.
So, while I appreciate the sentiment behind Lescroart’s advice, it’s advice that works for some and not for others.
The wonderful thing about this craft is that we all work differently. We find our own rhythms and follow the beat we feel most comfortable with.
So if you aren’t writing through without looking back, there’s nothing wrong with that. As long as you do, eventually, cross the finish line.
by Rob Gregory Browne July 22nd, 2006 at 1:48 amWelcome, Eric!
Rob, I agree. If your method is working for YOU, why change it? I think the “just write the book” is more directed at people who will never finish a book. They can’t GET the story down, because they continually fix and fix. And if you never get to the end, you never have a book. I guess that’s who needs to hear this advice.
And me, when I’m practicing my neurotic behavior….
by Natalie July 23rd, 2006 at 8:33 am