Facing a blank page often thrusts a writer into prolonged bouts of procrastination, fear, terror even. Free writing is a joy when you at least have a vague idea where you're going. Unexpectedly, when I took the challenge to write the entire first draft of The Avenue from beginning to end without once going back to rewrite, I found the discipline of forging ahead liberating. I followed prompt-by-prompt in The Plot Whisperer Book of Writing Prompts (an experience I wrote about in the book and had …
Writers Beware! Do Not Rewrite Until You First Revise
Full Confession: I cheated! A major revision tip I stress to writers: Do NOT begin to rewrite until you first revise. I broke my own rule (though as we all know, there are no rules to writing). I began rewriting before even progressing beyond Day Two of Revise Your Novel in a Month. What's wrong with that, you ask? Just as going back and rewriting during any draft slows the process, revision comes to a grinding halt if you begin rewriting too soon. So, writers beware! Do not rewrite until you …
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Thematic Significance in Stories
A story exists through characters and the actions they take, but at the same time it also represents something else. The thematic significance of a story is a statement the story illustrates as truth. The thematic significance in stories can be plotted scene by scene just as the dramatic action and the character emotional development are plotted. First you have to determine what is the thematic significance of your story. Thematic Significance Bubble Chart To help writers find their thematic …
A Transition and A Threshold
You're fully in the high of writing. Everything you think about, read about, dream about has some magnificent significance to your story. Words come quickly. You easily and eagerly show up everyday to write. No resistance, you're in the flow. All your plans and desires for the future and any shame and resentment for the past vanish. Everyday new ideas pop up to solve old problems. Whether a plotter or a pantser or a plotser, a beginner or a seasoned writer, it's just you and your story. Then …
How to Reorganize and Re”vision” a Story with a Plot
In preparation for a major rewrite, I re"vision" what I've written following the on-line video program PlotWriMo: Revise Your Novel in a Month. For the next 30 days, stand back from your words to view the bigger picture of your story through plot and structure, concept and scenes. Analyze what you've written, brainstorm, and revise for an effortless rewrite. Day One Day One of the revision program is all about organization. As writers we generate lots of random notes. If you're like me, …
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