Thanks for taking the time to write this out. Maybe I'll get that children's story called "Five Pickle Buckets" I've had in my head for about 40 years written now.
Writing goals - Time vs Word Count: Isaac and I got into a discussion about word count goals vs. time writing goals. We decided word count was probably better, because you could set your time goal for 1 hour and just sit and stare at the screen accomplishing nothing. Is that why you, and most other authors, choose word count goals not time goals?
Isaac Question: What do you do when you need to write a critical pivot point scene that will impact every aspect of the rest of the book, and you can't quite get all pieces from the "whole story" to line up?
Isaac's Thought: I don't write for other people to read although that is nice. I write the story I want to read - the book I wish had been written for me to read.
Yes, you got it. Time is relative but word count is set in stone. A firm word count prevents cheating and incentivizes productivity. Hypothetically, I could knock out my word count in an hour and be done for the day if I was super focused. And that would be a good day. That's why project goals are better than time-elapsed goals, as all good homeschoolers know.
Hey, Isaac, good question that reveals you've spent some time writing. It's a frequent problem, especially if you've got a bunch of characters who all want to have their say. I ran up against that in a big way in Twisting Trails when I tried to bring the worlds of three different books together in one story.
I think what we have to do is write the best pivot scene we can and keep going. We know it's not what it should be, but it's hard to correct and improve a scene in the moment. Maybe take a few notes about why it doesn't seem quite right or what is missing—then move on. The easiest way to improve a scene and pull it into alignment with the whole book—I picture a bunch of threads which need to be pulled taut like spiderweb to catch the reader's interest—is to come back to it after some time has elapsed.
The easiest, top easy way to fix it is during an editing pass on the whole story. Reading everything leading up to the scene and everything that comes after makes it more obvious what needs to change. Of course that's time consuming...but it is the best way.
I like your independence, Isaac. Too many people try and write to market, which means writing the books they think people want to read—and most of those books come across like Disney remakes. Writing a story you love is the way to go. Making it easier to read for people you care about is an act of love that can fuel your editing.
Thanks for taking the time to write this out. Maybe I'll get that children's story called "Five Pickle Buckets" I've had in my head for about 40 years written now.
Writing goals - Time vs Word Count: Isaac and I got into a discussion about word count goals vs. time writing goals. We decided word count was probably better, because you could set your time goal for 1 hour and just sit and stare at the screen accomplishing nothing. Is that why you, and most other authors, choose word count goals not time goals?
Isaac Question: What do you do when you need to write a critical pivot point scene that will impact every aspect of the rest of the book, and you can't quite get all pieces from the "whole story" to line up?
Isaac's Thought: I don't write for other people to read although that is nice. I write the story I want to read - the book I wish had been written for me to read.
Yes, you got it. Time is relative but word count is set in stone. A firm word count prevents cheating and incentivizes productivity. Hypothetically, I could knock out my word count in an hour and be done for the day if I was super focused. And that would be a good day. That's why project goals are better than time-elapsed goals, as all good homeschoolers know.
Hey, Isaac, good question that reveals you've spent some time writing. It's a frequent problem, especially if you've got a bunch of characters who all want to have their say. I ran up against that in a big way in Twisting Trails when I tried to bring the worlds of three different books together in one story.
I think what we have to do is write the best pivot scene we can and keep going. We know it's not what it should be, but it's hard to correct and improve a scene in the moment. Maybe take a few notes about why it doesn't seem quite right or what is missing—then move on. The easiest way to improve a scene and pull it into alignment with the whole book—I picture a bunch of threads which need to be pulled taut like spiderweb to catch the reader's interest—is to come back to it after some time has elapsed.
The easiest, top easy way to fix it is during an editing pass on the whole story. Reading everything leading up to the scene and everything that comes after makes it more obvious what needs to change. Of course that's time consuming...but it is the best way.
I like your independence, Isaac. Too many people try and write to market, which means writing the books they think people want to read—and most of those books come across like Disney remakes. Writing a story you love is the way to go. Making it easier to read for people you care about is an act of love that can fuel your editing.
AJ,
Thank you for the thoughtful response. We are going to start implementing these ideas ASAP.