Cutting a chapter

n-v-b · May 21, 2009

I'm about six chapters in (so still a long way to go), and for a couple of weeks I have had doubts about an earlier chapter. Not the way its written as such but just its content. I'm getting the feeling I want to get rid of a particular storyline that was going to run alongside the main one. If I do then this chapter has to go but then the other chapters will have to be adpated an red worked slightly which is no big deal really.

I don't feel like I can just cut the chapter and move everything down a chapter, I feel that it needs filling with something. I've decided to bring a character in who was originally going to make a smaller appearance. I want to bring him in early because I'm going to kill him off (poor bloke!). Has anyone ever done a re-shuffle like this while still doing the first draft rather than the re-draft? I just can't even contemplate carrying on writing until I put all this straight and get this character into the mix. Ideas on how to go about it?

SPMiller · May 21, 2009

n-v-b said:
Has anyone ever done a re-shuffle like this while still doing the first draft rather than the re-draft?

Bad idea.

I just can't even contemplate carrying on writing until I put all this straight and get this character into the mix.

Actually, you've demonstrated that you can contemplate it.

Ideas on how to go about it?

Keep writing. Apply any necessary changes from this point forward. Do not go back and retroactively change what you've already written until your first draft is done. You do not want to lose momentum and get bogged down in editing.

Aggy B. · May 21, 2009

I agree with SPMiller on this. Don't go back and reshuffle things now. You need to get to the end.

I had this exact problem in the first draft of my WIP. I just made a note about which storyline was being abandoned (or added) and then wrote as if the beginning chapters already reflected the changes. It's much easier to fix all that once you've finished the whole story. And there's a good chance that more will change so you might as well just write and get the whole first draft out.

You may also find that once the story is finished and you read back through that things you were considering cutting can be moved or brought in differently.

First drafts are for getting the story in all it's messy glory onto paper (er, computer). Second drafts are for cutting and moving things.

MumblingSage · May 21, 2009

I'll tentatively disagree with the others--IF this shuffle will have such a big effect that it changes the entire course of the WIP, and/or if your redraft is done quickly and mostly just to remind you of how you want the next version of the scene to go.

For some people it doesn't sit right to have the WIP change course suddenly in the middle of the first draft--I personally wouldn't be able to, which is why I'd suggest at least sketching the outline of the change now (full disclosure: I have never finished a novel-length WIP).

CaroGirl · May 21, 2009

I've come to the conclusion that my writing process is different from everyone else's. I'm an editor by profession and I edit as I go (I can do it quite quickly) and that also means correcting major errors in structure (substantive editing). I find it difficult to continue when I know there's a major change I need to make. I don't interrupt a productive writing session to edit, but when I've wrapped something up and am ready to move to a new section or chapter, I will go back and fix something before I move on. But that's just me.

unicornjam · May 21, 2009

If it's bothering you so much now, you might as well change it while it's early.

The novel will need several revisions regardless, so whether you do it now or later is irrelevant. That's the way I see it. So unless you're under a deadline, I say take your time to revise now if that's what works for you. Others might need to keep on going. Whatever you do, just hold onto whatever you cut out.

n-v-b · May 21, 2009

Thank you all for your advice.

LuckyH · May 21, 2009

I'm also a firm believer of not letting anything get in the way of the flow, but if your flow has stopped anyway, and you're only six chapters in, I would seriously consider getting rid of the offending chapter, or even starting from scratch.

Clair Dickson · May 21, 2009

If it was me, I'd change it. But the main thing is that you continue forward progress. Make the big changes, but don't fiddle around with the smaller changes until later.

I go back and edit as write. Even if I know that X vent is going to happen, I don't know exactly what the characters will say. So, Detective may go talk with Suspect Bill, but Bill may surprise me by accusing Sue of the crime. In my notes, I may know that Bill really knows who did it, but I don't know what he's going to say to Detective. Things like this. My characters surpsise me all the time. It's all in flux until it's written. (Then it's not permanent, but at least it's detailed and set down.)

psykeout · May 21, 2009

My opinion, for whatever it's worth...

Editing chapters and changing things retroactively is a VERY BAD IDEA! I tried it and it took me forever to finally get back on track with the novel. That's just my experience and your results may vary.

Just my $0.02.

Matera the Mad · May 21, 2009

I'm a back-and-forther, and I get there all the same.

Leah_Michelle · May 22, 2009

n-v-b said:
I'm about six chapters in (so still a long way to go), and for a couple of weeks I have had doubts about an earlier chapter. Not the way its written as such but just its content. I'm getting the feeling I want to get rid of a particular storyline that was going to run alongside the main one. If I do then this chapter has to go but then the other chapters will have to be adpated an red worked slightly which is no big deal really.

I don't feel like I can just cut the chapter and move everything down a chapter, I feel that it needs filling with something. I've decided to bring a character in who was originally going to make a smaller appearance. I want to bring him in early because I'm going to kill him off (poor bloke!). Has anyone ever done a re-shuffle like this while still doing the first draft rather than the re-draft? I just can't even contemplate carrying on writing until I put all this straight and get this character into the mix. Ideas on how to go about it?

I definitely agree that you should just keep writing. Crank it all out and finish the first draft, then decide from there what needs to be cut/added.

I am actually at that myself and it is really hard because I know I don't like certain chapters and most of the information inside of them could probably be condensed into one chapter versus three, but had I attempted to rewrite the chapters before I was finished, I would have an even bigger mess than I do now.

Just keep rowing.

Epiphany · May 22, 2009

Yes, I cranked out my whole first novel and then when I went back, added in a few chapters, changed the first half of the book from third to first person, and took a chapter out. For me, it simply works better just to keep pushing until you have an entire novel.
If I knew that I was going to change something big in the beginning, I would write a note about when I acknowledged that I would do this and continued to write as though I had already written in that change (like, my characters were already aware that these events took place even though I hadn't put them in yet). Then when I was finished, I looked back at my notes, figured out what I still had to put in, and made the edits.

timewaster · May 22, 2009

MumblingSage said:
I'll tentatively disagree with the others--

Me too. Generally I don't rework the beginning while I write as it is the foundation of the rest, but if something isn't right witht th beginning I'd have to fix it for that very reason.
If you are uncomfortable with it and it's bugging you, sort it out. You don't have to do all the revision at the end - you can do it whichever way suits you best. I don't think I'd be able to continue until I'd got the right characters in the right place.
It probably won't take that long to change.
I suggest editing from the beginning so that when you write the new chapter if fits stylistically.

Danthia · May 22, 2009

Trust your instincts. If you feel something is off, it's probably off. Go back and reshuffle, change, edit, whatever feels right. Everyone has their own way or writing, and just because one person needs a first draft before they can edit, doesn't mean another needs it.

I'm all for plugging through until the end if the situation calls for it, but you don't have to do that. I've had books that I waited until the end to tweak and some I've re-done the start a few times until I had it right before moving on. Every book is different.

Do what feels right for you.

One caveat though...

If you find yourself rewriting over and over and never getting past chapter six, then it's probably time to plug away and come back. Don't let revision keep you from finishing something.

Clair Dickson · May 22, 2009

Danthia said:
If you find yourself rewriting over and over and never getting past chapter six, then it's probably time to plug away and come back. Don't let revision keep you from finishing something.

QFT.

Some people outline, some people don't.
Some people edit as they go, some people don't.
Some people finish novels, some people don't.

The last is the only difference that matters.

Cutting a chapter

n-v-b

SPMiller

Prodigiously Hanged

Aggy B.

Not as sweet as you think

MumblingSage

Inarticulate Herb

CaroGirl

Living the dream

unicornjam

n-v-b

LuckyH

Oh, really?

Clair Dickson

A dark core to every cloud

psykeout

should be writing instead...

Matera the Mad

Bartender, gimme a Linux Mint

Leah_Michelle

Fangirling

Epiphany

Don't kill the bar, Dude.

timewaster

present

Danthia

Clair Dickson

A dark core to every cloud