I ... I think I need to jettison the 40+K words I've already written..

lucidzfl · Sep 12, 2009

So, I'm on my vacation in Las Vegas, chilling in the hotel room and I had either an epiphany or a horrific realization this morning while eating breakfast.

I've been stuck on my WIP for two solid weeks. Now, I realize that I hit the 40+K word mark and that people often get stuck there... But I could not figure out how to tell my story from where I was.

After a hellish week at work and some time to decompress, I think I've decided to jettison, potentially, everything I've written.

Actually, thats not entirely true. I'm going to pick my story up right where I left it, with the same characters, the same plot, everything. The only difference is the tone, and purpose of my story will change. I fast forwarded a plot point (My MC finds out his wife is dead originally, well, 40K words into the original) to the very first chapter of this new WIP.

The new book will be a mystery of him discovering who killed his wife and what their purpose is. Its still post apocalyptic, it simply opens with him finally tracking down the killers and finding out that she's already been killed.

I know this may not be the right place to say this, but I'm both pissed and relieved at this development. Where I had been stuck on how to write this, getting rid of the previous 41,000 words of baggage has freed me up to become passionate about the story again. Already I'm dying to get on the plane tomorrow and start writing.

scarletpeaches · Sep 12, 2009

Good.

That is all.

Seriously. If you're enthusiastic about the story and you know this is what needs to be done, then I'm glad you've made this discovery.

Tonight, though? Get pissed. You're in Vegas!

katiemac · Sep 12, 2009

You gotta do what you gotta do. I hope it doesn't hurt too much. I did this just last night--granted, I was only 2,000 words in instead of 40,000, but the new 2,000 are a heck of a lot better than the original opening and I can move forward a lot easier.

Hope it's the same for you when you start the rewrite!

lucidzfl · Sep 12, 2009

scarletpeaches said:
Good.

That is all.

Seriously. If you're enthusiastic about the story and you know this is what needs to be done, then I'm glad you've made this discovery.

Tonight, though? Get pissed. You're in Vegas!

Believe it or not, I'm pleasantly happy NOT getting drunk. I've done it several times, and its a miserable experience that just compounds day after day.

Tonights my last night here and I plan on being debaucherous, but still feeling good in the morning!

Parametric · Sep 12, 2009

My brother in suffering! I got 50k into my urban fantasy (then an epic fantasy ... kind of) before I realised how terrible it was. I had to rip out the setting, plug in a new antagonist and even switch the genre before I could reach the Promised Land.

scarletpeaches · Sep 12, 2009

I binned nearly 60k once, but it was cushioned by the fact 90k survived into the second draft.

MsGneiss · Sep 12, 2009

Good for you, lucid. If you feel that this is the best path, it probably is. Hope you follow it through to great success.

Libbie · Sep 12, 2009

Word up! Good for you! I've done the same, and I ended up 100% happier with my book.

I dig a guy who doesn't get drunk. Instead, go see a good show. I'd tell you to see Penn & Teller, which is the awesomest magic show you'll ever see, but they're on vacation this week. (Thank you, Twitter!) Bummer for you.

I hear O is pretty decent, if you're into that kind of thing. Stay away from Criss Angel's shows. If his smoke machine isn't functioning, you can see all his trap doors and all his moves. Very disappointing. That damn smoke machine goes on the fritz all the time.

lucidzfl · Sep 12, 2009

Libbie said:
Word up! Good for you! I've done the same, and I ended up 100% happier with my book.

I dig a guy who doesn't get drunk. Instead, go see a good show. I'd tell you to see Penn & Teller, which is the awesomest magic show you'll ever see, but they're on vacation this week. (Thank you, Twitter!) Bummer for you.

I hear O is pretty decent, if you're into that kind of thing. Stay away from Criss Angel's shows. If his smoke machine isn't functioning, you can see all his trap doors and all his moves. Very disappointing. That damn smoke machine goes on the fritz all the time.

Oh, I'll probably have a few drinks, maybe some wine with dinner, and something that strikes my fancy if I blackjack it up. Definitely no drunk though. Tonight we're hitting the hotel buffet and then cruising old town!

(We're staying at the golden nugget)

aadams73 · Sep 12, 2009

Good luck with that. It takes guts to admit you're taking the wrong approach. Just don't toss it all away. You may need to keep pieces.

(Btw, Libbie, O is AMAZING. And I totally agree about Penn and Teller. They were a blast both times I went.)

ellisnation · Sep 12, 2009

I'm happy for you but sad, too. That blows. 40K is a lot of work.

I lived in Vegas for a few years and have a huge crush on Criss angel. Never saw Penn and Teller, well... I saw THEM but not their show. O was amazing, Danny Gans was awesome, but he's dead. My husband loved the Palms for chick watching and Binion's for poker. Have fun! Play the slots at the airport right by baggage claim!!!! We always win a couple hundred there!

bettielee · Sep 13, 2009

Well, that is cool... I guess.. but hard work that won't see the light is always tough. But how great you found the way through it! Good for you!

Lisa Cox · Sep 13, 2009

I did this in June with 40k. I feel your pain/relief. I'm now 60k into version two (not written a thing for two weeks, though -- RL kicked my arse).

Terie · Sep 13, 2009

It's not at all uncommon for a writer to discover they've started the story too early. You're just unlucky that it was a whole 40K too early you started. Commiserations from someone whose current WIP recently got a 12K-word haircut, though from much later in the manuscript.

As others have said (and I'm sure you've already done), put the 40K aside in another file; don't just delete your work. You might well be able to nick chunks of that work and reuse them.

And even if not, no writing is ever wasted. It's all good in improving one's skills.

Priene · Sep 13, 2009

I binned the first 50k of my last WIP. I realised I had the wrong MC and started the story way too early. It was a good decision.

timewaster · Sep 13, 2009

It sounds like you've made the right decision and better to decide that you've begun in the wrong place at 40k rathert han 80k.
I rewrote a novel a couple of years ago. I'd kind of thought it went awry after the first 4000 and when I ditched the whole thing and began again I reused a very small amount of the original material. It was liberating and I rewrote it quickly. I should have trusted my instincts and ditched it much earlier.
Good Luck with the new project!

lucidzfl · Sep 13, 2009

By the time I got 40K words into it and started rereading what I'd wrote, I started realizing, "XYZ wouldn't say that!" or "He would NEVER do that."

The characters really didn't exist until dozens of thousands of words into the writing.

So what I have now is a brand new book that I can start, with a fully realized world, and complete characterization, its actually pretty farking exciting. Its like writing a sequel but.. not.

seun · Sep 13, 2009

lucidzfl said:
So what I have now is a brand new book that I can start, with a fully realized world, and complete characterization, its actually pretty farking exciting. Its like writing a sequel but.. not.

I've done similar (although not after binning so much work) and agree - it's exciting to be in that position. Enjoy your sort of new story.

cscarlet · Sep 13, 2009

Well, I guess all there is to say now is: "I admire your dedication to detailed prep work."

I'm sure the end result will be awesome.

lucidzfl · Sep 13, 2009

An update for anyone interested. Today, I finally got to sit down and start the WIP over from scratch using everything that came before as a blueprint.

I wrote 3500 words in one setting

Ruth2 · Sep 13, 2009

Good for you!

Wordwrestler · Sep 13, 2009

lucidzfl said:
An update for anyone interested. Today, I finally got to sit down and start the WIP over from scratch using everything that came before as a blueprint.

I wrote 3500 words in one setting

Amazing! Hope you stay in your groove!

bettielee · Sep 13, 2009

Awesome. Have a biscuit.

jodiodi · Sep 13, 2009

Oh! Vegas--DisneyWorld for adults, my friend says. The thing about it with me is, I don't care anything about the shows or gambling, for that matter. I like the food and the shopping and the pampering and the 'rides'.

Back on topic:

I keep everything I cut in separate files under one big folder heading of "Cut Scenes". I think of them kinda like the DVD extended edition special scenes. They may show up later in the same work or somewhere else or not at all. But they stay in the archives.

Raphee · Sep 13, 2009

Good for you.
I am terribly close to what you're doing/have done.

I ... I think I need to jettison the 40+K words I've already written..

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