DIgusted with first three chaps

Is it normal to not be engrossed in your own fiction sometimes? I've been trying to read through my first three chapters and it diesn't read as well as it FELT when I was writing it.

I really got carried away with unecessary dialogue, details and now I'm stuck with a BUNCH of editing before I can move any further. I bought some nice bright pens today.

Anybody ever chopped the length of their works down to at least half after looking at it? Ever asked yourself -- what ZONE was I in? The Twightlight Zone?

...I must have been.

I really can't remember now who said this, and can't even remember the quote correctly (it's very possible I came across it on this very site or through a link on it), but I think, it reflects the state of affairs! I love it, anyway, and it goes more or less like this: "The difference between a beginning writer and an experienced one is that a beginning writer says, "This chapter is a mess! It's all over, I'm finished!" and an experienced one says: "This chapter is a mess! Wow, now I've got something to work with!"

and

a lot of the time writers end up tossing those first chapters--they may be back story and now you are ready to start the real story.

Shawn

I wouldn't recommend editing those first three chapters until after you reach "the end" on your manuscript.

Quotable. And

What UJ said.

yep

Hell yes, happens all the time. In fact, I've learned to laugh at myself. Did so today drinking coffee and editing at Starbucks.

I even allow myself to ink in red, "I suck" or "This is the worst writing I've ever seen. Consider alternate vocations."

The other side happens: I read profound thought, artful words, fascinating characters. Also, I've come across pieces with no header or date info, and having forgotten I wrote them, thought, "This is good, I wonder who wrote it?"

I can appreciate editing my work and the dilemma, "If I'm bored to tears red lining this, what of my poor readers?" Delete time.

But I don't go for these luxuries until I've a complete draft to work through. I've learned to have fun brutalizing my own work.

Be glad you can spot your less-than writing.

Enjoy the process, I say.

<img border=0 src="http://www.absolutewrite.com/images/Emoterofl5.gif" />

Thanks--

I feel good about being brave and responsible enough to go back and slash things up with the red pen.

I guess I was a bit pompous believing how great my story was going, LOL. I thought I was really on a roll...don't we all sometimes?

Re: Thanks--

I thought I was really on a roll

Click to expand...

Then you should stay on a roll and keep writing. Don't worry about what needs to be cut. That will come later.

Yes, I'm aware that's easier said than done. :smack

Re: Thanks--

Want to know what I see entirely too much of?

New writers who write and re-write their first few chapters ... for years.

They never get a novel finished because they're convinced they can't go on until the opening is perfect.

The opening is not going to be perfect. Continue. Later you'll have the chance to not only edit the opening, but edit the mid-book and the climax too. Until you have the climax written you may not know what the opening is.

Re: Thanks--

Amen, Jim.

Most often your first few chapters (or maybe even first half) have a lot of backstories and character developments that help you flesh out the whole story. But you don't know that until you're done. Finish the first draft first. Then you may decide to cut, move, add, whatever.

I cut out the first 7 chapters of my novel during my 3rd draft and rearranged a few more. The first few chapters were well written, I believe, but they really didn't belong in the story.

Re: Thanks--

I'm experienced in a number of things, but not in writing fiction. I'm learning a brand new skill. As I go, I've noticed that as I build up more experience - as I get more chapters under my belt - I'm more willing to toss a paragraph here and there. Maybe I'll even toss a chapter, dump that prologue, etc. in the future. As I get enough manuscripts under my belt, maybe I'll be content to have some of them 'just not work out'.

Why is this happening? Because I'm finding that I can write, and that some is good and some stinks. And in that, it's just like any other endeavor. Playing baseball? Over a career, you're going to hit .225, but during the first season you're going to be sweating every at-bat. After a while you come to realize that you're going to have hot streaks and cold streaks. So you just keep plowing along, waiting for that next happy time of being on a hot streak, and otherwise hitting at about .225

In the end, it all averages out. Just keep moving along, building up experience, and improving your craft. Trust in the process. And if you've developed expertise in anything else, look to your experiences there to remind you to trust in the process. Those experiences will remind you that you get better over time - but only if you have the experiences.

So don't keep reviewing that same strike-out that you had in the 9th inning of the tied game three years ago. Move on. Swing the bat. Get more innings under your belt. You'll get better.

JB

Re: Thanks--

If you're going to hit .225 over your career you'd best have a terrific glove.