False starts, anyone?

JustJess said:

I wrote my opening scene and hated it. So I just scratched 1785 and started over. Now I'm at about 700+ and I really like it. Has anyone else done this yet?

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My opening won't work, but I don't have anything different yet. So, hoping I'll find something else along the way. It doesn't get scrapped until then.

No. I expect to hate some of what I'm writing for Nano. I've a strict pact with myself not to delete anything...

katiemac said:

My opening won't work, but I don't have anything different yet. So, hoping I'll find something else along the way. It doesn't get scrapped until then.

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This is exactly what I am going through as well. Mine sucks...but I have nothing else going for me right now.

I am going to have to spent alot of time fixing this Nano wip when this is all over. I keep think "Oh, I could add this and change that," but I am trying to just keep going and taking notes in my little scrap book of things I want to change later.

I add "&&&" to the end of any sentence or para that I am positive needs change, or I have an idea of what I wanted but couldn't express clearly enough. That way I can go back for easy edits in the end. And no, it is not at the end of every single sentence. lol.

I think that being critical of your writing is not going to get you your word count. I woud say zoom through it, no matter if it works or not, then on December 1 you can re-work it. My opinion-- but it makes a small bit of sense, when the end comes people will probably start writing any odd crap to get it done.

JustJess said:

the scene had me disliking my MC and I was losing interest in her story. I feel much better now. That was my one do-over. Promise.

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Sounds like a darn good reason for a do-over to me. Now it's onward and upward.

My opening is serviceable and that's good enough for now.

I already know that my opening scene is going to end up on the cutting room floor when all's said and done.

I just got to the interesting part this afternoon, and that's where my story is really starting...at page 13 or so.

Don't scrap it. Instead, write: Meanwhile, in another universe...

And keep going.

Dale

Dale's idea is the best. Keep the words you wrote, but still start over. After all, the rules are that you write fifty thousand words, but nothing says that the fifty thousand words have to flow coherently together...

Dale Emery said:

Don't scrap it. Instead, write: Meanwhile, in another universe...

And keep going.

Dale

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Oh, I'm keeping mine for now. There's information in there I can use later on in the story. But when I go back to edit, that scene is probably going to get trashed. To be fair, though, most of the book is probably going to be unrecognizable by the time edits are done, lol.

Cranky said:

Oh, I'm keeping mine for now. There's information in there I can use later on in the story. But when I go back to edit, that scene is probably going to get trashed. To be fair, though, most of the book is probably going to be unrecognizable by the time edits are done, lol.

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Welcome to my boat.

katiemac said:

Welcome to my boat.

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I brung mai oars, did you?

Seriously, I've already used a plot twist generator, and that started me on the right path. I didn't expect it to work out as well as it has, either. Teh awesome!

Cranky said:

I brung mai oars, did you?

Seriously, I've already used a plot twist generator, and that started me on the right path. I didn't expect it to work out as well as it has, either. Teh awesome!

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Is there a link?

Yeshanu said:

Is there a link?

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Here's a whole page of random generators....

This is the specific one I used, though.

I started off with a bright and shiny screen at 12am this morning and petered out around 400 words. Spent today re-working the first scene so I'm back on the roadmap but I'm so far behind!

I scrapped about 1400 words and started over. I'm now at 1800 and much happier. To be fair, I did switch from first person to third person, so I thought that merited a complete do-over.

I wrote the first 2000 words and hated the direction I was going. So I made it a "dream sequence" and started again. It still bothers me, a little. But I highlighted the *new* beginning and am moving forwards.

I want to delete the dreck that is cluttering up the start of my novel. =P But, it's Nano. I need the words. And there's some useful character musings and exploration (my main goal this Novemeber-- cause a workable draft is about as likely as a flying pigs being struck twice by lightning! I know me.)

Don't edit. If you start over, keep the other words to add to the end of your better liked ones for word count. You wrote them in November, they were for Nano and as an ML, I can officially tell you they count!

What I've written so far looks like the starts of several stories. That's because what I've written so far IS the starts ...

cklayne said:

I scrapped about 1400 words and started over. I'm now at 1800 and much happier. To be fair, I did switch from first person to third person, so I thought that merited a complete do-over.

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You could have just added the words:
"Dear Reader: Please pretend the above writing was written in third person."
thus fixing the problem in no time and adding 12 words to your wordcount!

Or you could have just ADDED the rewritten scene. Make it some weird novel that shows all the action from different characters' points of view. You get to include different details, showing how different people see and interpret things differently.

Wait, hasn't that been done before? What were those characters' names - Matthew, Mark, Luke, John...

dpaterso said:

Indeed, I just stopped writing that scene, inserted a scene break, and started another different scene. Onward!

-Derek

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Yes! And if you don't manage to tie it all together by the end of November, well, that's what post-NaNo editing is for, isn't it?

*Smacks head* You're right. I should have left the 1st person part and just continued on with the rewrite. Ah well, live and learn! Thanks for the advice, though!