When is it a good idea to circle back?

flowerburgers · Dec 11, 2017

I'm at work on a novel, and I was on a roll for a while, but my inspiration fizzled out as quickly as it came...so I'm wondering if it might be a good idea to print out what I have (about 100 pages) and refine it before going forward? My thesis advisor has read some of this, and told me I need something to "threaten the stakes," and suggested bringing my main character's ex-wife into the fray--but I can't figure out a way to introduce her organically, and my only idea so far requires additions to what I already have. That said, I'm not even sure it's a good idea? I'm really frustrated and don't know what to do next.

The last time I wrote a novel, I dwelled on each chapter forever, wanting it to be perfect the first time. The end result was unsatisfying, so I told myself that this time I would write forward without worrying, but my first draft is starting to feel like an unnavigable mess. I know first drafts are supposed to be unnavigable messes, but it feels so paralyzing sometimes! I have ideas for what should happen to the characters, but some of the plot developments feel random to me, and I worry that it will get even messier if my character's ex-wife just shows up out of nowhere on his doorstep? I wish I knew how to write the story out of order. My professors are always telling me to try that.

Any advice is welcome!

DanielSTJ · Dec 11, 2017

Trudge through it. The first draft is, just that, an imprint. It will all come together in the editing, but you cannot edit if you do not have a complete blueprint to work from.

Just my two cents! Write on!

Kolta · Dec 12, 2017

flowerburgers said:
My thesis advisor has read some of this, and told me I need something to "threaten the stakes," and suggested bringing my main character's ex-wife into the fray--but I can't figure out a way to introduce her organically, and my only idea so far requires additions to what I already have.

I don't have enough context but your thesis advisor's suggestion sounds very random. Are they just throwing out some ideas they think could add tension?

Take a step back and get some perspective on the main thread of your story, which seems to have been lost along the way, or is missing altogether. Who's your MC? What do they want? What's stopping them from getting it? If an ex-wife showing up out of nowhere wouldn't add anything to the story, then what would? And would it serve a purpose in moving the plot forward?

And honestly, even if you just need to scribble something out to get it out of your system, do so. Don't keep your first draft so contained, it doesn't seem to be helping. Maybe create a few separate docs where you write, okay this is what would happen if that happens. At the very least, it can give you permission to fully explore other routes without the stress of messing anything up too much so you can refine where you want your story to go with the main draft.

StaircaseInTheDark · Dec 13, 2017

My first drafts always end up like this, and personally I just keep pushing onwards. If I've changed my mind about something then I'll just carrying on writing with the new decision of how it is; it's a first draft, it's allowed to be a mess. Personally, if I start editing what I have then I just never advance, and if I start again entirely I just end up running into another mess later on and facing the same dilemma again. But if I've got a full draft, no matter how messy and illogical, I've at least got something to work with. There's a start point and an end point and at least a few things in between I want to keep, and in the next draft I'll be able to keep those points in mind the whole time.

Jan74 · Dec 13, 2017

If it doesn't serve a purpose to have the ex there then don't write her in. Is everything going too smoothly for you're protagonist? Maybe they just want you to have something that adds conflict to your story line so it doesn't hum along smoothly for him/her. There should be roadblocks along the way. But the roadblocks could be anything, loss of a job, an illness, family dilemma, a misunderstanding.

Your roadblocks would be dependent on the genre you are writing. Think of your favorite novels in that genre and what prevented the mc from getting what he/she wants? You don't have re-invent the wheel, just tweak it so it feels right for your story. The common roadblocks are usually other women/men, wars, broken down machinery, money, weather, etc.

flowerburgers · Dec 13, 2017

Thanks guys! I do think it would be fun to bring his ex-wife into the fray, since she's an offstage presence in the draft so far; I just don't know how to make her show up without it seeming totally random. I'll take your advice and keep forging onward.

samchapman · Dec 13, 2017

Have you considered a trail of blood that leads to the ex-wife pulling a katana out of your current antagonist's back? (I am replaying Final Fantasy VII

)

Seriously, though, you sound like a dedicated pantser, which always impresses me because I can't pants worth crap. But have you considered planning out your whole story in more detail ahead of time? There are several different outlining methods you could use--Three-Act Structure, Dan Harmon's Story Circle, Pixar's "Once Upon A Time" formula. Try different ones until they work for you. My favorite is the simplest, Trey Parker and Matt Stone's method for outlining episodes of South Park: just link each sentence in the outline with "SO" or "BUT" but never "AND."

This could really work for you and help you get past that place where it all feels like a muddled mess.

Will Collins · Dec 13, 2017

I'd wait until you've finished the first draft. Once that's complete, the extreme amounts of editing can start.

When is it a good idea to circle back?

flowerburgers

New Fish; Learning About Thick Skin

DanielSTJ

The Wandering Bard

Kolta

StaircaseInTheDark

Jan74

flowerburgers

New Fish; Learning About Thick Skin

samchapman

Will Collins

Will Collins