Unlike before, when I forced myself to take a break between the first draft and the second, I do not have novel-related things to work on to keep me occupied. I have three-four weeks to kill, and so far I have crickets chirping as if to cheer my lack of productivity. I mean, I have written a first-draft query letter, but that's gotta sit now, too.
I suppose I could do more character biographies, just so I know where they've come from and where they're going. I will take suggestions if anyone has any! :)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
______________________________________________________________________
 |
Ash Litton is a writer and lover of sci-fi, fantasy, and all things fictional. She is the author of Thoroughbred, Evening Hallow, Comeuppance, and Cabover Cabaret, and works on other Appalachian Dream Tales between her ongoing novel projects. She's also written No Diet, No Surgery, No Sweat, an ebook chronicling her weight-loss journey. When she's not writing, she's drawing, and when she's not doing either of those, she's dreaming up new projects to work on. Born and raised in rural West Virginia, Ash has always wondered what things lay hidden in the hills around her. She attended West Virginia University, where she studied the English language before returning home to her family in rural West Virginia. |
Yeah, you could work on character biographies, but I'd think that would be dangerous. What if you completely revamp their life story? Would it lead you to want to change a large chunk of the story?
ReplyDeleteI've read articles that suggest writers let their work sit, but still read other works for inspiration that might help during revisions. So,you could always read something else. Even if it's just short stories or something random.
I did the majority of my main characters' biographies between the first and second draft, and just knowing the changes I made between those two drafts would have made me hesitant to work on their biographies now. So I can understand what you mean (because I did completely revamp one character's life story).
DeleteI'm focusing on the secondary characters this time around, just to flesh out their rhymes and reasons for their involvement, which will be helpful should I choose to expand my novel into a series. The benefit, I've noticed, is that the biographies have brought up cultural points that fill in the blanks that have been plaguing me. For instance, I now know why some characters only have one parent!
I will take your advice and just read some other works once I finish the biographies that I started. I've been meaning to read some more Terry Pratchett books. ;)