In today’s Journal
* The Novel
* On Cycling Through a Full Novel
* Of Interest
* The Numbers
Just a reminder—I’ll run this from now through April 30 to be sure everyone has the opportunity to read it.
Writing Better Fiction is still on sale for only $9 for all eformats, including printable PDF. On May 1, the price will increase to $14.
You can also still order a binder-ready paper copy from me for $25 (includes shipping). Simply email memailto:harveystanbrough@gmail.com with your request.
The Novel
I can’t begin to tell you how much fun I’m having writing the current novel. Yesterday was Writing Day 9 (of 10 calendar days). And although my novels have been wrapping in about 10 days lately, this one isn’t even close to wrapping. Probably another 10,000 words or so. (grin)
But that’s a good thing because it’s such a good story and I’m enjoying slapping it on the page for the characters. Just writing what they give me.
Writing into the dark isn’t the only way to write, and I’ll never say it is. But it’s probably the only way to put down the characters’ authentic story, and it’s definitely the most FUN way to write.
I might even take an extra day or two after this one wraps to cycle back over the whole thing for the sheer pleasure of reliving it again. (grin) Which leads me to today’s topic—
On Cycling Through a Full Novel
I mentioned recently that I had cycled through a full novel before sending it to my first reader. I think that was only two or three novels back.
For anyone who doesn’t know, cycling is defined as reading STRICTLY FOR PLEASURE (while in the creative subconscious mind) through what you’ve written and allowing your fingers to rest on the keyboard. Then when your fingers want to move, let them.
That allows your characters to add things that are necessary to the story but that you might have missed as you raced through the story with them.
As I’ve said before, cycling part of writing into the dark, and it is essential. I recommend it at a bare minumum
- once after a break, every thousand words or so (after every writing session or chapter), and
- once the next morning, when you read over everything you wrote the day before
If you’re like me, you might cycle over high-tension or high-action scenes more than once or twice. Sometimes you have to tweak a bit to be sure you convey the story to the reader as well as you can.
Remember, it’s the characters’ story. But as the writer, HOW you put it on the page and present it to the reader is up to you. That’s where your currenl level of writing skill comes in.
Sometimes (again as I do, occasionally), you might feel the urge to cycle over the entire manuscript the day after you finish it. The day after it wraps.
But if you don’t have a good reverse outline, I strongly recommend AGAINST cycling over the whole manuscript.
Why? Because frankly, chances are you’ll get confused and screw it up. And yes, unfortunately I’m speaking from experience.
Especially in a novel, it can be difficult to differentiate in your mind between
- what you wrote in the novel in a particular place, and
- what came to you but you DIDN’T write in the novel in a particular place.
That’s where the reverse outline comes into play.
The Reverse Outline
Again for those who aren’t aware, a reverse outline is exactly what it sounds like: It’s something you compile as you’re writing. I keep mine open in a Notepad (.txt) document while I’m writing.
Then, after each chapter ends, I note character names, sometimes what they’re wearing, main events or occurrences that happened (past tense) in that chapter and so on. Usually a few sentences do it. Note anything you might have to refer back to later.
In a separate section of the RO, I keep a list of characters by name and age in their order of appearance. Each listing might include hair and eye color, stature, body shape etc.
In another separate section, I keep a list of significant places: towns, sites, airlines, highway numbers, etc.
When you need a particular aspect or description, It’s much easier to search a reverse outline than it is to search a whole novel.
If you cycle through the whole novel without the benefit of being able to refer to a reverse outline, your characters might well add or mention something earlier in the story that they previously added or mentioned later in the story.
As you can probably imagine, if you’re conscientious, that can easily lead to you having to search the manuscript for a key part of what you just added to see whether you added it before, and so on. It can be a real mess.
At the worst, of course, you can stop (finally), run a spell check, and send the whole garbled mess to your poor, beleagured first reader. And he or she will send a note back saying, “What’re you, mental?” (Or if he lives in Brooklyn, “Whattayou, nuts?”)
Well, maybe your first reader won’t be quiet that direct, but you get my drift. Because what didn’t pop out in your “clear” memory as you were cycling over the whole novel will attack your first reader like a monster from the pages.
And finally, if you keep a reverse outline on every novel you write, it will help a great deal in creating a saga or series bible if the novel turns into a saga or series somewhere down the line.
So I’m just sayin’, keep your options open. Use a reverse outline.
Of course, I’d be happy to send you my reverse outline boilerplate free of charge. Just email me to let me know you want it.
Gracias.
Talk with you again soon.
Of Interest
Troy Lambert has Got His Finger in the Publishing Pulse A great, very informative half-hour video
TroyLambertWrites.com Check out this website as you have time. Great stuff. This is not a recommendation for author services.
AuthorsZen Check this out and get in on the ground floor. This is at least part of the future of marketing books.
The Numbers
The Journal……………………………… 1040
Writing of Blackwell Ops 24: Buck Jackson Returns (tentative title)
Day 1…… 3724 words. To date…… 3724
Day 2…… 3706 words. To date…… 7430
Day 3…… 2110 words. To date…… 9540
Day 4…… 3243 words. To date…… 12783
Day 5…… 1606 words. To date…… 14389
Day 6…… 1306 words. To date…… 15695
Day 7…… 3063 words. To date…… 18758
Day 8…… 3743 words. To date…… 22501
Day 9…… 4375 words. To date…… 26876
Day 10…. 3243 words. To date…… 30119
Fiction for April…………………….….… 66380
Fiction for 2024…………………………. 292173
Fiction since October 1………………… 595228
Nonfiction for April……………………… 22120
Nonfiction for 2024……………………… 150840
2024 consumable words……………… 443012
2024 Novels to Date……………………… 7
2024 Novellas to Date…………………… 0
2024 Short Stories to Date……………… 1
Novels (since Oct 19, 2014)……………… 89
Novellas (since Nov 1, 2015)…………… 9
Short stories (since Apr 15, 2014)……… 239
Short story collections…………………… 29
Disclaimer: I am a prolific professional fiction writer. On this blog I teach Writing Into the Dark and adherence to Heinlein’s Rules. Unreasoning fear and the myths of writing are lies, and they will slow your progress as a writer or stop you cold. I will never teach the myths on this blog.
To be sure you continue receiving the Journal after May 31, subscribe free, then click the Donate link at the end of this post and make a recurring donation of $3 per month. In doing that, you’re effectively paying me 5 cents per hour to provide you with the Journal every day. Donate Here.