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Example:
When I'd finished outlining my latest novel, I began writing. I had
just about finished chapter three when I realized a critical
problem: When I looked at the scenes I had written and averaged the
number of pages per scene, then multiplied that average by the
number of scenes in my outline, I realized I had twice as much book
than I had intended; a 220,000-word novel instead of the
110,000-word novel that I wanted to write.
If I hadn't planned, I
wouldn't have discovered my error until I well into writing the
book. While it was painful to spend the weekend revising my
outline, merging some scenes and cutting others altogether, it would
have taken a lot longer and been a lot more painful if I had to cut
and merge scenes that I'd already written. As it was, I could
address the issue before it became a gut-wrenching, tedious,
time-consuming chore.
There's nothing wrong with
making things up as you write but, in the end, it will take
longer. The myth for most people who don't like the idea of
planning their stories ahead of time is that planning kills
spontaneity. They fear they'll be robbed of those magical moments
when their characters take them off in creative and unforeseen
directions.
I can tell you, having
written stories both ways, that planning doesn't steal away those
magical moments. Planning a story is like planning a vacation. If
your itinerary has you in a museum when you'd rather walk along the
lake, then walk along the lake! Plans are as malleable as you make
them.
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Using these techniques,
I've managed to pump out a tremendous amount of work in short
periods of time. Clearly, everyone works a little differently and
what works for me won't necessarily apply universally. But if you
set daily, small, easily achievable writing goals, write first
thing, use motivational triggers, re-evaluate your story when you're
blocked, and plan your novel ahead of time, you can go a long way
toward finishing your project and getting it out there.
Brian Mercer is the author of
Mastering Astral Projection (Llewellyn, 2004) and The
Mastering Astral Projection CD Companion (Llewellyn, 2007).
He lives in Seattle with his wife, Sara.
www.masteringastralprojection.com |
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