I finally figured out what was the problem with chapter four. I’ve been, for want of a better word, hasty. Which isn’t necessarily any better for a story than for ents.
There are times when you need to go fast, getting from one point to the next. Where I was in the story was not one of them. Yes, there’s a sense of urgency, my character has only 3 hours before he has to leave. And he has a city to save. But he has a problem to solve first. He has to explore it, try and fail. Otherwise his success is hollow.
That’s one of the things that I’ve noticed with my new writing process: it’s very obvious to me, now, when I’m hasty. I also find it easier now to explore tributaries and appreciate the stillness of ponds and the rush of waterfalls. It’s difficult to explain but I chew the words more. I appreciate the scents and textures. Writing was always very sensual for me, and writing my first draft by hand makes it more so.
Today I typed up what I’d written for chapter three. I finished writing chapter four last night, and I thought about getting some caffeine and staying up late, just so I could start typing. But I knew that what I’d produce that late at night wouldn’t be as good as the work I did this morning. I still think that was the right decision, though I could taste the words I wanted to say. I found that I did a lot of rewriting of chapter three while I typed it up — more than usual. That doesn’t surprise me, as this was the first time I’d written anything in a few months, and I was obviously woefully out of practice. I’m sure the next chapters will be easier. Well, portions of it. Portions of the next chapter are just as rough as this one.
However, just because I adore these (though I know that they bore other people) here’s the official typed word count to date:
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14,173 / 100,000
(14.2%) |
