To Edit or Not to Edit

I sat staring at the PC, willing my brain to come up with a really snazzy post topic. I hope that I provide engaging content that is both thought triggering (provoking just seems so generic and over used) and helpful. I try to integrate the "tips" and "lessons learned" in with my current WIP.

There are millions of writing tips that can be given. Millions...yes, I can allow myself too hyperbole. I'm a writer after all.

*rubs hands*

Okay, of the million tips, which do I want to talk about today? Hmmm...editing. Or rather, not editing. With my recent frustrations of Sorcerer's Carnival and the editing of two short stories I think it's appropriate. Not to mention - which is a weird sentence introduction as I'm about to mention - my online writing circle had a forum discussion about this very topic.

Many writers, especially new writers, want to edit as they write out their first draft. My tip: don't worry about editing when your laying out the first draft of your story. By trying to edit as you unveil the story in your mind, you're limiting your creative juice from the gate.

Let your muse do his or her thing. Don't restrict them. Don't slow them down. Don't stop them. Your muse runs on an underlying level of thought that your conscious doesn't recognize or see. Basically, you don't know all the thoughts you're thinking. Your muse, however, can see everything and cruise all the avenues.

By definition your draft is suppose to suck. It's suppose to have grammar errors, sentence mayhem, and confusing paragraphs. The climax of the story will be in an odd spot and your characters will conflict with their core characteristics.

It's okay.

After your muse exhausts himself or herself and crawls into his or her mental bed to sleep off the creative hangover, your Nazi Editor can march out and straighten up the mess. They are systematic, organized, and ruthless.

I guess the core of what I'm saying? The Muse and the Editor don't play well on the playground, so don't have them out at the same time. You're just begging for the Muse to go all bitch on you and risking your Editor having a meltdown.

Then where will you be? Screwed, that's where.

That's my writing tip for the day. Good writing all (and editing too)!

Making it Your Own

I spent last night editing two short stories. In the background I'd started Syfy's latest mini-series Alice. Since I was just doing the most basic of editing chores, grammar, my brain kind of floated onto a parallel thought pattern.

I thought that their adaption of the story was brilliant. Their twists on the character, the world, and the storyline was absolutely unique and interesting. I, as the watcher, was treated to a grown up version of a childhood favorite.

I was so excited after the original airing that I hurried onto the Syfy forum to post a comment and was a little surprised. There was plenty of praise and lots of "I loved it", which was not the surprise. My surprise came from the negative. It was completely polar. I didn't expect such a dramatic gap of either loved it or hated it.

Why are you talking about a movie on a writing blog? I know you're asking it. Hang with me here, I'm heading to a writing point....well, meandering to it I guess.

I wondered if this reaction was from the viewpoint of Lewis loyalty or, in fact, they didn't like the story. Had they felt the original Looking Glass books were tarnished by this new approach? Stemming that question, did they feel the story should remain in its pure form?

At this point, my parallel thoughts could no longer remain focused on their individual tasks. I stopped my editing and wondered: how far can you take a traditional story and make it your own? I know there will always be naysayers, but can you judge the success of the masses and should you even try?

My latest story (still untitled...its own irky situation) stems off a Native American oral story of creation. That is, stems off by a very large margin. How will the response of this be when - yes, think positive with when, not if - this gets published? Will I offend the Navajo people? Native Americans in total? Or will they see it as the respect and admiration of their wonderful history, as I launched the idea with?

Here are two key boundaries I followed in writing the Navajo story. From my interpretation of the Alice movie, they seemed to have kept along this line too.

• Keep the core meaning of the story. Alice to a majority of readers is the need to stay grounded and face reality as it is. (I know it's a VERY generalized statement and there's arguments for and against it being this.)
• Try to keep the core of the characters purpose within the story. Alice's White Rabbit was to kick off the story and lead Alice to Wonderland and along her journey throughout the story.

Of course, I don't know how this will turn out for my short. Judging by Alice responses, there's always those who would keep it untouched. I'll keep you posted on how it goes.

Good writing all!

What's in a Title and Other Writing Quandaries

Endings, titles, and names, oh my! Hmmm, maybe that should've been the title of this post...

Any-who, moving on.

Last night was a very good writing session for my Indian story. I cut 300 words and added 500 better words, thereby fleshing out about 90% of the scenes. Then I pondered over my ending. Many of you know, I'm horrible with endings. Horrible, horrible, horrible. I either rush them, drag them out, put the wrong ending, or leave too much untied.

I mean, the concept doesn't seem that hard: chose either the good, bad, or ugly. Whoa-la! Should be easy-peasy.

• Good ending: The two species work it out and all is blissful in the land of my story.
• Bad ending: The two species fight and destroy their homes, land, and ultimately their world.
• Ugly ending: One of the species has to win over the other, killing off part of what makes their world...well, theirs.

But there's just so much more to it. To solve this, I wrote out each ending in turn and tried to focus on the point of the story and results from that particular angle. Then I went back and checked that each one's pacing timed well with the rest of the content. I know I'll have to tighten and clean a couple of times but first I'll finish the revisions and editing of the main story then test drive each one and see what fits best. Then I'll go from there.

Once I was happily done figuring this out I started thinking about a title. I've never started a story without one before. Usually it comes with the idea or I find it during the outlining phase. Titles are important, specifically in regards to stories submitted to anthologies and magazines. For these markets, your story has to be as complete as possible. With novels, it's quite common to have the publishing house change the title (or so the rumor goes).

I have 4, count 'em, 4 titles in mind and I can't decide. This probably means none of them are right. Each one is missing some aspect or "feel" of the story. They're just a little off course. Last night I decided to shelf them and return after each draft to see if one starts calling to me. It's the best I can do without going insane.

And now we arrive at names. After I complete my first drafts I always go back through and review the names I've selected for my characters, my species, and my locations (be it planet, country, or town). They can't overlap, sound too similar, evoke odd images, or clash with their characteristics. This one is actually easier for me than the others and I completed it fairly quick.

So, that's my progress and semi-tip for the day.

Good writing all!

New Short Story

Now that the official draft of Sorcerer's Carnival has been completed, I'm letting it simmer before tackling the machete edit phase. My plans were to go back to Galileo's playground for a bit but my muse had a different idea...a new short story.

A new story?

Yes, I know what you're thinking. "Whip that muse into shape and get to work on the Galileo as you planned," right?

But, well...I didn't want too. There, I said it. I. didn't. Want. To. And seeing as my muse was very accommodating with Sorcerer's Carnival I felt she needed time to go wherever she wanted.

I haven't named the story yet, but it's loosely (loosely in it's true meaning) based on the Navajo Creation story. Being raised in Colorado, I was given a very unique experience. That region has a great respect for American history, the whole American history.

Growing up, my step dad made sure to take us to the Native American sites, to many of the traditional Pow Wows, and to all the Settler museums he could find. I've met many great people who have worked to pass down their heritage...including the oral stories told by their ancestors.

I don't remember when I first heard the creation story, but I remember it stayed with me. It wasn't until a couple months ago that I ran into the story again, this time on-line. Many happy memories flooded through me as I read it. I know it's corny, but I felt those memories in every one of my senses.

I haven't been back to Colorado since I left it sixteen years ago (minus a midnight pass-through for my Grandma's funeral in Kansas). Even so, I smelled the grass of the plains, I felt the summer heat of the mile high, I could hear the whistling wind of the foothills.

I wasn't looking for a writing idea when I read it but all you writers know, everything you read, see, and hear is packed away for some future use. Sunday night I just couldn't focus on Galileo. Instead, I went to bed and let my mind rest.

And I dreamed of Indians.

But not just Indians, the first Indians. The people who came from the underworld through the magic reed and created the Earth as we know it. This dream was so vivid, so tangible, I woke up sad that I had to leave it. Childishly, I even tried to go back to sleep and dream myself there again.

Revved up, Monday and yesterday I did the needed foundational research. Excited at the prospect of bringing this vision to paper. Last night, after the younger kids went to bed I pulled out my laptop and typed. It was only when my husband walked in for bedtime I realized it was after 11 pm.

I had written almost 3500 words in little over 2 hours. I had the framework for my story, and the start of the ending.

Re-reading it, I was impressed with myself. I'm a humble writer and recognize I'll never be a Stephen King or Isaac Asimov. But looking over my rough work, I saw my dream in words. It needs to be shined and fleshed out still, but I am happy with this first draft.

It's as close to the dream I'll ever get again...and that's okay.

Good writing all!