Saturday, 17 January 2015

Multiple Tasks

In the near future, I plan to write a post on just how boring writing a novel can be sometimes.  And, believe me, can it get boring, particularly if you keep hammering away at the same task over and over again.   

So let's put the cart before the horse here.  This post is about having multiple tasks to do on the same project, at the same time.  The whole idea is, when you become bored doing one task, you switch and work on another one instead. 

Here's what I have going on my novel right now:

1.  Transposing:  True, I have a complete first draft of my novel written already.  But, when I begin editing a new section, I never use the draft of a scene or chapter that's already in place.  Rather, I transpose that draft from beginning to end.  That way, I rediscover it in the process (because I wrote the first draft a year or so ago), and I make changes along the way that suggest themselves to me as I transpose.  (Look for a specific post on this process in the upcoming months.)

Currently, I'm transposing Chapter Seventeen, while I work on edits for Chapter Sixteen, Scene Three.

2.  Writing New Chapters:  I realize I said above I've written a complete first draft of my novel.  But, recently, I discovered several key chapters missing in my story, which I never planned for in the first place, and which are key to what happens to my protagonist.  So I'm in the process now of writing these first drafts and finding where they fit in what I've already have written.

And, even if you're working on writing the first draft of your novel now, and you find yourself getting bored of being at the same place and getting nowhere, switch it up.  Work on that first draft at another place in your storyline.  Nothing to say you must write your first draft chronologically.  Instead, if you feel uninspired by that piece, work on that one instead.  Let your mind tell you where you want to be, and go there.

Here's an example:  So you're not working on Chapter Three, Scene Two, because you finished Chapter Three, Scene One yesterday.  Maybe you're bored of Chapter Three altogether.  No point working on it now.  Don't waste your time.  Wait until you're not bored.  Work on Chapter Seven, Scene One instead.  Or Chapter Ten, Scene Three (this presumes you have an outline of your novel, and you know what happens in each scene and chapter).  Then, when you have all the pieces of your first draft written, you can knit them together into one seamless draft. 

3.  Ongoing Work on Chapter One (or any scene/chapter, for that matter):  Let me tell you, I've put more work into the three scenes of Chapter One than perhaps into the rest of my entire novel combined.  And I'm still not happy with it.  Considering how critical Chapter One is, in terms of the door you make available for your reader to enter your story, Chapter One has to be right.  No options there.  So, after I've worked on Chapter One for a bit, but I know it still isn't where I want it to be, I stop and move on to something else (which is why I have multiple tasks going at any one time).  Then, when I've let an appreciable amount of time pass, I pick up Chapter One again, with a fresh set of eyes and a clear head, and I see what I can do to it this time to improve on what I already have.  I suspect this process will be ongoing until my novel is finally done.  But I'll end up with one hell of a great Chapter One (I hope).

4.  Editing:  While, in the editing process, I'm working on my novel chronologically, so I get a sense of the continuity as I go along, there's nothing to say I can't begin to edit another scene in my novel, far away from where I am now.  If I'm not feeling Chapter Sixteen, Scene Two today, why not begin edits on Chapter Seventeen, Scene One, especially if I can't wait to get to that scene, or I have some really cool ideas I want to incorporate into it.  Go where your heart tells you to go.  You're still working on your novel, your time will be better spent, and you'll be far more productive. 

The good news about having multiple tasks going on a writing project at the same time is, even if you switch from one task to another, you're still moving your project ahead in some way.  Why struggle working on the same task, and probably get nowhere because you're not into it, when you could work on something else, feel inspired again, and accomplish something that you need to do sooner or later anyway, to bring your project to a conclusion?

Have multiple tasks going to complete a project all the time.  You'll like it. 

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