I settled back into the writing groove this week, working on Boomtown Craze and The Augmentation of Hetty Locklear. Writing is usually a longer process for me than other phases. I can usually only go so far, and then I have to stop and think it over. Does it work? Is this how I want it to go? Sometimes I know. But sometimes I don’t. Mulling things over during a workout, I often change my mind, delete chapters and write them over.
This happens even if I outline. For instance, I had the entire ending of The Renaissance of Hetty Locklear mapped out. So what did I do? I ignored it and took a left turn.
I suppose that’s why outlining more than a couple of chapters at a time just doesn’t work for me. Because I’m likely to just ignore it. Granted, working out the characters ahead of time helps. I write little bios of their lives before the story opens. It helps … until I change my mind. Husband unit and another friend, who I email my work to everyday [in case another computer decides to commit suicide], know mind changing is my MO.
Since I was able to unchain myself from my desk some this week, I enjoyed some Netflix. I highly recommend:
Outcasts
Only one season? Why? Some shows take over a season to find their groove. Not Outcasts. It had me riveted by episode three. Great sci-fi. Great cast. Great writing.
Land Girls
Some of you know of my Jane Austen obsession. Period BBC pieces fit under this obsession, too. Land Girls was a treat. Only 5 episodes, but it was so well done.
And I just ordered season two of Downton Abbey. I can’t wait until it shows up. I might just spend a whole day doing nothing but watching the entire season in one sitting. :D I watched season one that way on Netflix. They haven’t picked up season two yet, and I’m tired of waiting.
A friend sent me the trailer for the next season of Spartacus. :D I still miss Andy madly, but look forward to the final season: War of the Damned
Alex J. Cavanaugh is hosting the Genre bloghop on September 17th. For more information and to sign up, go HERE.
Thanks to Karen Elizabeth Brown for the Liebster award. I’ll answer a few of the questions posed.
- What is your favorite holiday? Opening day of Pine Mountain Observatory
- What are you reading right now? A Dance with Dragons, Honor in Hell, Immortal Desires, Opening, and CassaFire
And there’s the What’s your Chocolate? bloghop on Monday, September 10th. Yum. Click HERE to sign up.
Have a great weekend everybody!
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I need some suggestions, as I’m nearing the end of NetFlix.
I can write up the whole outline, but I tend to over-analyze it. It took me four months to do the outline for my last book!
That’s an eclectic mix of TV viewing!
I find the writing of a story a longer process than the rewriting, but I’ve just started something new. It’s all in my head as I go to sleep at night, but lost by morning – and that’s with writing down as much as I can. There’s a certain point where I just can’t be bothered to turn on the light again.
Mary– my journey on my first novel is turning out to be something similar. I wrote a longish outline and took 3 months to do it,but now I’m going with the flow and changing the story as it tells itself.
I haven’t heard of those shows but they sound awesome. I wish they would have continued the sci-fi longer than one series. Another Firefly!
I don’t do much outlining because of the left turns. They’re much more interesting!
Craving a little British TV I see.
I enjoyed sparticus and haven’t seen the others on Netflix yet- so I’ll check them out.
Not knowing anything else about ‘Land Girls,’ it has my interest. I’m gonna look it up.
Currently reading ‘Places Let Unfinished at the Time of Creation’ by John Phillip Santos.
Have a great weekend, M!
That’s interesting how your writing progress works. A lot of the time, I know the ending before I know the beginning of the story, so my beginnings change a lot more than the ends I have planned.
I keep meaning to start watching Downton Abbey, but I haven’t gotten around to it yet.
I usually know how I want to end, so I do have focus. Outcasts is really fantastic, Alex, and it doesn’t leave you hanging too bad.
It’s very good viewing, Annalisa.
I do some pre-work, Damyanti, but I think it’s better to work with ourselves than against ourselves. So, I’ve learned outlining more than a few chapters is a waste of time for me.
It was, Clarissa. Outcasts is really, really good. It’d be wonderful if the BBC changed their minds at some point.
The turns are interesting. I honestly can’t think up the good stuff unless I’m writing, Laura. Some stuff is in my idea journal and I know I want to use it.
I better stop, Diane, or all of my characters will take on British accents again.
Spartacus was awesome, Summer.
I like the title of that book, Suze.
Me, too, Cherie. I struggle more with the opening than the ending. Although both usually require more attention from me than the middle in the polishing phase. I’m so glad the polishing phase is so much shorter than it used to be. I guess that means I do have a better idea of what I’m doing when creating the working draft.
I watched the first Abbey season. Would love to see the next season. I haven’t heard of the other shows.
Downton Abbey is seriously addictive. Season two has one of my favorite moments, which I will not spoil for you.
I love sketching out characters before I write them out- in my head and on paper. My co-author, Stephanie, and I usually flesh them out together- and it’s hard to think of anything that is more fun than that- we change our minds all the time, but when we get it, we get it. Thanks for the recommendations! Have a great weekend : ) ~ Jess
I just started Outcasts thanks to your recommendation. Pretty cool especially with BSG star Adama in it.
Glad you’re enjoying your writing whatever choices you make, that’s the main thing. I’ve been reading other blogs where they use file cards, white boards etc. it all sounds frightfully organised LOL! I like your flexible approach too.
Interesting choices. I love Downtown.
I wasn’t keen on Outcasts, I must confess. Disappointed if truth be told.
Yeah, I’m the same with my writing. I only look ahead one chapter at a time. Well, I do have a big picture story in mind, but it tends to get mucked up as I work.
And I couldn’t get into Land Girls, but I’m hooked on Downton Abbey. Looking forward to Shirley MacClain joining the group. :)
Thanks for the recommendations. Outcasts sounds interesting!
I keep trying to outline, but end up leaving it and do free writing. We all have our process and it’s individual.
Since you inspire me, I decided to tag you in a post today. Stop over and take a look when you have time.
Outcasts huh? I’ll have to see if Hulu offers that one. Now that Falling Skies has ended it’s season and there’s no work on Terra Nova’s return I’m looking for something to watch during my lunch breaks. This might be the one. Thanks.
Good luck with your writing projects; may inspiration be your constant companion.
My wife and son have absolutely LOVED Downtown Abbey so I guess I may have to watch it. I watch mostly movies on TV, when I watch, which is infrequently, though I did watch a lot of the recent Olympics.
I love Jane Austen too. My feet are resting on her collected works. It’s the only book I had that’s just the right height.
Downton showed up yesterday afternoon, Miranda. :D
Can’t wait to see it, Libby.
And it gets better, Maurice. I think you’ll enjoy it.
Some organization helps, Madeleine.
I have the big picture, too, LG. How I move things within that picture is where I need the flexibility.
It was marvelous, Eagle.
Thanks, Karen. That’s flattering. Individual processes make the fiction go round. :D
Terra Nova isn’t coming back, Doug. :( Boo! Falling Skies is all right. Seems our neighborhood has gotten very crowded lately.
It’s a seriously addictive show, Bruce.
She’s so fab, Tonja.
British shows are sometimes more appealing (Masterpiece Theatre, etc) but I’m not much of a TV watcher.
I write in a similar way with an outline, Mary, and flexibility is key. I’m signed up for your blogfest and wanted to see if you had a badge (which I wanted to put up on the 21st Century blog – with a link to your post). I’ve done that for Alex on the Rainforest blog. More visibility is a good thing.
such an eclectic collection! sci fi and historic!
i hate it when you connect w/a show and it gets cancelled. who makes these decisions? how do they know who watches or records the shows? i always wondered… nowadays i guess they can read who’s tweeting about it. but i dont tweet… hmmm!
you are a busy reader! i’m finishing storm of swords and i LOVE it! they better be making season 3 game of thrones!
Ooh, I love Downton Abbey! I’ve seen season one and two and the Christmas special that came after that. I don’t know if there’s more, but I certainly hope so!
I know what you mean about taking left turns. Sometimes I’ve taken so many left turns I ended up back where I started ;)
Spartacus looks cool. I was able to see the original Spartacus at the theater recently, and it was awesome, too. It was pretty amazing watching the maneuvers of the Roman Legions, especially since it wasn’t CGI!
I liked Outcasts too. Downton Abbey is worth the wait.
I’ve never heard of Outcast and Landgirls. At least I know about Downtown Abby, but I haven’t watched it either.
I can’t get into Downton Abby. I have heard a lot about it from co-workers but it doesn’t seem to be for me. On the other hand ‘Outcasts’ sounds interesting. I may see if we have that at the library. You should check on ‘Survivors’ it’s quite interesting and dystopian. It’s also a BBC show.
I had a hip replacement in April so I watched both seasons of Downton Abbey nonstop. Bliss. I just finished watching The Borgias and need to catch up on Dexter before the new season starts.
I haven’t gotten into watching any newer TV series as I don’t seem to have the time to get involved with them. I do good to watch 2 movies a week. Spartacus the movie was pretty good.
I love good TV, DG. Flexibility is a must for me, too.
Obviously the people who make these decisions don’t have my taste. Storm of Swords was a great book, Tara.
Ooo, the Christmas special, too. I’m jealous, Rachel. I hear there may be a season 3. I hope so.
I can relate to that, Jon. The one with Tony Curtis? That’d be cool.
I’m loving it so far, Southpaw.
I watched 7 hours straight of Downton Abbey today, Brinda. :D
I can’t get enough Downton Abbey, Danette. More, more, more!
I watched 2 discs of DA today, Leslie. Absolutely wonderful. It was hard not ot watch the 3rd too.
I’m more into TV shows than movies, Arlee. I get a lot of inspiration from TV.
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