Cut It Out

My summer project is to edit last year’s NaNo novel. These are my revision steps:

1.      Plot Inventory

2.      Fill out my Plot Chart (Hero’s Journey-type chart –I combined various terminologies on one 8.5 x 11 page; laminated so I can write on it.)

3.      Fill in missing scenes.

4.      EDITS (Margie Lawson’s system)– deep editing on the actual words themselves.

Steps 1 and 2 above revealed a very, very, large hole. Not a plot hole (whew), but more like huge time gaps. I played and played with ideas to try to fix the problem and nothing worked.

My “writing” time consisted of lying on my bed, eyes closed, daydreaming.

I thought about just leaving it. So what if the main chunk of the novel takes place over the course of weeks, while the first little bits cover years. Who cares? Who will notice that the pacing is all wonky? Uh, don’t answer that.

Making the suspected changes meant more work. Plus, I really liked some of those scenes. I didn’t want to make the cut, but not cutting had me stuck daydreaming instead of writing.

So I:

1.      Printed out the entire thing (in 2 page spreads).

2.      Got my scissors and cut out each scene; stapled like-pages together.

3.      Stacked each scene bundle chronologically.

4.      Numbered everything in case I changed my mind and wanted to put it all back the way it was.

5.      Took out the offending scenes. Labeled them FB for flashback (because BS for “back story” didn’t seem a nice label to apply to my writing efforts). Placed them in a separate pile to be used later.

6.      Sighed. Much better. A trimmed-down manuscript that is no longer wonky.

Sometimes you just have to push through the problem. Otherwise your writing never moves away from daydreaming.