The Skellingcorner (Posts tagged writing)

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See, that’s what the app is perfect for.

Sounds perfect Wahhhh, I don’t wanna

Writing update: Motivation is back up, and it feels like I’ve done a decent day’s editing. Adding or taking away a character from a scene can really make all the difference! In my case, it was adding.

While I find regular sections quite pleasing, I’ve let go of that idea (for now). I prefer my chapters be the length they are for story reasons, rather than wordcount reasons. All of them average between 2′800-4′100 words, so while there is a little variation, I think it’s not too dramatic. Some of them can always be trimmed or bulked up if need be.

writing chapters DaA

Difficult editing day yesterday, decent editing day today.

I’ll probably have to let go of some ideas and scenes I liked, but if they don’t fit into this particular project, perhaps they’ll fit into another story. Or maybe they’re just not meant to fit anywhere, in which case writing them down was still useful practice.

writing feeling optimistic DaA editing writing intriguing/punny chapter titles keeps me motivated I'm also glad I've managed to cut down on a couple of chapters I thought I was going to exceed the word count

Have managed to plough my way through the dreaded Frankenchapters (chapters 7-9, previously chapters 7-10), which has also given me material to buff up a slightly skinnier chapter with some extra worldbuilding and menace (which I’ll add after I finish this first full redraft/edit).

Writing “mystery” is hard, and I have trouble telling if I’m being super obvious, or if the characters infer too much from the information they’re given.
If anyone has any tips about placing clues, I’m all ears.

Anyway, finally moving on to the slightly more bonkers magical bits of the story, exciting! :D

writing editing DaA Skellingcrow
skellingcrow
skellingcrow

Ok, so I got massively stuck on chapter 10/25 of my project, which I thought was just me losing interest, but, after doing some minor redrafting, might actually have been a sign that the chapter was not pulling its weight.

So today has become Frankenchapter day.

I’ll be merging two chapters while trying to keep them neat and tidy, and average length. There will be some serious trimming, but hopefully we’ll shed all the excess fluff and come out looking more like the after picture of Shrek the Sheep, rather than the clotted mess we’re trying to untangle.

How do you outline your writing? Do you start at the beginning and discover the story as you move along? Do you write scenes, then shuffle them into a narrative line? Do you plot the whole thing out before writing at all?


skellingcrow

It’s alive ! (?)

writing editing DaA hey look: I made a bridge now all that's left is to merge the leftovers with the following chapter(s)

Ok, so I got massively stuck on chapter 10/25 of my project, which I thought was just me losing interest, but, after doing some minor redrafting, might actually have been a sign that the chapter was not pulling its weight.

So today has become Frankenchapter day.

I’ll be merging two chapters while trying to keep them neat and tidy, and average length. There will be some serious trimming, but hopefully we’ll shed all the excess fluff and come out looking more like the after picture of Shrek the Sheep, rather than the clotted mess we’re trying to untangle.

How do you outline your writing? Do you start at the beginning and discover the story as you move along? Do you write scenes, then shuffle them into a narrative line? Do you plot the whole thing out before writing at all?


writing editing we'll see how this goes DaA

Writing Update: I may or may not have solved a plot hole that’s been bothering me for a while, so there’s a good start to this editing day! :D

Because I’ve been working on it at fairly regular intervals for more years than I care to admit, it feels very odd to me. I could practically re-write chapters word for word from (subconscious) memory, which is making editing/rewriting a little strange as I keep following similar patterns.
I’m glad, however, that I waited this long before sitting back down to this project. I’ve learned so much these past years, and to be honest, this story has changed A LOT since I first started writing it.

On that note: Once more unto the breach, dear friends!

writing Skellingcrow DaA

Thank you @sweetlittlevampire, @yourfavouritedoll and @abschaumno1 for the encouraging replies to this post about my writing project!

There once was a creature (she is I)
Whom technology did oft defy
She got replies to a post
And though she did her most
She could not reply to a reply

This wonky and apologetic poem of gratitude was sponsored by poor IT skills and goldfish memory.

writing I'm technologically challenged and I know it I swear I've done it before I just can't remember how ToT replies

I have been working on a writing project for some time now, and I am setting myself a deadline. I have somewhere between 65-and 75′000 words that need editing (depending on how much I’m going to cut :) ). There will be some major edits.
The goal is to finish by the 1st of February 2021. That leaves me with somewhere over 70 days to tie my darling little mess up in a cute bow and (if all goes according to plan) send it out into the world.

Annoying updates on my breakdowns and moments of euphoria coming soon to a dashboard near you.

writing who knows whether I'll make the deadline excited nervous determined DaA