by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
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| MorgueFile– |
I finished a book last week that I’d started
several months ago. I’ve mentioned
before that every book I’ve worked on has been different…some are harder to write
than others. This was my twelfth book
and the fifth in a series. You’d think that it would have been a snap to
write. It wasn’t.
I talked a little about all the trouble the
book was giving me in
this post. I mentioned that I was
planning on finishing the draft, then figuring out what the problem with the
book was. When I
wrote this post I’d put my finger on the problem with the book—I’d given
too much away at the beginning of the book (particularly troublesome with a
mystery…where the whole point is for the reader to help figure out the
crime.) In that post, I outlined ways to
prevent yourself from getting in that predicament to begin with.
book was giving me in
this post. I mentioned that I was
planning on finishing the draft, then figuring out what the problem with the
book was. When I
wrote this post I’d put my finger on the problem with the book—I’d given
too much away at the beginning of the book (particularly troublesome with a
mystery…where the whole point is for the reader to help figure out the
crime.) In that post, I outlined ways to
prevent yourself from getting in that predicament to begin with.
Since I’d already
put myself in a tight spot, and I never revise books until I’ve finished the
first draft, I had to fix the book later.
In case anybody else is facing the same type of revision, I thought I’d
do a quick overview on how I was able to fix the problem quickly (the revisions
took less than a week…working about one to two hours a day. With a sick child
in the house…sigh. So, not a huge time investment on my part.)
put myself in a tight spot, and I never revise books until I’ve finished the
first draft, I had to fix the book later.
In case anybody else is facing the same type of revision, I thought I’d
do a quick overview on how I was able to fix the problem quickly (the revisions
took less than a week…working about one to two hours a day. With a sick child
in the house…sigh. So, not a huge time investment on my part.)
If you realize, as you’re writing your first
draft, that you’ve got a problem, change course where you are and write the
rest of the book with the fix already in place. First of all, I made notes as I
was writing to indicate where I was starting off writing the revised text. I had a character who had a financial motive
to murder the victim. I gave away that
motive way too soon. So, when I realized
that as I was drafting the book, I abruptly started writing the rest of the
story acting as if I hadn’t given
that information away to the reader.
Then I reached the point, two-thirds of the way through the book where I
introduced it as a motive. I marked my manuscript
with Word’s highlighter function and made a comment with Track Changes to
indicate that point in the story.
draft, that you’ve got a problem, change course where you are and write the
rest of the book with the fix already in place. First of all, I made notes as I
was writing to indicate where I was starting off writing the revised text. I had a character who had a financial motive
to murder the victim. I gave away that
motive way too soon. So, when I realized
that as I was drafting the book, I abruptly started writing the rest of the
story acting as if I hadn’t given
that information away to the reader.
Then I reached the point, two-thirds of the way through the book where I
introduced it as a motive. I marked my manuscript
with Word’s highlighter function and made a comment with Track Changes to
indicate that point in the story.
I had several of those problems, so I marked
the manuscript in several places. After
I was done with the first draft, I returned to the beginning of the book and
took every reference to those early motives out and pasted them on a separate
Word doc.
the manuscript in several places. After
I was done with the first draft, I returned to the beginning of the book and
took every reference to those early motives out and pasted them on a separate
Word doc.
I decided the beginning of the book was
slowly-paced and I copy/cut up to page 70 and then pasted the text on that
separate document.
slowly-paced and I copy/cut up to page 70 and then pasted the text on that
separate document.
I wrote a new beginning for the book. And now the murder occurred in the second
chapter.
chapter.
I returned to the cut text and found spots in
the manuscript to work in the various discoveries (motive, character secrets,
etc.) later in the document.
the manuscript to work in the various discoveries (motive, character secrets,
etc.) later in the document.
Some of the original text was scrapped and
never added to the document. Most of the
text, however, I added later to the book.
never added to the document. Most of the
text, however, I added later to the book.
The most important thing, when you chop up
your book like this, is to make sure that you read the story through (ad nausem) to ensure that you don’t have
anything happening out of sequence. That’s
going to be the biggest problem you face.
your book like this, is to make sure that you read the story through (ad nausem) to ensure that you don’t have
anything happening out of sequence. That’s
going to be the biggest problem you face.
One way I double-checked myself was to do a
Ctrl F for references. For example, all
the references in my book to life insurance should be in a particular sequence. So I made a search on Word for life insurance and then made sure all
the references were in sequential order.
So it needed to look like: police
indicate there may have been a policy,
rumors are that this was a significant policy, policy was on the
wife/victim only, husband was having financial difficulty, etc.
Ctrl F for references. For example, all
the references in my book to life insurance should be in a particular sequence. So I made a search on Word for life insurance and then made sure all
the references were in sequential order.
So it needed to look like: police
indicate there may have been a policy,
rumors are that this was a significant policy, policy was on the
wife/victim only, husband was having financial difficulty, etc.
Sometimes I’ve been in such a spot before that I’ve just rewritten the entire first 1/4 of the book and not even tried to salvage anything. That can be quicker, depending on how fast you write or how bad the original beginning of the book is. In this case, though, I figured most of what I’d written still worked…it simply needed to be inserted later in the story.
A note on the pacing of traditional mysteries. I’ve read a good deal of
variation with the body’s discovery, introduction of suspects, introduction of
motives, etc….but I know that my own editors for my two traditionally published
series have particular expectations.
They would like to have a body by page 30. They would like to have the suspects fairly
rapidly in place, but they don’t want the process to be confusing. They don’t want a bunch of names dumped on
the reader all at once. One editor was
happy with 5 or 6 suspects, as long as one of those suspects was bumped
off. This does affect your pace, if you
choose to have this many—you’ve not only got to set them up as suspects
(introduction, introduction of motive, opportunity), but you’ve also got to
interview them. And you need to have
other suspects talk about them.
variation with the body’s discovery, introduction of suspects, introduction of
motives, etc….but I know that my own editors for my two traditionally published
series have particular expectations.
They would like to have a body by page 30. They would like to have the suspects fairly
rapidly in place, but they don’t want the process to be confusing. They don’t want a bunch of names dumped on
the reader all at once. One editor was
happy with 5 or 6 suspects, as long as one of those suspects was bumped
off. This does affect your pace, if you
choose to have this many—you’ve not only got to set them up as suspects
(introduction, introduction of motive, opportunity), but you’ve also got to
interview them. And you need to have
other suspects talk about them.
The other editor likes fewer suspects…she
would actually be delighted with 3 solid suspects (starting out with four and
perhaps losing one along the way. ) This makes things sail along pretty quickly…sometimes
too quickly, unless you figure out some interesting red herrings, secrets,
unanswered questions/smaller mysteries, sleuth
endangerment, to bulk it up a little.
would actually be delighted with 3 solid suspects (starting out with four and
perhaps losing one along the way. ) This makes things sail along pretty quickly…sometimes
too quickly, unless you figure out some interesting red herrings, secrets,
unanswered questions/smaller mysteries, sleuth
endangerment, to bulk it up a little.
How do you fix a bad beginning? Start over from scratch? Cut and paste? Save what you can and pitch the rest? How do you keep the story moving in your own
book?
book?
I think it’s not bad to keep the number of actual suspects down, but to have recurring bit-part characters who are just interesting enough for the experienced mystery reader take notice of them — and maybe be a little suspicious.
You can be flexible with such characters — you can drop them, or bring them back as is convenient to expose more information (or obfuscate it) as needed.
Elizabeth, I learnt a lot about fixing a “bad beginning” and about the pain (and pleasure) of writing a book. Thank you for the valuable information.
ELizabeth – Thanks for sharing your experience fixing the beginning. When I have to do that kind of major revision I go back to my outline of what I want to have happen in the story. Then I figure out what I need to add to/subtract from/change about the beginning. I start, like you did, at the point where things first go wrong and fix it. Then I do a search to make sure I make whatever other changes fall out from the change at the beginning. And you are soooo right about doing that step – about making sure that everything else in the story is consistent with that change.
Hi Elizabeth .. I enjoyed reading this and seeing your process, also ‘the facts and needs’ of the editors – it’s a journey to put it mildly.
I hope the sickness is easing out of the Elizabeth household (I gave up with the surnames!) ..
Now good luck with the book .. cheers Hilary
Hmm. Thanks for the food for thought. For my first piece of fiction, I had not so much a “bad beginning” as much as tons of things I decided to take out. The continuity issues were similar though- I wish I’d used your method. There are some things I need to change in the third installment; I’ll definitely use some of your tips. Thanks!
Reading about your process is enormously helpful, Elizabeth. I can see how this process would apply to other genres as well.
Karen
It is a relief to hear that you have these structural edits just like some of your juniors.
On one hand, I was hoping by 10 that it wouldn’t happen this way. On the other hand, as I stitch a new snout onto a WIP I’m glad to see I’m not the only one re-casting the opening.
This was very encouraging – not that I in any way am glad to see the heavy lifting falling to you.
I just feel like an idiot sometimes when these big edits are required. Makes me think I was asleep in the back of the class.
Thanks – I needed this
J
I wish I had your insight into writing,but I have your posts saved. :)
Prashant–Thanks for coming by!
The Daring Novelist–I like those bit characters, as a reader. Good idea…not enough to make it confusing, but enough to add a little uncertainty for the reader.
Hilary–Ha! Yes, it’s good to keep straight which editor likes what…means less revising later on!
She’s better now. We’ve had the strep throat that will not end here. Three different antibiotics. We’ll be removing her tonsils this summer…sigh.
Deb–It’s really just the hardest thing to edit out. I have one book where, every once and a while, someone will email me about this sweater…it was a clue for a storyline that had been removed. Ugh. That 1 reference just didn’t make it out.
I’m writing my first attempt at a ‘real mystery’, and all of your advice has been invaluable. I’m trying to keep everything in the right order, and it ‘s tricky. I have four, possibly five suspects, and one of them is scheduled for termination, heh. But a very detailed outline has been the best thing for me, because I can glance at it and see what puzzle piece I need to write next.
I’m sure that happens to every author at some point. I’ve taken chunks from one point of the story and moved them further back before.
Oh, man… my book that releases tomorrow was a nightmare to revise this way… It wasn’t a too soon, more a ‘caught up in subplot so the murder was too late’ but was SO HARD to fix! I probably should have rewritten fresh, but I kept tweaking, then had the nightmare of having to read a dozen times to make sure the order was okay.
I think from here on out I will work closer with my timeline and do the first few chapters more tightly.
Margot–I’m seeing a pattern to all the comments here ….”outline” is a common word mentioned! I did *not* outline the book and frequently don’t outline. In fact, I *usually* don’t outline. But this book was such a mess that I’m planning on outlining the one I’m about to start writing.
Kessie–Smart of you to outline. I did *not* outline this book and I was sorry I didn’t!
Karen–Thanks! And thanks so much for coming by.
Diane–Sometimes it just makes it flow so much better, doesn’t it?
Hart–Well, you said the magic word there…outline. I did *not* outline this book. And now I’m reconsidering my whole anti-outlining stance!
j –This happens at least every third book or so. Once I nearly hit delete on an entire manuscript, 3 weeks before deadline. That was the *first* time that I’d really stumbled badly with a manuscript (my 4th book)…and I didn’t hit delete, but did a massive rewrite of several different sections of the book. And I didn’t end up needing a deadline extension. But I felt sick to my stomach for those 3 weeks as I scurried to fix the mess I’d written.
Yes, I saw a boring beginning and then all my motives given away and thought: total failure. On every level! But rewriting is not really so bad…moved the body up, hid some of the motives, eliminated the backstory that I’d for some reason put at the front of the book (worked it into interviews with my sleuth, instead), even shifted the he saids and she saids of an entire scene so the *sidekick* wanted to go to the party where the body is eventually found and the sleuth did *not* want to go…even that odd change read so much better and added so much more humor to the opening. Who knew? So major and minor tweaks.
I totally know what you mean. I wondered if I were sleepwalking through the whole first 1/3 of the book. I even knew something was wrong but didn’t stop to analyze until later…so I continued making the mistakes (for 4 different suspects and 4 different motives, no less!) Frustrating.
Teresa–You’ve got good instincts for writing! That’s probably the most helpful thing of all.
I had to add a short story to begin Breakthrough as it originally began too slow. So a little action helped propel the book forward.
I have a few short stories I incorporated into my trilogy where it needed some extra punch.
I’d have to do a total rewrite. If I started chopping up my story I would confuse myself. Glad it worked for you though.
Stephen–Action is another great way to increase pace.
Alex–It can be really, really confusing. It’s probably best to do it in one big chunk of time…like on a weekend. Of course, I did not heed this advice and worked on it at 15 minutes stretches of time over a period of a week. :)
I’ve chopped up pieces and put them into a separate doc before but I’ve never tried using the highlight feature to indicate areas needing work. I’ll have to try this. It could prove very useful.
And you’re right, when chopping up a story like you describe, keeping the sequence straight is huge!
Thanks for the advice=)
Jennifer–The highlighter works really well, I think. You can also use different colors of highlighter for different storylines. :)
John Sanford said that he re-wrote the opening of one recent best-seller “no less than thirty times. Some revisions from scratch, some sentence-by-sentence.” His advice was, keep going over it until you have it right.
Motivational enough? :)
Peace, Seeley
Elizabeth, what a fascinating post. What I found most interesting were the expectations your editors had for mysteries (a body by page 30!). And how the two editors had very different sets of expectations. My first novel, BABY GRAND, is more thriller than mystery, but my second novel (currently in revision) is more of mystery/thriller. There are “suspects” so to speak, so I found your editors’ requirements interesting. Thank you for sharing your process!
Dina–Ha! Yes, and it’s funny that it doesn’t even seem odd to me anymore, since I’ve been juggling them around for a while! Yes, and 1 requires a complete outline for approval and the other doesn’t even want to know what I’m planning on writing for a contracted book at all. :) One loves lots of characters and the more color the better. The other prefers a very gentle, subtle read with only a few characters to focus on. I just have to keep straight who I’m working with!
Seeley–Motivational, for sure! And perhaps a little headache-inducing..ha! But beginnings are incredibly vital–we’ve got to keep those readers reading.
Sometimes I rewrite the beginning. Sometimes I just continue drafting with my changed plot point/character/ or whatever it is I realized was wrong. It depends on how big the change is, whether there is one main change or many that need to be done, and whether I think continuing would just plain be a waste of time without solid ground behind me.
Maya–I know what you mean…it’s definitely hard to continue, knowing the beginning is a mess. I just try to pretend that none of it is there. :)