Take time to deliberate, but when the time for action has arrived, stop thinking and go in.
- Napoleon

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Trying Something Different

Okay, you all know I was having some difficulties a while back. I couldn't get back into Nano. Well, the problem's solved, but the result is that I have no more chapters.

I just started writing. I put in spaces to note scene changes, but I didn't put in any chapters. I really didn't even notice it until the other day when I went to see how long my last chapter was and whether it was probably time to put in a new chapter, and I was like thirty pages in. At that point, I just shrugged and went back to writing. I've never done it before, but if working without putting in chapters is getting the job done, I'm down with it.

LOL, right now chapter fifteen is 56 pages long.

*shrug*

I'm usually pretty good about keeping track of my chapters. I even put in bookmarks for each chapter so I can move around my book more easily when I edit. Right now, it's a cluttered mess. It ought to be driving me nuts, but it's not. (Okay, it is a little.)

The theory here, I guess, is that I have some issues farther back in the book, so I might need to move some scenes around. After I get everything where I want it, I'll put the chapters in. Never worked this way before, but hey, if it works, why mess with it?

How do you handle chapters? Do you put them in while you're doing the first draft or later? Do you move things around in your manuscript? How about bookmarks, ever use 'em or is it just anal retentive writer me?

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2 comments:

Marty said...

I definitely write chapter to chapter in my novel - but the first thing I do is to lay out a series of short stories I want to tell. For me, each chapter is a story of it's own. I keep writing as long as the story moves me along. Yes, sometimes I do have to go back and breakup a (too long) chapter; but, that can be done much later.

Kristen Painter said...

I set out to specifically write each chapter when I work. Doesn't mean I know where it ends, but I write with the end in mind. I try very hard to always end on a page turning hook.