I’ve had a very productive writing week and finally feel like I’m making some headway. Using Blake Snyder’s Beat Sheet, I worked out the scene by scene outline for my YA novel, Fractured Sight. Then I moved on and did the same with one of my historicals awaiting revision, Invitation to Scandal (which turned out to be in pretty good shape) and the second book in the Brimstone series, Saving Grace (needs work).Next week is when the hard work starts. I have to go in and using the tools I learned from Donald Maass’s Putting Fire In Your Fiction, start my scene by scene revisions for Fractured Sight.
Thankfully, doing the Beat Sheet allowed me to see where I had some issues, make a few scene changes and additions, juggle things around and realize the ending I had should be the ending in Book 3, not Book 1. I wondered why I couldn’t figure out where things went after Book1…well, that’s why. I need to do the story in increments, saving the big finish for Book 3. Book 1 and 2 will be the lead in to getting there, the build up. Each will have a stand alone story in it that builds up to the final book.
I’m hoping I can finish the revisions in eight weeks, but it will mean a lot of head down, nose to the grindstone, hard work.
By the way, just a heads up. I’ll have two guest bloggers next week: Sarah Taney Humphreys and Lisa Campbell so stay tuned for that.
6 comments:
Sounds like you had a fabulous week, Kelly - great job. I really need to find myself a copy of Blake Snyder's book - I've heard so many good things about it.
And isn't it great when things fall into place - that 'aha' moment?
Congrats on the progress. Don't you love Save the Cat beats? I use them to write the synopsis early on, then keep the beats on hand as I go to make sure I'm hitting things when I need to. If it wasn't for his explanation of bad guys close in for the section after the midpoint, I would still be dawdling through the sagging middle.
Good luck with Donald Maass' Fire in Fiction. I like his breakout novel workbook as well.
Wow, you're doing great. Keep up the awesome work!
Sounds like a great writing week. Still haven't read my Save the Cat book but sounds like it might help me with the mid book mess.
I thank God for Blake Snyder.
Yay on having a productive writing week. Sending you good revisions vibes.
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