If I were writing the last book, as in no more of these characters, I'm not sure what I'd be feeling. I'm not tired of them because, in the end, I'm not finished telling their stories.
I don't feel badly about it. At least I don't feel that I feel badly about it. I feel that these characters' stories are complete--none of them are talking to me about events beyond the ending of this book. This may change as time goes on and things start to return to relative normal, but at the moment it's as though they all realize the end is near.
I'm so impressed by this. My one outline was about 12 manuscript pages in length, and even that killed me :/.
They tend to take on a life of their own. Agent jokes that all I have to do is add a little more dialogue and I'll have the book. *But*, another person in the business told me that long, long outlines aren't always a bad thing. If you're trying to sell outside your established genre, and the editor is looking for assurance that you can hit the marks and pull it off, the more detail the better. This made me feel better because I don't think I'm genetically capable of writing a short outline.
I have no idea if this is helpful at all, because it's always a dead zone while you're in it and there's always a stone cold fear that you're never going to leave :/.
This is, in truth. You're the second writer I've discussed this with who has been through a crisis and come out the other side. I write from an emotional core as well, although I didn't realize it until it was told to me.
The other writer, a good friend, mentioned that she tried to write before she was ready, and when she read the work later, found it stripped of all texture and emotion. Bare bones, which needed to be scrapped or reworked entirely. It does come back, but if you try to force it before it's ready, you may be making double the work for yourself.
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branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2004-08-21 07:53 am (UTC)I don't feel badly about it. At least I don't feel that I feel badly about it. I feel that these characters' stories are complete--none of them are talking to me about events beyond the ending of this book. This may change as time goes on and things start to return to relative normal, but at the moment it's as though they all realize the end is near.
I'm so impressed by this. My one outline was about 12 manuscript pages in length, and even that killed me :/.
They tend to take on a life of their own. Agent jokes that all I have to do is add a little more dialogue and I'll have the book. *But*, another person in the business told me that long, long outlines aren't always a bad thing. If you're trying to sell outside your established genre, and the editor is looking for assurance that you can hit the marks and pull it off, the more detail the better. This made me feel better because I don't think I'm genetically capable of writing a short outline.
I have no idea if this is helpful at all, because it's always a dead zone while you're in it and there's always a stone cold fear that you're never going to leave :/.
This is, in truth. You're the second writer I've discussed this with who has been through a crisis and come out the other side. I write from an emotional core as well, although I didn't realize it until it was told to me.
The other writer, a good friend, mentioned that she tried to write before she was ready, and when she read the work later, found it stripped of all texture and emotion. Bare bones, which needed to be scrapped or reworked entirely. It does come back, but if you try to force it before it's ready, you may be making double the work for yourself.
So it is helpful. Thanks.