"Red Sands" Week Ten

[kristen999]

Where I talk about walls and tunnels.




I'll start off with a bright spot. I finished chapter 13. I'm still weary about several aspects of it, a possible issue with momentum, and some doubts about the ending. (One in which I re-wrote four times) But it is complete and I began chapter 14.

Upon reflecting on my outline, I know that this story will not go eighteen chapters, more than likely, it'll be seventeen. Maybe...just maybe sixteen chapters long. Why the change?

When I outline, usually the first third of the story is done in greater detail. Each 'chapter' has a dozen or more bullet points of plot, action, important scenes and development. As I reach the middle, it gets more general, because a story is organic and can go any direction. I try to hit my action/plot points, but the space in between can morph and change based on what occurs.

The last third is the vaguest, my bullet points are what I want to see wrap up, climaxes, and reveals and less and less about the middle scenes. In this case, I over estimated how many scenes I would have in the later chapters.

So, the light at the end of the tunnel has turned much brighter. I'll know by the end of fourteen how much I'll have left.

Speaking of walls...

Fourteen has been a giant pain. None of the dialogue is going the way I want. None of the flow or emotion I want is being coveyed. I have 1k words, but I've let it sit for a couple of days to see if I regain my magic.

This is what happens when you have two people who do not do emotions or communication very well.

I am hopeful.

This week's goal:

Get Fourteen done.

Comments

[valleya.livejournal.com]

LOL! I have an image of John and Ronon having a staring contest with neither one of them wanting to talk It will come when it's ready. You're right -- sometimes it just needs to sit for a bit before it reveals the right way it wants to unfold. Good luck!

[kristen999.livejournal.com]

I started edited the previous words and cut another scene and I think helped lighten the load. I'm laughing at your mental image!

[coolbreeze1.livejournal.com]

Hehehe - ditto what valleya said: I can totally picture John and Ronon just staring at each other, waiting for the other one to talk first. That image makes me giggle!

Congrats on getting 13 done! And you've at least started 14. Sometimes letting a scene or chapter sit and stew for a few days helps a lot. You'll get there!

[kristen999.livejournal.com]

Your image makes me laugh!! Yeah, I think I needed time away from it. I'll see what tonight brings :D

[rubygirl29.livejournal.com]

Sometimes they just won't do what you think they ought to do! You just have to wait them out. Sometimes the smallest thing provides the needed impetus.

[kristen999.livejournal.com]

I cut a scene out and I think that opened it up more. We'll see tonight!!

[crashbarrier.livejournal.com]

Like Valleya said.. You could just have them communicate in looks.. or perhaps short one or two word sentences where the rest is implied?.. I know you say "don not communicate well" but is it that they don't communicate well or that they infact communicate in a radically different way to most people.

I mean Ronan and John are an excellent example, they do not go into depth in their verbal conversations but (and this just shows how good Jason and Joe are at this and to some extent how with it the writers were with the characters to write it in) the two of them say a hell of a lot through visual exchanges and body language.
Lorne and John are the same, they don't do in depth conversation but what they don't say tends to say paragraphs:).

I am glad the rest of it is coming together though and i hope to read the result:)

[kristen999.livejournal.com]

It's harder with the written word to get those subtle expressions and silent communication down, but I have done that in other areas of the story. Body language. Mannerisms. Silence. Stilted conversations. lol

This scene they need to talk....doesn't mean a lot, but the words will come I think. I tweaked another scene and I think helped pave the way.

[crashbarrier.livejournal.com]

well there is the age old method of getting them drunk or stoned.or some relevant analogue...:)

[wildcat88.livejournal.com]

One thing that helps me with dialogue is to watch an ep. Sometimes just hearing their voices sparks the muse.

Something else that I find helpful is to write something completely different. You don't have to finish it, but write something with Rodney and Radek arguing or with Teyla and Keller having a conversation. Cleanse your pallette so to speak. Then come back to John and Ronon with fresh eyes.

You can do it.

[kristen999.livejournal.com]

Think I might watch an eppy. I let it sit on the HD a few days so we'll see what tonight brings :D

[friendshipper.livejournal.com]

All your writing-process posts are making me want to work on another long story. I really miss the heady feeling of having something long on the front burner. :)

And yeah, the frustration of trying to get the characters to cooperate ...! I'm glad it sounds like things are finally breaking loose.

[kristen999.livejournal.com]

This story has been so odd for me. I started it last year. Wrote the first 40k, then I did something I've never done before. Got sidetracked by the first LFWS contest, the genficathon, then Big Bang!

It's been on the biggest back burner and I won't touch anything else until it is done. Using these writing posts keeps me honest and focused I think. Sometime writing out what the latest rough patch almost makes it easier to see how to attack it.

Sometimes its nice to sit back and say I got this chapter done and be excited about it!

And it won't let up anytime soon. Help_Haiti is next!

[susnn.livejournal.com]

Yay for help_haiti, although to honest, waiting for that is made easier by following the saga of Red Sands. When things settle a bit here, I'll send that info your way.

[kristen999.livejournal.com]

Cool! No rush on the info, but it'll be nice to have ahead of time so it can percolate :-P