I woke up yesterday and realized summer was almost over. School starts back here in a little over two weeks! I am determined to be less stressed this year. To that end, I have worked out a schedule to make sure we aren’t all running around at bedtime every night realizing we haven’t finished something we had to do that day. Also, took my daughter clothing shopping yesterday. Today is school supplies. :)
On writing, yesterday at my local RWA meeting Karen Wiesner, author of First Draft in 30 Days 
Anyway, Karen’s “first draft” is a lot like a really long/scene-by-scene synopsis. I’m not sure I will use her method in its entirety, but I
definitely got some good ideas from her talk. The first was a scene form. I don’t know why this never occured to me before, but why not write out a little description of major scenes, floor plans, whatever and keep them for reference? I just describe the scene as my characters enter them. Sometimes I know in advance what the scene looks like, but this would really simplify things for me.
The other thing was using idea folders. I have this type of thing set up on my computer, and have a notebook I keep notes in, but this is to simply buy a two-pocket folder for each idea and stuff notes, etc. in it as time goes by. When you have enough “cooked” to start the “first draft” you do.
I’m still not convinced writing the “first draft”/scene-by-scene synopsis would save me time. How about you guys? I know some of you have read the book? Have you tried it? Is the technique working for you?
Lori
I’m trying it with one of my current WIPs. I find it a little tedious, when all I want to do is write, but it IS helpful. And I hope that when the forms are complete, really all I’ll have to do is…write.
by MartyK August 15th, 2005 at 9:34 amHi Lori,
by Kadi Easley August 15th, 2005 at 9:09 pmI just can’t outline. The most I’ve ever done is make a quick down and dirty list of major plot points I want to work in, but I rarely look at it and most of the time don’t bother to write it out at all. I just write until I hit the end, then read through and find the weak spots. And go through again. It’s tedious, and by the time I finish a project, I’m totally sick of it. :) But the one time I tried to outline everything, by the time I got to the writing stage, I was just as sick of the story and I didn’t even want to write it. Guess I’ll just keep plugging along the same old way.
I’ve read the book, and although I don’t follow her method to the letter, I do use a variation of it. As a result, writing on my WIP (when I find time to write) is going much, much quicker.
I still recommend her book to everybody.
by Lynn Daniels August 16th, 2005 at 10:25 amI’m using a variation also. I don’t have time to do it exactly as she details it out but I am doing a scene by scene first draft using her method as my guide.
by Teresa August 16th, 2005 at 6:57 pmThe scene by scene appeals to me too. I may try that–I have just been SO unmotivated lately. I think I am just worn out. I can’t focus. I’m hoping when school starts and I have a few hours a week to myself, I’ll get back in the swing. :)
by Lori August 16th, 2005 at 7:04 pmActually, I do wind up doing forms before most of my projects. I’m going to set down and do those I think for my current WIP. Then maybe I will try the scene by scene thing.
One suggestion she had at our meeting was in the beginning as you get used to the whole thing was to just do the scene by scene thing a few scenes ahead as you write the book. So, for instance, I am working on writing the first scene so I should have like the first five sketched out already.
Lori