A Writer’s Journal: How to feel smart!
Sometimes I just don’t think that I’m that smart.
I have to figure out ways to organize my thinking.
I have to figure out ways to understanding what I’ve written.
That’s why I completed an extensive Reverse Outline using an Excel spreadsheet.
It was exhaustive BUT it definitely was worthwhile. I learned so much about the process and I also now have a much better ideas of how to view a story.
I’m pretty sure that my method is not unique. As a matter of fact, I know that it’s not unique because when I do a Google search for Reverse Outline and Excel, there are LOTS of hits.
But I didn’t really understand the benefits of it before I started this project.
NOW I know. Now I see how my story progresses.
I also think that this is probably how scenes in movies are organized, filmed, written and rewritten.
What I’m trying to do HERE is to share MY process — the process that my feeble, little ADD brain can grapple with. Maybe I’ll help others who enjoy the same way of thinking. Maybe those who have succeeded before will have something to mock, laugh at, be entertained by.
(I’m picturing an arena with all these smart, published writers sitting in the grand stands watching little, ol me trying to figure out the process. They’re placing their bets. They’re learning to odds. Some of them are going for the sure thing — she’ll give up after another six months. Others are going longer — a year. Two years. But most are placing their bets on my failure as they don’t think that I’ll ever be joining the likes of them — successful, published authors, with tried and proven methods of writing a novel. Out of all those present, two people put their money on the biggest pay-off but with the least likelihood of success. She keeps trying AGAINST ALL ODDS and she wins. She actually wins. And those people in the grandstand try to welcome her into their midst, but instead, she walks away. She’s going home with the two people who put their money on her success.]
Okay, enough fictionalizing. Enough negative self-talk.
To Do List:
First, I’m checking the progression of the locked door. Deadbolt lock in Sam’s kitchen.
Using ‘find’ feature in Word, I started at the beginning and I’m working through the document.
The letter combination appears 117 times.
Challenges — it finds the four letter combination in ALL words. So the algorithm also found ‘clock’ and it targets ‘lock of hair,’ hemlock, and other references to doors being locked.
This is an interesting concept — If a teacher were to have a class analyze this book, I would hope that readers might notice the idea/concept/symbolism of the ‘locked door’ and barriers to opportunities.
Keep this in mind when promoting the book.
Options and progression of the lock:
It sticks.
It is already open.
It moves freely.
Scene 4.1, p. 8 — [Estelle showing Sam the house.]
“The lockbox is on the front door,” Estelle said. “Don’t know why they didn’t put it on the backdoor, but it’s always best to meet your home properly, don’t you agree?” Sam followed Estelle through the crabgrass and up the granite steps. Estelle pushed the four numbers that she’d written on the printout of the real estate listing, then retrieved the Schlage key and unlocked the front door. Dust specks danced in the sunbeams. Sam smiled having always had a fascination with the little details of darkness, shafts of light, and still spaces.
Scene 15.3, 93 — She pulled back the curtain a bit more. Finally, assured that no one was outside, she turned the heavy deadbolt lock and opened the door.
Scene 26.1, 39 — She had returned home at 1 a.m. She had pushed her key into the backdoor lock and turned the knob.
Why is the lock important?
Nathaniel and Gwendolyn have to get into Sam’s house to change Gwen to Wendy. Sometimes they are careless and leave the door unlocked.
The task of finding the work ‘lock’ didn’t really take THAT long.
And it is something that I’ve been wondering about — it’s something that a reader would notice.
I decided to make a separate document with each scene number noted with the page number and the text included.
This will help me to see the progression and to edit if needed.
Next focus: Notes found in Sam’s house, her car.
I think that it would be creepy and I don’t know Sam would be okay with it. But perhaps there’s another way to communicate with Sam.
First, note: “Be careful.”
Something to think about.
In revising a novel, it’s important to pay attention to everything.
To the little things.
To the big things.
Figure out a way to keep track.
Today’s session helped me to feel a little bit smarter.
But more than anything, it made me feel determined.
I WILL get the job done AND make this novel the best that it can be.
