I need help ahhhh!

SJ

SJ

Finally after years of many false starts I have managed to come up with a story that I am really happy with and I'm happy to say its coming along nicely.  The advise I need is this....

As my brain was in overdrive and I was batting away my story deviated from my original plan (not a problem in fact I think its better) but in order to make the rest of teh story make sence I have to go back and input some extra work in the first chapter.

I have always been told (writing course!!) that you should never go back and rewrite your earlier work until you have completely finished your first draft.  I believe that this is so your creative flow can continue.  If I go back and add the extra stuff it wont actually change any other part in the story (I think!) but dont want to lose my flow.

So Should I ..
A) Go back and rewrite chapter 1 and risk losing the flow of the rest of the book
or
B) Note it down to change it when I have finished?
or
C) Any other better suggestion that you PROPER WRITERS have! (Not meant nastily)

I would love to hear from you with any advice.

P.s. when you get the creative flow is it normal to abandon the kids, husband, pets, and housework.  My ironing pile is that big I cant see the table!!

Neph

what I tend to do, as most of my plans go off on a tangent, is to make notes of things that you think will need changing/adding as you go through your first draft.  Get it down and then you can edit and tweak to your hearts content but you will at least have the foundations to work with.

Nutmeg

I seem to have that problem sometimes too...but I don't really plan my stories...I would note it down or write an alternative...I have many alt endings etc in my files. I also found that rewriting what I have typed on the computer is a really good way of editing...
Good luck.

Lixxy

I would say that you should do whatever makes you feel relaxed enough to continue.  Advise from the courses is great and usually very accurate but, as with any creative work, it draws heavily on your own personal style and way of working.

flyingtart

This is a really interesting question and one that I am constantly wrestling with.  What I tend to do is put a question in the margin (or a post-it note, or written in red capitals if you're word processing) like "would it be better to do such-and-such here?".  Then press on to the end and when you go back to revise it you can look at the first draft with all the notes you've added and make a (more) objective decision.  The trouble with changing everything as you go along is it can really hold you up and you might give up on it altogether.
Hope this helps.

dorothyd

I revise as I go.  My current book, an island based historical one, needed drastic revision to cut the London based scenes and concentrate on the island part of the book instead.  I went in and did the 'slash and burn' routine; whilst doing that I set up all sorts of scenarios for the remainder of the book and felt much better about it. It depends entirely on you and how you feel - we all work in different ways.  I tend to revise and move on, revise and move on, so that when I do eventually reach the end, there is very little revision left to do.

heather

They do always say 'Write first, edit later' but I think it depends how much of the revision you have ready in your head. If it's a good way of fixing what you need to fix and you know how to do it and the words aree there, then do it now in case you lose it. If it's just a thought that something needs to change or a rough idea of how to do it then make a note and do it later. I sometimes find that if I get 'stuck' somewhere else, going back to a bit that I'm more confident on means I'm not wasting my time and I may well get unstuck in the later bit just by having written something else. So it's somethimes worth 'saving' bits of editing for that purpose. But if you really know what you want to say, then do it now. (Goodness what a load of waffle that was!)

Mutley

I have found in the novel I am writing ( my first adult novel so maybe I'm not the best person to ask),that it wasn't until I had gone back and made the revisions that that I was free to carry on from where I was up to. THere were things I knew were wrong and they were hampering my forward movement as they were weighing on me. Once I'd done the changes I could pick the story up and carry on.

Daisy

For me it would depend how far through the book I had got when the new idea came.  If I was half way I would probably make a note of the changes and carry on.  If I was only a few chapters in, then I would probably revise right away.  I don't think it matters.  Do what feels best for you.

Yes, it's normal to abandon the kids, husband, chores etc whilst engrossed in writing.  I see it as a sign of being a proper writer!!

Carol

I'd agree with Daisy on this. Make comprehensive notes so it clears out of your brain, and won't interupt that flow. If the flow is blocked then put the changes in. Good luck whatever you decide.

cooper

Lixxy and Daisy have both said it, go with what works for you.  Good luck.

P.S.  Are the family starting to look a tad malnourished?

Hickey

Count me as one vote for (B)

mcbemused

I, too, would go with B - otherwise you will find yourself rewriting the whole lot now and losing that precious flow.

SJ

Hey cooper even the dog is walking around with her bowl in her mouth and droppping it at my feet, the fish look sad and the kids have given up and gone to their nana's