Patricia Stoltey

Author

  • Home
  • About
  • Books
  • Contact

When You’ve Been Away from Your Manuscript Too Long

August 8, 2015 By: Patricia

Sometimes we discover a project is not going well, so we set it aside and let it rest.

Sometimes life interrupts, as it has a way of doing, and the project must be placed on a shelf until all those crises are resolved.

And sometimes, we just poop out for a few weeks…or months.

Then, suddenly, the urge to write coincides with a block of time to write. Whether you have 20,000 words done, or 70,000, the break interrupted your flow of ideas. You’re not sure where you need to add scenes. You can’t remember half of  your characters’ names. And you have no idea which sections need fleshing out and which are polished and ready to go.

That’s where I am with my major project (as opposed to my side project which is another story….literally).

Here’s how I’ve decided to proceed with the major project:  From the beginning.

I printed out the first fifty pages of the 65,000 words written so far and am going through it meticulously, taking notes on timeline and characters. I have a notebook for the notes and a couple of legal pads for added paragraphs or scenes.  I will incorporate edits and new scenes into the manuscript before printing out the next fifty pages.

I know what you’re thinking. If I worked from an outline and kept notes from the beginning, I might not have this problem. I can’t argue with that. It’s simply not the way I started this novel. And I like the story too  much to throw it away.

So if you don’t see me online very much for the next month, you’ll know what I’m doing. First fifty pages, then the second fifty pages, and on until the end.

Category: The Writing Life

Rewriting is the Best Part of the Process

May 19, 2015 By: Patricia

Of course, that’s personal opinion. But as much as I enjoy jumping into a new story and writing like crazy for a few months/years to complete that first draft, I heave a huge sigh of relief when I can move on to the next phase. Revision, rewriting, cutting and pasting, rearranging, adjusting, scooting one bit …Read More

Category: The Writing Life, Writing

Meet Patricia

I read, I write, I blog, and sometimes I do the laundry and cook. My 2014 novel, Dead Wrong, was a finalist in the thriller category of the 2015 Colorado Book Awards. Wishing Caswell Dead (Five Star/Cengage, December 20, 2017) is a historical mystery set in 1830s Illinois in the fictitious Village of Sangamon. The novel was a finalist for the 2018 Colorado Book Awards for General Fiction. My most recent release, In Defense of Delia (Five Star/Cengage, November 2022), is available in hardcover and will soon be available in ebook and trade paperback. Read More…

Search

Categories

In Defense of Delia

In Defense of Delia

Wishing Caswell Dead

Dead Wrong

Copyright © 2023 · Customized with by: Upperdale Designs