As Pam mentioned, we are gearing up for a weekend retreat to tackle the (first?) revision of our Madelaine.
So, I have spent a couple of days moving all our separate Chapter files into one document, re-formatting and checking for obvious format glitches. While we are this close to finishing, I need to focus on getting this first draft ready to have it printed so that we will have one working copy each for our weekend away. It will be easy enough to print out a few extra pages if need be by next week, and add to the draft.
Since our writing workshop last month, we have been getting acquainted formally with "point of view", and it may end up being our major focus on this first revision. To be honest, I was not consciously aware of the difference the point of view makes in the story, but now its like a proverbial "duh" moment! However, better to have become aware of it now, than after thinking we had a final draft ready to peddle.
In regards to the above, Pam had sent me her latest addition to Body Perfect and while the gist of what she had written was quite good, I was more aware of inconsistencies with this POV structure. We rehashed it over break and she did a re-write of the scene, and when completed it really did flow so much better!
On a more personal note, my young grandson Noah, who just turned one in March, has developed some potentially serious health problems - he has been diagnosed as a lazy breather, where his lips turn blue when sleeping. A near crisis occurred yesterday when he became unresponsive while sitting in his high chair, with blue lips and the same condition appearing on his little hands and arms, it was a fast trip to the hospital. Basic exams can find nothing wrong, but your instinct says otherwise. He is now booked to see a pediatric (neurosurgeon) early next month and will probably have to undergo more poking and prodding. Wanting to watch over him 24/7 is certainly not an easy thing, but we are praying all will be OK.
And now I should get back to the task at hand and see if I can get this document ready to send to the local print shop!
The weekend away is coming up fast, we will be heading out straight after work next Friday and the plan is to be as productive as possible. Stay tuned to see how that works!
Cheers
Liz
5 comments:
Hi Liz, how very worrying for you and of course Noah's Mum and Dad. Poor wee thing, fingers crossed they get to the bottom of it and he's soon his usual self again. I'll be thinking of you all. Writing seems to be coming on fine and Im sure you'll have a great time away with Pam, not too many bottles of wine please, you're there to write and revise, take care, love R x
Hi Rosemary
Thanks for your thoughts about Noah...I've just finished making a blog site for updates about him, but want his mum to have a look first and if she likes it, then I'll provide a link.
I picked up two copies of our first draft of Madelaine from the print shop this afternoon - exciting! Although they are meant to be marked up and added to, it just means we are getting CLOSE to finishing, whoopee!!!
And so maybe we should save the extra wine for when we can celebrate!
Take care
Love
Liz
Hi Liz,
sorry about your little one. I'm sure I've read of some sort of monitor they can wear that gives a loud noise any time he might not breath right? Takes the pressure off a bit. Also that it's something they grow out of, will look it up (but I'm sure you're on that yourself of course).
What's the Point of View thing? Don't get it, please explain. Give a wee workshop ;)
Caroline
Hi Caroline
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you...I've been enjoying a mini-vacation away and have just returned. Oh, by the way congratulations on the new member of your family...Pam shared a photo, she is adorable!
Yes, I believe there is a monitor available which could be used for Noah, but I guess they feel comfortable enough without one for now. I'm hoping it may be something he will grow out of too, as you mentioned.
And now POV - something I wasn't clear on when we began writing (maybe I shouldn't confess to that, ha ha), but I think I much better understand it now.
When you are writing, you, as author, have the ability to write your story or scene from the Point of View of a narrator, or a character in your story, but you can't really mix the two, or have one scene where you are "inside the head" of more than one character at a time.
Example, if we have a scene with Maddy and Brian, we need to decide whose point of view we are working from, if it is Maddy, then we see, hear, feel, experience everything that Maddy does - and we can be privy to her thoughts. We can't know what Brian is thinking, or feeling, other than to surmise from clues which Maddy sees.
You can flip from narrator point of view, to differenct characters, scene to scene, but have to keep them separate within a scene and strive for consistency.
This isn't something I was consciously aware of, but better late than after we are all ready to submit to a publisher and reveal ourselves as rank amateurs!
One of the best explanations of Point of View I found, is at this web site - http://www.sfwriter.com/ow07.htm
He really put it into terms I could understand, and so now when we start our revisions, this will be an uppermost point to keep in mind.
Hope that helps a bit?
Cheers
Liz
Thanks for explaining pov to me, I read the link you sent too. Gets all too complicated doesn't it? hahaha, good luck with that one, if I spot anything in the books I'll let you know in case you miss it but I doubt I'll notice.
The dog is gorgeous yes :)
Caroline
Post a Comment