Shamless Promoting!

I have been busy getting the fourth book in my Vespian Way Series promoted as much as I can and tomorrow I will be blogging at Romance Lives Forever. They interviewed me giving me a fun series of questions to answer. Please stop on by!!
http://romancelivesforever.blogspot.com/2012/10/futuristic-unwanted-desire-barbbradley.html

Writing Down the Bones: How does the scene flow?

Now I'm going to go into a little more detail on how to flesh out those scenes. We all do it differently. My techniques might make you laugh.

As I edit I look at several things to be sure it flows. I ask myself  does the dialogue move along nicely or does it seem choppy? Does it make sense as I read it or did I leave something out? Is there enough detail? Can you tell where they are? do I need to add more description? What they are doing? Is it nothing but talking heads or do I show them in action as they talk? Is it consistent?' You sure don't want them standing one minute then a couple paragraphs later have them stand up.

As I work my way through the my work in progress these type of questions float in the back of my mind. I have found if I rush it by trying to do my edits all in one run I make myself crazy and it takes too long.  So I layer it. I'll go through and fix what really jumps out at me. Then let it sit for a few days then go back through it again. I know it sounds like a lot of work but it works for me.

That is what every writer needs to do. Find the method that works for them. I learned the rules we're taught don't always work for everyone. Do what works for you.

Next step of writing: Fleshing out those bones

So now you have the bones. The rough draft is done and you now have to go through it and make it shine. Where to start? I'd recommend you start where you feel drawn to. I normally read through the manuscript to see where I'm weak but I can't help but make corrections as I go through. I ask myself questions:

Does the scene flow?
Does it move the plot forward?
Does the dialog make sense?
Is there enough description or too much talking heads?
Does each scene end with a hook?

I might go through my manuscript three or four times to catch it all. Now I feel I need to explain this. I did try to cut down the amounts of edits needed but found that didn't work for me.  I need to do this in stages to get the best story I can.

more writing down the bones

So my rough draft - and that is what it is - is my characters talking. I think that is why I can fly by the seat of my pants so to speak. Dialogue is very easy for me so that is what I start with. My characters talk and I listen to them. They sometimes know the plot better than I do. It's uncanny how I can write, knowing my beginning and my end but the middle part will be murky yet I always get where I want to go and have never had to throw out anything. I've had to rewrite scenes in a major way once that draft is written or moved a few scenes around but for the most part my stories just flow.

I don't worry about if I used the perfect word, or if I have fleshed out the scene enough. I have time to worry about that later. That's for my revisions or edits. Right now I'm letting everything flow. I know the beginning of my story and the end of my story. It's the middle that might be a bit murky and that is where the fun is for me. My characters know where the story is going to go as well as I do and we go on a grand adventure to get to the end.

Blogging today!

Shamless promoting...I'm blogging at Lily Sawyers blogspot - please come by and say hi!!!

http://lilysawyerbooks.blogspot.com/2012/10/welcome-guest-author-barbara-donlon.html