Layering

The downside to “dream writing” is that I have to do more revising as I write than I normally do.

When I see the story in my head from start to finish, then I can spend time to build the details in my mind.  I don’t have to backtrack as much, because I already know the main thoroughfare to “the end.”  Revision, then, is a pass straight through the story, start to end, where I smooth.  I might shift things around a little, but the roadmap is already pretty clear in my mind.

When I dream a scene, I can see it clearly, but I may not see much further.  Then the next night, I dream another scene, and another, and it’s going so great, and I’m so excited…

Then I’m cooking dinner and I think, OH.  I should totally have Jesse give her a birthday card.  That would be perfect, because Elias forgot her birthday entirely.  It will become another little detail, notes and special things that only Jesse does that will add personality and depth to the story.

Great idea, right?  Except the whole birthday card element made me go back to the opening scene in chapter one and revise it.  I had to lay down that thread, and bring it through to chapter two, where the ouch element slapped Elias up side the head.  This kind of detail will affect the plot too much for me to leave it to later.  It had to be revised.  Now.

6600+ words this week as the story unfolds.  I’ll probably share a snippet on Friday.