My Writing Process: An Example
Jun. 20th, 2003 10:11 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
butterflyI feel all chatty tonight. So, y'all get subjected to be yattering on about writing and suchlike.
When I started that most recent drabble set, it was entitled Sins and featured Angel/Wes, Lilah, Gunn, and Connor. Once I started thinking up sub-titles, my characters started changing. Cordy replaced Gunn. The entire focus of the piece changed. I changed the main title to Passions and started retitling with that in mind.
Then, I started writing the last one, and I realized that I wanted Fred in there. I'd referenced her in one of the earlier pieces, but she'd never been center stage.
Once Fred was in, my ideas shifted again. Malcontent was written and I had my end point. Watchful came next, and that gave me my timeline: this is set a little later, but still the same day as the drabble set before it. It also further establish Cordelia's character, which should be important later on. Assumptions started out as a variety of ways to say Envy and it wasn't until I wrote "I've been underestimating him" that Assumptions snapped into place. And Assumptions guided Craving because it let me know something about Angel's behavior. This made Craving easier to write (and that title stayed from the very beginning).
After those were written, Snapshot came to mind as an overall title. They still haven't truly collided. This is, in a way, the calm before the storm. Of course, I have no clue how the storm will come.
Each drabble was rewritten several times. Every drabble that I write is exactly 100 words. While I don't always hold others to the same standard, for my own work, a drabble isn't a drabble unless it's 100 words. Which means that some phrases have to change because there isn't enough room.
My purpose in writing these drabbles is three-fold:
1) To explore and establish character voice.
2) To challenge myself by keeping to the limit of 100 words.
3) Because it's a lot of fun to do.
Being able to use the 'naked Angel' icon is just a bonus.
When I started that most recent drabble set, it was entitled Sins and featured Angel/Wes, Lilah, Gunn, and Connor. Once I started thinking up sub-titles, my characters started changing. Cordy replaced Gunn. The entire focus of the piece changed. I changed the main title to Passions and started retitling with that in mind.
Then, I started writing the last one, and I realized that I wanted Fred in there. I'd referenced her in one of the earlier pieces, but she'd never been center stage.
Once Fred was in, my ideas shifted again. Malcontent was written and I had my end point. Watchful came next, and that gave me my timeline: this is set a little later, but still the same day as the drabble set before it. It also further establish Cordelia's character, which should be important later on. Assumptions started out as a variety of ways to say Envy and it wasn't until I wrote "I've been underestimating him" that Assumptions snapped into place. And Assumptions guided Craving because it let me know something about Angel's behavior. This made Craving easier to write (and that title stayed from the very beginning).
After those were written, Snapshot came to mind as an overall title. They still haven't truly collided. This is, in a way, the calm before the storm. Of course, I have no clue how the storm will come.
Each drabble was rewritten several times. Every drabble that I write is exactly 100 words. While I don't always hold others to the same standard, for my own work, a drabble isn't a drabble unless it's 100 words. Which means that some phrases have to change because there isn't enough room.
My purpose in writing these drabbles is three-fold:
1) To explore and establish character voice.
2) To challenge myself by keeping to the limit of 100 words.
3) Because it's a lot of fun to do.
Being able to use the 'naked Angel' icon is just a bonus.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2003-06-20 10:29 pm (UTC)Bwah. I love you!
*grins*
Date: 2003-06-20 10:33 pm (UTC)And it's always the things that take me the least time to think up that are the funniest. Seriously, I thought of that just before I posted and quickly added it. Purely an off-the-cuff remark.
Also, I love your icon. Glowy, magic balls! Whee!
(no subject)
Date: 2003-06-20 10:33 pm (UTC)Re:
Date: 2003-06-20 10:34 pm (UTC)