{"id":558,"date":"2014-07-28T12:49:16","date_gmt":"2014-07-28T17:49:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ellismorning.com\/blog\/?p=558"},"modified":"2014-07-28T12:53:06","modified_gmt":"2014-07-28T17:53:06","slug":"the-rapid-prototype-model-of-drafting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ellismorning.com\/blog\/2014\/07\/the-rapid-prototype-model-of-drafting\/","title":{"rendered":"The Rapid Prototype Model of Drafting"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"masonry\"<\/a>(Image credit: Imagebase.net<\/a>)<\/small><\/em><\/p>\n

When most people think of “editing,” they think of reclining on the couch with a printout, red pen in hand, making tiny, gentle corrections in the space of an afternoon.\u00a0 Probably followed by a cookie and a well-earned nap.<\/p>\n

With a novel-length work, though, editing is a complicated slog.\u00a0 You take out extraneous words, and collapse chapters.\u00a0 You add words where they’re lacking, and split chapters.\u00a0 You say, “holy crap, this character would NEVER do\/say that!”\u00a0 You rediscover plot details you totally meant to weave into the larger work, but never did.<\/p>\n

Whatever changes you make, you have to ensure everything<\/em> preceding and following is consistent.\u00a0 For instance, if I decide my character doesn’t curse after all, I have to review all of her dialogue<\/em>, across hundreds of pages, to take out every errant naughty word.<\/p>\n

These changes snowball until the chapters toward the end have no relation to the chapters you’ve already gone over.\u00a0 They might as well be from another book, or alternate plane of existence.\u00a0 With the entire back third of my novel in progress<\/a>, I haven’t been editing- I’ve been writing from scratch!\u00a0 (It’s for the best, trust me.)<\/p>\n

I’m still mostly adhering to my one chapter a week “editing” schedule, though.\u00a0 How?\u00a0 Here’s my process:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Outline the chapter at a very high level- the scenes it will contain and the big events that will happen.\u00a0 (ex.\u00a0 Vlad the Decimator reaches the Hall of Math, saves it from destruction.<\/em>)<\/li>\n
  2. Write a terse draft.\u00a0 Expand\/collapse the outline at will- anything goes- but I only let myself work on this draft for a few days.\u00a0 It’s absolutely not<\/em> richly detailed or nicely worded by the time I’m done.\u00a0 It’s more a suggestion of where I could<\/em> go with it.<\/li>\n
  3. Get feedback from my spouse.\u00a0 Is this a good approach, or should I try something else?\u00a0 What should there be more\/less of?\u00a0 Are the characters’ actions consistent and reasonable for the situation\/state of mind they’re in?<\/li>\n
  4. Spend a few days expanding and refining the draft with the suggested changes.<\/li>\n
  5. GOOD ENOUGH. NEXT CHAPTER.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    It’s similar to the rapid prototype model of software development, wherein you hack out a rudimentary program to start, then hone it with continual rounds of user testing and feedback.\u00a0 You don’t spend too much time on the prototype, because you don’t know what might get the bum’s rush.<\/p>\n

    I don’t have time for zillions of feedback rounds at this point, or making the prose beautiful.\u00a0 I’m more concerned with solidifying the big plot and character events.\u00a0 In September, I’ll be working with a professional editor to give the manuscript some real spit-polish.<\/p>\n

    Is this the way all first-drafting should work?\u00a0 Absolutely not!\u00a0 As with software development, different design methods work best for different situations. I find this method good for:<\/p>\n