Well, revisions are when you want to fill in the gaps that make the story jump forward faster than it should. You're going to have to find all of them, including the ones that you didn't leave on purpose.
You know that fast read I mentioned for Flow? Well, this is also sort of a flow issue too. Missing scenes interrupt the flow, so they're actually easier to feel than the other flow problems. So when you're doing a fast read, make note of the missing scenes as you go.
But do NOT stop reading to insert the scenes, because you'll just be interrupting yourself.
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Look Out for These:
1) Scenes you left open for some reason, meaning to get back to it later.
2) Areas in the story where it feels as if part of the story is missing.
3) Moments that are summarized in a scene, but that feel as if they should be expanded to do justice to the story.
How do you spot the gaps in your story?
Great topic, Misha!
ReplyDeleteMy jumps in flow are usually unintentional, caused by writing consecutive scenes at different times.
Thanks for visiting and commenting on my blog for the A-to-Z! I really like your blog and am a new follower. ;^)
I am queen of jumps LOL! My current WIP is actually in reasonably good shape, and I have been quite good at filling the gaps I've left. Most of the gaps I have are usually because my fingers are trying to get the ideas down before my brain has fully thought them through!
ReplyDeleteI don't think I consciously do jumps. They happen when I've left the manuscript for a while and take it up again (like having to concentrate on April's A-Z) then I notice them and they're often BIG jumps....But I'll probably go back to them only on my first re-read.
ReplyDeleteI am learning so much here. Thanks. I would like to branch out and do more than poetry and short stuff, but it seems so overwhelming. After these tips I'll have more to go on to help me brave the deeper waters!
ReplyDeleteIf you want to read a crash course in writing, I strongly suggest you check out AtoZ from last year. My entries were all about writing, as supposed to editing and revision.
DeleteGood luck with your writing!
Writing a story in sections or jumping over parts to get at other parts never occurs to me. I start at the beginning and write till the story ends. It isn't that I don't have ideas ahead of time about where I'd like the story to go, but such ideas are akin, for me, to looking at a map and picking out a destination I have never been to before. Until I actually get on the road and begin the journey I have no real idea what the experience is actually going to be. For the most part when I sit down and begin writing the first draft the story just happens and the flow is an uninterrupted series of events, actions, reactions and dialogue that are completely knew to me as they appear on the paper or the screen.
ReplyDeleteI jump about as I write. So often I notice that I have big jumps. However for me I've often noticed that my jumps are because I'm missing something in my plot, so I have to go back and figure out how to fix it.
ReplyDeleteI read the story out loud. You can hear the gaps or see the typos as you read. If something is left unsaid or untied, I go back and look into it to make sure there is nothing missing.
ReplyDeleteI feel truly fortunate that I found two amazing beta readers that can help me with this. I'm too close to my own manuscript to be able to spot flow issues.
ReplyDeleteYour advice is really helpful. Thanks for doing this.
ReplyDeleteLuna
Great advice. When I find a prob. I'll pop in a string of bullet points in another color as a flag what to return to later.
ReplyDeleteI do major jumping when I write. It helps on the days that I just don't feel like I have it in me. I pump myself up by committing to write one of my major plot point scenes. I also summarize some when I get too frustrated trying to perfect a scene in a first draft. So, I jot down a scene summary with a notation to come back to it. I go back and finish all of my jumped scenes so that I have a completed manuscript before I begin revisions.
ReplyDeleteExcellent post.
Only once have I added a scene later, and that was at the request of my publisher. Otherwise, it's all there - bare bones in need of flesh!
ReplyDeleteI read my writing aloud - if it sounds artificial or stilted I change it. Gaps appear as if by magic:-) I note them then go back to 'fill in.'
ReplyDeleteFantasic reminder. I usually at least sketch out any "gaps" I know I need to fill in later...that way I don't forget to return to those scenes.
ReplyDeleteI definitely jump around a lot when I write. That's probably not the best but you do what ya gotta do.
ReplyDeleteGreat post and happy A-Z blogging!
I recently got stuck in this one section where I couldn't figure out what was supposed to happen in that scene. So I skipped it, and I've been happily writing on. If it's necessary, I'll add it back in later. If not, then I saved a lot of trouble writing it. :)
ReplyDeleteUsually if a a scene moves too quickly or the emotion doesn't feel right, then I know I've underwritten or left gaps.
ReplyDeleteFantastic advice :) Thanks. Very timely.
ReplyDeleteVery good advice. Thank you! And the list on the right side of your blog makes it easy for reference.
ReplyDeleteGreat tips and good advice! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI read this advice once, I think it is from Cory Doctorow: whenever you have some
ReplyDeletepoint in the story where you need to research or are stuck, mark it with TK. There are very few words in the English language with TK in them. I use it now and when I am done with the first draft I first go find all the TK's and only after fishing those out, I edit. Saves a lot of time!
Great advice, Misha!!
ReplyDeleteMy wip is merely a series of scenes so widely dispersed I havnt had the motivation to actually go back and connect them, I need to confront those voids in between!
ReplyDeleteIt's so easy to miss the gaps, or to leave yourself a note to go back to the gap when you are so involved with the reading.
ReplyDeleteI do this all the time! And now I've got so many gaps to fill in, on this round of edits.
ReplyDeleteWow thats a great blog... keep it up... i really liked the ending part, quite effective
ReplyDelete