tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3897178701274249737.post561210342243239754..comments2023-08-02T21:10:21.457-04:00Comments on Strands of Pattern: Three Rules of Writing by Catherine McLeanJeff Hargetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14198367021884647821noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3897178701274249737.post-35739019245567456882012-10-05T22:17:40.859-04:002012-10-05T22:17:40.859-04:00I wish I could recall who said "there is no r...I wish I could recall who said "there is no right way to write, only your way." Methods may vary, but by one means or another, we get our stories drafted and polished so readers can enjoy them. <br /><br />CatherineCatherinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09966048015900583351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3897178701274249737.post-40022848312091592562012-10-05T22:07:16.219-04:002012-10-05T22:07:16.219-04:00Great analogy Jeff! And, take it from me, writing ...Great analogy Jeff! And, take it from me, writing some stories is like working with one of those all one color jigsaw puzzles! <br /><br />CatherineCatherinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09966048015900583351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3897178701274249737.post-74245074983194473612012-10-05T21:57:39.683-04:002012-10-05T21:57:39.683-04:00No problem, Jeff. I'm always glad to help you...No problem, Jeff. I'm always glad to help you and other writers and readers. - CatherineCatherinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09966048015900583351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3897178701274249737.post-63107126666806124382012-10-05T21:56:53.426-04:002012-10-05T21:56:53.426-04:00It's a thousand times harder to get new materi...It's a thousand times harder to get new material to match the pace and flow to the original narrative. That's why it's far better to overwrite and trim then to have to add. - CatherineCatherinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09966048015900583351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3897178701274249737.post-49854232111752188772012-10-05T21:52:03.378-04:002012-10-05T21:52:03.378-04:00You're very welcome. - CatherineYou're very welcome. - CatherineCatherinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09966048015900583351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3897178701274249737.post-66208155864347678512012-10-05T21:51:35.448-04:002012-10-05T21:51:35.448-04:00When I first started writing, I'd draft to abo...When I first started writing, I'd draft to about 50,000 words and then have to go back and add in, pass by pass, all the stuff I skimmed or skipped. All those elements doubled my original word count. I got tired of going through the story so many times and finally came up with a project bible that works for me. Now when I write a story it goes to 90,000 or more words, and the structural-story-character fixes amount to 3,000 to 5,000 additional words. Unfortunately, polishing still requires the same amount of passes--way too many--but the word count won't fluctuate much during that stage.<br /><br />Catherine<br />Catherinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09966048015900583351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3897178701274249737.post-2192038062555245792012-10-05T21:45:37.670-04:002012-10-05T21:45:37.670-04:00Libby, is your first draft from an outline or do y...Libby, is your first draft from an outline or do you "discover" the story that quickly?Jeff Hargetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14198367021884647821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3897178701274249737.post-41216767777203090932012-10-05T18:46:21.344-04:002012-10-05T18:46:21.344-04:00Great post. I sometimes need someone to tell me to...Great post. I sometimes need someone to tell me to cut out some stuff and make it a tighter story. Look forward to your book.Susan Gourley/Kelleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02669793865290876168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3897178701274249737.post-71755773819864422002012-10-05T10:58:54.802-04:002012-10-05T10:58:54.802-04:00Catherine, thank you so much for your great articl...Catherine, thank you so much for your great article! I appreciate your tips and insights.<br /><br />Kathy M.Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07171271956883698673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3897178701274249737.post-62364835643249504022012-10-05T10:42:27.553-04:002012-10-05T10:42:27.553-04:00Oddly enough, my first drafts are usually far shor...Oddly enough, my first drafts are usually far shorter than the final draft. I tend to focus only on what can be seen, and little else, in the first draft.Libbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14323538213636795216noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3897178701274249737.post-58244824017344561802012-10-04T23:35:10.111-04:002012-10-04T23:35:10.111-04:00More annoying than amazing, but yes, definitely! X...More annoying than amazing, but yes, definitely! XDHeather R. Holdenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04309060285955963459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3897178701274249737.post-37971437355175728512012-10-04T23:23:45.472-04:002012-10-04T23:23:45.472-04:00Catherine, sorry so late for posting a comment, bu...Catherine, sorry so late for posting a comment, but you have my sincere thanks for such a fine post!Jeff Hargetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14198367021884647821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3897178701274249737.post-74440695592286718222012-10-04T23:22:52.404-04:002012-10-04T23:22:52.404-04:00Excellent criteria! One more thing to check for n...Excellent criteria! One more thing to check for now that I'm deep into edits.Jeff Hargetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14198367021884647821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3897178701274249737.post-49414491614087254402012-10-04T23:21:46.735-04:002012-10-04T23:21:46.735-04:00Believability is a big one, for sure. People are w...Believability is a big one, for sure. People are willing to suspend their disbelief so far.Jeff Hargetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14198367021884647821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3897178701274249737.post-64672526816096312622012-10-04T23:20:38.815-04:002012-10-04T23:20:38.815-04:00I think I'm a little envious of those who need...I think I'm a little envious of those who need to add after the initial draft. I'm way too wordy.Jeff Hargetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14198367021884647821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3897178701274249737.post-89353509626689630442012-10-04T23:19:31.203-04:002012-10-04T23:19:31.203-04:00Like a jigsaw puzzle, each piece requires the othe...Like a jigsaw puzzle, each piece requires the others fit the right way in the right spot or it just doesn't come together properly.Jeff Hargetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14198367021884647821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3897178701274249737.post-51944557013281639302012-10-04T23:18:22.561-04:002012-10-04T23:18:22.561-04:00Isn't it amazing how everything can be so perf...Isn't it amazing how everything can be so perfect and one little thing be off and it pull you out of the story?Jeff Hargetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14198367021884647821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3897178701274249737.post-77492605519420011132012-10-04T18:53:29.759-04:002012-10-04T18:53:29.759-04:00Thank you! -CatherineThank you! -CatherineCatherinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09966048015900583351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3897178701274249737.post-14548831615624091782012-10-04T18:53:10.571-04:002012-10-04T18:53:10.571-04:00Thank you! -CatherineThank you! -CatherineCatherinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09966048015900583351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3897178701274249737.post-28957325758510750422012-10-04T17:44:40.580-04:002012-10-04T17:44:40.580-04:00Great post and information. Karma and Mayhem sound...Great post and information. Karma and Mayhem sounds intriguing. I've put it on my TBR list.<br /><br />Wishing you much success with your book.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08516362174886470013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3897178701274249737.post-33467833301723689532012-10-04T14:03:47.764-04:002012-10-04T14:03:47.764-04:00I have one base rule that all others feed off of. ...I have one base rule that all others feed off of. it's called Vernors Law (after Vernor Vinge - sf writer)<br /><br />All scenes need to accomplish at least 2 of 3 things:<br />1 - Provide Background Information<br />2 - Develop the Characters<br />3 - Advance the Plot<br /><br />I didn't discover this law until after my novel was published last year, so with great trepidation I re-read it from this perspective. I'm pleased to report it passed with flying colours!widdershinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04205462833259334647noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3897178701274249737.post-61664383125161238142012-10-04T12:16:54.448-04:002012-10-04T12:16:54.448-04:00I agree that it doesn't really matter if I cal...I agree that it doesn't really matter if I call them rules or you call them objectives or if others call them goals, or conventions, or patterns, or aims or whatever. (And so Maugham axiom remain true.)<br /><br />CatherineCatherinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09966048015900583351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3897178701274249737.post-68829989671258734062012-10-04T12:05:05.634-04:002012-10-04T12:05:05.634-04:00Hi, Patrick,
Smooth. Interesting word choice. I t...Hi, Patrick,<br /><br />Smooth. Interesting word choice. I think clarity smooths out writing and brevity gives sentences succinct purpose for effect and believability. Yes, there needs to be variety of sentence lengths and structures, otherwise monotony sets in. However, what the message is or what the story's narrative voice and POV-Viewpoint are have a lot more influence on the actual length of sentences, the variety of structures--and how they get strung together for clarity of purpose. That's why understanding POV-Viewpoint, really mastering it, solves 90% of the problem with show-don't-tell and a slew of other story elements.<br /><br />As to character and plot and publishable prose? That's a huge subject unto itself because it has more to do with characterization and POV-Viewpoint of the character-driven story as opposed to the narrative style of a plot-driven story that has complex conflicts and the characters are only "actors" (not puppets).<br /><br />CatherineCatherinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09966048015900583351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3897178701274249737.post-41970737796633745162012-10-04T10:48:48.127-04:002012-10-04T10:48:48.127-04:00Great post Catherine. Congrats on your upcoming re...Great post Catherine. Congrats on your upcoming release :)Mandi Caseyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10555908981323865837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3897178701274249737.post-89106098459884795962012-10-04T09:26:55.802-04:002012-10-04T09:26:55.802-04:00Excellent post! What are my three rules for writin...Excellent post! What are my three rules for writing? Keep an English dictionary close would be the first one. Believability the second, sure. As for the third, considering all the things I need to do to write in a foreign language about a foreign country with first time genre... Patience. A LOT of patience.Al Diazhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08107619009321980764noreply@blogger.com