Good Prose, Bad Structure
I have a problem1. I am a discovery writer2, meaning when I write I usually do so without a big plan or outline, so my first drafts are often huge messes. Plotlines go nowhere. Characters grow inexplicably. When I have ideas for something that will make it better, I don't go back to make the change, I will just continue writing as if the change has already been made. Structure signposts are nowhere near where they need to be. Pacing is all over the place. It's just a mess. This makes it really difficult to revise, because often times I need to start from scratch.
BUT--and this is the big problem--I am pretty good at writing prose in my first draft. So while the structure is chaos, the prose itself is pretty good. Which also makes it hard to revise.
Last week I started reading my 2023 November novel, to see about revisiting it to remove a major element, and found I just really like my own writing. (Not actually surprising, I feel this way with most of my projects between 2019 and today) Which makes me think of all the writing advice essays and columns that say thinks like "you won't like your writing, you'll think it's garbage, but push through anyway". And I have to wonder, am I being egotistical by enjoying my first draft writing? Sure, the structure is bad, but the prose? Some if it is really nice.
That makes it difficult to really get into revision, because I get sucked into reading as a reader not as a writer or editor, and then I reach the end3 and haven't taken notes and still don't have a clear idea of the structural changes that need to happen.
This, I think, is the biggest obstacle to my publishing dream.
Thoughts to share? I have a contact page now!
I mean, I have a lot of problems, as does everyone, but let's not think about that right now.↩
Also called a "pantser", as in "writing by the seat of your pants". Which is a term I'm not as fond of now as I was 5-10 years ago.↩
And by "end" 75% of the time I mean "where I stopped writing" because I'm bad at finishing things. Which I hit this point while reading, I always get mad at myself, the writer, because I, the reader want to know what happens next.↩