Writing
I am currently writing book six in the Viking series "Sverdkvinnens Ætt”. And I thought I’d share some thoughts with you on writing.
This book has been a work in progress for a long time now, as they always are when it comes to the time when I actually put my fingers on the keyboard and start typing. At the moment I have a very clear idea about what’s going to happen in book seven and eight, and a more vague idea about what’s going to happen in book nine, but I have faith that this will come to me eventually, as it has with all the other books. It’s been many months since the first time I thought about book six, that was when I was planning out the whole series of books, and jotted down a few details for each book. Since then some things have changed, but my newest synopsis for the series still have things in common with the first synopsis.
I will admit, it is always a bit daunting sitting down by my computer on that day when I have decided it is time to start writing. If I can only find those first few words, and I am happy with those words, then I know that this will be another story that I can be happy with. Some times it takes a bit longer for that day to arrive when I can write the first words of a new book. I try not to stress about it. That just means that I need more time to prepare the story in my head. Because, when I sit down to write, I do know a lot of details about the story – and I also know that other details will come as a surprise to even me when I am in the process of writing. Some things just turn up, and pour out of my fingers almost without my brain noticing. It probably sounds silly, but that truly is how it feels sometimes. I’m surprised by the turn of events in my stories.
I did struggle with book 6 for a couple of days before I got to the stage where I could finally write those first 1500 words. One evening I realized it was because something was lacking from the story, and once that thought was in my head, a new development for the story soon came to me, and that’s also when I knew where the story would begin.
So, in the last couple of days I’ve been writing. On the first day I never write many words, probably 1000 – 1500, but when I am deep into the writing process I will on average write about 10 000 words a day. I am a very fast typist, and as I said, when I finally sit down to write I have given the story much thought. I have spent a lot of time jotting down details, and I have now also drawn three maps of the three places that will be involved in this book. On the maps I’ve drawn up buildings, and put the names of the different characters into those buildings. This helps me visualize the places they live, and hopefully makes me able to convey some of this to my readers.
I have a very good feeling about book 6 now, and I am (as always) very eager to see it through, and finally get all the details for the story myself. For example, at the moment, I don’t really know exactly where the story will end, I hardly ever know that. I have experienced some times that I think I know where the story will end, and then suddenly as I’m typing, I realize that the end is already here, that this would be just the right place to end the story.
This book has been a work in progress for a long time now, as they always are when it comes to the time when I actually put my fingers on the keyboard and start typing. At the moment I have a very clear idea about what’s going to happen in book seven and eight, and a more vague idea about what’s going to happen in book nine, but I have faith that this will come to me eventually, as it has with all the other books. It’s been many months since the first time I thought about book six, that was when I was planning out the whole series of books, and jotted down a few details for each book. Since then some things have changed, but my newest synopsis for the series still have things in common with the first synopsis.
I will admit, it is always a bit daunting sitting down by my computer on that day when I have decided it is time to start writing. If I can only find those first few words, and I am happy with those words, then I know that this will be another story that I can be happy with. Some times it takes a bit longer for that day to arrive when I can write the first words of a new book. I try not to stress about it. That just means that I need more time to prepare the story in my head. Because, when I sit down to write, I do know a lot of details about the story – and I also know that other details will come as a surprise to even me when I am in the process of writing. Some things just turn up, and pour out of my fingers almost without my brain noticing. It probably sounds silly, but that truly is how it feels sometimes. I’m surprised by the turn of events in my stories.
I did struggle with book 6 for a couple of days before I got to the stage where I could finally write those first 1500 words. One evening I realized it was because something was lacking from the story, and once that thought was in my head, a new development for the story soon came to me, and that’s also when I knew where the story would begin.
So, in the last couple of days I’ve been writing. On the first day I never write many words, probably 1000 – 1500, but when I am deep into the writing process I will on average write about 10 000 words a day. I am a very fast typist, and as I said, when I finally sit down to write I have given the story much thought. I have spent a lot of time jotting down details, and I have now also drawn three maps of the three places that will be involved in this book. On the maps I’ve drawn up buildings, and put the names of the different characters into those buildings. This helps me visualize the places they live, and hopefully makes me able to convey some of this to my readers.
I have a very good feeling about book 6 now, and I am (as always) very eager to see it through, and finally get all the details for the story myself. For example, at the moment, I don’t really know exactly where the story will end, I hardly ever know that. I have experienced some times that I think I know where the story will end, and then suddenly as I’m typing, I realize that the end is already here, that this would be just the right place to end the story.
posted by Lena M Bakke @ 11:42 AM
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