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- Try varying the perspective. Is it in first? Try third. Is it past tense? Try present. Try something totally out there for you, this is the right time to do it! No one needs to see it but you, though you never know what you'll find works.
- Try varying the tone. C. Lee McKenzie had a great post on tone. What feel are you going for? Is it too light for the situation? Too dark? Try playing with the setting and word choices to alter this. But remember to make it consistent in the finished product.
- Try varying the story. If you're a plotter this might make you uncomfortable. But that's a good thing! Throw something in there that neither you or your character were expecting and see what happens. At the very least it will tell you something about your character you might not have realized. Best case? It makes the book better!
Have any other ways you like to play with first drafts? Share!
Great ideas Lisa. I'll have to try them, especially #3.
ReplyDeleteOoh, playing with tone. Nice technique. I missed C.Lee's post on that. Have to find it. Thanks for sharing your suggestions!
ReplyDeleteTone is such a great thing to play with, but I love all your suggestions. And varying the story just comes naturally. Characters all always doing something I didn't plan them to :D. Mutinies r' us.
ReplyDeleteHave a great week, Lisa
Martina
Great tips! I'm not nano-ing but have toyed with the idea of changing POV and tense in my current MS.
ReplyDeleteI like to play with different genres. But of course, then I end up with books in different genres, and we'll see how THAT plays out... :D Good luck with Nano! <3
ReplyDeleteWith the first draft i try to focus on finishing and nothing else. Girt my teeth and type.
ReplyDeletemood
Moody Writing
I'm not doing NaNo this year, but I'm going to have to remember these suggestions the next time I attempt it. All the times I tried NaNo in the past, I always seemed to give up after just a couple weeks, so I imagine changing some things up would help keep the first draft alive!
ReplyDeleteGood ideas! When I'm stuck, i like to step away from it. Take a walk, take a shower, or watch a movie. Ideas come to me when I least expect them!
ReplyDeleteThis is the third rough draft in a row that I started in third person and then randomly (and unconsciously) switched to first person in the middle of a scene or conversation. I think my sub-conscious is trying to tell me something! And, yes. NaNo is definitely a good time to play around with things you might not normally try :)
ReplyDeleteAll great suggestions, Lisa. I especially like playing with the POV. For me, it usually means I need to get into a deeper or more interesting POV.
ReplyDelete--Susan
Spicy suggestions. I love messing with POV. It's my form of zombie brain eating.
ReplyDeleteI agree with sll of the above, then I sometimes wad that draft into little balls and juggle. Great cardio and often the brain softens enough to actually write again.
ReplyDeleteHappy NaNoing!