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Writing: A Dilemma

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    Since July I’ve been diligently working on a rough draft of my story, having got significantly far into the plot (Right now I’m at 124 pages on Word). Perhaps 45% through, disregarding all the crap that’s wedged in there as well.

    However, due to some gross oversight or other, I now realize that a pretty significant portion of my plot is all wrong. (As in, I’m writing about a revolution, but right now, it’s just about the most stupid, unrealistic revolution you’re ever going to get.)

    Now, I know that this is my own fault for not completely researching everything before I dove into writing, but now I’m not sure whether I should keep plugging along with what I have and change everything later, or start completely over again. (Keep in mind that getting significantly far in a story is not a common occurence for me, and I really don’t have much time to write during the school year)

    On one hand, I shudder at thinking how I could completely recalibrate a completely wrong rough draft, but on the other hand, I’m not sure whether I would ever finish a completely new draft. I would appreciate some advice from you guys. Thanks!

  2.  

    If I were you, I’d just start all over again. That way, you can get rid of the unrealistic stuff while editing as well. Also, it’s a bit more daunting to write the whole thing and then rewrite it, so I’d say just go for it and rewrite the whole thing now.

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      CommentAuthorTakuGifian
    • CommentTimeSep 13th 2009
     

    I’d say start again, too.

    After all, you have a lifetime to perfect your work, but only once will you publish your debut novel.

    The number of times I’ve completely scrapped my plot and started again… granted, they weren’t 124 pages in to it, but still. I also think if you try to change the details later it’s going to really mess you up. Especially if the change is significant.

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      CommentAuthorSpanman
    • CommentTimeSep 13th 2009
     

    Yeah, it would probably be best to start over. For me, the moment I’m unsatisfied with the plot of a story I’ve written, my inspiration for continuing said story nosedives. Never a good thing.

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    Oh, actually, there was this one story I was working on and I decided that it was turning out to be horrible. So, I continued writing it, thinking I’d go over it and fix the horribleness at some other time. I never really got around to doing that… So yes, start over.

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    sigh I think you guys are right too.

    I suppose I could always copy+paste sections from the other draft that still work into the new story.

    • CommentAuthorMorvius
    • CommentTimeSep 13th 2009 edited
     
    I have no time to write anything! The ideas are all floating around in my head though... Argh, school.
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      CommentAuthorJeni
    • CommentTimeSep 13th 2009
     

    I suppose I could always copy+paste sections from the other draft that still work into the new story.

    That’s what I do. When I realise something is truly appalling in an essay, I start over. But, I keep the old one next to it to glance at and pick and choose the bits I like and want to keep. So don’t disregard all you’ve written, you might find it comes in handy.

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    Ok. I guess I’ll start over then…it’s better to start over than have a whole mound of crap, right? (Well, I’ll be keeping the stack of crap, it just won’t be my primary stack of crap, is all)

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      CommentAuthorPuppet
    • CommentTimeSep 13th 2009
     

    I suppose I could always copy+paste sections from the other draft that still work into the new story.

    That’s what I do. When I realise something is truly appalling in an essay, I start over. But, I keep the old one next to it to glance at and pick and choose the bits I like and want to keep. So don’t disregard all you’ve written, you might find it comes in handy.

    Same.

    Ok. I guess I’ll start over then…it’s better to start over than have a whole mound of crap, right? (Well, I’ll be keeping the stack of crap, it just won’t be my primary stack of crap, is all)

    I started over, worked great for me. :P

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    Make sure to go over it thoroughly to see if you hit on any particularly good sentences/ideas/etc that you’d want to salvage before you restart, IMO.

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    So reread before I restart? Noted. The old draft’s going to be around anyway. I can always go back and refer to it.

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      CommentAuthorTakuGifian
    • CommentTimeSep 13th 2009
     

    Also, never ever throw out your old drafts. Ever.

    You never know when they might become re-salvageable (or priceless…).

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    I’m not throwing away anything. I worked too hard on that sucky draft for it to go in the trashbin.

    •  
      CommentAuthorswenson
    • CommentTimeSep 13th 2009
     

    Thanks everyone… I’ve actually struggled with this exact dilemma for a while over a half-finished draft of a story of mine. I’ve been leaning towards abandoning it and starting afresh, but this helped me make that final decision. Seriously, you guys, thanks!!

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    Glad to be of some help…and thanks to the rest of you guys for being, well, helpful.

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    I’m doing the exact same thing. I had 41 pages, and only about ten pages will be necessary. But then again, I sort of didn’t have a plot, just a few events that I wanted to have happen anywhere, anytime. Not that great. I’ve just printed out all my old draft etc so I have a hard copy. I hate totally scrapping anything.

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    Plus, I’m super slow at writing things, so 124 pages was a big deal for me.

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      CommentAuthorTakuGifian
    • CommentTimeSep 14th 2009
     

    Just a thought…

    why are we all counting by pages? After all fonts and margins change (a lesson well learned, thank you Ms. Tesch), as does page size.

    Not that I can talk, because I’m just over 3000 words, still... University doesn’t leave me much time for my own work.

  20.  

    Okay, okay. 13000 words. Ya happy? (pages sound more impressive)

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    I think I was counting by pages when I first started, until I looked up average novel lengths and found out books aren’t measured that way.

    Words sound more impressive to me, though, just for the number sizes. 90,000 looks like more than… 370-something or whatever that translates into.

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    I guess. But you can’t translate that into pages. 90 000 is more abstract than saying 30 pages.

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    I’ve read that the general rule of thumb is ~250 word per page on average in print, although opinions vary.

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    I’ve read that too, but the writer went on to say that it’s not very accurate.

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    I’m not using size 20 font, you know.

    Word Count: 54,194. Counting all the crap that’s in there and asterisks for PoV divides.

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    Good on you, Snowie!

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      CommentAuthorPuppet
    • CommentTimeSep 14th 2009
     

    I had 50,000 words exactly, and my page count was around 130-150.

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    Good on you, Snowie!

    Unfortunately, that’s the draft I’m setting aside. :(

    My shiny new draft has a grand total of…

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      CommentAuthorPuppet
    • CommentTimeSep 14th 2009
     

    2 pages.

    ...Same… :P

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    I’m not using size 20 font, you know.

    Well, there are lots of other variables too, like how you go about dividing everything up, if you use justified margins, etc.

  31.  

    Ah. I just split into a new PoV whenever I felt like it.

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    Aww, guys. If it makes you feel any better, my 41 pages meant a lot to me, too.

    But, hey. At least you know you can write that much. You do it once, you can do it again.

    Are you sure this isn’t a situation where you can say, “Okay, so I’ll just carry on as though I’ve already written the way I want it to go?”

    (does that last sentence make sense)

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    It’s like writing Pride and Prejudice without any knowledge of the British upper-class at that time period. So, no.

    Unfortunately.

  34.  

    Oh, so it’s like,

    “Duh, mum” said Lizzy. “I was thinking of taking a crew down to Liverpool to play basketball.” She adjusted her toga and flounced out of the room.

  35.  

    Ok, bad example.

    It’s just that there’s a revolution, and I was supposed to be building it up the entire time, except now I see that this revolution is the stupidest one ever. The king’s been pulling a Galbatorix (he just never showed up for one reason or other) and everything’s all unrealistic and messed up.

  36.  

    Fair enough.

    I really just wanted to write Elizabeth Bennet in a toga-wearing basketball team…

  37.  

    It’s okay; I laughed. Then again, if I wasn’t supposed to, then…

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