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Getting Through It

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lauragill
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Getting Through It

Post by lauragill » Fri April 27th, 2012, 10:41 pm

Getting through Orestes: The High King is going to be a challenge, because it covers 50 years and is going to be a monster of a book. Right now, I'm 41k into the first draft, and still in Part 1. Need a bit of interaction with my fellow historical writers.

1. Have noticed that I dislike writing ceremonies and pageantry. Decorated chariots: check! Fragrant garlands: check! Cue the parade of dead Homeric cows: check! Honor multiple gods and goddesses: check!

2. Orestes and Menelaus have a great deal to say to each other. Too much, I think.

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fljustice
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Post by fljustice » Sat April 28th, 2012, 5:14 pm

My first drafts are usually very "white room" with lots of ink devoted to action and dialog. I frequently insert "{mourning scene/parade/harbor description, etc.}" and go back later to fill in. Everyone has there own process, but when the muse is with me, I have little patience for description.

Good luck with the draft. Also bought your first Orestes book at Smashwords. Looking forward to it!
Faith L. Justice, Author Website
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lauragill
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Post by lauragill » Sun April 29th, 2012, 1:15 am

[quote=""fljustice""]My first drafts are usually very "white room" with lots of ink devoted to action and dialog. I frequently insert "{mourning scene/parade/harbor description, etc.}" and go back later to fill in. Everyone has there own process, but when the muse is with me, I have little patience for description.

Good luck with the draft. Also bought your first Orestes book at Smashwords. Looking forward to it![/quote]

Hope you like it!

I've tried glossing over such scenes, and coming back to them, but important plot points often find their way into those ceremonies, pageants, etc.

A few days ago, I was writing a scene where Orestes and Menelaus are watching an athletic contest, and Menelaus starts reminiscing about how Agamemnon was such a great javelin champion, etc. And I suddenly realized how his character dwells in the past, and how annoying that might be to a young man like Orestes. I had to slog through a pageant just to discover that, and begin to explore how those feelings might shape the relationship.

It's only later that I get to trim away the fat of those scenes.

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