No worries, I’ve expanded on this in my reply to your question. Yep, I didn’t see this reply either. LOL

The revised plot came from a number of conversations with my coauthor, which were pretty much verbal brainstorming sessions. While initial idea, as I think I’ve said, was great, it was lacking a conflict. Over time as we’ve chatted we’ve decided on that element and developed it to the point that it’s really clear for both of us. While the early conversations weren’t recorded or documented, those since we really started concentrating on it have been.

The unplanned chapters have been spontaneous and have been written because they just flow. So that part at least has been near “word puke” as Shanan puts it. Those have been the ones that have needed more editing, but because of our collaborative approach it’s better for us to both be very happy with what’s written before moving on.

With regard to chapter titles, because the work is still so fluid and free flowing, in spite of being plotted as it has, we’re deliberately not titling before writing, in case the point of the title doesn’t actually happen in that chapter. That said, there are some chapters that will be brought in from the original manuscript, edited and added to, that we might feel able to title straight off, because those chapters don’t need as much work and their original title remains valid.

lol, Hey I got my answer from my question above. All I had to do is read… =)

I got a question for you Em. Where do the revised plots or unplanned chapters come from? Do they originate from a spontaneous approach? From Collaboration? It is an interesting thought to write something and then name what it is rather than title something and write to it. When I think about it, I wait to title my songs and my poems till after I have finished writing them. The title becomes more from how the over-all piece makes me feel, where as, due to the nature of my topical or compartmentalized writing style, I find outlining with titles more helpful to organize my thoughts.

Yes Shanan, I kind of botch my explanation a bit. The paragraph I write isn’t always the 1st paragraph of that chapter, but rather the key paragraph or sentence of the chapter. As I am mentally thinking through the flow of the book at this point in the process, the titles help bring organization to my thoughts while the paragraph or sentence lets me capture the urgency of my swirling thoughts. It gives me permission to let it go knowing that I have captured the essence of that key thought. Now I can turn my attention to other matters and when I return to this point, I will have something more than a blank canvas staring back at me. It is a thought push so that my mind can swing =)

That’s a really interesting idea, Richard! One question – do you think one paragraph is always enough to anchor you mentally while you write the chapter? Just curious.

That’s great Richard! The one thing I’m not doing at this point and will be added during the final phase, is adding the chapter titles. Kinda ironic, but hey ho, we all have our quirks lol. Further to my comment on my own post, during the plotting phase this time, I’ve pasted in the original work to where we see them in the new chapters, adding in some editorial notes. That way, a chunk of the chapter, or at least a guide, is already in place. Having said that, a number of the new chapters have been totally unplanned and we’ve just run with them because we’re now so familiar with the revised plot and indeed the characters. When that happens, we take what was already pasted in to that chapter and move it to the next, bumping the others in turn.

Thanks Shanan! I’m working on the novel with a coauthor and while we just ran with it the first time around, and were really happy with it, due to work commitments we both had to take 9 months away from it. When we went back a couple month ago we decided to change the plot a bit and in effect do a rewrite. We are keeping the original for the most part, with some major editing and enhancing, then filling in the considerable gaps. We’ve both become much more methodical this time around and write as we do, as described in my original comment, to ensure that we’re both happy with it, and in effect ‘sign off’ on each chapter