I have a question to all of you that have read my opening scene of "Olympus Uprising". It currently has a little over a 12k word count. It's getting pretty close to the end, but it's going well.
Should I get rid of it and start where my MC is sacrificing the deer to Artemis, to get to the hook faster?
It has been bugging me for a while. Let me know.
Thanks
-Monolith-
Posted by Kickle (Member # 1934) on :
Why not post the alternate beginning on F&F? Sometimes it is hard to know exactly what the beginning needs to show until you are at the end. Just because you have put tons of time and work into a beginning doesn't mean you won't change it.
Posted by MaryRobinette (Member # 1680) on :
NO! Don't do it. Finish the whole thing and then come back to it and you'll know how to adjust the begining of the story.
Posted by Johnmac1953 (Member # 3118) on :
Unless the beginning really will not let you be...just do as Mary says and finish the project. I know I've struggled with scenes, chapters etc but it didn't stop me from continuing with the story. Best Wishes John Mc...
Posted by Silver3 (Member # 2174) on :
If you're that far in, finish, and decide afterwards. Don't do things you might regret afterwars.
Edited because of big typo.
[This message has been edited by Silver3 (edited February 14, 2006).]
Posted by wbriggs (Member # 2267) on :
I'm reminded of OSC's advice: if the beginning has to be changed, everything later will have to be changed as well.
Posted by MaryRobinette (Member # 1680) on :
Will, I know what you and he mean, but as a rule it can be misleading in some instances
If you know the whole story, if you've outlined even on a story card, then you can make good judgements about whether or not you've started in the right place. But, if you are writing freeform, discovering the shape of the story as you go, I don't think you can make judgements about the beginning until you know the end. So, in that case, your first rough draft becomes an outline. The rewrites of the opening will certainly change everything that follows. But, without knowing the ending, to continually revise the beginning stands a greater chance of leading to a story that is never finished.
Posted by Monolith (Member # 2034) on :
I'm pretty close to being done with it. I'm guessing somewhere around 10-15k more words then I'll see where it stands from there. I'm going to go with Mary's advice, for now, but that doesn't mean that she doesn't know what she's talking about.