So, I've got this old rough draft partial that I'd like to get back to. I took a lot of time off because of burn out, but now I'm feeling energized about writing again, and I have a lot of down time due to some surgery, so it's a great time for me to get back into it. The thing is, how do I get back into the story itself, so that I can continue onward? It's been so long that I don't even really know my characters--at least, not like I did when I began the novel. Are there some proven techniques to getting back into the flow of something you've set aside?
Posted by Kathleen Dalton Woodbury (Member # 59) on :
You could try rewriting what you've written so far. That could not only get you into the flow of the story, but it could also let you apply things you've learned about writing since you wrote the original.
Posted by Teraen (Member # 8612) on :
I agree. do a complete rewrite, not an edit. That way, everything is fresh, and (hopefully) since you've learned since you wrote last, this version may be a little better. If you have any cool one lines or whatever, you can always go back and fuse the versions together. But rewriting is the easiest way to go.
Posted by Smaug (Member # 2807) on :
Thanks. That's a good idea.
Posted by Robert Nowall (Member # 2764) on :
Well, I usually, but not invariably, let things sit awhile and cool down after finishing a draft---an attempt to get some perspective on the matter. Usually it gives some.