Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Chapter 2, 3, 4, and So On

Celebrate with me, y'all!!!!! I finished last Saturday, May 12th, at 11:05am. I got up early. It was around 8 o'clock, and I dove into the final chapter. I meant to start the final chapter the previous day. My brother's birthday. But there was some cleaning up to do. I realized while I was handlin' otha people's newz that I loved the fact that I was down to the final chapter, but I had to go back and do some re-writes to the previous chapter. The final confrontation between the antagonist and the protagonists was tense, but it blew up into a cliche. So I scripted a proper scene and when I arrived home I re-wrote it. It didn't take long.

I only got about a line or two into the final chapter. I decided to rest on it for the night. There were a couple ways for the final chapter to play out that were in my head. All these possibilities of how the story could end, and I was looking for the most plausible. I didn't get much sleep that Friday night, and early Saturday morning I popped out of bed and started typing from the single sentence already written on the page. I had the ending, how it would logically play. One of the early outlines of the chapter, I was having trouble re-introducing a character back into the story. Not only did I have to re-introduce the character into the story, I had to catch them up on current events. But this was remedied with putting the character into the previous chapter and being part of the final confrontation with the antagonist. And this made much more sense, and it freed me up for more important bits that come in the final chapter.

So concludes another journey. It's been about a year since I started writing, but this story has been on the back burner for about ten years, more if you include other elements that were added to the story, including its title, which was supposed to be a line in a poem I wrote in college. Like I said in a blog entry called a New Hope, I had all the raw 'footage' as notes gathered together, but it all seemed so disjointed. I struggled to make it come together. All I really needed was for that first chapter, the introduction to the story, to be complete, focused, concrete. There was so much that needed to be presented in the first couple of pages of this project, and I needed it to come together smoothly. The flow in the narrative had to be tight, and the presentation near flawless until proper editing. After that, chapter 2, 3, 4, and so on were a breeze. There were some tedious moments, but everything fell into place a lot easier once the first chapter came together. Everything was ironed out. Even the tedious moments were not so tedious.

I've been going through the final act these last few days. Started Monday. Was hangin' out with my baby Saturday, her mom having come visit from Yonkers. I rushed to write before we had to go meet her mom, and I was kinda anxious the whole day while we were out and about in Manhattan to get back and look over the tale. I also had some changes I wanted to make. But, we hung out all day. It was cool. Her moms is mad cool. We went to a movie, had fun and pizza. Slept late on Sunday, and took the day to rest.

Yes, yes, yes. "Principal photography" has been completed. Post production is in full swing!


Almost finished getting the third act as tight as I can make it before sending it off to the editors. This broad sweep of editing and proofing will wrap up today. Once the third act is sent off, I'll start applying the edits from the first two acts. Should have a proof of the book by mid-June, and we'll have a good one or two reads through July.

August is the projected month for release.

"This...might work."

b write black

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Them What Choose

One last chapter to go. The latest chapter under the belt was a test in writing, but it's moments like this that can be exciting and frustrating as a writer when putting your ideas together. Most of what I wanted to show was presented in someway as to how it was outlined or scripted.

There were a total of three confrontations between the antagonist and the protagonists within this one chapter, and where that sounds like a lot, it really wasn't. A good deal of how I wanted it to flow was trimmed down. An entire character, and their use as a plot point, was eliminated entirely. It was going too long, and though the scene was kind of cool as it played out, I was able to put my ego aside and see that one: it wasn't working. It felt awkward because it dragged the story out, making it run a little long. The character, although spoken about as being a part of three ruffians, was suddenly introduce from just being talked about and the character felt forced onto the audience. It also built up a promise that this character would be connected to another character in a storyline that runs parallel to the main story. But I didn't want that to happen because I don't want every character having a tie-in to this subplot going on. If I did that, then, well, it would coincide with the second reason I scrapped this idea.

It was kinda cliche.

I'd like to believe that I could write something that seemed fresh and new, but in the context of the story, how it all played out, there was no getting around this character's demise as being cliche. So, the character was removed entirely. I had to go back and eliminate all dialogue concerning this character. His story would end 'off screen', and in a natural way where nothing feels missed from the story.

I also shortened the time between the first two confrontations, and made them one seamless event. But they don't feel as if they're running into one another. Again, I shortened the time between them, but the two events can now be viewed as one. The second a continuation from the first.

I've imagined the end of this chapter several different ways for the past 10-12 years that this story has been on the back burner. Some things changed and some things didn't. For starters, the obvious, the antagonist is a female rather than a male. That made the final confrontation interesting. Other elements were toned down. There were no real fisticuffs, as planned many years ago. It was as quiet as a confrontation could get. It kind of resonated with the lead villain's charm. As dirty as she got, she did it with style and class.

The final chapter of this book has also a rough sketch as to how it will play out. What was outlined for the chapters beginning was scrapped a little before I started writing this entry. It's about making things flow naturally, finding out what should be, and what the characters should be going through even if it goes against what you want them to go through. It has to appear natural and believable. Not necessarily realistic, just believable within the world you're writing and creating.

Hopefully, some time next week, this next project will be another notch in the belt. The third act can be scanned, tightened as best as I can, and then turned over to the editors and proofers to tear apart and hurt my feelings.

We're almost there again with another fine piece of sh---literature.

b write black

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

When It Hits

Otha people's newz has gotten in the way these past few days. Haven't been able to jump into the final chapters of this latest project. But, this morning, just before leavin' the apartment, dived into a paragraph or two. And today, I had to go in a li'l early to work on otha people's newz. But, after settling down, and the day calmed, inspiration fought back. And it hit hard. Couldn't stop it. Good thing the work flow was on pause at the time.

I started outlining the next chapter to the way it needs to flow. It plays like the opening night of a play. All the last minute scurrying and nerves hittin' everybody. People making sure everyone is in their proper places before the lights go out and the curtain goes up. A lot of the scene plays far differently than I had originally planned. It also doesn't seem as herky-jerky. Smoothed that out. It's seamless between the protagonists' three different confrontations with the antagonist the way it's outlined now. The antagonist has done so much damage, it's fitting as to how she reacts to the final confrontation. She know she done messed up.

Tomorrow will be a day of writing, writing, and more writing. There shouldn't be too much in the way (except video games...and I got a new one). But, that aside (and the game will probably be used for cool downs...because sneakin' about and breaking people's necks, or having shootouts is always a way to relax), a good deal of the chapter will be jumped on tomorrow.

Next Monday should be an open time to start tightening up the third act and get it to the editors. Another book about to be wrapped up. Here we go.

b write black!