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- Rank: Eccentric Mentor
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Hey y’all! Today I have a random question for you: What’s your opinion on writing out of chronological order?
For the third draft of my novel I’ve been writing out of sequence and jumping around a lot on the manuscript. XD I read some articles online about it and got rather discouraged because most seem to say it’s a bad idea, but I like it, and I stopped reading articles because I think it’s important to remember that the writing process is subjective and you should feel free to write HOWEVER YOU WANT. But it did get me thinking! Does anyone else write out of sequence like me? Or am I just weird? XD
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@joy-caroline
Interesting. I never thought of it as a bad thing, but then I haven’t done research of that.
I usually write both out of order and in sequence, as in while I am working from the beginning of the book, whenever I want to write a different scene I skip to where it would fall in the manuscript. As I work from the beginning I’ll fill in the gaps as I get to them.
It works pretty well for me, but I’m also the type of person to carry the entire plot beat by beat around in my head.
First Grand Historian of Arreth and the Lesser Realms (aka Kitty)
@joy-caroline
I actually don’t write out of chronological order. I kind of have to follow the story from beginning to end, because I feel like I maintain the natural progression/momentum of the story better that way. Then I go back and edit however much I want, and that’s when I jump from scene to scene out of chronological order. I’m also a bit of a pantser though, so I feel like if you’re a plotter it would be easier for you to pick and choose which scenes you want to write from the plot that you already have all laid out in your mind.
While some articles can be helpful, I definitely wouldn’t take all their advice. When I just started writing, I spent so much time getting extremely discouraged by reading articles where people tell you how you must write because that’s how it works for them, but that’s not how it worked for me. It was freeing for me to read Ray Bradbury’s Zen in the Art of Writing because it helped me realize there isn’t only one way to write. The best way to write is the way that gets your story across in the manner that connects most with the reader, in my opinion.
@joy-caroline
I think it’s a fabulous idea to do that, because then you’re (technically) writing the part you’re most inspired about!!! I don’t do it a lot with my WIP just because I’m still in the first draft and I really wanna make sure everything flow naturally from scene to scene, and everything connects… so I’m scared to mess that up by randomly jumping around. 😀 But whenever I get a scene idea I ALWAYS try to write that scene regardless of whether it’s in chronological order. XD~kindling hope through stories~
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@joy-caroline. Girl…I do that ALL THE TIME! XDXDXD I write scenes way ahead of time. In fact…I have a document over 800 pages long with just random scenes for random books…XDXDXD
@joy-caroline
I do both! When I’m brain-dumping, I write whatever scene is burning in my brain. I’ve exclusively been doing this lately, as I haven’t had much time for focused writing sessions. It’s relieving, and it keeps me from forgetting details or lines I want to add. When I’m actually writing, though, I usually go from beginning to end, since I’m a pantser. I do have to add scenes I’ve written during the dumping stage, though. 😛
Wishing you the best with this draft! Go get ’em! <333
@joy-caroline
Yes, absolutely! In fact, I started to do this more recently and found it much easier to write that way. I haven’t tried jumping significant amounts of time (because lately, I’ve just written short stories), but I do find it incredibly helpful to allow myself the option of skipping the place that I have on my mind rather than slogging through what just isn’t flowing right.
Don’t go against the grain of what’s working well!
Happy writing 🙂
~In Christ Alone My Hope Is Found~
@joy-caroline
It depends on how immersed I am, and how much random-scene writing I’ve already done. I think it’s a balance. Personally, if I’m not particularly inspired to write a certain section, I’ll write something more emotional, and it gets me in the mood. On the other hand, it’ll get to a point where I’m just avoiding the rougher sections. Right now I’m trying to stay in order as much as I can, because it’s harder to see the overall structure otherwise. But I’d say just go with whatever energizes your creativity!
KaPeefers 'til we're old and gray...
@joy-caroline I usually write from beginning to end of a book unless there’s a pressing scene I wanna write, though those scenes aren’t necessarily in chronological order. It just gives me a better sense of progression than jumping around, though ofc you’re free to do whatever you want.
Lately, it's been on my brain
Would you mind letting me know
If hours don't turn into days@joy-caroline
Hmmm…
I’m writing my WIPs out of order, but mostly because I just haven’t had time to sit down and write the scene that should come next… Or as it is with my second WIP, I despise every beginning I’ve written, so I just write other parts untill I can get a better idea for an opening.
However, I think the biggest reasons that I’ve written stuff out of order, is that
- I get ideas that I must write down. (Because if I don’t, I forget them and that’s a minor tragedy. 😉 )
- I write the impactful part toward the end, that way, I know what I want to work toward as I go back from the beginning.
Anyway, I don’t think it’s bad, as long as it helps you get your story out in words. It might even help with singling out specific scenes and testing their individual impacts…. But don’t quote me on that. XD
You have listened to fears, child. Come, let me breathe on you... Are you brave again? -Aslan
@joy-caroline I write SERIES out of order, girl. (You are a girl, right? That’d be awkward if I called you that and you weren’t…..) I have a five-book Jurassic World fanfiction I started years ago, and only book 5 is finished. The first book is halfway done, the third is a quarter done, and the second and fourth are kinda non-existent. And I sort of abandoned the idea a while ago, so they might not ever get written, but……The fifth one was really fun to write, though.
Where'd I get ya this time? The liver? The kidney? I'm runnin' outta places to put holes in ya.
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Question: Should you rewrite your 1st book before moving on to the second? If not, what should you do if your storyline completely changes after the rewrite and after you already wrote the next book/books in the series?
@sarafini
Great question. I personally like to write down whatever is burning in me at the moment, just so I don’t forget anything later on. So if you’re really inspired for the second book, get the words on paper! You can always go back later and fill in details.
However if you have a dead line or want to get the first book published sooner than later, I would get it polished up before I started the second one. Just my opinion…
The second part of your question is a bit confusing and I’m not sure if I understand what your asking. Would you mind rewording it?
He must increase, but I must decrease.
@joy-caroline
First of all: Hi!! Don’t think I’ve met you yet. 😀
And to answer your question. I don’t think I can write out of order. Like, it would mess with me. There are always scenes that I’m really excited to write and I replay them in my head, but I just keep writing until I get to it.
Write what should not be forgotten. — Isabel Allende
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Sure. OK. Say I write my next books before I rewrite the 1st one. What should I do about my next books if I hate my 1st book and completely rewrite it? I mean, a rewrite could completely change the series and I could end up wasting time writing the next books. Hope that’s less confusing!
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