Ask SD Tracy Harper #42
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Q: SD, is it true that after you finish a manuscript you should put it away for a while so you can look at it from a new perspective?
A: It is true that after you write something and put it
aside, then come back to it after a few days that you will see your work
differently. I don’t know if you need to finish the complete book before you do
this or after each chapter. It all depends on you and how you write. If you are
the kind of person who writes through emotions or when you have an idea flow
directly from you. these should be the deciding factor for you. You never want
to disrupt the flow of your writing because ideas are hard to continue or
recreate after there is a break in the flow of your work. The reason why
putting away your work for a few days gives you a different perspective is
because you are now a different person then you were when you put your work away.
The change may or may not be significant, but there is a change. As we
experience or learn we have something new to bring to the table we call the
creative process. I hope this helps. SD
Q: SD, Why are metaphors
bad to use?
A: Metaphors aren’t
necessarily bad (and I use them myself at
times). Where troubles begins are in the indubitable truth that words have
more than one meaning and the possibility of the point or clarification you are
trying to do with the statement will be misunderstood. That was the CON of
using this type of clarification through association, but the upside to using
them is they are perfect emotional gateways for readers’ submersion to your
story. Take for instance; “What light through yonder window breaks? Is it
Juliet or the sun”? In other words, Juliet beauty is so brilliant it blinds me.
They do say love is blind, he never saw it coming, and he was blinded from the
truth. (Spoiler Alert!) They did die
after all. I hope this helps. SD
Q: SD, How often
should you stop to make corrections to a manuscript?
A: For me (most times) it is when I finish all my
thoughts. Now let me make this perfectly clear. There is no standard when this
should be done. It is one of those personal opinions. I can say without a
doubt, you never stop to make corrections when your story is flowing from you. Starts
and stops when you are in the grove will cause your story to flow in the same
manner (been there and still working on
that bad habit). I recently read a quote from a famous writer (Hemmingway, but I not sure). He said the
best description of a first draft is crap. It took me a moment to stop laughing
when I realized he was correct in every way possible. Even a diamond is just a
rock until it is cut, polished, and put into a place setting. My advice to you
is to sit down and write some crap, you can shine that turd once you get to a
stopping point. Once you’ve taken your work as far as you can take it, look
into hiring an editor (already discussed
in previous Ask SD & Reasons & Realities). I hope this helps. SD
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