P.J. Murphy's Writer Site

This is the latest entry in a series of posts charting the development of my next novel, Beach of Spies. Previous entries were The Pleasures of the Bad First Draft and The Delights of the Not-Quite-So-Bad Second Draft. The attentive among you will notice some progression in the titles. It’s what’s called a “story arc.” Look at me, giving away all the industry secrets!

We left off with me trying to wrestle something decent out of the mess of ideas that’s a first draft. By the end of the second, I’m working with something coherent. It still needs work, but less structural by now, more tying up loose threads and improving the quality of the writing. That’s where I am now, a few chapters into the third.

Having produced a few novels, I know the pitfalls to avoid, so each draft requires progressively less effort. Still, it’s important to take a break before starting on the next draft. I’m never going to be distant enough from my work to spot all the mistakes, but at least I can come to it with fresh eyes after taking a pause for at least a few weeks. That time isn’t wasted. I know the story now and can reflect on it as a whole. This means I’m always spotting plot flaws or bits I need to explain more. I add them as comments to the document as they come up, so that when I get to the relevant bit, I know what’s needed.

I’ve mentioned before that I’m part of a writing group, which can be a blessing or a curse. The ‘curse’ is that knowing others will read a work-in-progress can tie you in knots and divert you into polishing a text rather than getting the ideas down. Fortunately, and in no small part due to the tact of my fellow group members, I’ve been able to avoid that part and focus on the ‘blessing’. My manuscript is peppered with comments from them about bits that don’t make sense, motivations that are unclear, and jokes that don’t land.

So here I am, embarking on the next stage of my project, armed with lots of notes about what needs work. I’m not sick to death of the story yet, which is a good sign.

Wish me luck!