Hello friends,
It’s funny how sometimes, writing makes us contemplate the little things. And sometimes the little details are what make books so good. This can go for TV shows, movies etc, too. Would Bridgerton be as good if we didn’t love admiring the details in the outfits? Would horror films be scary if tiny sounds or mirror reflections didn’t make us feel a sense of trepidation? Sometimes paying attention to the little things in our creative projects can have a big pay-off.
Right now, I’m revising my steampunk romantasy novel, which I have referred to in a few earlier posts. I also have mosts posts on revising, like this and this. Currently I am revising my outline before diving into Draft 2. While I work through the outline, I’m not just working on filling in plotholes and reworking character motivations (or existences’, as may be!)
I have been struggling in revising my novel; in fact, I’m just revising the outline of the rough draft, at this point. I have an outline completed, revised, but I don’t like what I have so far. Events feel too random and disconnected, and character relationships could be deeper. So stepping back, “zooming out” so to speak and diving into research and details, is a way to try and freshen up my mind so that I can come up with some more satisfying ideas for the outline.
Featured Photo: Photo by cottonbro on Pexels
Adding more steampunk
One part I’m focusing on right now is adding more steampunk elements to the story.
I find myself asking questions such as, what was this world like before its current pace and circumstances? What wars or events shaped the society’s nature? And getting into smaller and smaller details, I ask myself things like: When were guns invented? I see 1870s had a lot of advancements in this technology, such as the Smith & Wessons in 1875. So then I start thinking, how can I make a gun be part of my plot? If it’s a new invention, how do characters unfamiliar with it react to it? What do they think it is, what does it feel like in their hands, are they shocked to see how fast a bullet comes out? It’s like when people saw one of the first films ever, of a train rocketing by – some people thought the train was real and jumped to get out of the way!
What are some questions that you ask yourself when you revise your creative projects? Perhaps you’re revising something right now?
While contemplating these little details of our stories, we might find that actually, they make a big impact. They can be woven into our plots in intriguing ways, and they effect our characters in possibly significant ways. One of my main characters has been imprisoned for years. How will he react to guns? Cars? Even electrically-lit street lamps, instead of gas lamps? Asking these questions has helped me to know my characters better and come up with new scenes for my second draft.
I find that researching these topics becomes fun, when I have such questions connecting the details to characters and plot. Do you ever have fun revising, or is it just a slog? I find it to be a bit of both, because outlining feels kindof like math, to me – which I never liked. But researching is fun!
Learning as I research
While I research gas lamps VS electricity, the first telephones, Smith & Wesson and dirigibles/airships, I find myself actually having fun with the research. I didn’t know about the benandante VS malandante good VS evil witches in 1500s Italy, or Mr. Swan taking part in inventing the light bulb with Thomas Edison, or how many types of telephones there have been. Sometimes I find myself reading all of this research just for fun, and getting lost in it. Then I remember why I started researching, and how it connects to my novel.
Your creative project
What are some topics that you’re thinking about in regards to your current creative project? Are you working on a novel, a poetry book, maybe even a meal plan for the week? What little details can you bring in or research that might make an otherwise unpleasant task, fun to try? Please feel free to share your thoughts and about your project(s), in the comments. Just scroll up and click ‘leave a comment’ at the top of this post (or bottom bar, if you’re on mobile)!
Until next time,
Chaitanya
Typing Madly 