Coffee With David

A few posts ago, I mentioned I was working on a new writing method. The new method I am employing is to write a story strictly as dialogue with very little description for the first draft. I record a little description or more direction as I go, but only enough to tell myself what is happening and what I need to fill in on a later draft. This goes against everything that I have learned about writing—but it is working. In classes and seminars, I have always been told “Write until done and then cut—cut—cut.” Here I am doing the opposite at first. I am writing, then going back and adding and adding until the piece is truly complete with all the description that is needed. THEN I am going to go after it with the editor’s “sword” and cut away the fat to get to the bone.

This method has continued to work well with The Guardians and I am going to begin applying it today to my short story writing as I tackle my ever changing schedule with my “bill paying job” (which includes a lot of State and Federal Government interference). I do not know if this method would work for everyone, nor would I tout it as the “wonder cure” for writing. However, it does give me the ability to work around my extremely hectic schedule and be productive in my writing. It also forces me to focus on one element of the story at a time and reediting the story each time I go through it.

Only one thing is certain about what I am doing—time will show if this truly worked or if it was fools’ gold.

Thank you for reading and please visit www.davidalanlucas.com for information on the blogs, stories, poems, and articles I write.