Writing a book can be a long process. It’s easy to get discouraged or just plain bored before you reach “The End.”
For me, one of the big things that keeps me going is what Holly Lisle calls “candy bar” scenes:
First, let me define a “candy-bar” scene. It’s one that you’re just itching to write — something sweet enough that you can dangle it on a stick in front of yourself so that you can say, “When I’ve done these next three chapters, I’ll get to write that one.” . . .
Make sure your candy-bar scenes are spread out through the book, not all clumped together. Write down a single sentence for each of them. Don’t allow yourself to do anymore than that, or you’ll lose the impetus to move through the intervening scenes.
Holly Lisle also advises writing the ending first (so you have the goal in mind), writing about people you want to spend time with (because, hey, you’re going to be spending a lot of time with them in the writing process, and you want your readers to want to spend time with them, too), using an outline, and allowing yourself to be surprised. I’ve tried and loved all of those things except writing the ending first (meaning I haven’t tried it, though I might).
What do you think? How do you keep going until you reach “The End”?
Image by Emily Hoyer
Good post. Never thought about candy bar scenes before! Thanks!
The “candy bar scenes” are an great idea if you need motivation. I’m not sure why, but I don’t usually have trouble keeping on to the end of a novel. The forward momentum is exciting. I want to know how each scene is going to develop, where each chapter will go, how all the pieces are going to fit and how the characters are evolving. And I don’t think I’d want to write the ending first. Although I can see how that could keep things on track, I think I would probably feel more constrained than on track.
I usually (‘kay, almost always) start with an ending in mind. But if I wrote the ending scene(s) first, I think I’d have make an effort to keep myself open to new details and story directions, like you say.
What a great idea! I love the name–Candy Bar Scenes because I always have one looming on the horizon and that is what it feels like when I finally get to write it–eating a giant Butterfinger. 🙂
And I do love me some candy bars! 😉
I write whatever scene I want to – or whatever scene my muse has been feeding me during the previous days. Doing that helps me stay excited.
I don’t have any problems going back and writing the connecting scenes. Once I have the “candy bar” scenes in place, then it starts to look like a real novel and I’m excited to go back and fill in the blanks.
This way requires some up-front planning, but it works well for me.
As odd as this sounds to me (I’m a strict chronological order kind of girl), I’ve heard a few people say they use this method. Whatever works!