How to Write Activist Literature – Seven – Write the Manuscript
By Andy Heath
Ahh, finally, after all this work you’re actually going to start writing the manuscript. Can you believe it? Now all you should have in your hot little hands are those note cards that you just finished writing. Those note cards will serve as the basis for writing your novel.
You will recall that you wrote the note cards out of order, but you will write the novel in order, from page one to page whatever is last. This is the easiest part of the bulk of the work, but will take the most diligence.
Start with the first note card and read it – all of it. Know what the purpose is and what is supposed to happen in the scene. Then simply write the first scene. You might want to go back and revise it a little. Put in dialogue, action, and thoughts. Tell each scene from one point of view; don’t switch between different characters’ points of view until you have gone to the next scene.
At this point, you’re just telling the story, but writing is hard enough. Now that you’re writing the novel, you don’t have to worry about what is going to happen, or what will happen next. You’ve already planned that out. Don’t worry too much if you want to change something in the cards, as that is okay. The cards give you a guide and you can feel free to follow them to the letter if you like.
Once you have finished a scene, just put some a pound sign in between scenes and keep going. Once you have finished scene one, then write scene two. Go back and revise as you write if you like, or not. I have found that new writers have a tendency to underwrite, whereas experienced writers sometimes overwrite. If you underwrite, then go back and put some meat in each scene, but no fluff. Only relevant material will do. Remember, every word should count, and you want to always move the story forward. That is your whole objective, just move the story forward.
This part of the process can take the very longest of all of them because you’re actually putting the story on paper. I HIGHLY recommend you type this manuscript. I know you did long hand on the other exercises, but typing the manuscript is critical because it will have to be done at some point, so it might as well be done at this stage.
Aside from making sure that the manuscript is typed, don’t worry too much about formatting. Formatting can be changed in an instant. Don’t worry at this point about dividing your book into chapters either. Just write your manuscript and worry about all that during the revision stage.
Once you have written your manuscript, which can take anywhere from 2 weeks to six months (but please, no longer, or you’re just procrastinating) you’ll be ready to go on to Step 8, which is revising the manuscript.
You might note that actually writing the manuscript is a bit brainless now. Surprising how all the work you already put into planning the manuscript paid off to this extent and made writing the manuscript practically effortless. Now you don’t have to worry about how to end the book. You don’t have to worry about what the next scene is going to be. You don’t have to worry about anything really, and that is the way it should be. The actual writing of the manuscript should be effortless, so make it so.
When you write your manuscript is not the time to second guess your word choices or the way you string words together. That comes later. The main thing is to throw your paint on the canvas and just get the story out. You will worry about what words don’t work and other things like that in Step 8.
A note on completed rough draft manuscripts, for a novel written primarily for adults, the manuscript should be between 80,000 and 120,000 words as a general rule of thumb. Don’t worry too much about the number of pages, and there are always exceptions to these rules anyway, but this is a common and perfectly legitimate question for new writers. Most word processing programs have a “word count” feature, so use it from time to time to gauge your progress. If your novel is too short, which is the more likely scenario for a new writer, see if you can add a subplot. This might involve going back to your free writing exercises and seeing where you can add some material. Whatever you do, don’t add fluff. This is just BAD and publishers and agents will see right through it.
If your manuscript is too long, on the other hand, then think about dividing the material into two books. See if there is a way to do that. Be creative. But most importantly, don’t scrap your own work just because the length is to your liking. If your book is too short, you might consider trying it in the young adult category if the material is appropriate.
In two days, I’ll post the next step, which is revising the manuscript.
