Cutlass Trilogy

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Update on the Novel!

Well, I have my novel cut down to 117, 200 words! That's 22, 871 words less than when I began. It's kinda painful, but it needed to happen. A friend of mine has agreed to read the entire thing in the month I have before school to check for clarity and such. I am very excited! After this, I must tackle the synopsis. : / Unfortunately, no one can help me with this because the ending must remain a secret!

I have noticed a problem I will probably run into with my pirates. The comparison to none other than Pirates of the Caribbean. So when I'll be thinking of this:
 
Everyone else is thinking of this:


So theirs is prettier...mine can be too! lol. I know this happens all the time, but with preconceived notions that my book is Pirates of the Caribbean, I wonder if people would pick it up? I mean, in my opinion and many others who have read it, no one thinks my book is similar in any way. They also say that, before reading, they wouldn't have been interested in a pirate book...good sign, right?

Once a friend told a complete stranger my book was 'Pirates of the Caribbean fanfiction', I was mortified. First of all, she hasn't read it, and secondly, it is nothing close! 

Does anyone else think of how their book will fair against similar texts out there? I never felt like I was writing Cutlass because I loved Pirates of the Caribbean, or in response to the movies for that matter. I just had a story inside my head. 

Only a few more weeks and I'll be in school! I cannot wait! I'm super nervous to begin my Senior year however. A new car payment, job, and classes (which will include a capstone!). Intimidating! Hopefully along the way, I'll have some nice surprises. Another positive to being back at school--Wifi!!! 

Make sure you guys check out my Twitter if you haven't already! I'm super excited to learn more about it! 

Ciao, Ashley


10 comments:

  1. Wow, fanfiction. Really? I sincerely hope that person is not a writer, lol!

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  2. That is a huge cut! well done. I tend to write the bare bones ... and keep adding - only cutting the odd scene. xx

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  3. Wow! That's some pretty great editing. So exciting.

    I remember the excitement of going back to school. I kind of miss it now that I've graduated. Good luck!

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  4. Haha :D I've started writing again, and my current novel has so many references to pop culture, TV shows, and other video games that I wonder how much more I can write before I just write the plot to a video game. It's good fun though, I guess, to be able to succinctly describe your book as something popular that would catch people's attention. "Like Pride and Prejudice...with zombies." "Like Hamlet...with lions." "Like Pirates of the Caribbean...'cause it has pirates."

    *shrug*

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  5. I had a gal reading my vampire fantasy once and she told me she'd been dreading it when I first asked her to read because she didn't like vampire stories. She ended up liking mine! So yes, I think that's a good sign! :) I'm so excited you're on twitter w/us, and YAY that you're looking forward to school.

    And I saved the best for last ... WOW on that awesome word cutting!! That is no easy feat. Congrats!

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  6. After someone read my first novel, she commented on how she imagined one of the guys being bald. HUH? The character was described as having thick blond hair that the MC wanted to run her fingers through.

    I realized reader will never have exactly the same picture in their mind as me, no matter how much detail I use. After the initial disappointment, it was very liberating.

    This summer is flying by. It seems like you just got home from school :)

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  7. Congrats on cutting that many words! So difficult...and I love pirates :)

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  8. I think it's most important that you love your novel and are excited about it. And, by the way, it sounds great. ; ) Good work cutting!

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  9. Goodluck, dear Ashley! With school, with Cutlass, and life in general. ;)

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