haha.
W is for Writer.
Normally, I hate writing about myself, but I made a decision a few days ago that warrants me discussing my writing and my book CUTLASS.
CUTLASS was a 150,000 page novel. It was a novel I just kept editing and re-editing, hoping at some point, after eight years of working on it, it would magically become what I would be satisfied with. I had Barabara Kloss read it (author of Gaia's Secret and scribblesnjots). She pointed out everything that had basically been bothering me for a long time. Things I thought...well, knew wouldn't go away. I'm not sure what I thought would happen to them. Maybe if I ignored them, everyone else would too?
Well, I am rewriting COMPLETELY!
I am changing characters. I renamed Kiera to Larkin and she is basically not the same person. Barren and Kiera are no longer married, but meet at the beginning of the tale. Everything is different. It's overwhelming, but I have created a story board.
My brain was smoking after this. You have no idea. lol. It's not finished either. :/ hahaha.
I've NEVER plotted a story...but I find that this is fun! And having to basically start all over, this really helps me stay focused and kind of move away from my other story. Let's face it, it's hard to forget you wrote a 150,000 word novel.
This will also be YA, btw.
Oh, and I am reading, at the suggestion of Barbara, Anatomy of Story by John Truby.
It's far more interesting to read about how to write when it caters to your own book! :D
There you have it! My announcement. Has anyone else just started over?
Have fun rewriting and good luck! I have a novel (my second one) that I basically want to start over on, but I'm working on a few other things before I get back to that one.
ReplyDeleteOh, the shear fun of it all! Sounds so incredible! Enjoy :)
ReplyDeleteI feel your pain! My first novel tipped the scales at 167K words. I've gotten it down to under 100k, but a rewrite is looming and, I fear, unavoidable. Good for you! And thanks for the inspiration :)
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the rewrite! It'll be a lot of work but it'll also be fun. :) I have rewritten my ms HIDDEN at least three times--from scratch! :)
ReplyDeleteOh man, Rewrites are hard business. They're also sort of fun. It's just different. The hard part to remember when you finish a rewrite is that even though the story is way better, you still have to go back through it looking for all your writing crutches (in my case to be, almost, started, kind of, etc.). It's hard work. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteI just started on a rewrite yesterday too, Ashley. It's a manuscript that's been rewritten so many times that it feels like a patchwork quilt. Good luck to you!
ReplyDeleteI just found your blog from the A to Z challenge. i really like the art at the top of the page!
ReplyDeleteI write too, and I swear that next time I embark on a new project and I will force myself to outline and plot ahead of time. I get too antsy and want to start writing, keeping a rough outline of a few scattered notes. But I end up doing everything backward it seems. Maybe I'll take what you're doing - revisiting an old story and plot out the changes to make it work. Good idea.
Good luck with smoking-brain-syndrome of rewriting. :)
ReplyDeleteI just realized I need to start my WIP over, too. I've spent a few weeks writing all the while feeling something wasn't working. I realized this week I need to SIMPLIFY. Simple doesn't equal boring, but in my head, I needed more crazy. Then I stepped back and looked at what I'd done and realized the heart of the story is simple but interesting. So, I'm starting again. I don't think all those pages and words are wasted, though, because i know my characters backwards and forwards now.
ReplyDeleteGood luck! I can't wait to read the new offerings!! Excited that you changed it to YA!
ReplyDeleteI have not started over but then again I haven't gotten that far...I need to do a storyboard myself...visiting from the A to Z Challenge.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with that. I have had to do total rewrites where nothing stays the same but maybe the idea. I guess it's just par for the course. But I think being willing to do this is what gets you published. Not willing to throw in the towel until you get it just right? That's key.
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