So revising a book, in a tear-it-apart-and-put-it-together-as-a-new-thing way, is always interesting. There are things where I’m all, “But no! I loved that thing!” even while seeing how structurally the book is better off without them. For a very few of those places I come back around to “Wait! I need to keep that after all!” […]
Downroar. Which was meant to be downpour, but … I kind of like it. (makes note for future reference) (dives back into final pass through her due-the-end-of-September manuscript)
Found word of the day Read More »
I don’t believe in the outside world anymore. There’s this book. And more of this book. That’s all. =–=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Dear Tertiary Character Who Was Created With Somewhat Mocking Intentions, One of the surprises of this book is that your primary purpose is not to be amusing in your flakiness. You’re not flaky at all, but
“But you had to come along, didn’t you / tear down the doors / throw open windows” Read More »
(stares hollowly at screen) I think it’s a fourth draft. Which means I get to collapse for a day, before trying to do some tightening, especially over the final chapters, over the next week. (I like when I finish drafts Friday nights, Saturday being my designated day off anyway.) As I’ve been working on rewrites,
Fourth draft! And, thoughts on emotion and structure. Read More »
Dear Book, I agree. You are so very much stronger now that your characters don’t sit around with whiteboard and dry-erase markers brainstorming sensible solutions. Still, I do miss the doughnuts they consumed while they did. Also the javelinas who crashed the party, eating said doughnuts uninvited. Me
“She stumbled through the door / tripping over expectations / she never knew before” Read More »
Dear Secondary Character I’ve Grown Quite Fond of, Your transformation from tragic villain to tragic hero is going quite well, if I do say so myself. Thanks for suggesting it. The story is so much stronger as a result. What? No, the actual tragic part was never negotiable. I’m not that fond of you. Me
“For it’s my thoughts that bind me here / it’s this love that I most fear” Read More »
Dear Fourth Draft of the Current Book, You and I, we have drunk so much iced tea together this month. And yet we have so much iced tea yet to drink. Me =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= It’s that part of the book. When things are finally, hopefully clicking together. Where so much of me is in the story,
“She’s found a common balance/ where you do your work / and you do your love” Read More »
Today I was working on a descriptive passage that’s pretty much an introduction to the landscape of my story, and, curious, went back to see how the details had changed since the first draft. It’s fascinating to me to see all the ways in which these few lines have evolved, so I’m sharing them in
Four drafts of a scene-in-progress Read More »
Right. Spent the past week or so addressing several dozen stray research notes, all of which are now addressed or in the process of being addressed. Time to focus back in on the story–to immerse myself in writing the next draft, sharpening the descriptions, bringing some of the things behind the words up to the
Now I’m _really_ heading into the fourth draft Read More »
Right. Eighty-one “research this” notes and twenty-four “think about doing this notes,” plus more interweaving of descriptions and emotions, plus the general all-around tightening and improving and strengthening, plus whatever comments from critiquers turn up. (rolls up sleeves) (takes deep breath) (prepares to dive back in)
Setting forth for the fourth draft Read More »