Better than Ever!

You know, with each rewrite I lose at least one of my favorite scenes--but I replace it with one I like even better, so it's hard to complain. Actually, 'lose' is the wrong word. I keep a copy of every draft, just for reference, so I keep everything. I just don't use it all right now.

Some of those scenes will be pushed to later books in the same series. Some will make it into other, more relevant books or stories. Some will never be used at all, but I enjoyed writing them and I'm happy knowing they served their purpose--to help me survive yet another rewrite.

Seriously, the newest draft (nearly halfway through it now) is truly better than ever. Almost unrecognizable as the same book, but better--MUCH better. Oddly enough, I don't know if it's any better written, but the story is tighter and more thrilling. The characters have a distinct arc and flavor. Their issues are relevant and they make me laugh or cry or get mad just as they are supposed to. I worry about them and try to help them when I can, but they're off on their own again, running the story their own way.

Lucky for me, they seem to be keeping to the outline so far.

I'll tell you something. To my great surprise, I'm really enjoying this rewrite. Some chapters don't need much adjusting and some have been tossed and written from scratch. I don't know which is more fun!

The hardest part of any rewrite--I mean the hardest, HARDEST part--is starting it. It's that moment where you stare down at your manuscript and think, 'this is going to take forever! I'm never going to finish this!' That attitude will cripple you for sure.

I find the best way to get past this is to start. The next step is to set realistic goals. You are not going to rewrite a 350 page book in one day, or even one week. Not WELL anyway. You might check it for spelling in that time, I guess, but you're not going to tear it apart and put it back together coherently. You shouldn't try.

I like to set the goal at a chapter or two a day. Sometimes I can get three or four done and sometimes I can't get past a page or two. Sometimes I just need a break--I take one night off a week and spend it with my husband and kids. Or a real break--two or three days to outline and think--then it's back to the keyboard. In no time, you'll look down and realize you're a third of the way through or halfway done or flat out finished!

It's a heady rush, but don't get ahead of yourself. When you've finished your overhaul, best thing you can do is to pass it on to a trusted reader or two. You can and will make mistakes, leave gaping holes, and forget important details. Your readers will catch these and then you're good for a while.

Until the next time your agent hands it back, ready for another make-over.
[Don't worry, Stan, I'm SO okay with it if you do. In fact, I'm expecting it (; ]

Just keep your chin up, writers! Success stories only come to those who are too darn stubborn to give up, even when the pile of drafts and rejections gets taller than they are. Or so I've heard--I'm still working toward my own success story.