Thursday, July 5, 2007

New Pages

I've been dying to get back to my new book and start writing a fresh story, instead of endless revision.

However, two months has given me sufficient distance to question my story choices. I keep asking "what was I thinking?" The idea that sounded so fun and smart when I first thought of it, now seems very contrived and cliche. I started the next chapter three times and deleted it all. I couldn't make my characters do the things the plot demanded. Something wrong with the plot? Something wrong with the characters? Maybe I need to chuck the whole thing and start over with a better idea?

Fortunately, last night was critique night, and my partners helped me brainstorm some ideas and get my motivation clear for the hero. His profession has been changed and a secret half sister, who is a small but integral part of the story, has a more believable backstory.

I'm back on track.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think it's gonna be a great story. Can't wait to read it!

Unknown said...

Oooh this sounds like a great story, Anne. I can't wait to hear more about it. :)

Kelly Boyce said...

Sounds like great stuff to me! I had the same problem with Finding Home (aka the Juicy Lucy story). I got 2/3 of the way thru and realized I was all over the place and getting nowhere. But luckily we fixed up my problem at the retreat. We kept the characters, the location and the hero's baseball career, revived a former dead guy and revamped the plot. Now I just need to find the time to sit down and write it...

Red Garnier said...

Sounds like an awesome story, Annie. Time does wonders for me, going back to a story with a fresh eye, and then finding all you thought was right suddenly seems so wrong, lol! Sweetie I do hope you enjoy mine, you gave me writer-jitters and I'm all out of nails. Ha! =)

Unknown said...

Red, I've finished reading it and I loved it. Glad I step out of my box and downloaded it.