Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Complete Rewrite

Previously I posted about going back to the first story I started almost seven years ago. I was looking forward to returning to the fantasy land I'd created.

It's become a real mess in my absence.

Remember, I hadn't written anything creative since high school (college doesn't count because everything is required down to a T). My first foray into creative writing in so long required a bit of priming the pump. Thought I'd gotten down some really good material.

Boy was I wrong.

The story idea is still really good in my opinion (which is all that matters to me). The characters continue to intrigue me. There's some great bones to work with, but I've decided that this story is too important to me to continue without some major surgery. So I'm going back to the drawing board.

Gosh I hate saying that. Spent several years working on it to get it to the halfway point. But I know I can do better. That's the nice thing about going back to something I haven't looked at in many years. I realize that my writing has improved a good deal since day one (week one, month one, year one). And that's a good thing. Any writer wants to see that they just keep getting better and better over the years.

It's hard throwing out so much work, but in the end it will be more satifying to have something of which I can be proud.

Then maybe the book will actually get published someday.

2 comments:

Gary said...

Denise, I'm so looking forward to returning to Tumaline! I love the story, the characters, the way you captured the feel of the land--everything! Thank you for not forsaking it. -TLC

Denise said...

It's still my favorite story out of everything I've worked on too. I hope the feeling is the same or better with the rewrite. You'll have to be completely honest with me when I start presenting the improved version. At least I certainly hope there's some improvement.