I looked back to an old post. Was it really on a fortnight and odd days ago that I said I was shelving The Thief Book? Well, that didn't last.
See, I came to the conclusion that I'd have to edit something, because not being involved in writing related things would drive me crazy. I wanted to stick to my plan about waiting on Miss Snitch, but that didn't mean I couldn't work on things that were on the shelf.
So, I started thinking about the end of The Thief Book, which was where I stopped liking it so much in the first place. It came to me: It's not good. I mean, I knew that already, which was why I shelved it. But I realized that the real problem was that while it was a respectable ending for some story, it was not a good ending for the story I'd written. I'm not ready to admit what I wasn't ready to admit before -- it must go.
That's right. My new plan is scrap the whole second half. Literally, the last 48% of this book are getting the ax.
I'm rereading it right now, so that I can get a feel for what about the ending should be kept for use in other work, what components need a similar part in the new ending, and what just simply has to go the way of the dodo.
Wish me luck. I'm biting off something big this time.
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I hear you loud and clear. I had the same thought with my Masquerade last night at 2:45am. I hate to cut anything out, it just hurts so much, but when you realize it must go, it must go. Good luck.
ReplyDeletePiedmont -- Thanks. Good luck with Masquerade.
ReplyDeleteA bold move, and one that I give you vast amounts of credit for. It is SO hard to throw something away. But I really admire that you could recognize when something didn't work. And look at it this way, you didn't lose 48%. You saved 52%.
ReplyDeleteDreamstate -- Thanks. I like that way of thinking, saving 52%. :) I can salvage some of that 48% for something else.
ReplyDeleteOuch- that sounds painful. But really, cutting half is better than scrapping the whole thing, right?
ReplyDeleteGood luck!
Stephanie -- Yes, there's that comfort. I get to keep the half that I liked.
ReplyDelete