Hi Y’all!
This month, next week in fact, I was supposed to have new book out. First book in a new series. Big dealio. Mucho excitement. I scheduled this date at several blogs to get the word out. I had PR ramping! Yes, as early as six months ago.
Annnnd it didn’t happen.
Why? Simply put, the book was not ready. BLOOD OF THE EARTH, the first in the Soulwood series, needed a serious—and I mean deeply serious—rewrite. It had bones. It had some good bones. But it wasn’t put together right.
I know, you are singing “The toe bone’s connected to the … ankle bone…” and you hate me right now. But bear with me.
I knew there were problems with the book but I could not see what was wrong. I was too close to it. This is why a writer, even an experienced writer, needs a developmental editor. A developmental editor (for those who do not know) is the kind of editor who understands structure and arcs—story arcs, character arcs, who can see the way the story should be built and isn’t. Someone who can say, “This needs so much work that you cannot get it ready in time to get it printed. Let’s pull the book until you can have some time.”
Yes. That is what happened to BLOOD OF THE EARTH. And thank GOD that my editor suggested this! By the time she listed all the things that needed to be restructured, I was … not in tears. No. But I was very aware that it was seriously flawed.
Now. I could have (figuratively speaking) stuck out my tongue and refused to make changes. Because the voice was good and the world was wonderful. I know some writers who have done that in the past. I’ve seen them go from great writers to mediocre writers because they trusted their own instincts and not their editors, or because their editors didn’t say, “This is a problem. Fix it.”
I studied what my editor was saying and she was right.
The two plot lines didn’t meet. One just disappeared. The secondary characters were two dimensional. Some were even unlikeable. The main character was wishy-washy. Her actions weren’t always based on sound reasoning. Not the character’s sound reasoning, but the writer’s sound reasoning. Sometimes the characters did things without the actions making sense, so the reader got confused. Motive should be supplied by the writer and it should always be understood, or understanding should be promised and later provided.
Mostly? The main character wasn’t likeable enough. Wasn’t someone who can be related to. Characters must have weaknesses and flaws and need to need other characters in order for them to have room to grow and develop.
I am now—the week before the book should be out—nearly ready to turn the book back over to my editor. In fact, it will go to her the Day It Should Have Been Released… Yes. How’s that for serendipity?
I have cut and rearranged and cut some more. I have beefed up all the characters. I have made them likeable—except the ones who shouldn’t be likeable. They are more unlikeable. I have made the plot lines converge and separate again. I have killed the bad guys or let them kill each other or had them arrested. I have left enough plot lines open to take me to the second book. And the third. Without making it seems as if they were forgotten. And it is a much better book!
So. This was just a share day. And a thank you day to my wonderful editor whom I adore.
And I have links for you to get free stuff, and a link to sign up to my new newsletter. Links!!!
Thanks for reading. Thanks for loving my work. Thanks for giving me a chance to do you proud. And thank you to my editor who is amazing and brave and talented.
(Double posted to www.Magicalwords.net )
Faith