Saturday, March 12, 2011

Lost in Revision

"It was so much easier in the first draft."
I am really struggling to come out of the fog here. Final revisions are going nowhere. I'm just so stuck!  Things keep changing, which requires more revision, and I'm getting lost in all the additional emotion and plot complications. Don't get me wrong - both of those things were needed (emotion and plot complication) but I am desperate to finish the manuscript by the 26th.

I don't see how I can possibly do it without help.  My husband is helping today by taking our son out for the day so I can be alone, but the house needs cleaning, we need laundry done, we have no groceries, and I MUST go to the post office before it closes.  I have decided to write for 50 minutes, then do chores for 10 minutes, until they come home.

I need another form of help, too.  I need a few objective readers to look at the first several chapters and tell me if
a) it's crap and
b) I should re-restructure the opening.

So if anyone who reads or writes fantasy is willing to do a quick read and get back to me by mid-next-week, please let me know in the comments.  Thanks.

In the meantime, forget the "Tea, Earl Grey, hot."  I need a double cappuchino pronto!  Good thing my favorite coffee shop is right next to the post office.

11 comments:

  1. I'm game! I both read and write fantasy. I'm not a pro (still querying agents) but if you're interested, feel free to send it on! Oh, and I'm an 'honest but unscary' critiquer :)

    Greyvaledesigns@gmail.com

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  2. I'll help! I think I'm honest but not scary, too, lol.

    tessaconte(at)gmail.com

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  3. I'd love to read it for you. If you still need readers....

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  4. Okay, I will send it off. Thank you so much ladies!!! I really, really, really appreciate it.

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  5. Ugh you sound like me!! I'm so stuck in revisions! It's a mess! I've been hard at work with line edits I just wish it was easier, lol.

    Good luck!!!

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  6. @Jen LINE EDITS ARE THE PLAGUE! You should SEE how many sentences I started with 'but' and 'and'. Part of it was voice and got left in, but my sister was reading through and started counting, and stopped when she got to forty-something in five pages. FORTY-SOMETHING!

    The most terrifying part is that I've gotten a lot of really good feedback from agents on the ms - before I began the great and/but massacre... so now I wonder if those and/buts had anything to di with the passes...

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  7. i feel for you - lost in freakin' plot details and forgetting the story - but at least i'm not in a rush. good thing or i'd be behind. best wishes and prayers.

    love the picture of Picard, btw.

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  8. Hey Michelle... He's my fave Captain. Mark and I had a serious problem when we were dating because he prefers Kirk and I don't think Shatner could act his way out of a paper bag. But he says Stewart is a bald pansy.

    Jen - I'm going to be cramming all my line edits into one 36-hour period next weekend at our writer's retreat. Ugh!

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  9. I feel your pain. I've am right there with you. I'd also be happy to help to if you need more readers. Just let me know.

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  10. Thank you, Melissa. I sent it to about four people today so I'm good for the moment. But if I need fresh eyes in the future, I'll keep you in mind.

    The Internet is so wonderful!!! I never would have met so many friendly, helpful writers otherwise. I feel truly blessed.

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I apologize for the word verification. I hate it, but the spammers made me do it.