10,000 words less, another 30,000 more to go
Last Friday I heard the words that send shivers up every writer’s spine – ‘I don’t think the story angle’s working’. My publisher, with whom I was collaborating on this particular writing project, had only just realised this. Three months and 38,933 words later.
I sat dumbfounded as he tweaked and twisted the story in every different direction. The end result was like a quill being driven into the heart. The new story direction would involve slashing 10,000 words and writing an additional 30,000 more. One that would require me to delve deeper into the story, a story that was already befuddling my mind. (I was working on this project with two experts on the topic and my only role was to put their ideas into a story form. Something along the lines of Tuesdays with Morrie.) As I listened to him, I felt my heart sinking deeper and deeper into the pit of dismay and mild hysteria.
I left his office shortly after and tried to digest his words during the drive home. Initially the only screaming thought was the prospect of trashing 10,000 words. But other thoughts eventually shoved it aside and those thoughts were what I’d known all along.
If a story doesn’t work, then it has to be reworked – it’s the most basic rule in the book, no two ways about it. Why waste your time with something that you already know is doomed for failure? More so when it’s your craft! Like Rattawut Lapcharoensap said, your responsibility is to the page.
Rewriting isn’t an alien concept – every self-respecting writer would never publish the first draft of his or her work. In this case, better now than then.
Never let emotions get in the way of professionalism – it’s always hard to kill off a favourite character or scene. Just ask J.K. Rowling! But sometimes it’s the best thing to do for both the character and the story. Eventually you’ll realise it was the best thing to do for you too! Like Stephen King says, KILL YOUR DARLINGS!!!
What really made the task painless and completely humbled me was an article in Newsweek Special Report: After Katrina.
“At Tulane University, Dr. James Robinson, a prominent AIDS researcher, and his wife Monique, decided to stay behind to protect some cell lines – white blood cells infected with the disease – that represent decades of research on his part. He packed his lab with food and water and relied on generators to keep his freezers and incubators operating. But by Wednesday, with the water rising, his generator failed. The Tulanes made their way to the university parking lot where he called his daughter in Providence to tell her they were all right – for now. “I didn’t dare ask him about his work,” said his daughter. “I fear it’s all probably a loss.”
And I was heartbroken over the loss of 10,000 words?
I sat dumbfounded as he tweaked and twisted the story in every different direction. The end result was like a quill being driven into the heart. The new story direction would involve slashing 10,000 words and writing an additional 30,000 more. One that would require me to delve deeper into the story, a story that was already befuddling my mind. (I was working on this project with two experts on the topic and my only role was to put their ideas into a story form. Something along the lines of Tuesdays with Morrie.) As I listened to him, I felt my heart sinking deeper and deeper into the pit of dismay and mild hysteria.
I left his office shortly after and tried to digest his words during the drive home. Initially the only screaming thought was the prospect of trashing 10,000 words. But other thoughts eventually shoved it aside and those thoughts were what I’d known all along.
If a story doesn’t work, then it has to be reworked – it’s the most basic rule in the book, no two ways about it. Why waste your time with something that you already know is doomed for failure? More so when it’s your craft! Like Rattawut Lapcharoensap said, your responsibility is to the page.
Rewriting isn’t an alien concept – every self-respecting writer would never publish the first draft of his or her work. In this case, better now than then.
Never let emotions get in the way of professionalism – it’s always hard to kill off a favourite character or scene. Just ask J.K. Rowling! But sometimes it’s the best thing to do for both the character and the story. Eventually you’ll realise it was the best thing to do for you too! Like Stephen King says, KILL YOUR DARLINGS!!!
What really made the task painless and completely humbled me was an article in Newsweek Special Report: After Katrina.
“At Tulane University, Dr. James Robinson, a prominent AIDS researcher, and his wife Monique, decided to stay behind to protect some cell lines – white blood cells infected with the disease – that represent decades of research on his part. He packed his lab with food and water and relied on generators to keep his freezers and incubators operating. But by Wednesday, with the water rising, his generator failed. The Tulanes made their way to the university parking lot where he called his daughter in Providence to tell her they were all right – for now. “I didn’t dare ask him about his work,” said his daughter. “I fear it’s all probably a loss.”
And I was heartbroken over the loss of 10,000 words?
posted by starlight at 10:14 PM
1 Comments:
I feel really sorry for you having to rework your writing. Actually the writing of a creative piece should belong to the writer and no-one else ... I hope you can put all this behind you later and move onto stuff that you really want to create for yourself.
Yes, I could ahve wept too for that researcher.
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