Carolyn's Blog

Friday, November 19, 2004

In a funk for a couple of days. Kate called day before yesterday and asked about some edits to The Rake. So, here's what's frustrating; she didn't ask for anything I hadn't been thinking about (So, why didn't I do it before?) Examples? Like no counterfeiting. Yeah. She's right. Of course, that means chapters 3-5 are history. That means 8,000 words gone. That means deep dark depression. Ok, not that bad, but close. That means ripping and gutting again. She thought my hero was too dark. Well, I did that on purpose, but what that really means is I didn't quite succeed in planting the suggestion that this would change. She didn't like "the scene" but the truth is 6 months ago it worked great and now it doesn't.

On the bright side, I only have to whip the opening 3-6 chapters into shape, which should be just fine, she only asked for 3-4 so we'll just see.

On the other bright side, yesterday, I had the bulk of the reordering done and today, I think I finished that plus I've written one new chapter and have started its follow up, so I'll be back above 90K pretty quickly, I think. I have actually already roughed in just about all the adjustments. I told her I'd send revisions in 2-3 weeks, but it looks like it'll be much sooner than that.

This is what I've learned: I am a pantser. I know this because it takes me ages and ages to painfully write stuff that doesn't suck, but less than 48 hours after a request for revision requiring significant work on my part, the work is essentially done. Being a pantser is no fun. This afternoon, I was working and really in absolute despair, thinking, Oh, jeez, I should just quit this, because obviously it's hopeless. And then hyperdrive and when I'm done, it's not. This always happens to me when I have a knotty problem and a deadline.

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