One of a writer's worst enemies is distraction; friends calling/dropping by, something good on TV, housework, family, sleep, keeping the aforementioned family fed, watered, homeworked, happy, other works of fiction... the list can be endless to keep you away from your work.
And I have to confess, I've been distracted this weekend. As you know, the plan was to have another excerpt posted this weekend. I was, in truth, working on Demon's Gate which was the... ah, second book I wrote. I haven't looked at this book for some years and I thought I'd revisit the first three chapters.
I checked the page length and decided to add another chapter. And then I got distracted: by the book itself. Instead of restricting myself to the set chapters, I had to read more. And then more, until it was late at night and I had to finish it.
The writing is fast and loose, as if I couldn't wait to get to the good bits - the action - with obvious pauses for the emotional parts, info-dumps and explanations of motive, and a surprising amount of humour. At least I laughed, even though the scenes were do or die stuff.
I could also remember writing some of those scenes and they upset me; they still do. I'll never delete those scenes because they pack an emotional punch, even now.
I know it's a tantalising comment to make: authors are a curious breed of why, but Demon's Gate is nowhere near ready for public consumption, though I hope it soon will be.
Overall, a good distraction. The book is an insight into how I wrote seven or so years ago as compared to how I write now. It will take work, but it has a solid base, if lacking in description, smooth scene changes and more integrated information dissemination.
On the whole, I'm pleased with it and now I know how to fix what's needed. I don't think it's arrogant to say I'm constantly surprised by what I wrote in years past. There's hope yet for them all and I'm going to try harder not to be distracted and to share pieces of my fiction with you.
Hopefully, the full list will be done in good time for a free e-book in the coming months.
2 comments:
In the author's note to "Beggers in Spain", Nancy Kress writes that she wrote the original story in 1977. Five years after it was rejected she rewrote the story, and it was also rejected. Eight years afer that, she wrote the novella version which won both the Hugo and Nebula awards. My copy of "Beggers in Spain" was published in 1993 - fifteen years after she wrote the original story.
So, before you put your reworked "Demon's Gate" up for free, send it out to some publishers and agents.
I gave it to my brother to read (now, the idea of that makes me wince). He described it as a cross between The Terminator and Lord of the Rings.
It's going to need a lot of work, as in mostly re-written.
I have to decide whether it's worth it, or whether I've simply moved on. I still haven't decided.
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