Day 7
30x30 Writing Challenge
It’s a sad, sad day when you have to slash a chapter. Even sadder when you use valuable hours (that could be spent sleeping) pondering the implications of said slashing and mourning the lost pieces of your character development. (sigh)
One bleary-eyed morning later…
It has to be done. In every edit, the writer runs the risk of losing something they love to the cutting room floor. Or in my case, the computer’s recycle bin. I’ve been diligently re-working the first fifty pages of my novel. I’m almost ready to send out another round of query letters to agents, but I want those first fifty to be sublime reading before I do so. Query letters are like bait on a hook, and once you land the fish, you want to give him a nice piece of your novel to ensure that he stays in the boat. The first fifty pages are what an agent typically asks for if they respond to your query, and I want them to be well-crafted and compelling, so that the agent wants more. Specifically, my name on his (or her) roster of authors represented.
I’ve been diligent about my writing challenge so far, but last night the true challenge was gathering enough guts to cut an entire chapter. It made me so sad! Good character development is hard work, so although I needed to cut away part of the story to ensure a more compelling read, it was a bit heart-rending to say goodbye to those hours of work.
After I was done, I went for a walk with the Baby Bear and Mudslide to take my mind off the carnage. The signs of spring bursting forth in the park and the shining sun worked wonders. Now it’s back to work.
30x30 Writing Challenge
It’s a sad, sad day when you have to slash a chapter. Even sadder when you use valuable hours (that could be spent sleeping) pondering the implications of said slashing and mourning the lost pieces of your character development. (sigh)
One bleary-eyed morning later…
It has to be done. In every edit, the writer runs the risk of losing something they love to the cutting room floor. Or in my case, the computer’s recycle bin. I’ve been diligently re-working the first fifty pages of my novel. I’m almost ready to send out another round of query letters to agents, but I want those first fifty to be sublime reading before I do so. Query letters are like bait on a hook, and once you land the fish, you want to give him a nice piece of your novel to ensure that he stays in the boat. The first fifty pages are what an agent typically asks for if they respond to your query, and I want them to be well-crafted and compelling, so that the agent wants more. Specifically, my name on his (or her) roster of authors represented.
I’ve been diligent about my writing challenge so far, but last night the true challenge was gathering enough guts to cut an entire chapter. It made me so sad! Good character development is hard work, so although I needed to cut away part of the story to ensure a more compelling read, it was a bit heart-rending to say goodbye to those hours of work.
After I was done, I went for a walk with the Baby Bear and Mudslide to take my mind off the carnage. The signs of spring bursting forth in the park and the shining sun worked wonders. Now it’s back to work.
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