I'm happy to report I am finally getting back into a writing groove. And it feels great! Now that I've had some time away, I have been re-evaluating. I began querying SHARDS OF GLASS at the beginning of this year, and all I've received so far is standard rejections. I'm of the opinion that taking a new look at the query letter or the manuscript itself never hurts, especially when no agents have shown enough interest to even offer a bit of advice.
So being of that opinion, I took a fresh look. More than ten months have passed, so I'd say that is a sufficient break away. The query itself isn't a problem, I don't think. But there is one major setback. The word count. *sighing while wiping bitter tears* The best fit for SHARDS is YA. And 90K words is long. There are exceptions of course. But I really believe in this story and want to see it published.
I shared my struggle with this story about a year ago here. Getting the word count down was a nightmare. And part of my writing style is to let the story write itself. This is where I have to change it up, hence the title of today's post.
Last year, I tried to remove Part I in an effort to reduce the word count. It didn't work. The story, mainly the dynamics between the FMC and MMC, suffered. So I put Part I back in. However, in a more determined effort to get this story right, I have cut Part I off again. And off it shall stay. Making that decision wasn't easy. I love that part of the story. But taking it off cut my word count to the 67K range, which is much more acceptable for YA. And now that I've come to terms with that move, the story doesn't seem to be suffering. I'm anxious to get it in the hands of some betas though to make sure.
I've done some more editing and revising; I had to with Part I gone. And this evening I plan to finish editing and revising the final 40 pages. Then I will be seeking betas. I'll see how that goes before beginning another round of queries. And while taking care of SHARDS, REKINDLE has been put on hold. I'm anxious and ready to get back to it, though.
So there's my current writing dilemma. I'm curious about all of you. What part of your preferred writing style/technique/etc have you had to change? Even if the change wasn't permanent, please share below.
Threads. I always struggle with the complexity or the number threads I add to my manuscripts. Just recently, I had to cut a thread and an entire character in a revision. It hurt, like I was cutting out a member of my family, but at the end, the manuscript was stronger for it.
ReplyDeleteI understand the pain associated with cutting something out. It really does hurt! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks for beta-ing ;)
So happy you are finding some time to write again on a steady basis, always a good thing, especially when the creative juices are flowing smoothly.
ReplyDeleteAdmire your perseverance amid some of the challenges writers face, and wish you all the best with a successful query soon as your manuscript is revised to your liking.
On a personal note, one of the key struggles I've encountered and had to address with my own writing pursuits is "making" time to write, instead of "finding" time to write. Like anything else I guess writing is also an active endeavor instead of a could've, would've or should've...
All the best to you and your family during this holiday season.