Monday Intentions: Review and Rewrite



Have you ever edited the life and your voice out of a story?  I've come to realize I did just that with Eyes in the Ashes.  I wrote it several years ago and had writer classmates and friends  over a period of time review different chapters and provide feedback. Lacking the foresight to decide what was the best thing to do, I implemented way too many changes.  Every time I've gone back and looked at the story, I'd tried rewriting a bit more, but have never been quite happy with how things turned out.  In the meantime,  I've changed and learned so much about the craft of writing and grown into my skin as a writer. Plus I've written a few more stories and even one that kind of ties in with this one, as well as flash fiction and nonfiction.  But I always keep coming back to this particular story.  Things have been percolating in my brain for some time with changes in characters, points of view, and more.     

So I have decided to go back to the beginning and as my husband the engineer keeps telling me - start with the baseline.  He's a great sounding board for ideas and is totally in with me story boarding the story.  Little does he know that I may take over the kitchen wall, but for right now I'll try to keep it poster board size.  *grin* 

I printed out the original draft today and will write up the list of scenes this week and figure out where I need to delete or add scenes.   I've already decided to rewrite from my main character's point of view and have been having fun interviewing and delving into his backstory.  I know much more about him now than I did a couple years ago.   In addition, will write up a current list of things to do involving character interviews,  research and more.  I'm going to take it week by week with the goal of reaching THE END by the end of the year.    

I’ll keep an accountability record by reporting on goals and accomplishments each week. 

The first requirement in taking a step in the right direction is to take a step in some direction. ~Robert Brault

2 comments:

  1. Happy writing! I have a love/hate relationship with writing groups. I love being with other writers, but so often the feedback can, if taken, indeed rob the voice of a story. I like to think I'm older and wiser now, as I've learned to trust my own instincts and take feedback with a grain of salt (and not do everything people suggest!). Glad to hear you are returning to a story. I have a few I'd like to resurrect and revise as well.

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    1. Yep, that was a big part of it. Learning to trust myself when it come to listening to feedback and preserving the characters voices. Thanks for dropping by.

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