The Dreaded Rewrite
You pick up your manuscript after the self-imposed wait period and notice plot holes that need fixing, a scene that would fit better elsewhere, or maybe a character who is underdeveloped.
This quickly turns into a downward spiral of self (pity) doubt and fear. Your novel will never make it off your computer and into the world.
Writing novels is a roller coaster that never gets easier, but the emotions become recognizable at different stages and there is some comfort in the familiar.
I have been reworking the same story for awhile now. Rearranging chapters in my head well into the night and try to think of which sequence of events would make for the best novel.
I have it all figured out until I sit down to write and realize if I put scene twenty in front of scene six no one will know what’s happening! If I change my chronology further my book may be ruined forever.
I have finally decided to face my ultimate fear and begin the rewrite.
A rewrite is a unique opportunity for a writer who is truly smitten with the world they have built. You begin already armed with the knowledge of what makes your story spectacular. This helps you take more chances and write with confidence.
The stress that comes with the original telling of the story has passed, keeping the focus on putting all of your creativity into creating a stronger draft.
A rewrite enables you to fall back on a complete manuscript and have the courage to jump forward into new ideas improve the fundamental structure of your story.
Your intimate thematic knowledge and grasp on the characters, who they are and where they’re going gives you a distinct advantage over when you were discovering these things for the first time.
A rewrite is daunting, but when you’ve been stagnated the way I have for too long its better to try a new approach. A rewrite is a clean slate. An opportunity to create within your own creation.
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