Revelations and alternatives

Howdy blog followers!

I’ve been working on edits on Renaissance Wench. I’ve put the first four chapters out there for critique and one person’s opinion really got me to thinking. With this novel, I’ve realized that I wrote the novel I grew up reading. Why is this a revelation you ask? Because over the last few weeks of editing, I  realized that it’s not the type of novel I read now.  That revelation needs analyzing.

The more serious I’ve become about writing, I’ve tried to expand my reading horizons. It’s a great way to see how other people phrase something. I’ve been forcing myself to do this because it’s the best way, I feel, to learn more and ultimately become a better writer.  And the whole show, don’t tell thing is something I’m still struggling with.

This afternoon I made the decision to essentially rewrite a good portion of my book. And I think it’s ultimately the right decision for this story. If nothing else, I need to stay true to what I read. If I write what I read, then the authenticity will show through in my writing. I never realized how much reading and writing are connected until I embarked on this new passion. If someone told me I would be doing this to my novel three years ago I would have kicked and screamed and insisted that the story was fine they way it was. One thing I’ve learned recently is that there are always improvements to be made, but I have to choose what version I am willing to live with and that version needs to be the best I can make it.

I know other writers who are going through edits at the moment. Have any of you hit this type of wall? Did you graffiti it or tear it down and rebuild?  Would love to hear everyone’s experiences.

Have a great upcoming week and happy writing!

Mel.

Also, there’s a new post on Murphy’s page.