I've decided to attempt a rewrite of Echo using third person. For some crazy reason I thought this would come naturally. By the second sentence where I had to replace I, I became angst ridden. Now having completed one paragraph I'm distraught. So, I'm going to modify my initial strategy, from complete rewrite, to simply going through a copy of the manuscript and changing it to third person. And then later going back through it and seeing if I can make it better. I really wanted to approach it with a different spirit. Koji is the narrator, and I wondered what it would be like instead to have a fairly limited omniscient narrator; one close to his shoulder, who carries some affection for him. A blanket of thought spread out around him for his paws to walk upon. I wont get that from merely making I, he. Maybe I will give it another day or so. Lean into it, re-imagine. Maybe I will have to just do a simple edit form of rewrite first, and then it will be easier for another tone to unfold. Or maybe he still just wants to tell the story himself. I don't know. I worry that this struggle is just a waste of time, and that I should focus instead on making the story stronger as it is. But I wont know until I try, and fail, and try some more. And I do feel the need to know this answer. It would solve some problems. Yeah, I'll do just the basic edit and see how it feels, then I'll know if I should spend the time and energy re-imagining/rewriting.
2 comments:
Taffiny, I liked your post! I also have some advice. As an editor, I cringe when I have clients who do the re-edit, after re-edit, themselves. (Though as a writer/editor I could chop up & rewrite my work over and over again, so I understand your desire to make it perfect!) I agree with your last thought though, which is make the story strong. The edits you are trying to do aren't that important right now, they can come later. You are the writer...that is your gift...so keep on writing...get it all out, down on paper and keep on writing. Editing can suck the life out of a writer's creativity and drive and create a damper on the whole project. When you do focus on edits, find out if you are editing the right stuff. Sometimes, writers can end up reversing things, re-writing things, losing their story focus and the like, because they are being overcritical or aren't exactly sure what they need to edit. Your stories sound interesting, I especially love the names for your son and husband, cute! Keep on writing and good luck! (I loved your goal bars on the right side of the blog!)
Amber,
Hi. Thank you so much for your insights, and encouragement!
Yes, you are 100% correct, when I try to edit myself I often am clueless about whether I am making things better or...worse.
I had help creating those story bars. I find them helpful; they create the feeling of making progress, as I sit alone with a bunch of words.
My tendency not to call family members by their actual names extends outside of my blog, which is something my son doesn't appreciate now that he is fifteen.
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