On the heels of my latest rejections, I've been thinking a lot about my book. It's called Notches, in case I never mentioned it. It's a dilly of a pickle of a book. I'm going to imagine that it will be a hard sell for any publisher because it's as graphic as the day is long, and contains many things that make people feel squicky, like teenage sex, drinking, and drug use. Meh. I think the thing that also has agents running for the hills is the non-traditional structure of the story. But this is something that I'm rethinking right now.
In the original version, Natasha gets knocked down a few pegs, and her life definitely changes, but things stay mostly on an even keel. But after really thinking about it, I think that Tash needs to lose everything. You know, in the way that protags lose everything: i.e. friends stop talking to them, jobs are lost, they are utterly alone in the universe, etc. And while I don't think Tash is going to lose her job at the ice cream shop (unless...), I think she's definitely going to have to lose her support system for a bit.
I've figured out the cataclysmic event that sets the rest of it in motion, it's just...I'm going to end up rewriting the final third of the book.
I don't know if you've ever written a novel while holding down a full time job and a couple of part time ones, but it's difficult to find the kind of blocks of time you need to get back into the characters.
*sigh*
I don't know when I'm going to do it, especially because I have other writing projects on my mind right now. I have the other YA book I'm writing (needs chapter 5 and beyond), I have the adult novel (for which I have come up with a kickass first sentence), not to mention the OWC stuff (I'd give that up, but it's like eating candy and I ain't giving up candy). So, I'm a tad screwed.
This April, I will have been trying to get an agent for a solid year. M'not discouraged, though. No siree Bob. If anything, I'm more fired up than ever.
I'm also very sleepy.
*headdesk*
~Hero
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2 comments:
I love you! Your last statement (not the headdesk) is amazing. I don't know how you do it. Because I am pretty sure its not a "fake it till you make it", "tell the world what you need to hear and maybe you will believe it" situation. I think you actually are more fired up.
A. You will find time. If this is where the novel needs to go - take it there. But don't you dare destroy the first copy. Because I doubt the encouraging agent who told you to revise meant 'rewrite the last third of the book'. ;)
I kind of mushed B up in with A. Which was just - maybe it needs to be in between the two versions. hmmm,.
oh and you are inspiring me to update my blog. But I gotta finish catching up on yours.
OMG, feedback. Holy crap. Thanks for reading all this stuff. I really am trying to be fired up. And yeah, I wonder about the revisions, but I'mma do them regardless, just because I think it might make me a better writer. I'm willing to do a helluva lot to make that happen.
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