The Re-work

I have this habit of printing out a manuscript and going through it by hand with a red pen, or even a black on. The color makes little difference to me. However, it is the act of sitting down and looking over the manuscript, away from the computer. For some reason, seeing it on paper seems to allow me the chance to see it in a new light. Well that and time away from the book.

We all do it. Authors I mean. Immerse ourselves so deeply in the work that we are unable to see it's flaws. This manuscript is very dear to my heart. It took about two years on and off to finish. But it is truly my baby. No way could I look at it objectively at first. It took it being rejected and some time away for me to see the best thing I could do for my dear beloved characters and their story, was to allow it time to breathe. Time to vacation away from me.

It's been eight months. I think I'm ready now. I've already begun to mark it up. There will be a new twist worked in. (I have a soft spot for characters with some sort of history no matter how small). Backstory is being cut. Words will have to walk the plank…face the firing squad… go the way of many words before them and vanish from the page. *Beginning to panic. Hyperventilating. Tightness in chest.*

I'm good now. This is all for the best after all. The good of the story must come first. Otherwise the story will not shine as it is meant to be. The brilliance of it will be masked by the wordiness that has consumed my manuscript. Yes I'm humble. Can you tell? Just you wait, you will see the method to my mad ramblings when the time comes. Until then, you like the characters, will just have to wait and see what shall become of them.