Shane Castle
asked
Lois McMaster Bujold:
Many authors write material that is ultimately cut out of the finished product, either by the author herself or by an editor. Do you have any backlogs of text that did not make it to the published work that you deem readable by your fans? Or that you regret leaving out?
Lois McMaster Bujold
I have very little in the way of scene-sized outtakes, because most of that editing happens at the rolling-outline stage, and doesn't make it past pencil-scratchings. When I was slogging through the middle of what became Diplomatic Immunity, I did write an experimental prologue from Guppy's point of view, but decided the book was thematically better served starting where it had. Which is around somewhere... ah.
http://www.dendarii.com/excerpts/prol...
Wow, that was a while back. (Spoilery if you've not read the book, btw.)
There were also iirc five chapters midway in Ivan's book that went in a different direction and ground to a dead halt, which I scrapped in favor of the final and better developments. (I was basically trying to shove Ivan into a Miles-like plot, which did not work either logically or psychologically.) That was probably my biggest post-composition cut. It's nothing I'd show or can even readily find at this point, but it wasn't altogether work wasted, as I made up a deal of material, including a first pass on Moira ghem Estif, that I recycled in various ways.
So, nothing to show and no regrets.
Ta, L.
I have very little in the way of scene-sized outtakes, because most of that editing happens at the rolling-outline stage, and doesn't make it past pencil-scratchings. When I was slogging through the middle of what became Diplomatic Immunity, I did write an experimental prologue from Guppy's point of view, but decided the book was thematically better served starting where it had. Which is around somewhere... ah.
http://www.dendarii.com/excerpts/prol...
Wow, that was a while back. (Spoilery if you've not read the book, btw.)
There were also iirc five chapters midway in Ivan's book that went in a different direction and ground to a dead halt, which I scrapped in favor of the final and better developments. (I was basically trying to shove Ivan into a Miles-like plot, which did not work either logically or psychologically.) That was probably my biggest post-composition cut. It's nothing I'd show or can even readily find at this point, but it wasn't altogether work wasted, as I made up a deal of material, including a first pass on Moira ghem Estif, that I recycled in various ways.
So, nothing to show and no regrets.
Ta, L.
More Answered Questions
David Abramowitz
asked
Lois McMaster Bujold:
Thank you for your life's work. I have been especially taken by the world of the five gods. I just reread Masquerade in Lodi and remain slightly puzzled on P/D's move to Adria. The reasons for his leaving are clear enough -- loss of his two mothers; new archdivine with sorcerer; mismatch with the role of sorcerer-physician etc. But why Adria? D's interest in going there? Met the archdivine of Adria somewhere?
Chris
asked
Lois McMaster Bujold:
Ask#2 ~ In short, please help me know that choosing to write could possibly create something for me to hold onto. I'm 49, I've done slayed my demons and am no longer running; however, as pleased as I am with my life's progress, my forward momentum is gone. I feel I am lost without a compass. I've always wanted to write but I have no audience. Should I invent one? ~ In advance, I thank you for any thoughts. Christine
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