Jackie Powers Writing Blog

I finally read my manuscript that I need to revise, from start to finish… first time I’ve done that since I finished it this February. Figured I’d best read it through before I start revising, especially since about two chapters from the end, I (as author) made a major discovery about a character who appears early in the story, and it’s something the POV character knows that I didn’t, so it needs to be incorporated back in and I couldn’t remember what it was.

So… what do I think about my book? The last half is completely awesome… the second quarter is okay… the first quarter sucks.

And, of course, what do I need to send to the agents and editors? The first three chapters, the worst chapters in the entire book. **sigh**

The good news is the fix is tedious, but fairly simple. It’s written in a very tight 1st person… except as I’ve pondered the revisions over the last couple weeks, I discovered that I don’t truly get into the POV character’s head until about half way into the book. Coincidentally enough, I get into her head about the time the book turns awesome. So, the fix is: I just need to get into her head from the first page. See, simple.

Doable? Well that’s another story. But, yes, it is doable. It basically means rewriting the first half of the book… and I hope to God! that not too much changes, because I really don’t want to have to rewrite the last half of the damn thing, too.

What technique am I going to use to get into her head from the first page? Once the true problem occurred to me, the fix turned out to be fairly simple, too. I’m going to start with the day before the book starts, the day of the inciting incident, the day that throws her world into the chaos the book itself is dealing with. By the time I get done with that day, I should have a very good handle on her real frame of mind on the page the book actually starts.

So, that’s the plan, begin with the day before and keep writing until I get to the part of the book where I finally fall deeply into her POV, and hope the transition between the two can be made seamless… and add an external plot… and move a scene.

All whilst I’m getting three kids ready to move into dorms and the fourth ready to start school. Oh joy.

But, I’m pleased to say that today, for the first time since I came home, I was actually up and about and doing things. My house isn’t close to clean, but it’s now vacuumed so it’s no longer gross, and I got a good start on cleaning my bedroom, which was so dusty it was driving me buggy. Tomorrow, I need to finish my bedroom, pay the bills, clean off my desk, take two kids shopping for dorm supplies, do the laundry, and grocery shop… and maybe someplace in there find the time to begin working on my story. That’s the plan anyway, we’ll see how it actually works out.