by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner
Things are going really well with this alpha release of the third draft of my first novel but for one thing — I’ve so forked the beginning of the novel that it’s forcing my hand when it comes to re-writing things.
My novel is meant to be an old brown shoe for readers of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.
My hope was that I could just EDIT what I’ve already written of the new first act. But today it’s clear that while I’ve significantly improved the novel by re-writing the very beginning — simply editing what I’ve already written just isn’t going to cut it.
I’m going to have to do an extensive rewrite, as well.
I think I can handle this. It’s just re-writing rather than editing is going to slow me down a great deal. But it’s worth it because the end product is going to be so much better. I’m really beginning to get to the point where the novel is sufficiently professional that I could be within shouting distance of sticking the landing when it comes to querying later this year.
That is, of course, unless a Second American Civil War / WW3 breaks out between now and then. But I can’t think like that. I have to believe. And I feel as though if I just keep my eyes on the prize — and maybe don’t get drunk so much — that I can actually wrap this novel up around late April like I have been planning to for some time now.
