Balls and Walnuts
more than you ever wanted to know
Coming back to it
We got the old computer out of mothballs — that’s the one that has all of my old writing on it. Seemed prudent to transfer all of those files to this laptop before the old computer emits a wheezing gasp of ozone and cacks it. Anyway, for lack of any true inspiration, and because my reader Maureen suggested it, I think I might revisit Brakan Correspondent and think about a revision. Lots of good stuff in that novel, but then there’s lots of stuff in the novel. Way too many characters, everyone fighting for center stage.
I’ve been away from the manuscript for a year. Is that enough time for objectivity? Do I have what it take to cut scenes — to cut characters?
I feel kind of pessimistic about the whole thing: first, that I have the discipline to take a razor to the text; second, that it’s a worthwhile endeavor and not a fat waste of time. I’m not sure I do have the objectivity to see the right thing to do. At one point, I thought I should turn the whole thing into a narrative with two limited third person perspectives (Cree and Boron, for those of you who remember the characters) but then the titular Correspondent’s story becomes too hard to tell. So I’m back to the multiple POV interlaced story line, and that’s just Brakah. What about the giant tarantula subplot? Talk about something which could be surgically excised without damage to the story! Except that Bare Rump does have some of the best lines.
Maybe the undisciplined approach is best. Keep the story wild and woolly and obviously a first novel. Just fix the plotting and tighten what I can.
You’d think one year away from a manuscript would make things easier.
D.
