In Print/Characters/Ideas
I remember the first time I got a constructive critique of HeartMate from someone who'd read the book. My immediate response (in my head) was "Wait, wait I can change that...add a sentence or two............" Then it struck me. After nine years of critique groups and four books written, I couldn't change a word.
I still can't even though it's being reissued in August. No copy edits. No galleys. Three cover flats, that's all. Not that I'm ashamed of HeartMate. Never. The book won me a RITA -- though I've grown as a writer and would tweak it...revise forever.
This topic actually came to mind a few minutes ago when I woke up. I got what I thought was a brilliant idea for Protector of the Flight. All I had to do to make it work was add one line to Sorceress of Faith...oops.
Naturally, I HAVE done this. If the previous book was in copy edits or galley stage, I could do this. I recently revised Heart Quest to include a better set up of Heart Match, just one page, and deleting a couple of lines/paragraphs where the previous set up (plot I previously had in mind), changed.
So books can blur in my mind, always protean. I don't think they ever are finished, even in print, in my head. Especially when I continue to write about T'Ash and Danith (and of course Zanth, the telepathic alley cat with Attitude) in other books.
I think I said this before -- when I went to finish a character interview of T'Ash to put on my website for one of my first WORLDs page (well, shoot, the link ain't showing up, see above). I learned more about him than I knew AFTER the book was in print. So your characters, if you're writing a series, do live with you forever, or at least that's the case for me. And they are a little different in my head, than on the page, too.
Of course no work ever matches the brilliance of the idea -- another topic you can think about today. For instance, people tell me they like the interview, think it's funny. I think the interview's sad.
Ok, enough for the deep philosophical stuff about artistry and writing before dawn...
Have a brilliant day.
Robin
I still can't even though it's being reissued in August. No copy edits. No galleys. Three cover flats, that's all. Not that I'm ashamed of HeartMate. Never. The book won me a RITA -- though I've grown as a writer and would tweak it...revise forever.
This topic actually came to mind a few minutes ago when I woke up. I got what I thought was a brilliant idea for Protector of the Flight. All I had to do to make it work was add one line to Sorceress of Faith...oops.
Naturally, I HAVE done this. If the previous book was in copy edits or galley stage, I could do this. I recently revised Heart Quest to include a better set up of Heart Match, just one page, and deleting a couple of lines/paragraphs where the previous set up (plot I previously had in mind), changed.
So books can blur in my mind, always protean. I don't think they ever are finished, even in print, in my head. Especially when I continue to write about T'Ash and Danith (and of course Zanth, the telepathic alley cat with Attitude) in other books.
I think I said this before -- when I went to finish a character interview of T'Ash to put on my website for one of my first WORLDs page (well, shoot, the link ain't showing up, see above). I learned more about him than I knew AFTER the book was in print. So your characters, if you're writing a series, do live with you forever, or at least that's the case for me. And they are a little different in my head, than on the page, too.
Of course no work ever matches the brilliance of the idea -- another topic you can think about today. For instance, people tell me they like the interview, think it's funny. I think the interview's sad.
Ok, enough for the deep philosophical stuff about artistry and writing before dawn...
Have a brilliant day.
Robin
posted by FantasyAuthor RobinDOwens | 4:58 AM
2 Comments:
nice, cozy place you got here :)..
Thank you, I DO work hard on it....
Robin
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