In a child’s life, the difference a year can make in their appearance, their progress, their abilities is amazing, but also very apparent. When you’re an adult, maybe not so much. Unless you’re a writer! The novel I am revisiting is one I wrote last spring. I thought it was great. My critique group liked it. I set it aside and didn’t think much about it because I already had a different novel that I was shopping around to agents (and which turned out to be the one my agent wanted to start with).
So…I’ve been reading this novel from last spring for the last couple of days and what I’ve discovered is that it’s very polished, well-plotted, paced okay, and pretty much flat. Weird, huh? I don’t think that I just missed this last year. I think that since then I have revised with the help of my agent one novel, which taught me a lot, and I’ve also read another 150 books since then. I think this novel was the best I could do at the time. But now…now I’m anxious and excited to get back to it and really make it sparkle! It’s nice to have something that already has good bones to work with because revision is my favorite part, and baby does this need a good, solid, fun revision. Wahoo! I’m in my element. And the best part is I’m still reading, which I can do outside on my porch in the sunshine.
What’s your summer project?
In the next few weeks I plan to revisit my first novel, written eons ago. I suspect I’ll realize just how much I’ve grown as a writer since I wrote it! I suspect it will turn into my summer project (like you say: fun!).
You are such a revision junkie! I think that is one of the best things about writing- with every book you learn something.
My summer project is revisions on my next book. Although this week I’ve gotten a lot done that I thought would take me forever. I guess after this, it’s off to the beta readers and then more revisions.