Last month I wrote a prequel to my next legal suspense.
One challenge was that it was written AFTER the first book in the legal suspense series. I had/have a very detailed outline. It was why I could write the book so very fast. And I also had/have a detailed character study of the hero and heroine. But I heard from my editor last week and the heroine isn’t quite working. I wasn’t entirely surprised. In fact, it’s why I hired this particular editor. I knew she would tell me what I needed to hear to make this book great.
Normally, I’d just settle in and start reworking the heroine and make the plot changes needed. However, this time, the book that follows it is already through two rounds of edits and on to the line edit stage. That means there are certain parts of the story in the prequel that can’t change. So I’ve been a bit frozen. Finishing grades for my day job have given me a good excuse, but I’ve really been wrestling with what to do. I’ve been binge listening to books in the Gabriel Allon series and wondering how to fix the heroine. I think I have ideas, but this is one point where writing is really hard.
It would be really easy to tell my editor that I disagree and my story is perfect as it is.
However, that would be lazy and not what’s best for the story and readers.
If I’m honest though, I would really love to take the easy way out. Fortunately or unfortunately, this is not my style. Tomorrow I’ll start working through the ways to bend the plot to fix the character issues with the heroine. There are ways to do this, but it’s challenging.
So I’m reminding myself that this is why I love writing. I’ll never arrive. I’ll always get to push myself to be a better writer.
It’s great to say…until I actually have to do it.
So today, I thought I’d give away the book that released last month…In part to remind myself I can do this! And then in August, you can read the book I’m rewriting this month. I hope life is treating you well!
<a Rafflecopter giveaway p>
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