Deeper than ever did plummet sound I'll drown my book

[pameladean]

I have finished Ruth's prologue. (Arry probably has to have one too, though I am contemplating something rather odd to take its place.) It's only 2100 words and can probably be shortened a little when the time comes to do that. Now I am floundering amongst the first four chapters, cutting and pasting scenes and lines and trying to put them into the completely new context provided by the prologue.

I'm unfortunately at the stage where I like the present two-volume version quite a lot, so it's painful to contemplate removing so many scenes that I like. The other problem, which I should have anticipated, is that even scenes that are remaining don't have the right slant or flavor. They resonate with the missing scenes, with the original beginning, with later scenes that may also be cut out. The light of this new, narrower, faster story is wrong for them.

I said to Raphael last night that it might be easier to just write the whole book again from scratch. It would not, of course. The changes I need to make will mostly be quite minor. I'm just not into the rhythm of it yet.

I am writing a new opening for Arry's first chapter. Soon, I hope, I'll be able to attach it to later scenes that won't need a great deal of tweaking, although they will certainly need some.

Once the opening is in place, I'll be able to use larger pieces of the original book, and they will fit together better.

Pamela

Comments

[dd-b.livejournal.com]

2100 words? A mere nothing. Only a bit over 2% of the new length!

[pameladean]

I suppose I should do a running word count now. It's a lot easier to do that when one has more words than are needed rather than producing them out of the void.

Those 2100 words are actually taking the place of exposition later on that was apparently too late or too little and in any case is in a scene that will be cut, so with luck the net increase in wordage is zero. With luck.

P.

[lakeboy-55.livejournal.com]

*Hugs* it must be hard to chop your child up.

[aedifica]

When I read things like this, or some of matociquala's entries, I wonder that anyone ever sticks to it enough to produce a book. But I'm very glad you do!

[17catherines.livejournal.com]

This is heartbreaking to read, you know... Is there any chance of the full version being released as a limited, or self-published edition? I for one would love to read it as well as the new, shortened version.

love

Catherine, who is always hungry for good books

[comrade-cat.livejournal.com]

Something odd is usually good. The whole of the Hills is odd anyway. I likes it!

[auroramama]

Just seeing the names makes me happy.

[pameladean]

Aww. Luckily, I'm past the point where it feels quite that bad. It's more like having made a very large patchwork quilt with a bunch of thematic colors, and having to turn it into a twin-size one with half the colors left out.

P.

[pameladean]

Most books don't have quite this fraught a history, mercifully.

P.

[pameladean]

I am hoping that something can be worked out so people can read the long version.

P.

[pameladean]

Well, there is no doubt that the Dubious Hills is odd. I don't want to commit an excess of the imitative fallacy, but a little can be a good thing.

P.

[pameladean]

Oh, good. I was afraid the entry might be dreadfully opaque -- I don't want to include spoilers.

P.

[17catherines.livejournal.com]

I will also hope so!

[faithhopetricks.livejournal.com]

I'd love to buy a special edition of the long version, too.

[papersky.livejournal.com]

You are so clever. I am in awe. I wouldn't have the first idea how to do this stuff -- it literally would be easier to write it all again.

[beadslut.livejournal.com]

I am so glad it's at least going for you.

I know I'm a bad cheerleader, I have a virtual rum ball from Lutz Cafe in Chicago for you as incentive.

[pameladean]

I have been meaning to answer this, but every time I read it over I just think, "Jo thinks I'm clever!" and get a big dopey grin on my face. This is not conducive to discussion.

In any case, I think the reason you view my situation with even more horror than I do is that your books have very strong structures. Mine end having structure, but it accretes as a result of decisions along other axes entirely, so if I can keep enough of those decisions as I want them, I am less disturbed merely by the need to uproot the structure and start all over. It's work and I'd rather not do it, but it's not horrifying the way other kinds of revision requests would be. Any remarks about substantially altering Ruth or Arry's character, for example, would have me backing away slowly and plotting to be published by Martians.

P.

[pameladean]

Ooo, rum ball!

P.

[ksol1460.livejournal.com]

Yes, I want to read the "director's cut" too.