A month ago, I told you that my novel was finished. That was a true statement at the time. I took my re-edited last chapter to my next writing group meeting and the members gave me some excellent pointers and ideas to improve it even more. I thought about their advice, pondered some ways to strengthen the ending, and have worked to do just that.
I'm still doodling with word choice, etc., but the book is really done now. I have been researching agents, publishers, checking out the market to see who's buying the type of writing I'm trying to sell, and I've also been scouring the internet for article and short story markets. So, I haven't been idle; I've just waited until I was sure I'd done my final editing on that memorable last chapter to share my thoughts about why I did it.
I read recently a blog by one of my inspirations, Hope Clark, who is having her first novel published this fall. She shared her journey, which also included several rewrites of the ending of her book. So, I know I'm in good company! I suppose the reason for this post is to help other writers realize that they can't just put their work out for sale until they're completely satisfied with the end result. It does take more than one draft, or two, or three - it takes what it takes to make it your best, and you have to be wise enough to know when you've done it right.
So, back to work on my synopsis. I'm sure I'll have lots to share about the next part of my quest.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
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