Learn to love the knife

I hope you've followed the recent round of input and revisions on one of my novels because it relates to what I do as an editor and what you do as a writer -- make that rewriter.

Perhaps it's due to my many years in advertising, but I have absolutely no fear of ditching a creative effort and revising or coming up with something new. Especially now, in the computer age, when the original is perfectly preserved as I work on one or more alternates. There is absolutely no excuse for not taking a knife to a narrative and exploring the consequences.

Here's a major reason why: if you're going to get anywhere with writing a compelling, salable novel, you need to learn learn learn. For this writer, the only way to absorb, in a meaningful way, the consequences of scrapping an opening chapter or two is to give it a try.

By "meaningful," I mean that it makes sense to me at a gut, functional level. As I worked at learning the craft, I read handfuls of how-to books, yet all that expert input never affected my approach to writing until after I'd written a novel. Only then could it start to inform what and how I wrote. For this writer, it's not theory that teaches, but experience. Trial and error that leads to trial and success.

As mentioned in an earlier post, a writer recently backed away from an edit because I suggested that the story's compelling opening came many pages into the narrative. I sincerely hope the writer will reconsider and try loping off all that set-up and starting with tension. And then weave the expository stuff into later narrative.

I know it can be done. I've done it on three of my novels now, thanks to the insights provided by fresh eyes. Most recently, a tip from a critique partner had me sharpening my electronic knife, slicing a chapter into three pieces and then, with hard-learned rewriting skills, suturing them into different points along the narrative path. The result? A strong increase in conflict and escalation of tension.

In the recent rewrite of my novel, We the Enemy, my agent liked the new beginning so much (which was actually pretty much a former one he'd never seen) that he fired it off to an editor at Mariner Books. Cross your fingers for me.

So, as long as you can do a "save as" and keep the old version, why not explore "extreme" revisions? Even if they don't work, I guarantee you'll learn something. And I think the only way to a compelling, publishable novel is through constant learning, constant refinement of your storytelling craft, constant honing to finally create a story that compels the turning of your pages.

That's what it's all about, isn't it?

For what it's worth.

Ray

Free edit in exchange for posting permission. You send a sample that you have questions about and of which you'd like an edit. I won't post it without your permission.

© 2005 Ray Rhamey

Comments

[Babe King]

I notice you offer a crit for publish offer for this blog. I'm wondering how to go about sending an opening scene to you for comment/crit/cutting. I have fears of overusing medical jargon, too much info dumping, unlikeable heroine at the beginning of her character arc. I have had dramatically opposing opinions about this from different CPs and wonder what you would say about it.
thanks

[Shalanna Collins]

Hi! Give me an e-mail address to send it to, and I'll put the first chapter of my mystery/suspense novel in your hands. I keep sending it to the St. Martin's contest, but it just hasn't won. (grin) And it should!

[Falconmyst]

Striving to compose my first novel, FORBIDDEN. Learning as I go and requesting advice, Morgan Hawke gave me your address....