A New Beginning

And so it begins anew, a fresh look at an old story.

I'm diving into edits tonight on draft 3.5 of Under a Dark Star.

The point five bit tends to confuse people, but it's true. When I originally started writing all I had was a scene in my head and a fix on the personality of the two main characters. I didn't have an outline, or world building, or a plot. I was just writing.

I wrote about 40k before I took a break in frustration. When I came back to UDS I realized my main problem was that I'd started the story mid-plot. I needed 20k on the front of what I'd written to make the story make sense.

So the second draft was largely new material. I revised it a little and handed it over to the untender mercies of my beta-readers. They who lovingly shred things, poke their fingers in plot holes, and tear apart weak points with vicious glee.

I adore them for this, by the way. I've only broken down into tears a few times. Honest. Really, it's a good kind of hurt...

The story has meandered from the original outline. I do that frequently. I'm too nice in early drafts. And far too tame. It's okay, I fully intend to raise the hemlines, lower the necklines, and break out the leather on this next draft. We won't be talking Linnea Sinclair hot but maybe more Lisa Shearin and Lois McMaster Bujold.

The body count will rise right along with the hemlines.

And my character's are going to get in a few more fights. Writing fight scenes isn't my strongest point, but I love to read a good battle so I guess I'll just have to pick up some new talents while I edit.





Photo courtesy of The Daily Galaxy