tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8203719610395611719.post8659980858843548109..comments2024-03-08T09:28:10.145-05:00Comments on The Faux Fountain Pen: When Things Have to ChangeSarah Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09481750127533816819noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8203719610395611719.post-56770313471062107582015-02-13T07:35:40.544-05:002015-02-13T07:35:40.544-05:00On the advice of a professional critiquer, I took ...On the advice of a professional critiquer, I took out one of my chapters in a middle grade manuscript. I knew all along that the chapter was a little "iffie", because it didn't have my Main Characters in it- only the parents and what they were doing. And, that seems to be a no-no in writing a middle grade novel. I really liked that chapter, but it had to go. And, a few weeks ago I completely changed a picture book I had written. I finally faced the fact that the main character didn't solve the problem. But, it is so much better because of the changes.Janet,https://www.blogger.com/profile/17796999156668844943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8203719610395611719.post-71385186399584149652015-01-30T19:12:54.783-05:002015-01-30T19:12:54.783-05:00Only two. One was to first novel. The acquisition ...Only two. One was to first novel. The acquisition editor (who I respected very much as a writer) sad that my original ending was too sad and that I should lighten it just a tad, so I did. Sold it with the new ending, but I still like the old one though.<br /><br />The other was to a novella that I got in the on deck circle. Had problems coming up with a suitable ending and I was in serious danger of writing myself into a permanent corner. Finally came up with an ending to finish the story. Didn't like it a written, so I expanded it, which in turn allowed the entire novella to make sense.<br /><br /><a href="http://gbmjrflashy.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">Father Nature's Corner</a>G. B. Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09783331838434598963noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8203719610395611719.post-2222383045191747212015-01-30T07:48:52.110-05:002015-01-30T07:48:52.110-05:00Since I can never seem to follow an outline, I'...Since I can never seem to follow an outline, I've learned to not spend too much time on my first draft. Once it's all down on paper, I can figure out what works and what doesn't, and since I haven't agonized over making my chapters perfect, it's much easier to get down and dirty with the story and slash and revamp to my heart's content.Kim Van Sicklerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04957877837203134260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8203719610395611719.post-2268963104322687102015-01-28T21:16:26.256-05:002015-01-28T21:16:26.256-05:00It's always terrifying for me to make those bi...It's always terrifying for me to make those big changes. Yet I've chopped whole chapters. In the end, it's worth it. Good luck!Christine Rainshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08263694662585963900noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8203719610395611719.post-55480194535571954492015-01-28T20:38:27.730-05:002015-01-28T20:38:27.730-05:00Good luck, Sarah.Good luck, Sarah.The Happy Whiskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13438469476168485775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8203719610395611719.post-91329116128881350792015-01-28T18:58:43.500-05:002015-01-28T18:58:43.500-05:00So far I've not had to make a big change once ...So far I've not had to make a big change once it's written. I did do a major change in an outline right before I started writing though. Like you said, it didn't feel right and didn't fit. Scrap ending, end differently.Alex J. Cavanaughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8203719610395611719.post-49237643477339253002015-01-28T18:33:43.000-05:002015-01-28T18:33:43.000-05:00Sounds like you're diving back in to your nove...Sounds like you're diving back in to your novel?? If so, congratulations and good luck!Liz Blockerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16160510626027597666noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8203719610395611719.post-41043401992905717682015-01-28T17:05:20.671-05:002015-01-28T17:05:20.671-05:00I have had to made major changes to a story, and I...I have had to made major changes to a story, and I've been putting off making major changes to my current WIP. I find it's terrifying to start, but gets to be exciting once you've hit on the right change.M.J. Fifieldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15626475963328519693noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8203719610395611719.post-15878495577327624522015-01-28T16:46:20.584-05:002015-01-28T16:46:20.584-05:00I don't necessarily have the advantage of know...I don't necessarily have the advantage of knowing if something feels off. I could be going full tilt in a certain direction, and it's only later that it might seem not quite right, or someone points out what's wrong. Slightly deflating... but it's never going to happen that we get things right the first time, is it? It's a good feeling if we do get things back on track though.Nick Wilfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03841776353790635132noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8203719610395611719.post-1949293153392170492015-01-28T15:50:54.816-05:002015-01-28T15:50:54.816-05:00Isn't the first step for everything admitting ...Isn't the first step for everything admitting that you have a problem and something has to change? Haha! :P<br /><br />I have had to make big changes to a story, which I plan to blog about soon. My editor asked me to change the point-of-view from first to third and then to age then main character from a teen to an adult. You can imagine all of that work, right? Well, I was lucky that it was for a short story. If it was for a novel-length story, I would've said "forget it!" But making changes are usually for the good of the story.Chrys Feyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11955009490266358041noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8203719610395611719.post-55493143822617516042015-01-28T15:50:48.468-05:002015-01-28T15:50:48.468-05:00Isn't the first step for everything admitting ...Isn't the first step for everything admitting that you have a problem and something has to change? Haha! :P<br /><br />I have had to make big changes to a story, which I plan to blog about soon. My editor asked me to change the point-of-view from first to third and then to age then main character from a teen to an adult. You can imagine all of that work, right? Well, I was lucky that it was for a short story. If it was for a novel-length story, I would've said "forget it!" But making changes are usually for the good of the story.Chrys Feyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11955009490266358041noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8203719610395611719.post-74034759614980663972015-01-28T14:38:56.175-05:002015-01-28T14:38:56.175-05:00Change is rarely easy especially if it involves so...Change is rarely easy especially if it involves something near to us. I try to avoid change as much as I can unless it's in a direction that I really feel good about.<br /><br />Arlee Bird<br />A to Z Challenge Co-host<br /><a href="http://tossingitout.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">Tossing It Out</a>Arlee Birdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11663942782929929334noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8203719610395611719.post-69175847475275022692015-01-28T14:06:41.634-05:002015-01-28T14:06:41.634-05:00Oh yes, I've had to change a lot of things ove...Oh yes, I've had to change a lot of things over my revisions, including part of the main character. I'm not a very good planner. I tend to bounce a lot of ideas off of my sis-in-law to work out why things aren't working. But writing again is sometimes fun. Loni Townsendhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05126958230703180761noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8203719610395611719.post-19753029488804635532015-01-28T12:57:21.953-05:002015-01-28T12:57:21.953-05:00When I find myself struggling to put words on that...When I find myself struggling to put words on that page, for me it means the story is going in the wrong direction. I'm grateful for this, so I can go back and change what is needed before it needs a major overhaul. And it always turned things around for the better in the end. :)David P. Kinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17259276981865439853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8203719610395611719.post-73097536838340455562015-01-28T12:08:52.231-05:002015-01-28T12:08:52.231-05:00I changed who my character ended up with, and it c...I changed who my character ended up with, and it created ripples of things that had to change through the last third of the novel. I'm happy I made the changes, but it wasn't easy.Cherie Reichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16663147386014122939noreply@blogger.com