Strategies for a major rewrite

[Julie Ann Shapiro]

After reworking my novel in process through ten drafts I've realized the story needs an overhaul. The problem is mostly with the secondary story that intertwines with the main story. Now I need to taper back that story and make the front line story more robust. It may involve going from first POV to third and deleting various chapters and adding new ones.

I'm curious how you would approach such a major revision.

[Julie Ann Shapiro]

Hi Mari,
Oh yeah, the bear of bears. I did this kind of major change to my last novel and it invovled thirty chapters. In some ways I think that change was larger, but also more logical. It invovled a life or death situation. This involves a whole family and who in that family is necessary to the story and how shall I repackage what happens to them in context with the main storyline. And how the heck would the narrator know their experience.

[Nikki Duncan]

I'm actually wrapping up the end of such a rewrite. I created a storyboard, using post it notes to line out each scene and where I wanted them to go. A friend of mine, Shelley Bradley, is teaching the storyboarding class online in August. It has helped me find plot holes and has done an amazing job of keeping me on track while making my scenes and characters richer than I could have ever imagined. I have other tools that I've used that have made my life WAY easier when I use them in conjunction with the story board. If you're intersted in the class, visit Shelley's website - she'll be posting updates as they come. If you're interested in some of the tools I've used, check out my website.

[Julie Ann Shapiro]

I like the idea of a storyboard. I outlined this kind of change last time and it kind of felt more arduous than the writing. I may try the story board as it's visual or maybe a handwritten outline. Sometimes being away from the story and working on the plot line helps.

[Marta Stephens]

Hi Julie, I'm in the process of doing just that. Actually I'm now on the second draft of the rewrite.

I did something like a story board only it looked more like an organizational chart. I placed the characters across the top and listed their motivations and actions in sequence. Then whenever two or more characters interacted at certain points in the plot I drew lines from one character's block of information to the other characters and summarized the results. I only jotted brief notes but it was enough for me to see the plot flow to make sure everything happened in the right sequence (i.e.: can't find the body BEFORE the murder).

Good luck. It's hard work but you'll feel great at your accomplishement. Keep us posted.
Marta

[Julie Ann Shapiro]

I may try the story board, although that feels more like office work and my fiction I tend to write organically as I feel my characters voice. But then that may explain why both of my other novels had 15 drafts before they felt done.

I'm happy to say that I just reworked my second chapter and it feels more right with the story. I guess it's just going to be chapter by chapter as I figure out what I can use and what needs to be scrapped or replaced. I've determined that the second family in the story, that is my secondary story has a definite roll, but that mistake was letting them share equally in the space allotment so there was confusion as to who's story it was.

Maybe on my lunch break at work I'll experiment more with the story board. I'll let you know how it goes.

[Kim Baccellia]

I had a problem in Earrings in which one of the minor characters was stealing the story. I had to stop and go back to my main characters.

I went over my YA paranormal a number of times. One thing that did help was having other YA writers read the whole manuscript. They were able to pick up things I didn't see. I also broke down and had a couple professional critiques. One from a former editor at Scholastic not only did a line edit but asked questions throughout the scenes that helped with character development, plot, and pacing.

[Deb Larson]

Hi Julie:
The first thing I would consider ... decide what the story is that you want to share with your readers. Make that your priority. Delve into your characters - it feels as if you haven't really gotten to know them as intimately as you need to. Whether you write in first or third - is a decision you have to make. I suggest sticking to just one throughout your book. I know there are many who flip flop between the two - but I find those books confusing if not done just so.
Another thing you might want to try is bringing in a new character. Add dialogue to cover some of the issues you are worried about.
My last suggestion - not always fun to hear - but may be easier in the long run - is to consider what you've written - your practice, learning how to do it manuscript. Which means - start over! Once you have the nuts and bolts of what you want to write about, you could bring in the parts of your first manuscript that work with your new story line.
Whatever you decide to do, remember writing is an arduous craft. Rewrites are just another form of writing! :)
Good luck!
DL Larson

[Julie Ann Shapiro]

Hi Deb,
Thanks for the advice. It makes sense. I thought I knew what story I wanted to tell or rather the characters wanted to tell and then ended up in a partial detour. I think you're right that I need to spend more time thinking about my goals with this. I tend to write first, then second.

I do think it's going to be fun to see where this all goes, but a lot of work too.

Starting over from scratch is not an option as I have roughly 40,000 words that work with the novels. It's the other 20,000 from the secondary storyline that needs to be repositioned.

Thanks again for your great advice.

Julie

[Julie Ann Shapiro]

Hi Mari,
I guess it's a matter of preference. I want to work with what I have. In one case I could split the two stories in half and have one novella and one long story and that's a tempting route. If I went that route, I could begin a new book. I'm more inclined to try and make this story evolve with a necessary revisions.

Julie

[Victoria Ridley]

Hi Julie,

I'd be inclined to split my story into plot and subplot, then deal with them as two separate entities...for the time being. Of course there'd be some overlap, but I think it gives you the chance to see each storyline separately, and judge it on its own terms. You can also check that you haven't forced the plot, or skipped a step. I suppose it's a bit like the storyboarding idea, but cutting and pasting on your PC instead!

Of course, last time I did this, I decided that I didn't need my sub-plot at all, since the main plot stood better by itself!

Good luck! Editing makes my teeth hurt. I'm sure there's got to be an easier way...:-)

[Julie Ann Shapiro]

Hmmm...I find writing really fun whether it's a short story or my day job writing marketing copy and feature stories. I love almost any kind of writing. I think what's the hardest for me about novel writing is all the various decisions that have to make about the plot lines and what goes where. I

[Julie Ann Shapiro]

Victoria,
Thanks. That's interesting that you can split a story by plot and subplot. I can't imagine doing that. I guess that's why I'm a literary fiction writer. I did split the stories by POV as a reference point and that seemed to give me some insight.