All writers ebb and flow through their craft. I am currently working on rewriting a NaNo manuscript originally written in 2013. This is a project to say the least. I have spent years away from this piece, but it has never left my mind. A few years ago, at a writer’s conference, I had a revelation: the protagonist needs a huge shift. I decided to age her up by at least 10 years. Without any real indication of what other changes will need to be made…I’m digging in.
So…what do you do when a book needs a complete rewrite? Well, I’m starting one chapter at a time. Outlining the actual plot points and examining the perspective of the protagonist and how everyone else functions in their own right and to aid her character growth.
By deciding to scrap (for now) a prologue written in 2015, I know a bit more about how the world works from writing it. But will need to inject those world building pieces because that depth is crucial in fantasy novels.
Stay tuned for other revelations that come from completely pulling apart my first ever novel!