I've rewritten the Maloney Boys of Conburroi following advice from an editor. It's now Jess's story, which changes the focus of the whole story and has caused more issues for me and the publisher! :) These issues aren't necessarily bad things, just things that need to be sorted out before we go further.
I've been away and that's given me time to think...and read other books. Here's a summary of the thoughts:
I've struggled to let Maloney Boys go. Even after changing the focus I've been thinking that one day I'd put out the original story because I thought it was deeper and better and more faceted and ... well, you know, it's mine so I'm going to love it no matter how horrible it really it.
Then I started reading Go Set A Watchman. To Kill A Mockingbird was one of my favourite books at school, and so I was keen to read Watchman. I even reread Mockingbird so it was fresh in my mind. I started reading...and was completely and utterly horrified - people had died or weren't in this story, people I loved (characters you might call them, but to me, they're real!).
And Scout, her voice had changed. Of course, she'd grown up, but it was still shattering to me.
As yet I haven't finished it. I'm not sure I can. I'm going to Book Club today and I'll ask the ladies there for their opinion and that may change my horror and I may finish it yet. I am halfway, so I could finish it.
But reading this, I started thinking about the genius of the editor (or whoever it was) that picked the best bits out of Watchman and sent Harper Lee away to tell that story. It's genius to see that.
Which made me think...
I've been told to pull apart Maloney Boys. My editor is probably a genius too. Am I becoming Harper Lee? Am I going to wait for years thinking the original was the best when my editor knew better?
So, this time away to think and read has been good for me. I've sloughed off my love for my original story and now I'm going to love whatever story comes from it. The original was a draft. A clumsy draft by a new writer. My editor is crafting the best from it and making a better story.
I'm keen to see where my writing goes :)
And I'm off to book club now for a riveting discussion about Watchman, Jane Eyre and the Wide Sargasso Sea, followed by Purple Hibiscus.
I've been away and that's given me time to think...and read other books. Here's a summary of the thoughts:
I've struggled to let Maloney Boys go. Even after changing the focus I've been thinking that one day I'd put out the original story because I thought it was deeper and better and more faceted and ... well, you know, it's mine so I'm going to love it no matter how horrible it really it.
Then I started reading Go Set A Watchman. To Kill A Mockingbird was one of my favourite books at school, and so I was keen to read Watchman. I even reread Mockingbird so it was fresh in my mind. I started reading...and was completely and utterly horrified - people had died or weren't in this story, people I loved (characters you might call them, but to me, they're real!).And Scout, her voice had changed. Of course, she'd grown up, but it was still shattering to me.
As yet I haven't finished it. I'm not sure I can. I'm going to Book Club today and I'll ask the ladies there for their opinion and that may change my horror and I may finish it yet. I am halfway, so I could finish it.
But reading this, I started thinking about the genius of the editor (or whoever it was) that picked the best bits out of Watchman and sent Harper Lee away to tell that story. It's genius to see that.
Which made me think...
I've been told to pull apart Maloney Boys. My editor is probably a genius too. Am I becoming Harper Lee? Am I going to wait for years thinking the original was the best when my editor knew better?
So, this time away to think and read has been good for me. I've sloughed off my love for my original story and now I'm going to love whatever story comes from it. The original was a draft. A clumsy draft by a new writer. My editor is crafting the best from it and making a better story.
I'm keen to see where my writing goes :)
And I'm off to book club now for a riveting discussion about Watchman, Jane Eyre and the Wide Sargasso Sea, followed by Purple Hibiscus.
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