Revisions

[amethystrse.livejournal.com]

Hello everyone. I just joined tonight. I'm working on my first novel. I've been working on it on and off since February 2007. I actually finished it in December but since then I've re-written it and am working on another re-write. I also rewrote it several times while working on it. I went from 20,000 words to 70,000 words. My issue is that I don't think 70,000 words is enough for an urban fantasy piece. Most publishers won't look at anything below 80,000 words. So far I've added 2,000 words to it I think. I haven't changed anything to the plot. I just added things to the scenes....more detail, added a sentence or two, etc.

I honestly don't know how professionals do it novel after novel. lol

Any advice would be greatfully appreciated.

Comments

[indicinderelly.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry I don't have anything to tell you that will help. I just wanted to say I wonder that too (I honestly don't know how proffessionals do it novel after novel). I would love to get to that point (novel after novel) but I can't seem to get my first book out so all I have is wondering.

[amethystrse.livejournal.com]

lol glad to know I'm not alone. lol

[jl-johnson.livejournal.com]

What about sub-plots? Do you have any of those? Expanding on these could help push the word count up and add some depth to your novel.

[amethystrse.livejournal.com]

I have quite a few actually. One of which added 10,000 words or so all by itself. I also have different POV.

[jl-johnson.livejournal.com]

What about working on your synopsis? Sometimes I find writing out the story synopsis can give me idea's, plotwise and add more. I can see where the story is weak and work on that part, or delete parts that don't fit.

My problem is trimming down what I've written. I'm working on two novels, my first is already over 20,000 and I havne't even finished the fourth chapter, while the prologue for the second is over 16,000. I know publishers tend to shy away from first novels that are over 100,000, so aim for something like 80,000 and you should be all right.

[amethystrse.livejournal.com]

lol I wish I had that problem.

I've done everything I can think of. The rewrite is going well though. I've added stuff that I think makes the story move smoother. Right now I'm at a point where I don't have much to change. A word here or a sentence there that helps. I don't know if it's because I'm burnt out or if it's because that part is just as good as it's going to get. When I started this I fixed so much. Turned the opening 2 paragraphs into 2 pages. Now it's not so much.

I've written the synopsis twice and have that exactly how I want it. It fits on one page. lol Oh how hard that was! it's only the main plot too.

[amethystrse.livejournal.com]

It's about a woman who discovers she's a psychic vampre (a person born without the ability to make their own energy so they draw it from others). At one point she becomes so depleted that she needs to feed from someone but because of her morals refuses to. Eventually her husband pushes his energy into her to help her. She doesn't know it's happening because she's unconcious and when she wakes up she says she doesn't want to feed off of him. He tells her that it's alright because he's willingly giving it. It's a testament to how much he loves her.

There is also a woman who is a part of the plot but I didn't really know what to do with her. She's a dabbler (someone who uses magic without thinking about the consequenses) who finds herself amongst succubi. I'm not sure where I'm going with that as it's going to come to a head in another book.

There are also friends of the main character who are helping her but there are hints that they have other ideas later on.

And ofcourse the main one, the whole thing she has to go through (destroying a creature bent on destroying the world...I know it's been done but it works with this story) is really a test of the gods...one of whom is Yahweh (the Jeudo/Christian God).

Those are the plots I can think of right now. It's late and I have insomnia so I'm going to work on the book a bit more before going to bed.

[amethystrse.livejournal.com]

lol I never thought of the book as being like X-Files. lol I used to love the show but only for the first season. Then it kind of bored me after that.

I have a list of small plots to add in the middle of a book. When I find it, I'll post them here.

Coolness

[amethystrse.livejournal.com]

Awesome ideas!