Writing backward.

While waiting for Led to the Slaughter to be edited, I've been giving Blood of Gold, the third book of the Vampire Evolution Trilogy, a final polish.  The first two books are with the publisher, and I'm happy with them, but I thought the third book could probably use...one... more...rewrite...

This time, I started from the last chapter and worked my way backward.  I think this may be my strategy from now on for rewrites.  The first half of a book tends to get more attention, because I'm figuring out the plot.  The second half is usually just a matter of writing it, because usually I have the story all worked out by then.  So the second half doesn't tend to get as many rewrites.

It is also very easy to run out of energy by the end -- not in the original draft, but in the rewrites.  Rewriting is work.  So I feel like I should do the hard part first.

Here's the thing -- the beginning of a book is critical when you're trying to sell your book.  It is critical in getting the reader to accept your book.

But what the final reader actually thinks of the book when he or she if finished, probably comes more from the ending.

So while it is important to get the beginning right, what a reader remembers of the ending may be even more important.