My dad always said, "Friday the 13th is lucky for the Irish."
I don't where he got that, whether he just made it up, but I've always abided by it.
Linda and I went on our first date on Friday the 13th and that turned out pretty well.
So today is my birthday and I have no fear.
I've spent three days working through the edits and my eyes are sore and I was actually seeing double vision on my walk. When I'm writing, I'm only staring at the screen for a few hours. When I'm rewriting, I'm staring at the screen for most of a day.
I'd hoped to finish last night and start my final go at it tonight, but I couldn't quite manage it.
"Takeover" is my most substantial book, in terms of characterization, plot, and theme. Can't say if it's my best book, but it was a challenge and I'm very happy with the way it turned out.
One of my readers said it was "awkward" in places, and I think that's the right word. But awkward in all the best ways, if that makes any sense. I wanted it to reflect reality (of course it doesn't, but I attempted it) and part of that is seeing the action from multiple viewpoints that don't always jibe--on purpose. Like I said, a more ambitious project that I'm accustomed to trying.
Yesterday on my walk, one of my characters popped up and said, "You're not done with me." It was sparked by something my editor said, about how I'd set up a character to be a certain way but hadn't quite followed through.
I thought up three small sections that totally redeem the character and fit snugly in the existing book.
Makes me wonder. Given enough time and thought, how many more of those kinds of nice improvements could be made?
I have to decide when I've done what I can, and when I might just be overdoing it, and my sense is--other than setting this book aside for another few months and getting more readers and spending months more pondering it, I'm not sure this book needs more work. Heh.
Whatever happens, I'm proud of writing this book.
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3 comments:
In this day and digital age, why should a book *ever* be finished? Sure there might be editions etched into the flesh of trees, but why should they be the final version?
I've been wondering about that. Is there an implicit contract with the reader not to tinker with the book they've read? (Lucas syndrome.)
I've been transcribing Star Axe, Snowcastles/Icetowers, written when I was 27 years old and...well, when I read them, all I see are all the things that are wrong. But they've been out in the world for 40 years and I don't think it's fair to change them now. (I can't resist cleaning them up a little, but nothing anyone would notice.)
How many times has the Bible been rewritten...?
If this is "art" as you say, isn't it up to the artist, regardless of doneness?
Maybe with a painting or sculpture the public might get bent out of shape; DaVinci shows up after 500 years and alters the Mona Lisa smile. But even if he did, wouldn't he have the right?
I say screw protocol, make a thousand editions, change the ending, alter all the names, (that'd be a fun one!), maybe you'll create a global controversy about the rights of artists vs the rights of consumers.
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