Thread: Need a little reassurance

Okay I just made a MAJOR change in my novel: I removed an entire section of plot including 5922 already written words, 9 already written scenes and at least 6 more outlined scenes, making up at least 2 and a half chapters of my book. OUCH! So, why did I do this?

Well, I've always heard that when considering a scene you should ask yourself "Why is this scene important? How does this benefit the story you're trying to tell? Does this scene move the plot forward? show motive for later actions? aid character development?" In other words, is this scene truly essential for the purpose of the novel or is it just interesting (to you, the author) filler?

So about a week ago, out of the blue it occurred to me that there was a much simpler, more organic feeling way to take my characters from Plot Point A to Plot Point C than what I had already written. I realized I could completely rewrite the bridge between those points in a way that kept the "essentials" or the important tasks accomplished by my current scenes, but made things less complicated, less dramatic, and more plausible. It will also allow me to accomplish in just 9 short scenes what the previous plot line would have taken 15 scenes to accomplish. Still, I sat on the idea for several days. I was both reluctant and terrified to make such a drastic change to my novel. I'd poured sweat & tears over those scenes. They were some of the most difficult scenes to write in my entire novel thus far and I'd agonized over them for months. Now here I was ready to just chuck it all away.

So tonight I finally did it. I removed it all. (Okay I moved the text to a separate document- I couldn't bring myself to just delete it outright.) I even rewrote one of the scenes to change the trajectory of my characters to match my new plot path. I am firmly committed now to this new, more natural feeling plot choice.

Right now I feel something like I imagine I would were I to discover my hair was irreparably damaged and thus choose to shave my head completely bald in the hope that something better would grow in over time. I know you don't know my novel, but in theory at least...please tell me this was the right thing to do!

It's your Novel, if you feel it was the right choice, then it was the right choice.

I've done this with a few of the shorter pieces I have written, and was not sure myself, so when I had finished the changed plot, I went back and re-wrote the origonal and figured it was the best choice. But with a Novel that could take WAY too much time, but yeah, in the end it is down to you, if you feel it's right, then we can't tell you otherwise

Good job, heart. And good job not getting rid of the writing--that's a place you can constantly come back to--just to see if it'll fit some other story.

It's tough to know when to let go of your own stuff (I've got boxes of doesn't-really-fit-the-story pages lying around here). For all the reasons you've outlined already, I'm sure it was the right decision.

Happy writing! (and editing...)

If you're unsure, it's better to leave something out. It's your humble sub-conscious telling your egotistical author what to do.

JohnB

It's normal at this time to be feeling a great deal of loss, because you have in fact lost a great deal. I'm glad you didn't delete the writing altogether but have saved it, for it may become the seeds of another story at a later time. As with all loss, you will go through a period of mourning, but over time, and as you work this new angle for your story, the pain will subside.


Always remember that you're the god of your story, and as its god, you create and destroy according to your nature. And the story is a mirror for your nature--that's the ony reason it exists in the first place.

Good luck.

Kill your darlings with a smile. Writing is like sculpting with clay. More often than not, the final result is perfected when a few(or a ton of) bits and pieces are carved off.

Thanks for all the encouragement everyone! Your words couldn't have been more perfect for what I needed to hear. Thank you!

I've gone through similar ordeals and it's never fun. I can only repeat Wolfie, kill your darlings with a smile. Better to be capable of that than cling to something that isn't going to work.

Good for you, refuse to be satisfied with second best, once you had realised it was you never would be really satisfied anyway. I was reading Cobbet's "Cottage economy" the other day, he was talking about kneading bread and says "To be sure it is work, but where's the harm in that? Let her but knead a bushel of flour once a week and a young woman will have no need of gallipots and potions". It is not physical work, but doing it 'right' will bring you mental fitness

I apologize I didn't read all the responses to this thread, so if I repeat I apologize

All I really want to tell you is that this is your novel. Right now you need to write to make yourself happy with the work you're doing. Go ahead and delete things you don't feel are necessary. The only suggestion I have regarding deleting large amounts of text is to save what you're "deleting." You may start writing the section again and need some information you wrote that you removed from the chapter(s). Having those files on hand, even if you think you'll never use them, could help in the long run.

Happy writing
-Hayden