Another New Beginning

Perhaps I should write a saga about writing a saga. While sitting in my first Writers' Group meeting in nearly thirty years I began to come to the acceptance that Swords of Fire: Book I begins in the wrong place. Or, to put it better, will attract readership better if it starts some place else.

For some time now I have had the nagging sense that Book I cannot get published starting where it does. It's too slow, and while I don't necessarily mind a book starting slow, today's readership will not tolerate it. The days of spending time creating mood without action are over. Maybe they never existed.

Personally, I don't always like books that start out with the action blaring. Movies can do that, and often have to. But movies are almost entirely visual and auditory. They play against a viewers emotions directly, instead of through the brain, like words do. That's why reading a book is better for one's brain than watching the movie version, or even listening to someone else read it, although even that is better than watching. Watching is passive. Listening is active. And reading is engaged.

Today's books, particularly fantasy, are supposed to engage the reader right from the start. Don't give them time to get comfortable. Get things moving right off.

Historically, that's not the way I write. But, historically, I remain unpublished, too.

So, I am strongly considering tearing Book I apart and rewriting it from scratch - for probably the fifteenth or twentieth time. Poor Book I. Another new beginning. Will it never be finished?

A published author (he has a trilogy out) at the meeting told me he worked on his original book for fifteen years. Then he abandoned it as "something for myself". He started a new series and was published. Fifteen years ago I seriously considered tossing Swords of Fire in a box and forgetting about it henceforth. That lasted a year, maybe. Now I've spent another fifteen years on it. But if it's going to happen, I expect I am going to have to learn to enjoy stories that start off with a bang. It's an acquired liking. Like coffee. Who knows? Perhaps I'll even start drinking coffee? Yuck. No.Bleeping.Way. I just bought new tea. I'll stick with that. Some things can't change. Meanwhile, maybe that should be the title I use for Book I: Another New Beginning.