Sailors on the Sea

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Feedback

Got feedback on Quest. That came very quickly, and I wish to extend a heartfelt, "Thank You", to my beta reader. Don't know if Beta Reader wants to be identified, so I won't.

Good feedback. A couple of my concerns were confirmed, and a couple were set aside. And then there were several things I missed entirely. Those were especially good.

It looks like the story is in for a significant rewrite, though, despite the overall positive review. But I felt I had drifted from my original premise and that was one of the confirmations I got. So I'm redoing the beginning, middle, and end. (You can't rewrite much more than that.)

I'm not dumping everything. I am dumping the beginning and replacing it with something better (I think). The middle needs more tension, and so I'll mainly be adding. There is the one major scene which I haven't decided about. Part of me is thinking of dumping it, and part of me is thinking it could be useful if I alter it so that it become part of the tension. The ending will mostly stay the same, but it also needs to be "fleshed out" a bit.

I've actually begun the rewrite already.

On another front, I submitted my query to Evil Editor.

4 comments:

fairyhedgehog said...

Submitting to EE is brave, Bevie. I'll be there with tea and sympathy when it's needed.

Feel free to identify away!

Bevie said...

I noted you said when instead of if. Well, I've done it before. That time I almost felt like giving up.

Thanks for the permission.

Whirlochre said...

I've only just taken the plunge into my local betahood and although it hurt to receive criticism about some of my favourite passages, it's better that this all happens pre-agent.

Bevie said...

Yes, I know. I've been turning Swords of Fire over to readers since 1980. I've always felt the criticisms I've received have helped me make it a better story.

Queries are kind of a different animal, though. Queries aren't storytelling. They're marketing. Not keen on marketing, although I recognize it's required.

Contributors

A Tentative Schedule

Monday - Progress Report
Where am I with regard to the Current Book

Tuesday - Thoughts About Writing
I was going to be profound, but let's be real

Wednesday - What Am I Learning
What can I take from what I am doing

Thursday - Work Sent Out For Review
Respondes to my submissions

Friday - Other Works of Fantasy
Some of my other fantasy writing

Saturday - The Impact of Music
How music has influenced what I write

Sunday - Venting
My 'morbid' time. A safe compromise, I think