Despite the constant onslaught of migraines, I've been chugging away. While writing new chapters, I've also been spending some time editing older short stories. I want to keep sending out submissions, hoping to get more interest and publications. Editing is faster than writing something new, so I can focus most of my time writing the novels.
But editing some of the first short stories I wrote has been eye opening. Naturally, when I wrote them I felt each one was brilliant. Now, the flaws in the stories seem so obvious to me. I won't lie that I still think the plots and characters are amazing. But the writing itself needs improvement.
I never would have been able to pick out these issues without all the rejections I've gotten over the years. I've since learned that I need to work on rising tension, along with compelling and emotional beginnings. As I edit these shorts, I can clearly see how every beginning needs to be rewritten, but the endings are satisfying.
I'm working on the first story I wrote about Bryan, and the novella is a bit of a mess. The beginning is slow and clunky. I used the trope of a character waking up! It needs a great deal of work, but I'm happy to do it. Writing is the most important thing to me. I want to keep learning and bettering my work. If that takes a few more rejections, then so be it.
I know we'll get there soon.
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