A Never-Ending Story - Revising WRU
I really don't know how many times I've made attempts to revise my first (and only) multi-chapter story "What Remains Untold". The first time I gave up after chapter II or so, the last time I can't even remember, but there must have been something, because I still have a file called "WRU2013" or sorts stored away on my hard-drive. Honestly, I have no idea how many attempts there have been in between. But this time, I can tell you, it's all different, haha I am really keen on finishing this task. I just have no idea at all how long it's going to take me.
Some aspects of revising that story aren't that hard. Actually, I have to admit, they are quite easy to manage: There are some parts that I don't like anymore - these I delete. There are other parts that I still find to be quite good - these I am leaving, maybe re-arranging them a bit. Unfortunately, it's not always quite that simple: For example there are parts that I like in general, but that contain phrases that just don't seem right, though I can't quite put my finger on why. Or parts that are not that bad, but they just don't seem to fit in where they are, although I have no idea where else to put them. Really, some of it is a lot harder to work out than I originally thought.
The hardest part though is trying to work my various "spin-offs" into the original story. It's something one reviewer already suggested to me years ago on ff.net. Back then I was like "Oh well, I fear that won't work", but I was probably just to lazy to align all the varying POVs involved to really think of it. By now though, I've reached the conclusion, that it would really make an awful lot of sense, considering the fact, that most of these stories are taking place during exactly the same time, i.e. when Haleth first meets Caranthir in Thargelion (and the following few weeks [?], that is). But turning all of these story into one is definitely another candidate for the category "harder than I thought", oh my.
Because while parts of those stories can be integrated into the bigger scheme without any further problems, other parts rely far too much on the POV of either Haleth or Caranthir to make sense in WRU (which is written in 3rd person and supposed to remain that way). That wouldn't be so bad, if all those parts were crappy (and thus, likely to be deleted anyway), but unfortunately, they aren't. This means, that when I'd transfer all the parts that would work in WRU into the revised story, I'd still be left which a lot of nice written stuff not fitting anywhere, somewhat like the torso of an ancient sculpture: Pretty, but with vital parts missing. Which is sad somehow, and yet... yet I think I feel ready to take it all apart and to take care of the fragments and collateral damage afterwards.
So well, once more into the breach (and let's see what I'll accomplish this time).
Some aspects of revising that story aren't that hard. Actually, I have to admit, they are quite easy to manage: There are some parts that I don't like anymore - these I delete. There are other parts that I still find to be quite good - these I am leaving, maybe re-arranging them a bit. Unfortunately, it's not always quite that simple: For example there are parts that I like in general, but that contain phrases that just don't seem right, though I can't quite put my finger on why. Or parts that are not that bad, but they just don't seem to fit in where they are, although I have no idea where else to put them. Really, some of it is a lot harder to work out than I originally thought.
The hardest part though is trying to work my various "spin-offs" into the original story. It's something one reviewer already suggested to me years ago on ff.net. Back then I was like "Oh well, I fear that won't work", but I was probably just to lazy to align all the varying POVs involved to really think of it. By now though, I've reached the conclusion, that it would really make an awful lot of sense, considering the fact, that most of these stories are taking place during exactly the same time, i.e. when Haleth first meets Caranthir in Thargelion (and the following few weeks [?], that is). But turning all of these story into one is definitely another candidate for the category "harder than I thought", oh my.
Because while parts of those stories can be integrated into the bigger scheme without any further problems, other parts rely far too much on the POV of either Haleth or Caranthir to make sense in WRU (which is written in 3rd person and supposed to remain that way). That wouldn't be so bad, if all those parts were crappy (and thus, likely to be deleted anyway), but unfortunately, they aren't. This means, that when I'd transfer all the parts that would work in WRU into the revised story, I'd still be left which a lot of nice written stuff not fitting anywhere, somewhat like the torso of an ancient sculpture: Pretty, but with vital parts missing. Which is sad somehow, and yet... yet I think I feel ready to take it all apart and to take care of the fragments and collateral damage afterwards.
So well, once more into the breach (and let's see what I'll accomplish this time).