Another week, another blog! I’m starting to get a hang of blogging now and it is great fun. Trying to figure out a time to write one in the midst of moving across country on the other hand is hard! But I loved the topic this week so I decided to take some time off packing and write a little bit.
We have a blog hop going on each week. All of us authors get asked a question and we respond, hopping from one person to the next. If you missed what Veronica had to say, just click and pop back! Today’s question comes from Carrie Elks and she asks:
Stephen King famously said that it’s necessary to ‘kill your darlings’ when editing your work. Do you have anything you had to remove from a book that you’re still proud of? Or something that embarrasses you so much it will never again see the light of day? If you’re feeling really brave, share some of it with us!
WELL…..
I’ve had many revisions to my manuscript and still more to go! Right now the length of my unpublished novel is about 114,000 words. I need to get it down to around 90,000 maybe a little less. That is going to be tough! I love every part of my novel and it is so hard to decide what to keep and what needs to go.
That’s the best part of having a crit partner. They can take a look at your manuscript and tell you what needs to stay and what you can cut out. I found when writing this first novel I didn’t want to cut anything out. With the second short 10k story that I’ve written, I’m a lot more ruthless and can look at a paragraph or even a whole page and say that does nothing for the story, it can be cut.
I was so excited and proud when I finished my novel, I didn’t think about anything else for a couple of weeks; plus I needed a break! When I started to go through it I saw some things that could be taken out right away. But my other thought was no! I need to keep everything I’ve written! How will it be a story without that piece?
Then I realized that this certain piece might be important to me, but is it right for the story? The readers might read it and think, what is that doing in here? It doesn’t help the story move forward.
Stephen King certainly had it right; “kill your darlings.” When you’ve written anything and are proud of it, it’s hard to take out what you hold dear to your heart.
Here is an example of a piece I think I might have to cut… I enjoyed writing this bit, but I’m not sure that it moves the story forward:
Rowan glanced about the Captain’s quarters as she had the previous times they had been here. An aged wooden table sat in the middle of the room, with six place settings. Sconces along the wall had been lit, the room glowed a warm honey color. The room had a spicy musky scent to it. A desk in the corner was filled with charts, compasses and spyglasses. On a closed door that led into the Captain’s sleeping quarters was a picture of a schooner on the wild sea. Rowan loved the picture and looked at it each time they had been invited.
Captain Richard and the first mate walked into the room. “Good evening.”
“Thank you for the invitation for dinner.” Said Uncle George.
“You are most welcome. Here let us take your coats.”
They took the women’s pelisses and hung them on a hook near the door, then held out the chairs for them to sit. Rowan and Alanna took seats next to each other. The Captain and first mate sat to Rowan’s left, and Aunt Bess and Uncle George to Alanna’s right.
A server entered and poured soup into their bowls. Rowan reached for a spoon, Alanna nudged her and pointed to the correct utensil. Blast! She could never remember the proper order of the utensils, however her aunt hadn’t noticed.
Captain Richard cleared his throat and grinned. “Have you ever heard any stories about mermaids?”
“No, we’ve never heard tales about mermaids. I remember pirates from the last time we dined with you!” Rowan held back her excitement as she glanced around the table. Her family did not seem as eager as she.
“Very well, mermaids it is. Every once and a while a shipmate will look out to sea and catch a glimpse of a tail, arms and the long hair of a woman. Their beauty would be so striking that it would enchant the seamen. They would try and get closer to hear her melodious voice or touch her wondrous scales. Some would even jump over board just to be within reach of the mermaid. Most times the men have drowned. They continue to swim and swim but they never reach the mermaid. Soon they are so far away from the ship the sea claims them.”
Rowan sat on the edge of her seat. Her hands gripped the side of the chair. “Have any shipmates ever met a mermaid?”
“No man that I have ever known has lived to tell the tale. Yet I believe that somewhere out there a man has met one, I have yet to meet him and hear his story.”
“That would be a wonderful adventure.” Replied Rowan.
“How would it be adventurous?” Alanna cleared her throat and frowned. “These men are being dragged down to the depths of the ocean to die. The mermaids are evil.”
Captain Richard chuckled. “Some are yes. There are others who would say that they have been saved by a mermaid after their ship has sunk from a terrible storm.”
She sighed, and then hid a smile as the first mate caught her eye. He never said much when they attended dinners, but he would always smile and wink at her.
The servant came back in with the main course, a fresh steaming cod covered with potatoes and onions. Rowan thought it looked delectable. When she had been on the top deck earlier in the afternoon she observed the crew as they cast out their giant nets. Then they would heave the nets up out of the water and back onto the deck where fresh, squirming fish tried to escape.
“This looks divine.” Said Aunt Bess.
“I hope you enjoy the cod. It is the first mate’s and my favorite meal.”
As the clatter of forks and knives began, Rowan quickly glanced at Alanna and pointed at one of the two forks. Alanna gave a tiny nod of her head. Rowan gave a small sigh of relief; she had guessed the right one. That was one less thing she needed to be embarrassed about when around her high-class relatives.
The meal finished with few interactions. Rowan grew tired; she wanted to leave behind the empty chatter with her aunt and uncle. She looked over at Alanna and watched as her cousin took a sip of tea, her hands trembled so much that the liquid slipped down the side of the cup.
“I believe it is time we retired. Thank you for the delicious dinner.” Stated Aunt Bess as she stood.
Captain Richard smiled. “It was our pleasure. I hope to see you again before your journeys’ end.”
“As do I.” Responded Rowan as they walked out the door.
Now I just have to decide if it stays or if it goes…
That’s it for me today! Thank you Carrie for the great question. Now continue on the hop and see what Collette Cameron has to say. Until next time!
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