Friday, April 11, 2008

Adding a scene

So I got the agent's take on Looking for Laguna and I had thought it was only going to be a few sentence changes. Then after a powwow with my fab critique partners, I decided to add a new scene. In the first chapter. Fun stuff.

Only not so much. Working a scene seemlessly into a chapter I had already thought complete isn't as easy as it seems. The scene will (hopefully) strengthen the MC's goal and motivation and (again hopefully) give us more sympathy for her. That's what its supposed to do, anyway.

So I took off for St-bux this morning and finished the scene. Hopefully, once my Cp's see it they will be all "Brilliant!" but they could just as well say, "Why the hell did you do that?"

And in the back of my mind, the clock is always ticking. Each day I don't have this out to my editor is another day further from the possibility of an advance, which in today's economy, is brutal. Does anyone get that feeling that you have to get that contract now or else it's going to all disappear? That everyone else you know gets these huge contracts and yours is just never going to happen? Pretty depressing. I hear from everyone how difficult it is to sell that second book. Since it was so hard for me to sell the first one, I have no confidence in my ability to sell the second one.

Love writing. It's the business that often sucks.

6 comments:

Annie said...

I think you need some Kugal. You know where I live.

Elisabeth Naughton said...

No, you're not the only one. I've been amazed at how quickly my thoughts went from making "the first sale" to making "the next sale".

Here's hoping your new scene is exactly what that first chapter needs. :)

Rachel Vincent said...

I think the waiting is the hardest part of this business, and there's an awful lot of waiting involved.

Hang in there. That next contract will come. I'm sure of it. ;-)

Sara Hantz said...

Yes, the waiting is a killer......I'm in the same situation!!!!

Amanda Ashby said...

I do so much cut, pasting and rewriting that I constantly have problems with trying to make new and old blend together. Anyway, I'm sure you've nailed it and I can't wait to hear some good news Very Soon!!!

The Class of 2k8 said...

You'll sell. No prob. ;)