December 29, 2009
Gold From My Editor
This might seem like really basic advice, and it is, and yet, sometimes it’s easy to forget.
In my revision letter my editor reminded me of something very important: I’m telling the hero and heroine’s story. That’s my objective. Not to tell a marriage of convenience story, or a royalty story, or pregnancy story. It’s about Max and Alison and their journey, their love. It’s that simple and that complicated.
As I got forth with my revisions, that’s what’s forefront in my mind. The characters, how they react to the situation and how they create the next scene, not how I mold them into the scene.
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That’s really good advice, Maisey and something I think I’ll write on a post-it and stick on my monitor while doing my revisions too. It’s all about the 2 main characters and their story. Particularly relevant for me as I tend to be ‘plot heavy’ and the nuances of the relationship tend to suffer as a result. Very timely post! Good luck with your revisions, and happy new year when it comes.
Great advice, Maisey! Thanks for sharing.
Hey Maisey, that’s exactly my problem too. And yes, love how it’s that simple and that complicated!
Great advice – so easy to forget. I think it was my grade 8 maths teacher who first introduced me to the KISS principle. With my recent revisons, it was only clear AFTER I sent them in…
Golden advice, indeed. The spark between two individuals is what it’s all about.
“The characters, how they react to the situation and how they create the next scene, not how I mold them into the scene.”
A wise and insightful distinction, and it never hurts to be reminded of these things, though we know them. 🙂
It’s seems like a simple thing, and yet it doesn’t always come out when I’m writing. It’s something I’m really trying to be conscious of as I write.