I’ve figured out, more or less, what works and doesn’t work with the overall structure of the novel. The antagonist is barely there. The middle turning point is missing altogether, which I knew, but the first one’s pretty weak too, and the wrong secondary characters are in it. Stuff like that. I’ve also figured out a better backstory and some motivation for the heroine, which is nice.
I’ve gone through the first 60 pages, analyzing each scene. The first scene gets cut; no surprise there. The rest of the first chapter stays for now, but needs something new in front of it. Other things getting cut are the early vignettes that got me started with this book. They’re no longer necessary, and I won’t miss most of them. (Amazing, how letting the manuscript sit for a year drains whatever fondness you still had for it.)
What kills me? The number of sitting-and-thinking scenes. Three in the first 60 pages! As if I didn’t know better! No wonder I thought the first part of the book was a little flat. Good God. Self, internal monologue is all very well and good, but some damn conflict would be nice, mmmkay?
I still need to rename my hero. His first few scenes work better than I’d remembered, but he sort of drips his way through the second half of the book. Should’ve drowned him behind the woodshed ages ago, but if I had I probably wouldn’t have finished. Now I’m going to have to give him a makeover and hope it brings him to life. Argh.
…. in other words, revisions are going well.
Scott is a very heroic name. Just saying.