Horrors of Lecraesa

Writersdomain · 2007-03-30T00:56:31Z

So, maybe the title isn't completely accurate, but I find it very amusing. Here, I'll be recording some of my progress (and undoubtedly asking for suggestions) in my story: the at-present-duo of Flames and Tears of Lecraesa. If you're reading Flames at present and don't want spoilers, I'm giving you a major spoiler warning now. Finishing Flames So, last summer I finished Flames and it was a very intense emotional experience. It was the first time I actually finished a book. Flames started as a random story with no direction and a handful of strange characters, but it quickly evolved into the story that is still consuming my life. To say the least, finishing was traumatizing. It was exciting, but, at the same time, shocking. I felt strangely empty, but still joyful. The fact that my most complex character, Strick, supposedly dies at the end didn't help. Now? I want to tear Flames to shreds. Rereading it, I realize how directionless I was at the beginning and I have succumbed to rewriting almost every scene - cutting everything but the bare minimum out and then adding important stuff. In some ways, I envy the innocent cluelessness of Creiha at the beginning of Flames, because now in Tears there is no character who can just cruise through the story and wonder what is happening. Tears is very, very complicated. It is painful to go back and rewrite Flames because I know so much more about the characters now. Strick is anything but the seemingly callous, calm and mysterious character he was in Flames. I'm enjoying rewriting Creiha, but rewriting Strick is a terror because he changes so much, and it wasn't an easy, stereotypical change either. After finishing Flames, my characters would not leave me alone, especially Lusien. She eventually forced me to write the first scene of Tears within a week of finishing Flames... not smart. Beginning Tears All I can say is that the 20 months that pass between Flames and Tears make it very difficult to understand the characters. They seem very different - especially Lusien. As for my progress as of now? I am 150 pages in and slowly reaching the turning point where things will speed up. I feel like Tears is dragging, but I've been told many times that it is not. I get so frustrated with it sometimes.

*looks around* All right, I'm going to revive this. I'm editing Flames and Tears of Lecraesa now and I'll probably use this thread for questions on editing certain things, an occasional rant or so and a place to run by some ideas I have for the new drafts. So, yeah.

At a glance, Flames has a pretty solid plot with a few travelling situations. The main problem here is integrating the complicated backstory and prophecy that plays a huge part in Tears better. This will mostly be editing specific scenes to revamp the old writing, less actual rewriting.

At a glance, Tears is better on the writing front, but the plot goes haywire and wanders with all the characters being covered. I already know of two subplots I am cutting entirely. I've also had complaints about the ending being too neat and tidy, so these things will be addressed.

First step: reread Flames and Tears and take notes on the plot flow, thematic development and character transformations. That way I know what to weave more evenly throughout. And--get back into the characters. Off we go!

I'm going to save the drafts of the first few chapters I posted on YWS a while back and remove them, I think. I will post at least the first chapter of my new draft when I get there. :wink:

<3

Anybody have any editing tips off the bat?

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