And about half way through the clean-up round of revisions on WAR OF MAGIC.
So things are moving forward. Looks like probably September after all, though probably mid- to late September.
And I’ve started formating a boxed set of the first three books in the series.
So, progress is being made.
Also, a brilliant new cover for “Heart of Oak” by Victorine Lieske.
Isn’t it beautiful?
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I’m still mired in surgery on WAR OF MAGIC.
So here’s a deleted snippet (that was set up for a scene that’s been moved.) Enjoy:
Vatar ambled across the main market square of Caere, not really looking at any of the wares being offered for sale. In his mind, he was already bending the gold and silver wire he’d just purchased at his guildhall into a gift for Thekila. He’d spent days perfecting the complicated woven knot—meant to symbolize their bond—in cheaper copper.
Maybe he’d give that first version to his young daughter, Savara. It was the kind of thing the little girl would like and it could as easily represent the twin bond that was developing between her and her brother, Zavar. Of course, he’d have to have something for Zavar, too. He knew what kind of gift Zavar would ask for, but he was much too young for edged weapons. And Zavar wouldn’t take to jewelry of any kind. And yet the gifts had to balance. Hmm. He’d have to talk to Thekila about that. Perhaps something promissory, like a hilt for the—unsharpened—short knife Zavar could have in a few years, worked with the same pattern. Vatar could fit a wooden blade in the hilt for now.
The image of the half-planned work shattered at the sound of a panicked scream nearby.
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Last time I blogged about a problem I’d found in my first pass on the post-critique revisions for WAR OF MAGIC.
Very simply, too much of the last half of the book moves away from the main characters way too much. Not away from the main problem–or not completely. But it’s still a problem. Now I understand why one of my critique partners–the only one who hadn’t read any of the previous books–wondered who the main character was supposed to be. Yikes! Now I understand that comment.
Now, some of that can be fixed by possibly deleting some of the other points of view, or recasting them into the main characters’ pov. I will probably need to add at least a little to that part of the book–from the main characters’ pov.
But I had another idea, too. You see, right now part of that problem is in winding up a subplot established in the earlier books–especially BEYOND THE PROPHECY.
Now, I need to wrap that up, but it doesn’t have to be a distraction. In fact, it shouldn’t be. By moving a few events around and adding a little, I can turn that into an obstacle, which will be much better.
It’s going to require a little more surgery than I was planning to do at this point. And, of course, another read-through to make sure that things fit seamlessly into their new places. But I think it will be well worth it in the end.
Wish me luck.
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That’s how far I’ve gotten on the first round of post-critique revisions on WAR OF MAGIC.
I’ve been noticing something. A lot of this section–from about the midpoint–is taken up with chapters from other pov characters, not the main characters. And I’m going to have to figure out how to deal with that.
Part of that is because that’s where a significant subplot plays out, and part of it is actually building toward the part those other characters will be playing in the climax. But I don’t like having so much of the focus off the main characters during this part of the story.
I’m going to have to think about how to handle that though. Most of those chapters can’t be moved–or, at least, can’t be moved very far–without messing up the timeline. Some might be cut, or at least reduced. I might need to add a new chapter or two, taking the story back to the main characters.
It’s this kind of thing that slows down the revision process. But that’s why revisions are necessary–to make the story stronger.
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It was inevitable, I suppose. The first part of the revision process on WAR OF MAGIC went so fast I thought maybe it was going to be easy.
But revisions are never that easy. And now the revisions are not going as smoothly or as swiftly. Now it’s plugging along.
Even so, I’m as close as makes no difference to two-thirds done with the first round. The second round won’t require a full read-through. It’s purpose will be to go back to the comments I hadn’t fully addressed the first time. Then the polishing edit and it will be ready to go.
Even if the last bit is something of an uphill slog, the end is in sight.
Also, my last few answers for the A to Z favorite fantasy characters game #FellowshipOfFun as we get down to the really difficult letters are:
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Not much else to report right now.
My latest choices for the A to Z Favorite Fantasy Characters for the Fellowship of Fantasy challenge are:
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And, in yesterday’s post, I forgot to note my last four entries in the #FellowshipOfFun A to Z favorite fantasy characters. So, here they are:
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I’m closing in on half-way through the first round of post-critique revisions on WAR OF MAGIC.
And I’ve actually already tackled most of the more difficult structural changes that I thought would probably have to wait until the second round. I’ll still have some things to go back and address in a second round. And then on to the polishing edit.
It’s looking good for a September release.
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As I work through the revisions on WAR OF MAGIC, I’ve had a chance to think about critiques some more.
The first thought, is actually more from the days of marking up the manuscript than it is from the revisions:
When there are too many comments–sometimes multiple comments on the same page–they tend to blur. It becomes hard to see the forest for the trees. And a real gem might get missed in sifting through the rest. If there’s a need for that many comments, it might be better to save them all until the end of the chapter.Well, except for typo corrections and similar things. And the small comments of approval. Those are always good.
I’ve done that before when I give critiques, too. It has the benefit of not posting a question that is answered a paragraph or a page later. (Small mysteries–used properly–can actually be a good way to encourage a reader to turn the page.) And it might also encourage paring down to the really important comments.
The second thought is about suggestions and it’s two-fold.
First, there’s a danger in making suggestions for major changes (or even minor ones) to someone else’s work. No critiquer is going to know that world or that story as intimately as the author does. Especially in a series. If it’s early in the series–or even in a book–you don’t know where the author intends to take that story, so you don’t know what things they need to establish. If it’s late in the series, and the critiquer hasn’t read the earlier books, they might not know what’s already been established. The suggestion just might break some of the rules of the society or the magic that have already been established. So, maybe it’s a good idea not to be too specific in your suggestions.
On the other hand, sometimes a suggestion that won’t work can actually trigger other ideas that will–and that make the story better. So I would hate not have my beta readers make any suggestions at all. But, less specific is often better–because of that forests and trees problem.
And then there’s the most basic issue. When a beta reader sees a problem, it’s real. But the solution might be the opposite of the suggestion. A section that is too slow might not need to be cut; it might need to have more added to it. More detail to bring the setting to life. More conflict. More . . . something. That’s sometimes the hardest thing for the writer to recognize.
And now, just for fun, my last few entries in the A to Z favorite fantasy characters game #FellowshipOfFun:
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Well, I finally finished the markup. So now I’m starting revisions on WAR OF MAGIC for real.
Starting with a read-through during which I’ll fix all the small- to medium-sized things I can. Places where readers wanted more emotion attached to a scene or a better grounding either in the settings or the background from the previous books. Stuff like that.
There may be a few bigger, structural changes. Those will come in a second pass, after I have a little more time to think about them. And the read-through will help with that.
In the meantime, just for fun, here are my last few picks on the FellowshipOfFun A to Z favorite fantasy characters game.
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Meredith Mansfield, Author 