Thursday 5 March 2009

The Poisoned Apple

First off, thank you to everyone who read and critiqued 'The Poisoned Apple' in December/January. About a week ago I decided to merge the first and second book (Strange Bones), and I've spent the time inbetween scanning both manuscripts and trying to add parts of the second book into the first and the first book into the second, and wanting very much to shuffle them like a deck of cards and seeing where everything ended up.*

*Of course, I wouldn't actually do that, but when your head is in your hands and you're not certain if your zombies are dead or alive, if your werewolf is as ferocious as his teeth, and if Gloomy's grandmother smells, shuffling everything together seems as reasonable as you ever being able to figure out the plot etc.

I've noted all your comments in margins and on sheets of A4 paper to remind me what I need to accomplish. The new improved (gets down onto her knees and prays to the God of grammar and plots) version should end up somewhere between 50,000 to 60,000 words but we're a couple of drafts away from that goal yet.

Check out the word count to the left - and watch it grow.

22 comments:

Katey said...

I shall watch the word count meter and know that you feel my pain. I'm not trying to put two books into one, but I am most definitely attempting a similar rewrite-heavy new draft (a third draft!) beginning at the end of this weekend. Let's share our pain.

Cate Gardner said...

I think this may be the biggest rewrite I've ever done. Though, I have confidence in us both. ;)

Aaron Polson said...

Enjoy! This could be fun. Shuffle away!

Cate Gardner said...

I'm running the gamut of emotions - excited to be back at it, nervous I'll fail and this draft will be poop, loving that I can re-enter the world and make it prettier.

Bobbie Metevier said...

I'm smack in the middle of a similar situation, adding a new character to one novel and trying to change the actual premise of another.

When I succeed, I'm going to buy something nice for myself even if I can't afford it!

Cate Gardner said...

Even if I don't succeed, I intend to buy myself something nice.

Fox Lee said...

You could add flying hybrid pirana that attack the zombies...wait, no. I'm sorry. I stayed up late watching a B-movie and I'm a bit fixated at the moment : P

Jamie Eyberg said...

I shall be thinking of your pain as I start my own re-write for a YA piece in a week or so (whenever I finish draft 1 of my yet untitled book)

Jodi Lee (Morrighan) said...

Good luck with the re-write, Cate! I'm heading in to one of those myself, soon. I hate them. ;)

Brenda said...

Good luck with the 'shuffle'...That is quite an undertaking, but I know you can do it...remember...chocolate! I've heard it is wonderful for shuffles...grin...Hugs...

Danielle Birch said...

Good luck with it, it sounds like a great book and will be looking forward to reading it.

K.C. Shaw said...

Wow, that's a lot of work! I bet it's worth it, though, once you're done. I liked the original a lot, myself.

Jeremy D Brooks said...

Jeremy is ashamed of his failure to critique the story...he will sit in the corner until he is good...
;-(

Cate Gardner said...

Thanks everyone. Good to know there are so many of us tackling similar things.

Anonymous said...

This series is just rolling right along, isn't it?

Anonymous said...

Just dropped in to check out the progress bar and you know... to prove I hadn't entirely abandoned your blogger account. You can do those progress bars in LJ, too. I've seen them around, but I don't have the slightest clue how.

Cate Gardner said...

Barry, it feels more stuck at the beginning, but hopefully soon...

Justin - who invited you over here. :D

Fox Lee said...

UPDATE: "White" was rejected, but I resubmitted to Strange, Weird, and Wonderful. If you want, you can pick a different story. I'll save "White" for you in the mean time!

Cate Gardner said...

I'll keep 'White' thanks Natalie. :D

Carrie Harris said...

Congrats on tackling the rewrite! Sometimes I think the toughest part is just to get started. I redid the ending to No Pain recently, and the starting was the most painful part. Like physically painful, even.

Cate Gardner said...

Thanks, Carrie.

God said...

Wow! I guess I'm late to the party. Merging your stories together? Wow, that's gotta be a cool undertaking. I hope it all goes well! Would love to read the end result...