I tweeted a couple of days ago that the only things on my mind are Christmas and my love-hate relationship with revisions. Still true today but they've now combined into one topic.
See, I also have a love-hate relationship with Christmas candy. Specifically fudge. I love the taste, the texture, the *taste*. I hate what it does to my waistline.
A romance manuscript is a lot like fudge. There are some basic ingredients you always need: butter, sugar, a dark moment, a HEA/HFN. But there are other things that are similar recipe to recipe or book to book, but not identical. Chocolate chips or unsweetened chocolate, corn syrup or marshmallow cream, a bad guy trying to kidnap the heroine or a dark family secret that will rip them apart.
And like a batch of fudge, a manuscript can be going along great and then *bam*, something happens and it just doesn't work.
With fudge, a redo pretty much means starting from scratch. Thankfully, with a manuscript there are REVISIONS (though there are times just starting over is tempting!).
I like revisions because I like making a book the best it can be. I like pushing and layering and okay, further torturing (my characters, not myself-- but see the above comment about start
ing from scratch! :)). But it takes an amazing amount of energy for me to revise. Because I pour it all out the first time. Or at least I try. Sometimes it feels like there's just nothing left. Like I tried to make fudge and it called for a whole bag of marshmallows but all I had was 3/4 of a bag and I already dumped those in. I'm completely out.But, it won't be as good.
That 1/4 of a bag makes a difference.
So, it's worth digging deep into the "cupboard", coming up with more, putting the rest-- every last bit-- in.
And you know, sometimes just when you're sure it's perfect, it occurs to you to add something-- like toffee bits. And suddenly--wow! Even better than before. Toffee crunch fudge becomes everyone's new favorite!
Yeah, it can happen.
(Let's hope I can find some magic toffee bits for this book in the next 2 weeks! *g*)
And for your fudge-ilicious pleasure: FUDGE RECIPES (Come on... how can anyone not like site called F
udge Recipe. com?! Awesome! http://www.fudge-recipe.com/.And there's Kahlua Cream Fudge--- are you *kidding* me??!!! Yee haw!!)
Erin
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5 comments:
Mmmmmmmmmm. Fudge
If my MIL hadn't just given me two batches of homemade fudge, I would love, love to try that Kahlua recipe. Will definitely save it though to make later.
Thanks Erin and happy holidays.
Don't need no fudge. But I feel your revision pain. I too am reworking a MS and it's KILLING me. This is not edits which I actually kinda like. This is adding, subtracting, and rewriting. Okay maybe I do need fudge.
hee, hee... the Kahlua fudge is looking better and better. Or maybe Kahlua minus the fudge!
I so needed to hear this right now. I'm starting revision hell on my NaNo project. Making fudge may take the edge off the pain.
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