For the last month or so, I've been seriously avoiding editing FAERIE. At first, I thought it was because I wanted to write the short story I had planned to give away as a freebie. Well, I've been stuck with that story, too.
FAERIE had been read by a beta reader and her comments were minimal. I thought I had ironed out the main plot threads and we were good to go, with the exception of Rhan, my goblin mentor. So what was my problem?
Tuesday afternoon I opened my file on FAERIE, I glanced at my beta's notes for chapter one and started reading/formatting it. And then I figured out why I wasn't motivated to edit it.
I had used the first chapter of FAERIE as a teaser at the end of GNOME. The story had been written and edited numerous times . . . especially the first chapter.
What if I changed something in chapter one and disappoint my readers?
Don't laugh. This is a very real fear. I don't have many readers, but I do have a few who want to read the next book in the series. What happens if they notice something I took out of the teaser or changed in the first chapter? What if I make a change and the trickle-down effect changes more than I had planned?
Well, this is where I pull up my big girl panties and think like a real author. I won't be able to please everyone all the time, but I have to do what is right for the story.
I think I'm ready.
Later, Peeps!
Ouch! But a gal's gotta do what a gal's gotta do. You're facing what's ahead with a positive attitude. All will work out!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kittie! Once I forced myself to open the document a smile wreathed my face and I knew I was coming home!
ReplyDeleteIf you just used it as a teaser, I wouldn't worry about changing anything. You're doing the right thing.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Edie!
ReplyDeleteI had a pubbed romance writer friend who is a peds nurse read a hospital scene that is about 3/4 of the way into FAERIE, as I wanted to make it realistic from an 11 yo POV--It only needed one minor correction. YAY!
Now, Jackie hadn't read any of my material since I quit writing romance 3 years ago, and her comment, "And you got the POV of an 11 year old perfect!" helped me realize middle grade is my writing calling. :-)
Readers are pretty accustomed to changes from teasers to first chapters. A number of times my editors asked me write Chapter 1 of the next book (before I'd even written a proposal) to use as a teaser. I don't think what appeared in print EVER matched.
ReplyDeleteKeep in mind, it's JUST a teaser. The point is to get the reader to want to read the next story. If they buy the next book, the teaser has done its job. Now it's the new book's job to keep them entertained all the way through.
I can't tell you HOW many times I've seen 'teasers' for TV shows upcoming episodes where scenes and dialog are purposely shown out of context. Then I'll watch the episode and it'll be totally different than the teaser lead on. It's sometimes disappointing....but it did get me to watch the show!
ReplyDeleteSo, 'truth in teasing' is apparently not law.
THANK YOU, Marilyn! I feel so much better now. It was one of those stupid things that kept poking at me.
ReplyDeleteI don't know how many movies I've sat through when they used all the good stuff on the teasers, Jody. I think I have enough to keep this story going without resorting to those tricks.
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