Before I get into the main portion of my post, I have a fun announcement. I'm one of the GUTGAA finalists over at Deana Barnhart's blog!! This past week anonymous judges voted on their top 50 queries and first 150 pages, and next week, 11 agents will pop over to Deana's blog and look at them. They can make requests if they want, so fingers crossed!! If you have time, pop over and cheer me on. My book is called Everdream.
Okay. On to what I'd originally planned. So, I've completed three novels now. Completed being the key word, since I've written many others, but not finished them (mostly in my teens). My first completed novel was Countless, about a witch. It wasn't strong enough, so I had to put it on the back burner last year and started writing Martinis with the Devil, about a vampire. Well, that book is very strong, but vamps are a super hard sell right now, so no luck with that so far. So, my third book is Everdream, a middle grade fantasy. GUTGAA is it's debut into the world; I hadn't started querying it yet. So, if I don't have any luck with the agents next week, I'll be jumping on the query train and will need a distraction.
So, I'm finally circling back to Countless, to rewrite it from third to first person. It's a great story, but I never got the voice strong enough. It was just missing that vital sparkle dust that takes a book from good to great. I realized a while back that I really should have written it in first all along. Not only do I write better in first, but the story goes so deep into my MC's thoughts and feelings that it really is best in first. And you know what? I am so super stoked to get back to those characters and the journey they're on! I adore them, and I can't wait to dive back in and make it shine like it deserves.
That's pretty much the plan for the fall. After that, who knows? No writing plans yet for next year. We'll just have to see how the literary cookie crumbles. What about you guys? What's your main project this autumn?
Congratulations on being one of the finalists!
ReplyDeleteI rewrote the first story I ever wrote, which was over thirty years ago. Really glad I did! Hope you have even more success with yours.
Well done on being a finalist.. how exciting:)
ReplyDeleteWay to go, Alexia! You rock. And good luck with the rewrite. I just finished rewriting a story I originally finished back in '09. Next up? A coma, perhaps? But no. No time for that. I'm in the process of trying to see if anything I've already written is worthy of Harper Voyager (unagented submissions accepted 10/1-10/14), or if anything is close enough that I can tweak it in a hurry. After that, who knows.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! I loved your query and first 150.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! That's exciting. You could still try your vampire novel. A hard sell maybe, but if you find the right publisher, vampires are still popular with readers.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on making it as a finalist with Everdream. I'm keeping everything crossed for you.
ReplyDeleteI write much better in first-person. It's as if I'm stepping inside the characters head; feeling everything they do.
CONGRATS on being a finalist with Everdream! Fingers crossed.
ReplyDeleteMuch luck with rewriting! I was thinking about rewriting another novel to make my protag the antagonist just yesterday... I had plans to rewrite book #2, once, but then I fell out of love with them. :/
ReplyDeleteMuch luck in GUTGAA! Will look for your entry. ;)
Yay! Good luck! And I love writing in first person. It always helps me understand my character so much more quickly.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on being a finalist! Though I write in third-person omniscient 99.9% of the time, I know what you mean about needing just the right POV for you as a writer and for a book. And I love the title Martinis with the Devil, even if it is shelved for now.
ReplyDeleteI tagged you for a blog award at http://carrieannebrownian.wordpress.com/2012/09/24/one-lovely-blog-award/.
Congrats Alexia on being a finalist. Read your entry yesterday (I had earlier read it on your blog). Keeping my fingers crossed for you big time. I just have a feeling you will sign up with an agent soon.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on being a finalist and good luck with your projects.
ReplyDeleteI believe vampires will be in vogue again. They're in and out.
Congratulations on your success over at Deana's. I hope the excitement keeps going and you get a wonderful chat with an agent.
ReplyDeleteAha! Best wishes as you go from third to first person! It just might make that crucial difference. :) And CONGRATS on being a finalist! That's great!
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