It is not art etched out of stone.
It is not sculpted out of marble.
It is not whittled down.
A novel is built up.
Whole chunks of the storyline may be disposed of at the beginning of
the process, only to be reapplied in different shape at the end.
If a particular part of the piece is seeming a bit heavy and overdone,
its weight is “easily” redistributed. (“Easily” is a matter of perspective, of
course. Do not get me wrong. This is still hard work.)
When one character (Brone) is underperforming, deflation of their
performance is possible, if tricky. (Brone in The Hushing Days is leaking like
a slashed tire, at this point. It’s messy and a tad violent, but, man, does it
feel good!)
Bottom line: Remember your novel is pliable. Don’t be afraid to work it
hard.
Until tomorrow…
Chloe
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