Pulling Punches
I got revisions on Prince Sexy’s book this morning. They were great revisions. The best kind. The kind where your editor asks you to please give MORE of something you love. This was all kind of happy making and I was doing a jig in my Christmas socks this morning during our phone conversation. But during the general off topic chattering (my fault) my editor said something that really stuck out to me.
She said, just give more of what you have. (My element I considered ‘risky’) Really? Yes, she confirmed. More. She said, I seem to have this conversation with you a lot. I have to ask you for more, but I’ve never had to tell you to hold back.
Huh. Well. There you are.
The past few books particularly have had elements that SCARED THE EVER LOVING CHEETOS out of me. And so when I wrote those scenes, those bits that seemed possibly unsavory, and particularly crazy making, those scenes voted Most Likely To Make My Editor Retract My Contract and most definitely NOT VOTED HOMECOMING QUEEN, I held back.
That, my friends, is what you call a pulled punch. Oh, there was wind up. Good heavens was there wind up. Transmitting signals of the epic hit to come. And then it sort of digressed into an open handed slap accompanied by a wimpy “unh” sound, rather than a Chuck Norris worthy jaw slug played to the sound effect of a guttural kiyah.
It’s like this:
So…your hero has this really Big Problem, huh?
*cough cough* Yeah…*scuffs toe*
What’s up?
Hehasflashbacksnstuff
What?
Um…nothing.
*end scene*
There’s really no point to having something there if you don’t lay it all out there. And I’ve been called on this by my editor a few different times. Because it’s one thing to think ‘Ah! I will write this great conflict!” It’s another to write it and not be scared of it.
I wrote a hero with PTSD, and no, I’m not the first person to do so by any stretch, but I was very scared about executing it. Especially when it came to scenes where he had flashbacks. I was so afraid he would seem crazy, that while I wrote the scene in, I skimmed it a bit, because I was really afraid of A) going into all that depth and looking stupid. B) going into all that depth and looking crazy C) going into all that depth and having it hurt me and make me sad.
But I think when you’re attempting something, and you don’t go all out you end up looking like this…
Rather than this.
And we all want to be more like Chuck.
As I dive into these revisions and try to really, really bring out the conflict and darkness that I’ve alluded to (And make Prince Sexy more of a bad boy, which is a different matter really!) I’m going to try to keep in mind that it’s a pulled punch is an ineffective one.
You can’t start to fight, then change your mind. You’ll just get beat up. ;P I think you either choose to address an issue that could potentially be sticky and scary, or it’s really better to have never started on it in the first place.
Remind me of this as I attempt to plumb the depths. *grabs plunger* *and helmet*
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Good luck Maisey. You can do it. Put on a grill ring, it’ll give your punch more bite. I’m glad that your editor gave you the push to do what you’d wanted to do all along. LOVE the pic of Urkel, by the way! He’s classic 🙂
Thanks for making revisions sound not-so-daunting! I’m trying to grab onto some of your positive thinking and enthusiasm!!!
Note to self, learn how to throw a punch.
I worried when I was first writing too, but then I remembered I’m me and I have to do it the way I want (or the way it wants since I’m apparently just typing) it no matter how crazy it might seem. It may never get me published, but I still think it makes what I’ve written good.
Obviously, your editor likes what you do. So just keep being you and stop thinking so hard 🙂
Madeline, that’s it, I needs me some brass knuckles!! And yes, Urkel is classic. Heidey ho, Winslows!
Rach, Revisions really ARE a good thing. It’s that extra set of eyes helping you refine and find the truth of the book. So yeah!! *keeps on with enthusiasm*
Julia, keep your thumb on the outside of the fist. That’s not a metaphor, I’m being literal.
Ashely, I’m rarely accused of thinking too hard. Really, I’m just skittish. 😉
what is PTSD?
Kerrin, PTSD is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. My hero in Hajar’s Hidden Legacy has it.
Fantastic analogy! And, as usual, has me examining myself…erm, my WRITING. (that first bit sounded accidentally pervy.) Thx for the writing lesson! 🙂