Writing Update: Epiphanies
What happened?
The rewrite continues! I’m almost halfway. It hasn’t been easy, but both the story and my writing have improved by leaps and bounds, so it’s worth it.
I also had a series of interrelated epiphanies about character arc and story structure.
Epiphany 1: Story Structure & Length
Draft 3 was much too long. In February, I realized that much of that excessive length lived in Act 2B (the third quarter), which was 2.5x longer than the other acts.
This epiphany simplified things. I created a fresh outline and determined which pieces to trim from Act 2B, as well as what I could fit into earlier parts of the story. Which led me to Epiphany 2.
Epiphany 2: Romantic Arc
Draft 3 relied heavily on Act 2B to progress the romantic sub-plot. Once I realized that half of Act 2B had to go, I got to thinking about the trajectory of that romance. I mapped out their interactions and determined that I had ample space to progress things in Act 2A (the second quarter).
This has been a big focus of the Act 2A rewrite.
Epiphany 3: Main Character Arc
As the external plot progresses, the protagonist (Endryn) undergoes internal change. At least, that’s the goal. Draft 3 Endryn wasn’t quite there. She had clear start and end points, but in the middle, she remained stagnant; most of her internal growth occurred in a single moment, right before the climax.
But I realized that in real life, people don’t change all at once, but in small increments over long stretches of time. I want her growth to feel real.
As I rewrite Act 2A, I’m working in small moments of change. She’s growing, little by little, so that when that catalytic moment arrives, Endryn’s internal change feels earned and real.
What’s next?
Given the above epiphanies and the resulting developmental changes, I see lots of rewriting in my future. So much has shifted, and while that shifting is for the best, there are ripple effects. The back half of the book will require significant changes. That said, they’re changes I’m excited about. They get me closer to my true vision for this story.
Check back in July to see if that excitement has lasted!