I'm relatively happy. Yesterday was a
My biggest concerns in transforming a (bad) novel into a novella were continuity and depth. This story cannot be told without plunging into the past a bit. The past informs the main character's present. My initial task was expunging entire chapters that involved the past and were, frankly, of no consequence to the story ~ specifically the MC's boss and his social ineptitude and ultimate success in gaining a wife. Who cares? It was all filler, a way to stretch my word count. Now I'm only dipping into the past for its inciting incidents.
The ex-fiance is still a problem for me, in as far as making him read like a real person. Everything I left in about him is negative except for his and my MC's initial meeting. I noted this before, but why in the world would she run off with a guy who has no redeeming qualities? Mark that as "to be fixed". I can probably accomplish that with a few sentences, I'm hoping; perhaps a pleasant anecdote.
As far as continuity, there is no getting around intermixing past with present. There just isn't, at least not a good way. For example, why is she using a different name now? Why does she get spooked so easily? In re-reading yesterday, I truly don't have a problem with the flow. The delineation is clear. And I certainly don't require an entire chapter of delving into the past to demonstrate the "whys". As I re-read, the past-present breaks weren't jarring to me. That's a win.
I think when I'm done, this will be publishable. "Done" is rather amorphous right now. I can't just declare it done because I'm sick of the process. And I am sick of the process. Face it, it's an old story, almost a decade old. I even had to edit all the musical references. It's kind of feeling like a penance right now ~ I'd much rather be writing something new.
The work I've devoted to this overshadows all my (good) writings to hell, but at some point I can pat myself on the back for sticking with it.
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