Some revision-based musings

You know what I find fascinating?

A year ago (or so), I started quering Nor the Battle. So, it was only a little over a year ago that I finished revising it. I remember when I sent it out into the world, I felt so sure about how it read. I thought it was brilliant. I was confident (for the most part, post-midnight-panic attacks).

Today a funny thing happened.

For some reason, I went back and read the beginning of my manuscript for that. You know what I discovered?

It. Made. Me. Cringe.

What was I thinking, sending that rambly prologue into agents' inboxes for the last YEAR?!

I think it's amazing how my writing perspectives have changed in just a year. The opening felt so pedestrian to me all of a sudden. I didn't know how I could have written that and thought it was such a good opening. Maybe it's because I've had a rather long break from it. Maybe my writing style has changed in the last year and I didn't even notice. Whatever the case, something needed to be done.

So what did I do?

Right then and there, I revised it. Cut out the prologue entirely and fit what had once been in five (or more) pages down to two. Made it so the story starts with Chapter One, with just a bit of explanation as to what's going on in the alternate story (instead of the rambly prologue).

And then, feeling better about myself, I did something I wouldn't have done a year ago.

Right then and there, I sent out two queries. No questions. To some extent, I'd fixed that problem. Now time to test it.

Maybe it didn't make the most sense to send out two queries right away, but I've been digging at this manuscript for a year and a half now. I've revised it multiple times. The only thing I was ever truly if-y on was that prologue. And now that problem has been (I hope) solved.

So...in the last year...not only did my writing style apparently change, but I've also gotten more gutsy about sending out queries.

About time.