Chapter 2 Has Concerns


Me: I think we're done for now, Chapter 1!

1: Yeah, I think so. The stuff you came back to add today was good, I felt. You changed a little more than I was expecting yesterday, but it's cool.

2: I have a question though.

Me: It's not really time for our briefing, Chapter 2.

2: Yeah, I know. But I'm really confused about something.

Me: Okay. What is it?

2: I thought you were REVISING me. But you appear to be completely rewriting me? So far I contain five and half thousand words, none of which were in the original manuscript.

Me: Well... Okay, that's fair. I pretty much am rewriting your content. The things I wanted to tweak changed the scenes we did today enough it felt easier to do that than not.

2: Uh huh. And the next scene is going to be the same, isn't it?

Me: It is.

2: So in what way is this project a revision and not Yet Another Rewrite?

Me: I'm going to keep more of most scenes. It's just that your scenes do a lot of introducing and explaining. If you talk to Chapter 1, the changes with them were more switching out paragraphs than redoing entire sections.

2: I'm having a hard time not thinking this is an attack on my previous self.

Me: The last section of Chapter 1 was mostly just expanded a lot and that was originally your material. Does that help?

2: Not really, no.

Me: The next section, which, yes, will be rewritten rather than lifted and edited, is actually a merger of two sections that were in other chapters previously. So I don't think it's fair to say rewriting it is a commentary on you.

2: I just don't feel great about all of this.

Me: I hear you and I respect your struggle. But maybe you can wait for me to finish the new you before you make too many judgements about my proccess?

2: ...

Me: Have you ever rearranged a room, Chapter 2? Once you start moving things, there's always a point where the room is just a chaotic mess and you question why you started the task at all. You might even consider putting everything back where it used to be. But eventually, the room is rearranged and reorganized and you've solved the problems that led you to desire change and you're happier than you would have been just continuing to live with things the way they used to be.

2: ... I've never done that, no.

Me: Well, it's basically what I'm doing now. Except I'm doing the entire house. And the house is a novel.

2: ...

Me: How about I make you some tea?

2: How about you give me some whiskey instead?

Me: Yeah. Let's do that.

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