Monday, September 3, 2007

Bloodletting

I killed off a useless meditation in my WIP the other day. It had to be done.

Originally I thought it was very useful.

I have had this particular meditation around for years and it doubled as deepener. That’s a method for enhancing a relaxation to induce a deep state of hypnosis.
Deepeners often use a counted level method such as riding down an elevator, or visualizations, or both. This one had a combination.

And now, four manuscripts after having cooked up the thing I still can’t find a place for it.

I’ve added it in to each of my manuscripts and then taken it out. In the first ms it didn’t last long as I came up with it late in the writing and it truly was superfluous.
It was great in the second manuscript. It stayed until near the end of the third pass before I finally had to admit it wasn’t right.
Ditto the third manuscript.

And now the end has come again in number four. It was in the first version of the fourth manuscript and I killed all of it off in June. I added it back in version 4.1 and it stayed for a bit more than two months.

I want so much to use it. I’m proud of it. But so far all it does is kick up my word count.

Sigh. Maybe it’ll find a home in my next manuscript.

2 comments:

Crabby McSlacker said...

Isn't that frustrating? But good for you for looking at the needs of the whole manuscript. I think it's a sign of discipline to be able to cut out stuff you love for the good of the whole project--but it sure hurts!

Hope you find a home for it.

Dawn said...

It does sound like a lengthy to have in unless it is crucial to the plot. Find a plot that hinges around it and then you can indulge yourself all you want. I have a red mini in everything I write!