I stuck to my guns and started a fresh doc this week! Before I wrote a word on the doc, the reality sunk in and I got a terrible feeling of grief. I was basically saying SO LONG to the old version.
So far so good, though! I tallied all the scenes in the manuscript and the plan for now is 44 scenes, so if I can write just one scene per day, I can finish the new version by the end of December.
I'd say that I'm in the extreme makeover minority among the mentees this year. By accepting the POV change and the focus on just one storyline, everything needs to be reconfigured. But honestly, I have nothing to lose by totally rewriting this thing because I wasn't even going to query it if I hadn't received a Pitch Wars request. I'm just so grateful for Kathleen's mentorship and belief in me.
The thing that has saved me and kept me afloat and motivated has been my revised outline, and apparently it has helped some of my fellow mentees, so I'll share how I developed it as just one method of plowing ahead after accepting that a full rewrite is in order:
The Post-It Note Outline: For my first draft, I used post-it notes to get an idea of the basic plot. I learned this technique from Vanessa Diffenbaugh at the Kauai Writers Conference a few years back. It was a great way for me to physically visualize and navigate my way through the story. Index cards and a large bulletin board a la Save the Cat also works. Here, my dog Roo is modeling this early outline...
The Reverse Outline: This method was helpful for me to keep beta reader and CP feedback straight. I transferred my Post-It Note Outline into an Excel spreadsheet and then, as the feedback came in, I inserted things that I needed to work on. I did so thematically, based on general areas I wanted to improve in. In this manuscript, for example, I wanted to add more detail to the setting (world building) and develop a supernatural or paranormal feeling to it.
The Revised Outline: Here's where I went Back to the Future on my story. Using Kathleen's edit letter that identified 3 clear areas that needed work, I reconsidered the Reverse Outline by replacing Ching's POV with a different character (yellow) and deleting/moving some scenes around to fit Save the Cat's beat sheet (blue). Then I filled in gaps/scenes that were necessary for the new plot (green). I double-checked this new plan by doing some math to see if the new beats (orange) matched the STC percentages. Now I have a clear idea of how to work scene by scene -- changing, adding, deleting, or moving things along the way.
So far, I've rewritten Chapter 1, and as I did so, I used the Revised Outline to inform me on what needs to go where. I'm still doing a good deal of pantsing as I write each scene. I've also discovered that working from my old version is not a productive way to revise. I adjusted some items on the revised outline, but for the most part, I'm sticking to the plan. I know just how much I need to do each day as well. I'll be sending Kathleen the manuscript in 4 chunks -- Acts 1, 2A, 2B, and 3 (red).
So here I am. A blank page. A fresh start. One scene and then the next. Eventually I will get to THE END.