Killing the Backstory

posted by Leann Sweeney

As I have mentioned of late, I turned in my newest book to my editor a couple weeks ago. Usually I am overjoyed when that happens but as I sent this book off, I felt, well, afraid. Thanks to life constantly interrupting me--thanks, life--starting this new series is probably the hardest thing I have ever done. I didn't dare touch the book while it was off for its visit to New York. You never know what that editorial letter will be like. "I love it!" or  "I hate it!" or some combination.

The dreaded e-mail came yesterday and as I read through the edits and suggestions, my fears were realized. I'd written a piece of crap. So I cried for a while and then took another look at what she'd written. I used to do that with rejection letters. Cry, wait, reread. The reread is sure a whole lot easier to take and comes across entirely different. This time was no exception.

Let me say that I have the most fantastic editor in the world. She actually edits--and I am not talking about changing commas or a few words. She picks up on stuff immediately and in fact, she's so damn smart I should have known that if I was worried, she'd find the problem. Yup, she knew exactly what was wrong and, as usual, wasn't shy about telling me. Though I'd known something just wasn't working with the book, I couldn't see it. Turns out it wasn't the plot. Maybe because that's the easy part for me. No, it was something else I couldn't put my finger on. Maybe because my fingers have been so busy trying to play catch up all of 2008.

The problem? An angry heroine. There it was, that anger, time after time, as my editor so carefully pointed out. I never once considered my character to be angry, but she was--and without good reason. And cozy readers are rarely happy with angry heroines. Especially one like I'd just created, who adores animals, but walks around pissed off. Pet lovers are usually super nice people. I'm a pet lover and that's how I would describe myself. But thanks to my editor, I was able to see the anger woven throughout the book and though she didn't realize it, I knew it didn't belong to my heroine. It belonged to me.

I was angry at so many things, mostly because the stuff that has happened in the last two years has been totally out of my control. Here I am, doing what every writer dreams of--getting to write professionally for a major publisher without doing the day job thing. (I did do that for two years, so I know how lucky I am). And what happens? I get sick. Then I get a new sickness. Then I have surgery that goes way wrong and end up back in the hospital. And then I tear my rotator cuff. These are things that interfere tremendously with the creative process. No stamina, no brain power, hell getting to the grocery store was a challenge.

My editor left me with plenty of notes--page upon page with her comments--so now I am killing the character's backstory. She will have a new one, the one I intended her to have before I got off track. This is what I need to do because she is not the wounded, angry person she comes across as the story stands now. And the biggest revelation, the one that dried the tears and got me working, was that I am not that angry person either. I'll be killing a little of my own backstory, too.

Comments

[Rhonda]

Hi Leann,

Great blog! It does sounds like you have a wonderful editor. You are right, writing is a deeply personal experience. Our feelings and moods seep into the pages as we write - and yeah, sometimes we have to do a little cleaning afterwards! Best of luck with your rewrite/edit.

Rhonda
aka The Southern Half of Evelyn David

[Sheila Connolly]

You can't write a convincing character unless you are really in her head, which means she's in yours as well. You can see all the issues you so carefully hid from yourself spilling out from your character's mouth.

Yes, bless good editors who can see the big picture. I keep saying that my editor understands my plot better than I do--I'll think I've said something clearly, and she will point out that I didn't, I just assumed the reader would understand. And even her criticisms are right on target--a lot of "aha!" and "of course!" moments.

You can fix your character, Leann. And think of all the crap you got out of your system writing her the first time around. Is writing cheaper than psychotherapy?

[Leann Sweeney]

Ah yes! The healing has begun already, at least for my heroine. Now I have to learn how to be my own heroine. That, I am finding, is a lot tougher than writing a story. But the secret is out now! What the reader gets when she or he buys a book isn't always what came first. It takes a village--or at least a damn good editor.

Leann

[Kathryn Lilley]

I don't see why readers don't like an angry heroine, as long as she has valid reasons for it. What if it's a justifiable case of anger in the story? I think heroines who have flaws are more interesting, myself. But, I speak as a deeply flawed person (grin).

[Doranna Durgin]

Sire, nothing wrong with an angry heroine...in the right book, and for the right reasons. And if the author has set up those reasons so the readers understand and empathize with them... Randomly angry heroine, doesn't work so well.

What a neat editor you have, Leann--so cool she was able to put her finger on that and then convey it well.

[Debra]

Hi Leann,

It sounds like you do have a great editor, you're lucky. One of my experiences was with an agent who was interested in my mystery (it didn't work out, but I'm okay with it) and in her 7 pg revision letter commented that my sleuth & her husband came across as unhappy. Unhappy? They seemed fine to me. LOL. But she was right on target with a few other comments so I did the only thing I thought would work - I killed the husband and now the sleuth is a widow! Actually, it's much better that way.
Oh, well. It does sound like your editor hit the nail right on the head. You couldn't see that the stress & frustration you experienced had seeped into your sleuth. It can be difficult not the let that happen.
But, hey, that's why they earn the big bucks,right?

Good luck with your revisions,
Debra

[Paul Lamb]

The collaborative creative process. You're fortunate to have such an attentive editor. Better for these kinds of backstory issues to be found now than by your thousands of fans once the novel is published.

Sorry about your troubles. I'm crossing my fingers for you.

[Doranna Durgin]

Okay. That was supposed to be "sure." I need an editor...