Rewriting a Story
Writing a story is not easy. Sometimes a writer has to change his or her manuscript. Sometimes the plot doesn’t make sense, or the ending doesn’t work. Maybe a character doesn’t fit in the story and has to be removed.
Or maybe the writer can’t finish the story and leaves it on their hard drive as an unfinished manuscript. Sometimes the idea is good, but the story itself is a failure.
Are you in that situation? Are you struggling with writer’s block? Coming up with a good story idea is one thing, but trying to finish it can be frustrating. You want to please your fans. You want your future readers, a literary agent, or a publisher to accept your story. You want the characters to be believable to your audience.
Before you finish your manuscript, think about one of your favorite books or movies. Why do you reread that story or rewatch that particular show over and over and over again? Could it be that the writers of those stories make things come alive in your mind? Is it the characters that grab your imagination? Is it the plot or the scenery?
Let me give you an example. I’m currently rewatching a very clean, family-friendly series. I have seen these series before; the characters and the plot are very believable. When one of the characters was killed on this show, I cried for two weeks. I felt sorry for his wife and for everybody else in that small town.
I wanted to find out what happens next to the characters. The production company announced that they are currently working on the next season. Sometimes scriptwriters disappoint their fans. Some fans want a character to do such and such a thing on the show, but when they don’t get their wish, then they are upset. That is how a modern-day show touches people’s lives. People want the make-believe characters to be happy. They want them to be a good example for their children. Think about these things while you are having writer’s block. Ask God to help you in this area. Find a beta reader to read your manuscript. Find a freelance editor to help you with your manuscript.
Copyright 2024 Angela Lano
Angela Lano
Angela Lano is a freelance Catholic writer, book reviewer, and illustrator. She is a self-published author. Angela wrote and illustrated two children's picture books. They are called A New Auntie's Fear, and St. Therese: The Little Flower. She also wrote a children's fiction chapter book. It is called Hope And The King. It is self-published as well. These three books are available on Amazon.