NaNo: Three Months Later

Image: burke.ces.ncsu.edu

The end of February is near and that makes it three months after I've typed the final few words of my NaNo project. I haven't looked at it since. Not because I didn't want to, but because I've been busy with three translations. And because I figured it might be a good idea to let the story rest. Completely.

By now I'm running out of excuses not to pick up my computer and settle down on the couch with my NaNo story. I already know a few things that I want to or should change - the only question being: how? What can I do to change the story to make it more exciting, give it more suspense and a better build-up to the final showdown (which also needs work), without rewriting the entire thing?

I've promised myself that I would open up my document and save it as a second file before making changes. It doesn't matter if I end up with twenty drafts (they're easily sortable by date anyway), but I don't want to cut, delete or lose anything I might regret later.

Another promise I've made is that I should remember that this version is a bare bones version of the story. It's the result of writing for three weeks straight, pouring out at least a general structure and a plot from beginning to end, no holding back. I am not allowed to rewrite the entire thing or delete it and start again.

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