I am a hack AND broken. I win?

I finished revised chapter 6 . . . and fail. I had to dump the whole thing. Try again tonight.

I do hope that by "dump the whole thing" you mean, "copied it into a file labeled 'Deleted scenes/chapters' and saved it because you never know when it can come in HANDY."

::ahem::

I may be a bit testy about these things.

And dammit, I'm not a hack-- publishing's just stupid.

I do hope that by "dump the whole thing" you mean, "copied it into a file labeled 'Deleted scenes/chapters' and saved it because you never know when it can come in HANDY."

Probably not a bad idea, but I'm pretty sure this won't come in handy. The chapter turned into a pile of things that have to happen and stuff that needs to get conveyed with some stilted dialogue and clunky narrative to paste it together. It turned out icky. I tried to spice it up by moving another event forward, but it fell flat. I'm going to chop it up, redistribute, and flush the paste.

Dude, save EVERYTHING. I'm serious.

Have to rip out the co-author's chapters and start from scratch. They just didn't cut it. I have no idea how to tell him this, but I figured out what to do, and need to get it done. I've been able to really strengthen the backbone, give the hero a crystal clear objective, and now I'm at the part where I just need to expand two chapters, cut the three that blow, fold in his way home, and get him there.

I just feel shaken. These are the never-ending edits, and every time I read through a chapter for the umpteenth time, the crappier it reads to me.

And I think, "I wrote this crap?"

And i did. I wrote this crap.

Overall I'm happy with the revision so far. I've down 6,000 words mostly by cutting loads of exposition delivered via dialogue. So, as can be imagined, vast improvement.

Dude, save EVERYTHING. I'm serious.

Yeah, I need to start up my dated backups like I did with the rough draft.

I keep all the stuff I delete, just because. Sometimes I go back and use it, sometimes not, but I like knowing it's there.

I have no idea how to tell him this, but I figured out what to do, and need to get it done.

Well, I think that's what you need to tell him, then. And I would do it sooner rather than later, because he needs to know if you're no longer working together on this.

I just feel shaken. These are the never-ending edits, and every time I read through a chapter for the umpteenth time, the crappier it reads to me.

Isn't that kinda normal? When I read through my stuff, I tend to just notice what's wrong.

I know, Amy. He hasn't touched any edits since he turned in his three chapters last year. I'm annoyed, frankly. You can't have 40% for three chapters out of ten and no editing and then tell me you're really busy. You just can't.

I'm frustrated. And it's my fault for just saying, "I'll take care of it."