At the moment, I have edited 7 of the stories, mainly, I re-wrote some endings I wasn't happy with and which I didn't feel concluded the narrative well.
Some, I deleted and re-wrote entire segments. Two, I completely re-wrote, because after a few paragraphs I realised that I liked the idea, and the characters, but hated how it was written. Rather than re-working clunky - and crap - writing, it was actually easier and faster to give it a complete re-write.
Going Back To Old Work
Something happened while in the process of this today. I had finished the 7th story, then started copying a new batch into the Google Doc, and while I was doing that I was reading the title and skimming through some of it to see what each story was and I completely remembered it.
We're talking stuff I wrote 2+ years ago, and I was able to completely recall sections of it, twists, hell if I tried hard enough I'd say I could remember what I was doing the day I wrote it.
It's just funny to me that something that has literally not been thought of since the day it was written can just flood back in an instant from just reading the title or skimming through the body of writing. More so than that, I was even met with old ideas I had with particular stories, places I wanted to go with it at the time or there after. Second parts, or carry on stories based around it.
Pretty cool that with so much that has happened over the past few years, there's still a bit of brain power reserved for these old stories.
Seeing Development
I can see such a noticeable difference in my writing by going back to the old stuff and editing it. The dialogue flows better, and I critique a lot more and think hard about each line. Action flows much better and feels way smoother, and even my descriptions are a breeze now compared to then.
Obviously, there is still so much to learn, but I'm a lot better than I was 2 years ago and I can see that and say it with confidence.
Recognising Crap
There are some of the stories which were and still are crap. Some may be worth salvaging, but I've found a few that I decided not to even waste my time with.
Big ideas, or interesting thoughts, but too much to showcase in a short story.
One idea for example is about the split/ revolution which caused the war between the Human worlds which later created the Confederation. How the split started, how the colonies revolted told through the eyes of one person riling people up, then the next part is this secret meeting of powerful people deciding what they're going to do and rallying ships to make an example of those worlds and bring them back to heel.
Originally I thought it would make a good novel, and hey, maybe it would. As short stories though, no. It's just too much for a two part short story.
It would be all tell, and no show. There would be barely any build up to what caused the tension. In a novel, having the build up, the revolution, the war, and then the aftermath where treaties are signed. Also, there would have to be a lot of intricacy in telling something like this in long form, there would be a lot of moving parts and any clumsy-ness would tear the whole thing down.
It's good that I can spot these, rather than wasting time on them now, but as I say, who knows? In the future I might write it, but at the moment, it would be best kept as a purely world building post, or potentially a flippant point made in a historical conversation among characters of a different story.
But, yeah. That's where I'm at now, and things are going good. I've had this amazing jolt of inspiration to get this stuff done, and I'm going to do all I can so I don't waste it.
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