Hi everybody! Sorry for the longer-than-intended silence. I’m in Vegas, very busy with non-writing activities…and some beta readers are complaining about the ending of The Secret, which leaves me in a bit of a quandary.
I don’t expect everyone to like or even “get” all of my stuff. But so far it appears that few will like this one. Though those may, basing this on a very small sample size, like it tons of bunches. (“My favorite so far!” is always nice to read.)
Responses have so far unanimously been in favor of the thing…right up till readers hit the ending. Which complicates the issue a bit. If most people didn’t like the book at all, I wouldn’t especially care. I mean, so what? But…does this almost-approval mean it’s time to make substantive changes? ‘Cause this doesn’t look like the kind of thing minor edits will fix. Do I chuck the last few chapters and try something else?
I probably won’t. Which reveals all this delay to be pointless dithering. If there are mistakes made, say my instincts, fix them in the next book. Ship it, and move on.
Maybe that’s right. Maybe it isn’t. I’m thinking about it, and too busy with other stuff to try rewriting any of it right now. So. Hmm. I delay.
To be clear, I don’t expect the book to make much money either way. I just hate disappointing readers…especially those who enjoy almost the entire book. But I also hate the idea of making radical changes to the ending–to my mind, as I told myself the story, it was satisfying and fun.
What’s the right move here? Beats me.
So, if someone told you your human baby is ugly would you keep it from the world?
Probably not! But if my kid clearly needed a bath I might make a strong suggestion. 🙂
Gonna mess with it just a little bit more, then seek another couple of opinions…then probably just go ahead and publish the thing. My apologies for all associated delays, including for this response. Not really in an online mode out here.
When you wrote the book, did you like it? You’re still the most advanced of anyone in your thinking of this book, who is reading this storyline. Can you say that any reader is AHEAD OF you?
Of course not.
I used to write poems. Someone would comment on something, suggesting a change. I would reply, “then it would be another poem.”
Leave the book the way it is. I guarantee, right now, you are the story’s expert. You can always write another book, with a different ending.
You know?
Be well.
Heather
Yeah, I tweaked it in a couple of spots but essentially let the thing be what it is. If people read it and hate it, well, that’s what they’ll do. I like hearing from readers, especially when I get detailed feedback from beta readers, but at the end of the day I think you’re right: better to write another book than mess around with one that could be “shipped.”
Not the kind of book I normally read..but I found the description vivid and prose interesting.
Thanks!