I was cleaning up my Google Drive and came across my old Chasing Echoes folder. Within it I found 57 drafts of Chasing Echoes. 57! Included with these drafts were several rewrites of the very last chapter, each with titles such as Ch. 37-Drastic Rewrite, Ch. 37-Not so Drastic Rewrite, Ch. 37-Take Bazillion....
I also discovered the novel has gone by six titles. Here are the titles in order from original to final:
Daughters of Time
Face of Brahman
Spiraling
Diminished
There is No Dawn
Chasing Echoes
I remember I was never satisfied with any title (and frankly, I'm still not), which is strange because I've had no issue settling on a title for Black Lilies.
But back to the heaps of notes, drafts, etc. Thank goodness we're living in the digital age. An entire room could easily be gobbled up by the makings of one novel. My heart goes out to people married to writers twenty+ years ago. My husband already puts up with a lot being married to my insanity, but back then, writers' spouses would have had to deal with the Blob taking over their house. Except for in this case, the Blob is one big, fat, gelatinous mass of drafts and notes.
I remember the title back and forth! ^_^ I still want to kidnap There Is No Dawn. But then I think I kidnapped Black Spring not that long ago. :D
ReplyDeleteMy very first attempt at No Rest for the Wicked is hilariously awful. I have that, plus 7 drafts - two of which are named "original" and one is called "semi-final draft". And I don't even know what order they're supposed to go in. And I don't even know why I have things like "first draft" and "original" in the same folder. I do this all the time. What does it mean?! 57 puts my graveyard to shame though! Dude!
I love "There is no Dawn" too. Sometimes I contemplate switching the book's title back to that one, but it feels like changing your kid's name because you've decided you like another name better. But hey, if you come up with a premise that would fit that title, it's all yours! And yes, Black Springs is yours too! *Taps fingers waiting for THAT story* :P
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