I started over again, and I have no regrets.

[Deleted member 93348]

I didn’t know if I wanted to do this until I realized what I lacked the most throughout the feedback I got. I didn’t have a proper opening chapter, and it now makes sense why they found my prose hard to follow. I had the tendency of introducing too many characters in one chapter. Worse yet, I couldn’t even write a brief scene of the main villain from the beginning.

I may have introduced the MC early on, but it still felt like he was a side character among the other characters with unique personalities. That’s not a good sign. If I were to describe how my initial chapter read like, it’d be like if Naruto didn’t start with him painting Hokage Rock as a prank. It’d be like not focusing on him stealing the forbidden Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu scroll—and instead give more focus on his future teammates.

All in all, I’m glad I started from scratch again. This time, I wrote a short initial chapter that merely introduces the MC and briefly shows the main villain behind the scenes in the end. I’ll ask for more feedback someday.

 

[Beeteetee]

You do have a plot line from beginning to end right? at least for the first arc?

 

[Ilikewaterkusa]

I didn’t know if I wanted to do this until I realized what I lacked the most throughout the feedback I got. I didn’t have a proper opening chapter, and it now makes sense why they found my prose hard to follow. I had the tendency of introducing too many characters in one chapter. Worse yet, I couldn’t even write a brief scene of the main villain from the beginning.

I may have introduced the MC early on, but it still felt like he was a side character among the other characters with unique personalities. That’s not a good sign. If I were to describe how my initial chapter read like, it’d be like if Naruto didn’t start with him painting Hokage Rock as a prank. It’d be like not focusing on him stealing the forbidden Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu scroll—and instead give more focus on his future teammates.

All in all, I’m glad I started from scratch again. This time, I wrote a short initial chapter that merely introduces the MC and briefly shows the main villain behind the scenes in the end. I’ll ask for more feedback someday.

It’s the journey that matters. Also why is this in art general

 

[TheEldritchGod]

All in all, I’m glad I started from scratch again. This time, I wrote a short initial chapter that merely introduces the MC and briefly shows the main villain behind the scenes in the end. I’ll ask for more feedback someday.

https://chat.openai.com/chat

Type Request Rewrite of paragraphs, then feed it paragraphs. Meaning at least three sentences at a time. It does a fine job giving you a bland rewrite of what you wrote. I find it useless for plot and what not, but it does a fine job pointing out obvious sentence structure errors and misspelling. I think of it as a very prudish editor writing for a 9th grade english teacher. So if you are doing a rewrite to "improve your prose", I would recommend filtering it through this then comparing the two. Again, sucks at understanding plot and conflict, but it's like super good at being a second pair of eyes.

Think of it as having a 5th grader reviewing your work for mistakes. Any mistakes it finds are so goddamn obvious, you'll kick yourself for missing it but at least you'll catch the obvious ones.

 

[RepresentingCaution]

Congrats! Keep up the good work!

 

[Deleted member 93348]

You do have a plot line from beginning to end right? at least for the first arc?

Yup, but I'm still learning how to execute it properly. For one, I can't just introduce a plethora of supporting characters in the first chapter. Maybe a Chekhov's Gunman way of introducing them, but definitely not give them names. I also have to execute an overpowered MC properly without making him too boring.

 

[RavenRunes]

I hear you. Doing this myself. On the plus side, by the time you realise what you need to do, that you need to start again, you have a much better understanding of what you're doing.
I had the same problem. Too many side chars with multiple POV, a weak MC, and to be honest, no real villain or plot. Twas an episodic mess.

 

[Deleted member 93348]

I hear you. Doing this myself. On the plus side, by the time you realise what you need to do, that you need to start again, you have a much better understanding of what you're doing.
I had the same problem. Too many side chars with multiple POV, a weak MC, and to be honest, no real villain or plot. Twas an episodic mess.

Wish you luck all the way, fam. By the way, I’m not sure if this is considered multiple POV, but my new opening chapter starts with a no-name character, yet only briefly. Said character calls for the actual MC, who saves the day. The thing is, the chapter ends with a "post-credits scene" of sorts, where the main villain overlooks the horizon.

Here's hoping I'm finally doing something right and that it'll hook readers in. Like I said, I'll ask for feedback for chapter 1 and 2 someday.

 

[J_Chemist]

I didn’t know if I wanted to do this until I realized what I lacked the most throughout the feedback I got. I didn’t have a proper opening chapter, and it now makes sense why they found my prose hard to follow. I had the tendency of introducing too many characters in one chapter. Worse yet, I couldn’t even write a brief scene of the main villain from the beginning.

I may have introduced the MC early on, but it still felt like he was a side character among the other characters with unique personalities. That’s not a good sign. If I were to describe how my initial chapter read like, it’d be like if Naruto didn’t start with him painting Hokage Rock as a prank. It’d be like not focusing on him stealing the forbidden Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu scroll—and instead give more focus on his future teammates.

All in all, I’m glad I started from scratch again. This time, I wrote a short initial chapter that merely introduces the MC and briefly shows the main villain behind the scenes in the end. I’ll ask for more feedback someday.

Big props to you. I recently went back and rewrote a huge portion of the initial third of my story, so I understand the pain of having to fix/retcon some stuff.

Keep that mentality as you write. Don't be ashamed or afraid to do rewrites and make changes if you need to. If it benefits the reader and enhances the experience of your novel, full send it! Proud of you for making the decision to change and accepting the mistake. Not many do that.