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© Marta Stephens 2007
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Text, photographs, and artwork copyright © 2007-2008 by Marta Stephens
As noted, Silenced Cry, is the first in a series of Sam Harper crime mysteries. What you may not know is that this novel was written after the other three novels were drafted. The idea behind the development of Silenced Cry was to give the reader an introduction -- some insight into who Sam Harper is and what he's made of.
I wrote the first draft of Silenced Cry in the winter of 2005. By then, I knew these characters well and where the plot was headed. Still, I spent the whole of 2006 on further developments and endless edits. Chapters were moved around, others were cut, and new ones were added. While it was in one of these early stages, someone asked me, “Aren’t you done with that book yet? How much longer is it going to take? Why do you keep changing it? Just send it in—see what happens.”
See what happens? That's like throwing an egg into the air, watching it fall, and wondering why it splattered. Getting a first contract from a publisher is every author's dream, but is rushing through the manuscript worth the price of rejection?
First drafts are nothing more than a shell of how the story will unfold. The plot begins to emerge and characters form, but the story is far from a polished piece.
I’ve been writing longer than some, less than most. I still have much
to learn. The one thing I'm certain of is that whether you write, paint,
compose lyrics, or see the world through a camera's lens, you can't put
a time limit on creativity. It doesn’t come from a set of formulas and rigid templates. It comes
from a vivid imagination, an open mind, and the willingness to accept change. By
the way, I found that the best changes to my manuscripts have been the result from the
most brutal critiques. More on that in
The Critical Fresh Pair of Eyes.
Anyone who is serious about writing understands the demands on their
time and the sacrifices required to achieve the goal of publication. What a waste it would be to not strive for the very best.