Discovering what I don't know

Hello world!

So what is a rewrite? An opportunity in humility, exploring my enormous mountain of ignorance.

My last entry makes me laugh. How certain I sound -- as if I was a writing professor rather than an ordinary jane, musing about my not-so-unique life experiences!! Each day of my rewrite, I've needed to learn something new. During the writing phase, I also experienced epiphanies, but they were "A-ha!" leaps forward in existing skills rather than slap-in-the face dumbfounding doubletakes. "Duh -- huh?"

As Thos commented, my biggest bombshell was discovering that I had written an entire novel featuring the wrong protagonist. During a rewriting exercise designed to fully flesh out my characters I recognized the issue. With each main character, and I have (too?) many, I struggled to meaningfully describe their weaknesses, needs, fears, etc. After pushing through the exercise on three or four characters, including my presumed female protagonist (P1), I suddenly found a character where I zipped through the answers without hesitation. I was sure of this guy.

I took a look at my answers closely. This male character (P2) certainly had more to gain or lose than P1. And I was clearer about what drove P2 than P1. P2 was a foreigner, which guaranteed gaps in knowledge and experience where conflict could sprout, and pique the reader's interest. I had wanted a strong female lead, but P2 was clearly stronger as a protagonist.

Strangely, P2 had not existed in the concept or outline of my novel. He wasn't in chapter one, where I thoughtfully introduced P1. In fact, I created P2 on the fly, as a foil to a fellow that attracted P1 -- just a dot of salsa to spice up the meal. Once born, though, P2 took on a life of his own, becoming ever more dominant, until I realized, partway through writing, that he had joined my palette of major characters. The fact that P2 had no outline to follow gave him the freedom to embody the opposite of all that was weak about P1. And I wrote on, as oblivious as a keyboard.

So rewrites. If not for the rewrite, I would have stuck with my initial concept -- my outline -- P1 as protagonist. I have to admit, she helped make my first draft somewhat insipid. It probably would have failed as a novel.

I'm still in the shallows of my rewrite. I tremble to think what tsunami may sweep over my story next.