84877 Words in my book and more to do
It's hard to say when a book is really finished, but I'm working on it.
A few weeks ago, I felt like I was mostly finished with Shame of Kings, my historical fiction novel on the Calusa Indians, Aztecs, and Spanish Conquistadors. Since then, I had two smart beta readers check it out, and I have also come up with a list of things to add. The list keeps growing, but I think that’s a good thing; however, I wonder if writers ever think their books are truly finished.
Both of my beta readers had concerns about my ending. I think they were right, but I also found it interesting that the things that bothered them I did on purpose. The stories of the Calusas and other Native American tribes are not happy. None of them survived European contact with their lifestyles intact. So I have not written a happy ending, but still, I have now come up with what I think is a more exciting finish.
As this is historical fiction, it has been a fun challenge to decide just how many real details to include and how much of my own story to add. I plan on adding an author’s note to explain some of the choices I have made. My beta readers did not know whether some of the details in the book were real or fiction, and I’m not sure if that matters and how much to include in my author’s note. I plan to examine some other books in this genre to see what those authors did.
Now on to my list. This book is constantly on my mind, so I am building a list of things to add and change. I have queried 7 literary agents and so far received three form rejections. I won’t send any more queries until I complete my current list.
Here is my list as of today, although I expect it to keep growing:
1. Add more Calusa and Aztec words.
2. Add Native American and Aztec symbolism.
3. Add more suspense and bitterness when Carlos chooses Felipe instead of Sinapa.
4. Have Sinapa set out to kill Felipe. He fights two guards, but Felipe escapes. He runs up to the Spanish fort and Sinapa chases him. When Felipe approaches the gate to the fort, the Spaniards shoot him. Sinapa thinks they are going to kill him too, but they let him go. This is the biggest change I plan to make.
5. Show more about Sinapa’s grief when Casitoa dies.
6. Make the Calusas carry manchineels (weapons) back from Tenochtitlan.
7. Sinapa has to hide his doubts and shame from his men, including fighting against his fear on the sea journey.
8. In my query letter, include more about Sinapa’s internal struggle and something specific about how Montezuma betrays him.
In the next few weeks, I plan to have a few more people take a look at my opening pages. I am looking forward to their feedback. I am confident all of these steps will improve my book and help me find an a literary agent.
I am using these posts to share everything about this project, and hope you find it interesting. Please let me know what you think. It would be great to hear any suggestions or criticisms. Thanks