| Summary: | Retooling Connecticut: The Millstone Kid and Rewriting the Thesis consists of an approximately 11,000 word novelette written for the BA thesis in English for the University of Iceland. The thesis includes the long-form story entitled The Millstone Kid, and an exposition detailing the writing process. Enter: Valentine. A man with power over the elements who is employed by the state to round up others like himself. His latest job brings him into contact with a powerful wielder named Luna, a woman with psychokinetic abilities. When Valentine and Luna are imprisoned, a non-wielder named Marcus frees them in exchange for safe passage into the state of New York. The three then become inextricably linked as they find themselves amidst a Second Event which threatens the balance of their world. Through shifting viewpoints in the past and the present, the trio also work to unravel the mystery surrounding a nuclear event which forever transformed the history of the state. In the exposition, the process of rewriting the thesis from beginning to end is expounded upon. The challenge of plotting the story, and the difficulties in creating a thrilling fantasy novel are also defined. Furthermore, I describe overcoming my weaknesses in writing with regards to crafting an ending to a story and showing versus telling. I detail the tools that were used to overcome these shortcomings, which ranged from reading fiction within the genre to reading how-to books from established authors. The editing process is also discussed at length as I describe the methods employed to tighten the narrative. Additionally, the exposition goes on to discuss the uniqueness of the chosen setting and how it enhanced the feeling of authenticity within the story. Finally, the exposition describes the possibility of expanding the novelette into a full-length novel and further developing the world in which the characters live.
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