Is It Cheating If You Love Her?

I'm in need of some writerly advice. Or perhaps I'm just feeling guilty.

Here's the story. We are shopping a new book right now, and good things are happening. The very first editor who read it likes the book rather a lot, and wants to take it under her wing. But here's the catch: she wants non-contractual changes (for anyone who remembers, I went through this once before). That's no big deal. I get how hard it is to break in, and this is another tip-top company. But I got her rewrite letter this week, and I find myself in a weird position ...

Essentially, she wants the same book, but different. There are some fairly major changes outlined in this letter. It's way beyond tinkering with a few plot points or a little character motivation. So over the past week, I've been working on mapping out a revision based on her letter, just to see if it was even possible. I'm pretty close to done with the map, and I can see a way clear. It doesn't make all of her changes, but enough that I feel like it's pretty close.

So here's my issue. It would basically be a different book. But this new book ... well, it's good. I like it. Yes, it's very different than the one I originally wrote, but I can see how it all works and fits together. In many ways, it's leaner and more accessible, and while it does give up some things I liked about the old version, it gains in other ways.

But then part of me feels like I'm ... I dunno, cheating on my original story. Like the original story just walked in and caught me in bed with this new, younger version of itself. It took one look and wailed, "But I thought you LOVED me!"

And suddenly I'm all running around the room, pulling on my shirt, and saying, "Of course I love you, baby! This isn't a replacement, exactly. It's, ah, something different than you. But you know I'll always love you, right? You know that, right?"

Then the old story slumps into the corner and says, "Yeah, but you're going to try to sell the new story. So what, I'm just another stack of papers in your drawer?"

And there really isn't a good answer for that, so I just feel like a cad. I even considered making up all new character names for the new version, like a mirror world, so I could really call it a new book. And then I considered that they could be companion books -- one dark, one light. One blonde. One brunette.

Honestly, I don't know how those polygamist guys do it. But that's neither here nor there, so let's get back on track. If I could wish for anything, it would be for a simple answer ...

p.s. Am I breaking some kind of rule by posting stuff like this? There seems to be a ban on talking about the mechanics of getting published. So in case any, you know, actual publishing police read this, drop me a line and send along the cease and desist order. I promise I'll stop ...