What Was I Thinking?

Have you ever gone back to older work that you queried to agents and read through it and thought, "What in the world was I thinking?"

Yeah, that was me yesterday. I read through The Ruby Dagger, a story I had shopped around, getting a few requests for partials and fulls, and was stunned.  I had known there was something wrong with the story when I sent it out (I was hoping an agent would see it, love it, and tell me where I had gone wrong--didn't happen, and I don't blame them!) As I read through, I realized not only did I have gigantic plot issues, but the flow was off. It was not in any way, shape, or form something that should have gone out there.

But it did, and I'm okay with that. I'm far enough removed from when I wrote it, that I can see what I need  to change. I know that I need to know more about my characters' past so I can get the present correct, and I need better motivation for some things that happen.

Last year, when I was querying this story, I would have been utterly discouraged by the amount of work this story needs. Now, I feel energized by it. I want to get in there and play with these characters, learn about them again and get the story right, because in the end, that's what it's all about to me- getting the story right.

So, have you ever gone back and thought, "What was I thinking?" and if so, what did you do about it?

***Note:  Sorry no information on the contest yet. Still working out a few final details. Hope to have it up on Monday!