Hit 'Em With The Remix

I thought it was an April Fool's joke at first, but Nelly just released a country song. Okay, he released a remix of a country song. But when I first heard it on the radio, I actually changed my radio dial because I could've sworn I'd been listening to pop radio and not country. I wasn't on the wrong station though: Nelly and Florida Georgia Line teamed up!

That's right, they're CRUISIN' together.

This is the original:

But then, as so many country artists do, they wanted to cross over into pop for a new audience.

And boy did they cross over. I've heard both Taylor Swift and Hunter Hayes do this, but they normally just change the acoustic guitar to an electric guitar, but not these guys. They teamed up with Nelly and totally reworked the song.

I couldn't figure out how to embed the song through SoundCloud, so just click here to hear it!

And now I hear “Cruise” all the time on both the country and pop stations. They expanded their audience, because they reinvented the original.

And isn’t that what our drafts are? Remixes of the original. We change the bridge, rework the melody in the chorus, add a line or two–all the while keeping the integrity of our story. Because whether it's the remix of "Cruise" or the original, I roll my windows and rock out in my car. The song gives me the same feeling, it achieves the goal (for me at least) in both versions, but it's two completely different executions.

So if you’ve got a plot that’s not working or a character that falls flat, don’t be afraid to remix it. Don’t be afraid to cut multiple chapters and go an entirely different direction or completely revamp your character's wants, needs, life, etc. That’s what you’re there for. You’re the author.

Hit ‘em with the remix.