Showing posts with label editing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label editing. Show all posts
Friday, October 11, 2013
Kill Your Darlings
Anywho, when I first sent it off to everyone, I refused to look at any of it. I knew it needed work, so showing it to people seemed like a silly idea since I already knew I had issues to fix. And it's probably a good thing I didn't dive back into revisions first, because, honestly, I would have butchered it for no reason. I listened to what everyone had to say, and almost none of the suggestions for changes matched. Everyone thought something completely different. So I opened it up today, and I decided to take it one chapter at a time (if I do it any other way I see how much work I have ahead of me and just want to shut down), and I have to say, I'm kind of blown away by what I've written. I forgot how good it was. I'm not saying it's flawless Literature or anything, but for two years while I've worked on my school stuff, I've been thinking about how crappy bits were and just how much work it needed, and somewhere along the road I convinced myself that the idea was the only solid thing about it. But, man, it's good!
So I'm editing my novel with the help of a writing group I'm not entirely sold on yet, and I'm working on my picture book. And I'm really excited because not only do I have some new ideas I'm toying with too, but I might actually meet my new publishing goal. Things are looking up.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
In which I ramble
I was planning on doing some leisure reading today, and by that I mean reading an eARC for you guys, but I think I'm going to go ahead and start looking over the latest draft of TSA so I can get it to someone this weekend.
I am incredibly nervous about this. She has never read it before (I really wanted a fresh pair of eyes), and she is also one of my best and closest friends. I wanted her to read it, not because of these things, but because she devours books as much as I do, is an English major, and has a knack for grammar and honing in on things that don't work in books.
I am also incredibly nervous because this draft is much better than previous drafts. SO MUCH BETTER. And I am afraid that I will get it back and have to do major revisions. Not because I don't like edits or want it to be ready now (though I really do want to be finished with this), but because I am a perfectionist. I will repeatedly change words just to figure out which one I like best. And then change it again.
Sometimes I need outside opinions to okay things for me and justify working on a project because I can be incredibly critical of everything I do. Too much so sometimes. I am nervous because the perfectionist in me thinks there will be nothing good about this book; that I will never be through editing it; that it will never even make it to an agent's slush pile.
So this is me, getting ready to reread TSA for anything that stands out (including grammar) before I send it off to be picked apart. And don't worry, I don't use parentheses in the book.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Blargh. Edits. Blargh.
20,000 words. 2 days.
I look psychotic, I'm sure.
Also, the muscles in my legs are incredibly sore. Who knew barely moving for two days could hurt so much? Don't answer that.
So because I forgot to write today's review, you get to listen (watch? read?) me ramble on about TSA for a bit.
Draft 4 is virtually complete as of last night. It is 40,165 words and 25 chapters long. I always knew it would be 40k, as is evident in the query I wrote for it over a year ago when it was closer to 32k. This makes me happy.
I am going to tweak a few things I know I left out or messed up and remembered but didn't go back for while I was editing because they were very minor. I'm going to reread the whole thing and see if anything major sticks out. And then I am going to send it to someone who has never read it before so I can get some fresh perspective before handing it off to one (or both) of the only two fabulous people who have ever read it and critiqued it. Then, Universe willing, I will be completely finished.
I will finally be able to write the amazing agent who requested it a while back and see if she's still interested in seeing it, AND I can pass it on to another awesome agent who made me promise her I would send it to her when I was done. I don't know if either of them will want to see it or will like it if they do, but TSA will finally be out there, which makes me incredibly happy.
Also, did I mention the new book? Because it's different and I like it and I can't wait to start focusing on it.
Oh, what's that? You want to know what it's about? Well, that's kind of a secret. But I will tell you that it's a mystery with a ghost and twins and . . . NO. I've already said too much. *crazy eyes*
Okay, I should probably stop embarrassing myself. In my defense, I was an editing Hulk-ish fiend for two days who hardly got any sleep last night. I'm allowed to be a tad crazy, right? RIGHT?
It's Friday. You lovely people have a wonderful weekend.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Blog Fest Mashup
There are a couple blog fests going around today that I wanted to get in on, so I think I'll participate in both. The first in Katrina Lantz's New Year's Revision Blog Party. Katrina had the idea for everyone to share their revision plans, since revision can be a bit of a drag sometimes. So for 2011, here's what I've got planned:I want to have the 2nd draft of The Sandman's Apprentice finished before February. I'm already 20k into it and I'm hoping the final draft will be closer to 45k, which looks very doable.
I'll look back over draft two and fix all the things I know need to be fixed.
By the third week of February, I want to have my own revisions finished so I can send TSA off to others to read and crit. I really only have one or two people I can send it to, so I may be posting come February for CPs.
Hopefully, in March I can work on any- and everything I get feedback on and be completely finished before April.
So there you have it, that's my very loose schedule for revisions, and with any lucky I'll actually be finished a lot earlier than that. But I won't hold my breath. The story is the easiest thing for me to fix, so the technical aspects are what will be the most time consuming. Here's to a productive 2011!
What are your revision plans?
And now, for the other blog fest from Vicki Rocho: Eye Candy.So, because I love each and everyone of you, I'm going to try to get some eye candy that everyone can appreciate.
For the guys, the always lovely Kate Beckinsale.
Ladies, I give you Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who is finally getting the recognition he deserves.
And now, some of the pictures that make me smile every time I look at them:
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
WiP Wednesday
Today I spent 5 hours today looking over my MS, mind you I was having an Alias marathon as well (Season 3 to be precise), and I got around 4 pages edited. I'm satisfied with those 4 pages though (for now), and I've edited the first 16 pages altogether. That's the first 4,209 words. I'm happy with that.
The other day when I was editing, I kept starting at the beginning an reading over everything I had already changed, just to find something else I wanted to fix. It's locked in now though so I won't be going over it another half a dozen times. Hopefully I'll pick up some speed though once I get the 1st chapter finished. If I can get the foundation laid then things will go easier, right? I sure hope so. Besides, the beginning has always been the roughest part anyway.
On a different note, though slightly related, I have a Shiny New Idea. Now technically this idea has been festering in the back of my mind for a solid three months now, but it's really starting to drive me bonkers. Yes, that's how anxious I'm getting. Bonkers. The problem is that I promised myself I wouldn't play with said SNI until I was finished with the book I'm working on. I might die if I take too much longer.
My goal was to have ROTP finished and query ready by graduation in May 2011, I think I'm going to have to bump that day up. If I have to go another year and a half without so much as writing an outline or a character bio, I might snap. It's going to be great though, I hope, when I start fiddling with it.
I'm just so excited, both for ROTP and Shiny New Idea. And I'm working in the library at school this next semester so hopefully I'll be writing during work. It's going to be fantastic. :)
How are your WIPs or MS? Anyone out there have an agent yet? Anyone querying?
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Finally Editing (Again)
I've been trying to do other things this break. I've been cleaning, and hanging out with all my old high school friends who went off to college in other states, heck I even busted out the horn and started working on my recital pieces! But I haven't gone near MSWord for fear of getting sucked in. And I get halfway into The Subtle Knife and suddenly I can't stay away!
I knew that I wanted to work on it over the break, but I wanted to get in some reading first! I'm so deprived of the books I want to read for me. *sigh* But I guess that's just how it works. For 3 months I managed to keep my MS on a leash and it obeyed, but now it's ready to play and I'm super excited to oblige it.
Hopefully you all had a lovely Christmas and stayed safe while driving/flying. And I hope if you're reading or writing that you're having as much fun as I am!
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