Word Imperfect

I live in a small town, but it is amazing how long you can go without seeing someone.  A perfect example of this happened just last week.  I went to a local restaurant to pick up dinner for my family and ran into my high school librarian. In high school I spent most of my spare time in the library, even working as a library aid, so it shouldn't have surprised me when, even after 11 years she still remembered me. We talked for a moment and then she asked me about my book.  This was shocking because I don't even remember telling anyone in high school about it.  All the same, I filled her in on my progress and my plans. She told me that she'd always believed I could do it and that she wanted me to promise her two things.  First, a signed copy when I become published. And Second, to come back to the school once I'm published to do a reading. I don't know why this struck me so.  I mean I've had people tell me they want a signed copy before, so sur...

Tonight I finished the first read through of my book with Taryn's notes. I did things a little differently than I'd planned too.  So here is my method.  I printed my manuscript in hard copy and placed it in a three ring binder.   I then went through and read it.  As I went I crossed out parts that needed to be cut, wrote notes about things that needed to be change, and marked areas where new scenes and chapters should be added. All told I cut about 7 chapters and nearly a dozen paragraphs from chapters I kept.  It was hard.  It was REALLY REALLY hard.  My hands literally shook when I cut my first full page.  I was sick to my stomach when I had to cut an entire chapter.  The words, these lines, these pages are my work.  I poured my heart and soul into them.  Crossing them out was the hardest thing I've done as a writer so far. My first cut chapter. Then way, you may ask, did I cut them?  Because it had to ...

Today began full on revision mode.  My wonderful editor, Taryn, recommended I do a slimmed down version of a shrunken manuscript.  In a normal shrunken manuscript you would resize your whole manuscript to fit on approximately 30 printed pages, then mark up the passages with a color coded key.  Each color representing a different aspect of your storyline.  This shows you where there arch of your story is going and the over all strength and weaknesses of the manuscript. This is what a normal shrunken manuscript ends up looking like.  The way Taryn recommend I do it, is to condense each scene into one sentence and put that on a post  it.  I printed out my manuscript. Two typed pages per printed page. This thing is still huge. I decided to keep the color coding idea.  So I am going through my manuscript and making the scenes in their colors. (Green = setting/world, Purple/pink = character development of main character,  Orange = bui...

So here we are, 12 days since I sent my MS to free-lance editor Taryn Albright .  For the last week I have been quietly worrying what I would receive back in my Reader Report.  After all this time of working I was so afraid that it had all been for nothing.  I was worried that she would come back and say "there is nothing worth keeping here, you need to start over or abandon this story all together." That, however, did not happen. What did happen, is that I received an email that told me she understood how scary this could be and that she wanted me to know that she enjoyed my MS and thought I was going places.  Then she told me to calm myself and settle in with some chocolate and/or wine before reading the report. This is my report.   Yes, that is a six page report.  Yes, I printed it and highlighted parts.  I laid out 12 points she made that need work. I cannot say enough about how amazing my experience with Taryn has been.  Sh...

So I was supposed to send my manuscript to the editor April 11th.  Today I received a surprise email, she had finished a project and could take my MS early. Yep, I totally freaked out.  You can ask my co-workers.  "Is my face red?  I feel like my face is red.  Oh god, I'm not supposed to be this scared am I?  That can't be normal.  Oh god." I was so excited, so scared, so nervous, all at once.  It is amazing that one person can feel some many emotions together.  I don't know anything to compare it to. So, I came home, gave it a once over, made sure the format was correct to Taryn's specifications, and then I did the scariest thing I've done in my writing career.  I sent my MS, my 10 year journey, my 4 month old baby, to an almost complete stranger. Taryn said she should be done by this weekend, but life happens so it may be longer.  Until then I am supposed to stay occupied.  Shouldn't be hard as I have a stac...

Ok, so this is not related to my publishing journey, but this is pretty awesome all the same. A few months ago Charlaine Harris began taking questions to be answered in the paperback edition of the final Sookie Stackhouse novel, Dead Ever After.  I figured what the heck, I've got questions, I'll submit them.  To my surprise I receive an email that 3 of my questions have been selected and will be published. Today I purchased that book and got to see this. MY NAME IN PRINT FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER!!!! Okay, so it is in someone else's book, but come on!  You have to admit that is freaking cool.  How many people get to say that? It looks pretty good on the page, if I do say so myself.  Hopefully the next time I see it, it will be on the title page of my own novel debut novel. :) 

So writing the book was a huge step, but the next step has to happen if anything is to come of it.  In my case, the first step is both exciting and frightening.  That step is letting someone who is neither friend, nor family (thought sort of a friend and I see her becoming more so) read and give input on my baby. For over 10 years this story has lived inside me.  It is part of me.  It is a huge chunk of my life to this point.  To allow someone who knows so little about me to see it, examine it, and critique makes me feel extremely vulnerable.  At the same time this is an opportunity for some truth.  Up to now I have had no way of knowing if the opinions I'm getting are truth or lip service.  Do they like my work, or do they just love my so much they think they do? So...here goes.  April 11th Stone of Virtue: Book One in the Fairies of Erdavol will be in the hands of Freelance Edito r Taryn Albright and her famous green pen.  S...