Memories of Home

revisions make the world go round

2012-02-09T10:21:00.000-08:00

Or maybe another go-round of revisions make a better novel, something like that. I've spent much of the last few weeks overhauling this manuscript, then gave it to fresh eyes, those I covet, those I trust. Nothing better for a writer to have a crit partner to whom all trust is given.

Julie K. Rose is a fantastic novelist; she's also a talented editor, and I am indebted to her skills for a few of my books. This one, for instance; I included all her edits this morning, taking the word count from 85,678 to just under 85K. Knowing an eagle eye has read through this book brings great relief, also pleasure. When Julie revises, she also bestows praise, an essential ingredient. Balancing the critiques with appreciation is just what this author needs!

What this novel needs is a small shoring up; sometimes Julie notes I make it easy for the reader, but in one plot point, I need to make things plainer. That will occur in the next round of revisions. Otherwise it's in good shape for a March release, once I choose a cover photo, write the Liner Notes and dedication, and a few synopses. However next week is a break in the action. Once I return, refreshed and revitalized, much like my novel after Julie's handiwork, then those last issues will be sorted.

And then, this half of the Alvin's Farm series will be published, dude!

from the depths

2012-01-23T06:58:00.000-08:00

So this novel will be published in March; time to give it another look.

Right now it sits at 97K. I'm thinking down to maybe... 94,000 at the end of this round? Just a guess, but I've seen what disappears from Alvin's Farm, The Thorn And The Rose, September Story even; words slip as if the novel only needs one good shake.

Then another. And another. And yet one more... I'll go through this round, then plop it on my iPod, then once more. Then some fresh eyes and then...

Then a few more, just how I work. Even the last edits usually provide one more tweak. But that's how I work.

And speaking of work... better get to it!

hacking and sawing

2011-10-21T10:18:00.000-07:00

Not even halfway through this manuscript, and I'm chopping like nobody's business. Seven pages are gone, and I wouldn't be surprised if another seven are lost before these revisions are over.

Sometimes I read a novel and like scales falling from my eyes, extra words slip just that easily. Well, not easily, but compared to previous edits, they melt right away.

I have no idea why that is, well, a small idea, but all that matters is that it does happen. Better to lose the words now than my cool later on...

for real

2011-10-13T11:44:00.000-07:00

So this blog was ignored for a good while, but not this story. It's going to be released in early 2012, maybe late February, early March. I've just given Alvin's Farm and The Thorn And The Rose some pretty good looks, and this one comes next. And just now I've shaved fifty-six words from the first chapter. Every time I edit a novel, there is always some change, no matter how well I looked it over the last time.

So, maybe I'll try to document this round of revisions with more care than all those since I started this blog for this novel, two years ago. Nearly two years ago I wrote this book, and in a few quick months I'll publish it. I love this task I have, this job, this wonderful calling! Nothing much could be better...

well, ahem...

2011-10-07T15:48:00.000-07:00

I haven't been here in ages. Been meaning too, especially since this novel will be released in a few months. When I looked at this blog and saw how long it had been, I blanched. Then ran away....

But I just started The Thorn and the Rose, which will lead to this novel. And seeing things are really winding down for this series, I should say something before the book's actually available.

This book wraps up Alvin, Jenny and Sam... Until I restart the series twenty-five years later. But at least at one point This was the last book. This one has a different tenor, like two stories in one. But these novels, all six, are really some of my faves. I adore the characters, the themes. Makes me proud to be a writer.

Not a great blogger, but that's okay. Not many are ever going to read this anyways...

initial read-through

2009-12-05T14:46:00.000-08:00

And it's not as bad as I thought.

The first third needs work, as did the first bit of The Thorn and the Rose. Maybe the first quarter, but more like the first third.

But the rest is okay, not as bad as I thought while writing it. That is always such a treat!

And Alabama is up by six against Florida! Happy day...

it's done

2009-11-12T18:13:00.000-08:00

There is such relief finishing a novel. Especially one that is part of a series, this the last. You have to make sure all the t's are crossed, i's dotted. So many bits that need to be wrapped up, and there is one piece that I didn't quite get in.

I'll do that next time I look at it. Which isn't going to be anytime soon.

But for tonight, the last sentence has been written, and I'm really happy with it. For how up and down it's been, in that some of the writing is so-so, some is really pleasing, the end was good.

Or at least I like it.

And ultimately, that's what matters. I have no idea what will come of this trio of stories; the first one is really good, the second and third... Are not as well detailed. But there still pretty okay.

Pretty... Good, pretty much.

And now it's onto the next project...

Yes, already thinking ahead, just like Sam tells Jenny. He's thinking ahead...

Today's word count- 5,778
Total word count- 108,052

nearly there

2009-11-11T20:36:00.000-08:00

Well, today I wrapped yesterday's cliffhanger, and am nearly finished. One more chapter tomorrow, and then I think I'll take a day off, and get back to work on Saturday.

When I get to the end of a novel, I am so ready to be DONE! I take the write a ton approach and plow through it. Recently the ends of manuscripts have been a surprise, not turning out as I planned. Now that I'm used to that, it's not such a big deal. This story could be classified as such, but then it's gone from one plan to something quite a bit different, so it's no biggie.

Still, I've been working with these characters since March, this the third novel of a completely unplanned series. And as I fell in love with the Detours cast, I feel so much for the folks that populate Arkendale, Oregon.

I just love them! And will miss them after tomorrow. After tomorrow, no more new story comes for Jenny, Sam, Tommie, Rae, Alvin and the rest.

And what a wild ride it's been!

Today's word count- 11,542 (split between three chapters)

waiting for my man

2009-11-10T22:13:00.000-08:00

My husband, that is...

Who's been working like a crazy guy as of late, and it is late, and he just got home.

I was done hours ago, only now remembering to write this up.

Good work done today, in the form. The content was difficult and it's subjective at this point.

But I have three more chapters done, and might finish this week!

Now, time to chat with the spouse a bit, then off to bed...

Today's word count- 9,467 (split between three chapters)

And I totally forgot to blog yesterday!! My my my...

Yesterday's word count- 6,416 (split between two chapters)

short day

2009-11-07T12:21:00.000-08:00

Just a chapter today, things to do, people to celebrate.

And now that I'm done, a bagel to eat...

Today's word count- 2,922

bacon and eggs

2009-11-06T18:11:00.000-08:00

I just cooked for my daughter and three of her friends. They had breakfast for dinner, pancakes too. I had a pancake with Nutella... Talk about a piece of circular heaven!

I don't cook as much as I used to, what with 2/3 of my kids out of the house. One girl said she loved coming over for dinner and I told her I loved cooking for more than the three of us who live her. It was a nice evening.

The work is done for the day, and now I can blog a little. Yesterday I felt lousy, just not in the mood to write, but I did, and I wondered if what I was writing meant anything in the greater context. I slept well, took my walk this morning, then sat down with new enthusiasm. And today's work was wonderful.

In the feeling. Maybe the writing was rubbish but I enjoyed it. I've been doing a LOT lately, and I know yesterday was edging close to burn-out. Today was better and tomorrow will be one chapter maybe, then laundry and other things. I love NANO, love that feeling of one month solely for writing yet there does need to be some balance. One cannot live on words alone.

A Nutella-covered pancake is good too.

Meanwhile... Back to the story, which is unplotted, and felt like it yesterday. But now today, Mt. St. Helens has blown, and so comes the last third of this novel. I totally understand Stephen King and the explosion in The Stand; sometimes things need to BLOW to let the chips fall where they may.

Now Jenny just needs to sort out her father, Tommie his son. Then it'll all be over but the shoutin'!

Today's word count- 9,468 (split between three chapters)

from where this comes...

2009-11-05T19:40:00.001-08:00

I really don't know.

And I'm not so sure as to where it's going. I've had the end of this story since march, but maybe it's going to be a different end.

Every day is something new, part of the fun, but then after a time it's a little intense. Not frightening, but when you let something go, out of your hands, then you have to have faith it will be all right.

If nothing else, the words are there. How they are later is for another day.

Today's word count- 11,881 (split between four chapters)

50K...

2009-11-04T21:32:00.000-08:00

In four days. I didn't expect that, but my husband had to stay at work for a couple of extra hours and I thought, right. I'm going to get in one more chapter.

I hadn't even looked at the word count until I was half way into it. By the end, I had 548 words to spare.

Now, the STORY is about half done. So while the NANO words are complete, I still need to finish the book.

Writing isn't the only thing I did today. A little birthday shopping too, albeit unsuccessful. Yet, I did manage some time with my man, enjoying an ice cream.

Not why he had to stay late, but it certainly worked out for the best, all around!

Now, off to bed....

Today's word count- 12,601 (split between four chapters)

figured out how to keep my back from aching

2009-11-03T19:53:00.000-08:00

One the hazards of big writing jags is my back aches from sitting too long. But today I found that if I turn to the right, then get up, my back seems okay.

YES!!

The words have just been POURING. Which is wonderful, no doubt. It's this fantastic creative high that overrides the sense of what comes LATER, like editing and querying and all that.

Right now it's all about the words.

Writing, I don't think I blog enough about that one aspect. You know, the whole reason I'm here! Plunking down piece of language, one after the other, stringing coherent (or somewhat understandable) phrases, one after the other, and it's so great, fine, lovely, cool.

I feel so blessed to be a writer!

Maybe it's just NANO. Maybe it's only the wonderful notion of being part of this huge month all about authorship, the calling of setting fingers to keys or wrapping them around a pen or pencil, setting that instrument against paper. Whatever it is, right now, in this month, whether it's cold out or in the 70's, like it was today, it feels so right, intrinsic to this person I am right now.

Right now, I'm a writer. It's taken years to get to this point, but now that I'm standing in these shoes, I really, REALLY, well, love it.

Today's word count- 12,867 (split between four chapters)

rambling to Star Trek

2009-11-02T20:32:00.000-08:00

My daughter was home sick today, and once she woke at 11 AM, ate some soup, then it was time for her to turn on the telly. Fortunately for me she didn't watch her usual rubbish.

Unfortunately, she watched DS9, one of the best Trek series they made.

I finally had to put in some headphones, just to pay attention to what I was doing, and having read it over tonight, it was pretty good. No aliens or warships made their way into my story.

Only words, lots of them. Another three chapters, and I have a feel for how this story is unfolding. Slowly, as did Alvin's Farm, which is good, as The Thorn and the Rose was faster, not choppy, but boom-boom-boom. This story is more rambling.

But not at all like Star Trek.

Today's word count- 10,289 (split between three chapters)

and I'm off...

2009-11-01T21:16:00.001-08:00

It's 9.15 PM, and I'm pooped! Ready for bed, but first I need to report on the day's work, the first day of NANO!

And it was a BUSY one... What with that extra hour, thank goodness for the time change! I hustled my hiney, and ended up with four chapters.

Which is great! I'm so pleased, and aware not every day will be so bountiful. Yet, when it comes, I'll take it.

Now, off to update my NANO page. But first, of course, there's the blog...

Today's word count- 14,782 (split between four chapters)

almost there!

2009-10-28T16:09:00.000-07:00

So this is my NANO 2009 main project. If I wrap it up in a timely manner, I might start another. Not sure until this one is done.

Jenny. Sam. Alvin. Tommie. Rae. Max. Liz. And the rest are waiting, and I've been reading over The Thorn and the Rose, getting reacquainted with all those characters.

The plot is loose in my head, just as Alvin's Farm and The Thorn and the Rose were. That's all the same.

But what I THOUGHT was going to be the plot has changed, which is interesting.

I start on Sunday. Not outlining this, but I do need to make a few notes of dates, getting a simple time line established.

Otherwise, this one comes straight from my brain, with maybe a chaser, if time permits.

preparations

2009-10-01T13:34:00.001-07:00

It's the first of October, and NANO 2009 is a month away.

I've just read over Alvin's Farm and The Thorn and the Rose; AF is in great shape, T&R needs tweaking in the first half, first third. The rest is great, but having read them both, I know what I had planned for this last installment is going to also need some alterations.

Originally this had been one story, but it has ended up a trio of manuscripts, and as I had thought this last piece could take place over only a few months, I'm feeling it needs more time, more story. The last bits to be revealed won't be altered, but the HOW needs...

Time. Plot, more story. Having brought Jenny and Sam together, I need to keep them together for a bit. Longer than I had planned.

Good thing I have thirty days to think about it!

starting today

2009-07-19T21:10:00.000-07:00

I didn't imagine a third part would come to this story, but here it begins. I'll write it during NANO, my November idea. There already WAS a strory planned for November, but...

This trilogy needs to be sorted this year.

And starting in November, I'll wrap it up. But I have a title, some ideas and I REALLY hope this will be the end of Jenny Cope's story.

Having said that...

Time to do dishes!