The last two days were spent in Lincoln City, Oregon, working on the demolition of my book (or rather, the deletion of words). I took this picture this morning from the open window of my room as I waited for my coffee to brew and my computer to boot.
Editing out almost 6,000 words is a lot harder than I anticipated. I started at page one and looked for extra words, redundant words, words I can cut without changing anything. I'm on page 134 and I've cut nearly 1500 words. The problem is, I've added some too; necessary to foreshadow. I've had to stop and change some, using a stronger verb or a better phrase. I really thought I'd be done by now but the process is excruciatingly slow.
Will the book be better? Perhaps I will not know until the rejections come in and someone says, "Gee, I like the first six pages, but the rest of it needs to be reworked." Six pages of good writing. Wouldn't that be great?
So, it is still a work-in-progress.
(Editor's Note: For the artists reading this blog. If you click on the picture to make it bigger, please note the colors in the water, especially the patch of blue at the shoreline.)
So you took some days off and got a room at the beach? Cool! That's one great way to concentrate. Good for you. Keep on keeping on!
ReplyDeleteThat's a lovely picture by the way. That blue? That's ice. brrrrrrr.
Grrrrr, it is not ice. Not yet. The weather was lovely on Sunday. I don't know if it was on Monday because I sat in front of the open window inhaling the salt air, hearing the pounding surf and pressed the delete key most of the day.
ReplyDelete