Monday, October 26, 2009

The First Edit


I'm almost done with the first edit. In fact the goal was so close. Only 750 words left to edit out. So close. But a scene needed tweaking. A few changes here and there, perhaps more clarity. It is better, but now I have nearly 1000 words to edit out and only about 40 more pages until the end.

If I can't reach the goal, an entire scene may have to go. Cut. Crush. Zap. Poof.
I'm almost done reading Elizabeth Lyon's book and ready to begin the second edit as soon as the first is finished.

The picture has nothing at all to do with the blog. Hobie kept putting his paws on my shoulder as I worked on the computer. In all fairness to me, I need to add that while working on my laptop, I was not flying an aircraft. Just thought I'd add that little tidbit since two pilots overshot their destination by 150 miles today because they were working on their laptops.

Yeah, right. They must have found free wireless up there.

9 comments:

  1. Pardon my ignorance but why do you have a goal as of how may words you can have? Is that your Publisher asking? I always learned you should write a story "as long as it needs to be...".
    As a journalist, working with articles, it's then the editor's task to shorten it down if it doesn't fit in the paper, but a book always fits - it just gets a few more pages...
    That said, mine is comparatively short so I probably should not be poking in that fire... ;)

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  2. Well said, Jenku. One would think that was true. And for a published writer, it is true. For a wannabe published writer, I'm told the general rule for historical fiction is 80,000 - 100,000. Are there exceptions? You bet. Am I one? Well, yeeeeeeees!!! (according to my mother)

    Is my mother an agent? Well...no. :(

    And you may stir up the fire ANYTIME. I love comments from published writers. Makes me feel important.

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  3. Okay, I guess I have to admit I like comments, period. :)

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  4. comments, period.

    chuckle
    chuckle
    snort
    ha

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  5. Karen, Karen,

    Always wonderful to get comments from you. So filled with insight, depth and perception.

    (Karen's blogs are filled with creepy crawly things. If you want to scare yourself at Halloween, read her blog "NO TV FOR A YEAR")

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  6. I was wondering the same thing! I thought that maybe you had an editor who charged by the word...

    Anywho, guess what!!! I have a title for my book, and a plot - now I just have to put some words on paper (how hard can that be?) The sky is the limit now...however hopefully not the same sky as the aforementioned pilots because that would be downright scary....

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  7. Single Dating Mommy

    Wow wow wow, you are on your way. Hooray for you. Email me at melaniec459@gmail.com

    And, this may be embarrassing to say, but most of the 5000 words I have edited out were useless words. I think the book is much tighter now. This edit has been a good lesson for me. There is so much to learn about writing.

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  8. Good luck with the editing. I know what it's like to slash, sometimes it turns out to be a good thing and feel good about it.

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  9. Patti,

    I have to admit, after the first edit, slashing 5,000 has made a positive difference. I only hope during the next few edits I don't add more, unless they are really, really good.

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Comments are great fun. Really. I love them. Except from the bots that have found my blog. I'm enabling the word verification to block them. Sorry.