Damn it, man, my head is spinning again. All this time at home, working, writing, being in familial surroundings, and everything is fine. Then I get down here to The Undisclosed Location, and my head feels like it wants to come off.
Week 3 of the New Job, and it feels like slow death. But I’m dealing. The drive down was okay, with very little traffic the whole way. Got set up and realized I’d forgotten the charger for my phone, so I might have limited coverage this week–isn’t that a shame?
The dance that is Couples Dance is coming to a close. Yesterday I managed to roll out about 2,100 words, and Chapter 8 is just about done. Done as in later today I’ll finish it and move onward to the Penultimate Chapter and get some really strange things going–as if what I’m doing now isn’t strange enough. For a story on erotica, this has its moment, but it also is . . . to be honest, the stuff I just wrote will probably turn a lot of people off. Which is okay, because not all erotica is going to be your thing. I know what I laid out last night isn’t my thing; not sure if it’s anyone’s thing.
Quit teasing, okay? Okay.
When I think about what I want to do with my old novel, Transporting, there is something inside that starts doing backflips. But not the good kind. It’s more like the sort of backflip your stomach does when it wants to rebel against what your mind is saying will be a good thing. I get that way; I see something as being impossible to do, and I don’t do it. Self-perpetuating prophesy and all that, you know?
Let’s face it: no one likes to edit. Well, maybe a few people, but most writers seem to loath it. And most writers do it only because they have to, otherwise you come off looking like a total dork when you put your stuff out there for all to see. Self-publishing has force us to become better editors, but as with everything, there are some people who are really good at it, and others who suck the air right out of the sky.
As was with my story, Kuntilanak. I worked on it, and had Trusty Editortm checking it over it with me. And they went over it again before I put it up for sale. And then . . .
Someone comes along and finds a whole lotta trouble with it.
I ended up spending a couple of days rereading the whole story, finding mistakes, and I reedited the manuscript before resubmitting it for download. It taught me a lesson to give my manuscript a damn good looking-over, but I didn’t feel good about what happened–and it makes me wary of what’s going to happen in the future, because I don’t want that nightmare to happen again.
Which makes the tummy turn backflips, because Kuntilanak was only 24,600 words long; Transporting is over 250,000. It’s also unfinished, which means before it’s all over, I could be looking at 275,000 words of story that need to be made pretty.
Well, hell: you just gotta do this. It’s like my “real” job: you gotta do it, even when your head is spinning and you want another couple of hours in bed. It’s all gonna make your head spin, and whether or not like can deal with it is the real question. And only you can answer that one.
How you take the answer is going to determine if you get to editing that manuscript, or if you’re gonna let your head keep on spinning and have it ruin your day.
February 6, 2012 at 7:31 am
Editing kills me!
February 6, 2012 at 7:34 am
I don’t think any writer likes it, but I’m learning each day just how necessary it is for us.
February 6, 2012 at 9:32 am
I just had my first experience wiht an editor this editor was great,but i had lots of stuff to fix andit was a 5ooo childrens story I did however send it to a proofer first and that was abad experience I was ready to quit altogether- editor calmed me down– guess calming upset writers is part of an editors job!–well good luck to you andim probably gonna have some reall trouble with my next one since it is a M/M romance and said editorisnt really into that lol!!Leet the games begin!! Good luck!! have a great day!1 hope it all gets better just think how well it will be when done!!*hug*
February 6, 2012 at 9:34 am
Yeah, I think I’m going to spend some time getting this one edited. I’m noticing that I don’t scream out the words like I used to, that I’m catching things as they go out. I’m learning the editing game, and getting much better at it. Don’t like it, but that’s the shakes.
And good luck on your M/M romance. I have a story coming out in May; not M/M, but it’s still hot.
February 6, 2012 at 9:54 am
Ah, a post close to my heart. I think every indie writer would do well to read this article. So much talent out there, but so many times the reader becomes disenchanted because of mistakes (even tiny ones) that can make or break the success of a writer. Many people will pick up an eBook because it is a “great deal” or even free. But it ends there if it is filled with mistakes. If there are tons of typos or editing problems or even structural problems, they won’t pass the word that you are the hottest thing going and the flow of sales will stop. Thanks for addressing this. You are helping indie authors in bringing attention to this problem that seems to fill the indie publishing world.
February 6, 2012 at 10:01 am
I have to say, I brought this up this morning because in one of my NaNo groups someone was going on about how they hated to edit. No one likes editing because it is work. But, if you want to make it right, you gotta do the work. As my Trusty Editor has said, “Do you want it to be good, or be the best?”
February 6, 2012 at 8:26 pm
My problem is I like editing and have to remind myself to turn the editor off while writing or I’d never get past the 1st page.
February 6, 2012 at 8:28 pm
I had someone get on my case when I was doing NaNoWriMo, saying, “Stop editing! You’re suppose to write!” I do a little of both. I like my first drafts to be clean.
February 9, 2012 at 6:41 am
Hang in there! Good luck.
February 9, 2012 at 6:43 am
Oh, thank you very much!
February 9, 2012 at 9:05 am
I just finished my second book and am having it edited, even though it is less than 7,000 words (a children’s book). My books have lots of little spot drawings, and I’d hate to have some silly little error take away from the content and effort I’ve put into the work as a whole. People tend to overlook perfection, but can spot a mistake a mile away. I’d say editing is well worth the time and money spent.
February 9, 2012 at 9:18 am
I’ve learned the lesson. I’m going to spend a lot more time on editing now, even if I know I’m not going to like it.