Just a Thought .... about the novel I finished last March - 2012
February 2013 - I have returned to editing my book - The Last Year of Childhood, which I would like to get published soon, preferably by traditional means, or self publishing. I realise that it might take some time, as it might need more editing than I thought. But it took longer to write, and I practically did some of that writing in my own blood.
Why did I leave it for so long?
I got bored.
I got complacent. I'd done the first draft.
It got tedious.
I got defocussed.
I thought I might like to try something else ...
Poetry!
A short story! Yes, I did get shortlisted by Choc Lit Publishing Competition. So that was worth it.
Social Networking - Face Book, Twitter, Linked in, Authonomy
Socialising for real, and concentrating on other parts of my life.
Editing became too hard to return.
And harder ...the longer I left it.
I felt I was stuck with it ... which way to turn?
How to structure?
Did I have a good first chapter?
Did I have all the right ingredients?
Did I have a compelling characters, especially a Main Character, POV,etc, etc.
Was there a good enough hook?
What about the first 3 chapters ... that I would need them spick and span before sending to an agent? Were they good enough?
Oh dear! I can't remember what I wrote in the middle chapters... ?
I bought some publishing and editing books - two of them.
I read them and marked them up.
I had lots of new ideas, and started editing again.
I stopped editing, and reread the whole 120,000 words (400+ pgs) of my novel.
I got a new notebook and wrote notes on each chapter in different colours as I went along. (colours denoting type of changes to make)
Still it was hard to re-start editing again.
Feb 2013 - I have started to edit again - The Last Year of Childhood.
I have realised that my book was not complete last March, nor will it be complete ....
...NOT UNTIL THE FAT EDITING SINGS!
LITERALLY!
.....THE WORDS, SENTENCES, PARAGRAPHS, CHARACTERS, STYLE, GRAMMAR, SPELLING, CHAPTERS, PLOT ..... JUST HAS TO SING IN MELODIC HARMONY ....
....LIKE AN ORCHESTRA.
SCARILY, I HAVE TO BE THE CONDUCTOR OF THAT ORCHESTRA !!!
SO MUST GET ON!
Bye for now,
Marilyn xx
About Me
- Marilyn Rodwell
- The Wedding Drums - my novel set in an early 20C village in Trinidad is almost here. Two young girls, Amina and Sumati plot to escape their arranged marriages and plan to live life following their own dreams. But Sumati falls in love and runs away, putting Amina's plans in jeopardy. Neither of them bank on what is in store for them. Soon they face the adult world of scheming men, corruption, prostitution and violence, and life in the village will never be the same again.
Didn't realise you had a blog until just now, how dim am I? so dropping in to say hi and wish you well with your books and writing and cooking. Now I know you are here I shall be back. Jane
ReplyDeleteEditing, re-writing, it is all a pain. I am in the midst of writing a novel - 2 years of hard work - and now thinking I need a re-write....ugh! I edit as I go then leave and come back with fresh eyes, but it is so hard to look at your own work and see the mistakes, boring bits and section which just do not work...good luck. I know how it is. Jx
ReplyDeleteAgreed Jane! Rewriting feels like wasting a life... but if it needs rewriting, that is what's to do. I think sometimes a clean page helps with clarity of thought. And rewriting is more effective then trying to work with what is already written down.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my blog! x