I have managed to post 54,900 words to the NaNo word counting widget, and that means as of November 20th, I have completed NaNo for the fifth year in a row. So, yay, me! I'll pat myself on the back and crow a bit. At least until I go back and read the results of the frenzied output, which is when I'll open a bottle of wine and whimper while I read.
I've also gone through the first round of comments from my editor, and while it was a lot of work, it was also truly exciting. I'm well past the stage of feeling like every comment is a personal criticism. Instead, I view the comments as a chance to see my story from a fresh viewpoint. I wrote it, and edited it, and tweaked it some more. I know what I think I'm saying, but I need that new pair of eyes to tell me if I was making sense. That's the whole point, isn't it?
Schedules being what they are, ten days is not a lot of time to process a first round of edits, but I think the intense focus was helpful. I couldn't get away with putting the manuscript aside for a few days, or I'd wind up rushing and making a complete mess of it. I needed to really immerse myself in the editing process, to the point where I was dreaming changes. It was engrossing, yes, but it was very productive and (I hope!) worthwhile.
There's more to do. There will be a second round of comments, and then the proofreader will go through the manuscript. I'll look at that set of comments, and finally, we'll send my baby off to production. I get one more look, when the galley is ready, and then that's it. I'll have a book!
About Me
- Morwen Navarre
- I've been writing since I could first hold a pencil, and by all accounts I didn't limit myself to paper. Walls, tablecloths and the occasional sibling were all fair game, and it shouldn't be surprising to learn that markers were banned in my home with all due haste. Although I now content myself with inconveniencing electrons, the desire to bring the stories in my mind to life hasn't waned. In my spare time, I read, putter in the kitchen, and relax on my terrace or at the lake, weather permitting, with my corgi who strives to be part muse, part food disposal. I'm also addicted to coffee and have a close relationship with my Keurig.
Sunday, November 23, 2014
Sunday, November 2, 2014
NaNo and Edits, oh my!
I like a good challenge. There's nothing like it to get me moving, and that's probably why I'm doing the National Novel Writer's Month challenge again this year. After all, my novel from last year was accepted by Torquere Press, so it's definitely possible for this to lead to publication.
So, for the fifth consecutive year, I'll spend the 30 days of November churning out at least 50,000 words of pure, raw draft. It'll be a glorious mess, and when I take a moment to breathe, sometime in December, I'll be ready to tackle the mess and sort out the bits that shine from the dross that hides them.
That's the theory, anyway. Even though this was the formula that worked for me for four years, I've decided to raise my personal bar. You see, I'm also going to be working with my editor on the manuscript for Ghost's Dilemma, that novel from last year. The one which is scheduled to be published in February of 2015.
In a twisted sort of way, I think it's going to help. One of the hardest parts of NaNo is resisting the urge to go back and edit what I've written. Of course, if I go back and edit, I slow myself down and I'll never make my work count for the day, which means it's just a bit harder the following day. My inner editor has heart attacks and fits over the roughness of the draft, and I've had to appease her with allowing small typo fixes.
But this year, I can turn my inner editor loose on Ghost's Dilemma, and while she's besotted with the opportunity to revise that manuscript, I can work on NaNo without the inner nagging for once. This could be the best year yet, as long as I keep the manuscripts straight.
So, for the fifth consecutive year, I'll spend the 30 days of November churning out at least 50,000 words of pure, raw draft. It'll be a glorious mess, and when I take a moment to breathe, sometime in December, I'll be ready to tackle the mess and sort out the bits that shine from the dross that hides them.
That's the theory, anyway. Even though this was the formula that worked for me for four years, I've decided to raise my personal bar. You see, I'm also going to be working with my editor on the manuscript for Ghost's Dilemma, that novel from last year. The one which is scheduled to be published in February of 2015.
In a twisted sort of way, I think it's going to help. One of the hardest parts of NaNo is resisting the urge to go back and edit what I've written. Of course, if I go back and edit, I slow myself down and I'll never make my work count for the day, which means it's just a bit harder the following day. My inner editor has heart attacks and fits over the roughness of the draft, and I've had to appease her with allowing small typo fixes.
But this year, I can turn my inner editor loose on Ghost's Dilemma, and while she's besotted with the opportunity to revise that manuscript, I can work on NaNo without the inner nagging for once. This could be the best year yet, as long as I keep the manuscripts straight.
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