-1584 Words and Faux Humility

 Writer friends, I am honest-to-God editing. For the first time, I am losing words.  Like a long overdue haircut, it feels really, really good.

You know how you read all those writing-blog posts about how to make your book snappier and more exciting, and draw readers in from the get go, like this fabulous recent one from my wish-she-was-my-friend Kiersten?  And how they always say, "Cut your first chapter, because you don't really need it?"  And how you're all, "Hmmm, I'm sure that's really great advice, I'll really have to consider that when I'm editing."  But then when you actually get to editing, you're all, "Whoa, I'm sure that's great advice for most writers, but my first chapter is flawless and not boring at all and also one hundred percent completely necessary?"  But then one of your betas gives you some excellent, lovingly scathing critique, and guess what she says?

Just guess.

"Cut the first chapter."

Unh.........

Anyway.  I cut a lot of the first chapter, and rewrote the rest of it.  So I lost about 3000  words and wrote a new 1200 or so.  And I have to say - it felt good.  Really good.

But you know what felt better?

I sent the revision to my Very Important Friend in the Publishing Industry and guess what?  No, guess.

He asked for a full.  A FULL.  As in, "Please send me your whole freaking book, because I maybe might want to think about publishing it."

Needless to say, I am freaking out.  I have a month to pull everything together, and I'm so excited and baffled and.....whoa.

Anyone want to beta?  (eeek)


Words written:  -1584
Total Words: 76658
Listening To: (or rather, watching) ALIAS, Season 2
Obsessed with:  THE ROYAL WEDDING OMG

2222 Words in 3 days, and Editing -While-Writing Gives Way to a New Acronym

Hello, friends.

So I told you in my last post how I'm finishing up writing the end of my first draft while going back and editing/beta-ing the first chapters.  I know, I know.  I've read all the advice, times one hundred ad nauseum, about How I'm Supposed to Do This:  write the whole draft, shelve it for a couple of weeks, then go back and start reading again.  I understand the wisdom of that, really I do.  But that's not how it worked out for me, and you know what?  I'm actually finding this whole writing-while-editing thing kind of awesome.  Going back and reading the beginning reminds me of little details I may have forgotten I already included, and it helps me keep characters consistent, or update them as I go.  Plus, it's given rise to a new acronym that I can just insert for myself when I want to make sure I rewrite something:

FTLOGPRWT  (For the love of G-d please rewrite this.)

Good times, friends, good times.

Words Written:  2222 (in 3 days)
Total Words: 78242
Chapters Edited: 2
Listening To: The Pride and Prejudice Soundtrack.  Delicious.
Obsessed with: the sunshine that stubbornly shines between storms here in Dayton.  Monday's forecast said, "A Very Rough Week Ahead," and this sunshine is out to prove it wrong.  Thank God.

6000 Words in 17 Days (Yikes!)

So, since my last post, a LOT has happened.  My sweetie baby sister got married, for one, and I was the matron of honor, and my kids were all in the wedding party to boot.  Fun/craziness!

(isn't she beautiful?)

Passover hit, which entailed at least two full days of cleaning, cooking, prepping, dressing children, and driving to/attending Seders (thanks to the two fabulous families that hosted us!)


My sweetie baby girl turned ONE!



Um....anyone who is actively writing a novel want to beta for me?  I'll do the same for you!  Puh-leeese?

Here are the stats.  For 17 days (oy):

Words written: 6000-ish
Pages edited: 45-ish
Total Words: 76020
Obsessed with: Matzah, butter, and honey.  Go try it, right now.  Now.
Listening to:  "Hesitate" by Steve Moakler.

2189 Words in 6 Days and a Beautiful Disaster

I have reached my word count goal.

The only problem?  The story's not finished.  (Seriously?  How?)

It is a disaster, but it is mine, and it is so beautiful.  The unfinished parts are kind of important and scattered, unfortunately, throughout the story.  I have to tie up maybe one of the most important conflict lines without making it feel rushed.  I have to do that while still leaving plenty of room for the next book in the series to latch on.  I have to decide whether, where and how my MC and the boy she loves are going to Do It, and whether there will be fallout, and what that will be, and whether that will ruin the next book, or whether I'll just keep that for the next book where it probably really belongs.  (I don't think they will Do It, by the way, although at the outset I did and I kindasorta wrote the scene.)

And I'm still adding new twists!  And heartbreaking scenes!  And great details!  Oh, I'm so in love.

The new goal is 84,000 words in the first draft, which works out to 14 chapters of 6,000 words.  Obviously, I'll keep you posted. 

Here are the stats.

Total words: 70682
Listening To: "Confidence" by Teddy Geiger (EMO!!!)
Obsessed with:  Harry Potter 7.1 on DVD next week Omigod!!!!!!