Sunday 2 August 2009

Editing update

I've just popped away from the Sunday morning task of editing BTL to share a few thoughts with you. Well one really.
This is such a massive task. Or at leats it feels that way.
I look at the page counter on the bottom of the sreen and I see that there are 304 pages. I am currently "happy" (so to speak) with the first 61 pages. I've been at this for 3 weeks! The trouble is that it's a job that I only seem to be able to do properly when it is quiet and Sunday mornings are the only time that I get that is completely quite. That is if you don't count the night but I'm usually asleep then.
On a brighter note though, I have edited almost as many pages in the last hour as I have in the past 2 Sundays put together.
The first three chapters were my real hurdle and they were the ones that I had previously thought were perfect.Maybe they were a bit too perfect though. I had worked so hard and grammar etc that I had missed the point on the story flowing front.

8 comments:

Paula RC said...

Be careful not to overwork one part of your novel at the expense of another, Gonnabe. Keep an eye on the whole picture by stepping away now and again. ;-)

Good luck

Colette McCormick said...

Sound like good advice Jarmara

Karen said...

I work best on Sunday mornings too - I've written over 2000 words this morning!

Editing is a massive task, but it sounds like you've broken the back of it now :o) Good luck with the rest.

Colette McCormick said...

Wow karen - 2000 words. That's impressive. I guess you were "in the moment" as they say. I love it when that happens.
You're right, it is a massive task but things seemed to move along better this morning.

Sheila Norton said...

Good luck with it, GB. A big edit always feels so daunting - but I find once I get going on it, I actually enjoy it (especially as the end result is always worth it!). I remember how difficult it was, combining a writing life with a full-time job plus in my case bringing up three children. You have my sympathy but you can do it!

Colette McCormick said...

You're right Olivia, it is hard trying to fit everything in around the job, the family etc and I'm trying not to beat myself up about fitting the editing in. I could perhaps have fitted an hour in now as I'm on my own and am still out of bed(currently 11.39pm) but I've spent that time doing some research about fundraising events. I have to organise another fundraising day for work in a few weeks time and I am trying to come up with new ideas. Sometimes even on a "writing day" the day job has to come first. Maybe I'll do some more editing tomorrow.

Grumpy Old Ken said...

I am following your progress with great interest. You even encourage old uns like me to keep going.

Colette McCormick said...

Glad you're still popping in Ken. You have to keep following your dream til the day you die so you're never too old. Keep going Ken.