The Editing Continues
I finished the book last Wednesday. It's been a week. I decided to give myself until this last Monday before editing, thinking I needed a few days away from the project to recharge my batteries.
Instead, I discovered I wanted to get back into it!
When Monday came, I had already edited the first four chapters of the book. They were the chapters agent Ralph had read and liked enough to ask for the entire book. Upon reading and editing those chapters, I can't understand why he asked for the entire book. Honestly. They were that bad. It goes to show how much a writer can grow in the span of a book.
I rewrote those first four chapters extensively. I am now fairly happy with them.
The first half of the fifth chapter, Chapter Four, had to be rewritten entirely. As I wrote The Dark Thorn I received whispers of what the second and third and fourth books in the series would be about. I realized I needed a new character would take on a large role in The Long Winter, and that character had to be introduced in the first book somehow. I rewrote Chapter Four from scratch, introducing Laur Pemley, keeping the scene I had originally envisioned but having it be dialog between Bran and Laur. It worked out great. The chapter is so much better for it.
I'm pretty sure Chapter Four is the only chapter I will have to entirely rewrite.
Now I just have to edit three or four chapters a day and I'll be done!
Ralph asked me to send the book on April 23rd. He will be in Britain for the London Book Fair next week and he is preparing for it until then. Once he gets home he will read my book, which is really exciting and daunting. Not sure how long it will take him to do so, but I'm not worried about it. Just having an agent of Ralph's caliber reading my book is a wonderful thing by itself.
I will also give the book to Terry.
After this weekend and Norwescon, Todd Lockwood is going to do a few pieces of art for me. He's been under deadline for a few covers lately and those take precedence of course. So next week I may have something to show.
Things keep rolling... I just have to get this book edited enough to send it on!
And then I can relax for a day before I have to redesign Terry's website and my own website!
Instead, I discovered I wanted to get back into it!
When Monday came, I had already edited the first four chapters of the book. They were the chapters agent Ralph had read and liked enough to ask for the entire book. Upon reading and editing those chapters, I can't understand why he asked for the entire book. Honestly. They were that bad. It goes to show how much a writer can grow in the span of a book.
I rewrote those first four chapters extensively. I am now fairly happy with them.
The first half of the fifth chapter, Chapter Four, had to be rewritten entirely. As I wrote The Dark Thorn I received whispers of what the second and third and fourth books in the series would be about. I realized I needed a new character would take on a large role in The Long Winter, and that character had to be introduced in the first book somehow. I rewrote Chapter Four from scratch, introducing Laur Pemley, keeping the scene I had originally envisioned but having it be dialog between Bran and Laur. It worked out great. The chapter is so much better for it.
I'm pretty sure Chapter Four is the only chapter I will have to entirely rewrite.
Now I just have to edit three or four chapters a day and I'll be done!
Ralph asked me to send the book on April 23rd. He will be in Britain for the London Book Fair next week and he is preparing for it until then. Once he gets home he will read my book, which is really exciting and daunting. Not sure how long it will take him to do so, but I'm not worried about it. Just having an agent of Ralph's caliber reading my book is a wonderful thing by itself.
I will also give the book to Terry.
After this weekend and Norwescon, Todd Lockwood is going to do a few pieces of art for me. He's been under deadline for a few covers lately and those take precedence of course. So next week I may have something to show.
Things keep rolling... I just have to get this book edited enough to send it on!
And then I can relax for a day before I have to redesign Terry's website and my own website!
Labels: Ralph Vicinanza, Terry Brooks, The Dark Thorn, Todd Lockwood
posted by Shawn C. Speakman | 9:06 AM
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