Sunday, September 5, 2010

Editing Progress

Such as it is, I mean.

I FINALLY finished typing the first draft. (this is the part I ALWAYS underestimate how long it will take)  I was about 15K short, which I expected. NOW I can start putting in the edits from my first read.

I have done 'first round edits' (just cleaning mostly, but also catching a few things I intended to do, but didn't) through chapter 13 (of 21). I have four pages of bullet points of things I want to weave in on the real edit now—likely to be six by the time I get to the end.

I have ENTERED the first four chapters of these (which were small, as these are the four chapters I had to polish for the audition).

I know from feedback (thank you Natasha) that I've been too heavy-handed with the clues in the middle, and I'm not altogether pleased with the final string of clue collection, but as a first draft, and my first mystery, I think it's not bad.

So right now I am typing in those edits made to hard copy, and am including some highlighted notes on where to add some of the bigger stuff I have in my notes...

Editing is not my favorite activity, but it should be a little less painful now that the typing is done.

One of the things I think will definitely be worth the time is to do the 'at a glance' section thing—one sentence for each section, so that the bigger editing can find their lovely new home more easily. I think I will also list the clues dropped on a separate list to see how my pacing and distribution of them is.

That is all I have for today... Keeping it short because I really want to work on this (and I have a basement full of boys—and not the kind of boys I NORMALLY try to keep in my basement) so I will need to make pancakes shortly.

Hope you all have a FABULOUS Labor Day!

19 comments:

T. Powell Coltrin said...

Yes, get those boys (in the basement)fed!

Have a great Labor Day too.

Teresa

Summer Ross said...

I'm glad you finished. I hope you have a wonderful Labor day too.

Anonymous said...

What kind of boys do you normally keep in your basement?

Mason Canyon said...

Sounds like you're going to be busy writing, plus feeding those guys in the basement. Have a great Labor Day holiday.

Mason
Thoughts in Progress

lisahgolden said...

It sounds like progress to me. That's great! I hope you have a great rest of the long weekend.

Southpaw said...

Progress! Ah sweet wonderful progress.

Old Kitty said...

Yay!! First round of editing done!! Yay!! and looks like you so know what to do and where to go!! Good luck!!

Have a great weekend too!

take care
x

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

So, the boys in the basement don't look like the one in the picture above?

LTM said...

finally! I was about to put in a "hot guy" request... ;p

bluh. Editing/revisions are the doldrums, yes? But how exciting!!! You're getting so close... can't wait to see it on the shelf~

Unknown said...

Well, editing is not my cup of tea either so I hope you have success with it.

CD

Hart Johnson said...

*snicker* Yeah... prefer my basement filled with Cabana boys and man candy...

The boys who WERE there were fed pancakes and then driven to their girlfriends' house (well, one of their girlfriends)--somehow my 11 year old son came home from Idaho with a Michigan girlfriend. YAY facebook *cough*

I've made decent progress on the editing today, which is great. I have NOT been a good blog reader yet... penciled in after dinner...

Thanks everyone!

Jan Morrison said...

Do you know that Stephen King calls intuition 'the boys in the basement'? innerresing as they say here abouts.
sounds like you are revising to me...
I'm encouraged. I plan a full day tomorrow - enough of the boys and girls in my basement which is where I now work any hoo.
Jan Morrison

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

I think it's coming along really well! No, revision isn't fun (and it seems like I keep getting dragged into more and more), but at least it means the book is getting better and better!

Have fun with the writing, pancakes, and boys...

Walter Knight said...

She has "boyz" not "boys" in the basement.

I'm sure you are working real hard on editing. Keep at it.

Natasha said...

Yeah for that, Tami.

I did re-read Chapters 1 to 10 yesterday, in anticipation of getting the rest of the chapters sometime this week or next.

Cheeseboy said...

This whole editing process is very interesting, and I am not sure why. Keep on, keeping on! Sounds tedious, but think end product.

Powdered Toast Man said...

I don't even like rereading essays or posts I write. I don't think I would be able to edit a book, sounds exhausting. Are there any pancakes left?

Talli Roland said...

Good luck with the editing! Not my favourite part either, but it is exciting to see your novel improving! Happy Labour Day.

Anonymous said...

Good luck and have fun with your edits! Hope you have a wonderful holiday, Hart. Cheers to you and yours!