Skip to main content

Writing Log 9-1-12

I DID IT!

I finished my first redline pass through Writ In Blood.

I don't know if I modified my official goal of having draft 3.0 in the computer and ready for printing by Monday, but I did. I realized that the inputting of the book into the computer is going to take forever. Like, a major, major undertaking. So I shifted my goal to be done by Labor Day with the hardcopy edits. And I did it...a whole two days early.

Anyway, the reason that I changed the goal is that there's a lot of work to do; this isn't just fixing the occasional typo or mistaken homophone. There are entire chapters that need to be shifted, deleted, or expanded. I have to rewrite a major portion of the final 50 pages, tweaking it severely and losing entire swaths of text in the process. While there is one exception of a page without red on it (and that page contained a 7 word sentence, so...), I basically have to revise all 609 pages in some way or another. A lot of it is deletion of superfluous phrases. Some of it is adding a detail or emotional response. But the big thing is that I threw in on the page a triangular bracketed word or two about what I needed to change. So I'll have a phrase that I've cut, and in replacing it I merely write or something equally vague. As I input version 2.0 into the computer, I will have to stare blankly at my shibboleth and try to decipher what I meant. 

Fun times.

As a result of this changed goal, I still have major work to do. I don't know how I'm going to be able to fit editing/inputting of the new version into my schedule, since I'm still really enjoying Quidditch every Saturday. There's a bit of a deadline; a coworker told me about a conference held in May up in Salt Lake that brings New York agents and publishers here to shop around for new talent. If nothing else, it's the perfect opportunity to get the nerves out as I begin planning my writing career. At worst, it'll give me an insight into a convention of writers that's with some out-of-state talent (as opposed to the LTUE experience, which is too passive for me to really cut my teeth as a convention goer); at best, I'll get a nibble or some feedback. Well, I guess at absolute best, I get an agent/publisher.

So I have some serious juggling. With new church duties, trying to pull my weight at school, and now Quidditch, I don't know how I'll get the editing done that I need to. Add to this mix the tug to start my Master's and you can see that I have much on my plate. Perhaps too much.

But that isn't what's important right now. What is important is that I finished the first round of edits.

I think I'll take a week off. Maybe read a book.

Comments

jenerator said…
Steven. Once upon a time I was an English Language Major with an Editing Minor. I know I'm not pro or anything, but if you're interested, I'd be happy to help you editing your book. :)

Popular posts from this blog

Teaching in Utah

The Utah State Board of Education, in tandem with the state legislature, have a new answer to the shortage of Utah teachers: a bachelor's degree and a test are sufficient qualifications for being a teacher. I have some thoughts about this recent decision, but it requires some context. Additionally, this is a very  long read, so I don't blame you if you don't finish it. Well....maybe a little. But not enough to hurt our friendship. Probably. ARLs and Endorsements Teaching is a tricky career, and not all teachers start out wanting to be in the classroom. Fortunately, there are alternatives for people to become licensed teachers who come from this camp. We have a handful of possibilities, but the two I want to focus on are ARLs (Alternative Routes to Licensure) and endorsements. Both already require the bachelor's degree as the minimum requirement, and since that doesn't change in the new law, we'll set that aside as a commonality. As additional context, h

Teen Titans GO!

While I was at my writing retreat this last June, I happened upon two cartoon series that I hadn't seen before. (This isn't that surprising, since I don't watch a lot of TV programming, preferring, as many millennials do, to stream the content I want on demand.) One was The Amazing World of Gumball  and the other was Teen Titans GO! It's hard to say which strikes me as the preferred one--they have differing styles, different approaches, and different animation philosophies. Nevertheless, their scattershot, random, fast-paced humor is completely on my wavelength. Recently, I picked up four DVDs worth of Teen Titans GO!  I am trying to be parsimonious with them, but it's hard not to binge watch everything. While I've seen some of the episodes before, watching them again is almost as enjoyable as the first one. I've found myself adopting some of their style of humor into my teaching, and I'm pretty sure some of my future cartooning will be influenced by t

Dark Necessities

The second of my "music video essays", I'm exploring the single from Red Hot Chili Peppers' newest album, The Getaway , "Dark Necessities". As I did before, I'm posting the video and the lyrics here on the essay, and encourage you to watch and read along. In the case of the Peppers, it's always a good idea to have the lyrics handy, as the lead singer, Anthony Kiedis, has a tendency of mumbling and/or pronouncing words uniquely to create a particular effect--or he's super high, either possibility is there.  The Set Up Here's the video: And here are the lyrics : Coming out to the light of day We got many moons than a deeper place So I keep an eye on the shadow's smile To see what it has to say You and I both know Everything must go away Ah, what do you say? Spinning off, head is on my heart It's like a bit of light and a touch of dark You got sneak attacked from the zodiac But I see your eyes spark Keep the breeze and go Blow