Thoughts:
- So I’ve cut over 4,000 words (and I’m still over 101,000!), and I hope to streamline the battle scenes for more reduction.
- I’ve come across so many typos (even in names!) that I’m wishing I hadn’t sent out my first round already. But there we are; and I’m getting very useful feedback trickling in, shaping some of my changes.
- One thing I’m loving about this revision process is that it really does get easier as I go along. Not (I think) because I’m so much more experienced, but because the faults are refined a bit more away each time, so that section that was a *total* slog last time around was a simple clean-up this time.
- Hey, I can see some personal application for that too… {grin}
- One of the very cute things about getting comments back is being complemented for certain things that were done… by accident, or instinct you might say. That is, there are “pockets of brilliance” here (very small pockets ;) ) and I love them being noticed, but I can’t take conscious credit for all of them. They weren’t all calculated.
- And that’s the fun part. That I can end up with “freebies” like that.
- Of course, being cheered for the things I did think of is the best. Lets me feel clever.
- And that’s the fun part. That I can end up with “freebies” like that.
So. . .Um . . .are you still talking to me?
:)
So is the Alloy analogy one of your brilliant moments? I can’t imagine it being an accident. Love it!
Yes, E., I’m still speaking to you (provided I have something to say). No worries. And I haven’t finished reading all your notes yet even.
Yes, the alloy bit was on purpose. It came out of a song with the line, “like a metal alloy we are held together in the strongest way… a holy fusion causes this amalgamation…” Anyway, I’ve said this whole time I wanted to show a marriage that was working, and this was one way I tried to do that.
One thing I was referring to was the natural jokes and observations of the instant-man who didn’t grow up human and so doesn’t “get” some of the humanness around him.
Phew!
I love some of his comments. The “Goodbye” scene is one of those moments. He wouldn’t have a clue.
Do you think you could find that song and shoot me a link? I’d be interested in hearing it.
Have you read The Artful Edit? I browsed it at a book store today, and it made me think of you. It’s all about self-editing your fiction, with lots of examples from published books of draft vs. published version. I think you’d enjoy it and find it helpful.
I hope my comments weren’t too bad. Over 4,000 words huh?
I’m in NC. My cousin is getting married. I didn’t bring my laptop to upload pictures. It’s an outdoor wedding. It’s raining. I don’t know what will happen tomorrow.
Most of the 4,000 words were out of the two scenes involving the king and queen (breakfast room, the young couples meeting for the first time). I liked them well enough (especially the late one) but since they were unessential and I was looking to cut, there they went.
If some agent/editor were to say they want to know more about X then I could offer them but otherwise {shrug} we’ll live.