I finally said enough is enough when it comes to editing my haunting YA/Mystery novel. (Far---far from being perfect, but is any ms really perfect?) I've sent out queries and a few requests that ultimately generated rejections. I don't care how thick skinned we become, each rejection causes a scar of some sort. I started looking into small and independent presses and hope for some success.
My editor's computer crashed while editing the sequel to Wickedly They Come. Now off to another editor which means my sequel, Wickedly They Dream is w-a-a-y behind schedule.
I picked up where I left off on my wip which I'd shelved for many months. Needless to say, it takes me a while to delve back into a manuscript and my characters. By this time next month, I'm hoping to have made significant progress.
Do you have a problem saying enough is enough when editing your books?
Does it take you a while to get involved with your characters?
I think it's hard to stop editing because you start wondering if you should change this that. I start doubting what I wrote so the editing thing could go on for a long time. D
ReplyDeleteI start doubting too. Must be a writer's dilemma.
DeleteI'm struggling to get involved with my current project. I haven't found her voice yet, so reading what I've written is dry. Hopefully I can inject more personality by the time it comes to revising.
ReplyDeleteI hope things work out with your sequel editing and finding someone for your YA/Mystery novel.
Loni
Loni, good Luck with finding the right voice.
DeleteSometimes I feel like I'll never be done editing. I guess at some point I will run out of things to edit, but I'm nowhere near that yet. I hope everything works out for you and your book. As far as characters go, I think it does take a while to get them developed enough so that writing them becomes easy. It took me forever to develop the voice for the narrator of my current WIP, but I have it down so well now that it's like second nature. When I try writing characters, they seem flat in comparison. It just takes a while to get to know them, I guess.
ReplyDeleteSarah Foster
August IWSG Co-host
*new characters...could have sworn I typed that....
DeleteYou're so right, thanks, Sarah.
DeleteKnowing when one is done editing isn't easy. There are endless tweaks that could be made.
ReplyDeleteWhen I write, it does take me a while to get into it. That's why it's hard (unless I'm highly inspired to write a particular scene) to write when I only have a short time at the computer. I prefer to draft in long sessions.
Good luck with your WIP. :)
IWSG #184 until Alex culls the list again.
I know what you mean.
DeleteHmm, I thought I left a comment but now it seems that Blogger ate it. Sorry if this is a duplicate!
ReplyDeleteI'll make it quick this time and just say I can't wait for the Wickedly sequel and also wish you luck with the small presses. I'm sure someone will snatch the book up. Good luck!
You're sweet, Julie, Thanks.
DeleteSorry your editor's computer crashed! That sucks.
ReplyDeleteWhen I begin changing things back to the original form, then I know I'm done editing.
Hahaa...I hear you!
DeleteI always take my time getting to know my characters, otherwise I feel like I'm just pushing pieces around on a board instead of watching humans do their thing. I just returned from taking a hiatus on my WIP, and it did take a little bit for me to get back into it. Once I found my zone, though, things have been moving swiftly.
ReplyDeleteFinding the right zone is great!
DeleteSorry to hear about your editor's computer and the setback. Good news on getting that MS sent off though. Um enough is enough? I think there will always be things that you will find to fix so kudos to you for letting it go!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your queries! I'm sorry to hear your editor's computer crashed--scary stuff!
ReplyDeleteIt does take me a bit to get to know my characters. I feel like I'm always learning something new about them!
Yes, the character's find their own voices...
DeleteYes and Yes to both questions!
ReplyDeleteYes!!
DeleteOf course. Just like you, I'm a human who happens to write. Be patient. Those characters will let you know who they are and what they need.
ReplyDeletewhen going back to a WIP after a hiatus, it's like meeting your characters at a cocktail party-shallow, meaningless conversation, a few laughs, an invitation for lunch, then dinner, then they don't know when to leave. You'll get back into the grove! Editing...stop the madness. Just let go when you're not making it better, just different.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Nancy.
DeleteI can so get stuck in that endless editing cycle. It's one of the best ways to kill a book. Either you just get sick of it and end up shelving it or you edit the soul out of the writing.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that has worked for me is to set a limit. Edit, edit, beta, edit, editor, done. That's what works for me. It will just takes some time to figure out what will work for you. But you will.
Thanks for the advice Gina.
DeleteI'm pretty sure we could edit a WIP for the rest of our lives and still not have it be perfect. Not very Evanovich like at all.
ReplyDeleteNothings ever perfect, right?
DeleteCathrina, I am still brainstorming AN IDEA for the next novel in my series. I really need to just start typing and find out what happens....
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely right. That's what I do, though, not always well. I just start typing.
DeleteSorry about all the rejections! I've dealt with those plenty of times in the past and agree, they never fail to leave some kind of scar. Hope you have better luck with those small/independent presses!
ReplyDeleteAnd heh, I definitely have a hard time saying "enough is enough" to editing. I'd probably tweak my comics forever if I could!
Thanks Heather.
DeleteYeah never ever going to be perfect, so I just say screw it at some point and that is that
ReplyDeleteScrew it, I like that!
DeleteYes, I agree!
ReplyDeleteI can err on the side of perfectionism. That is, my work is never good enough. It's taken me a long while to accept a certain amount of imperfection, otherwise I'd never send anything out!
ReplyDeleteI am soooo with you on the rejections thing.... I just received another yesterday. UP for another round of send outs today....
ReplyDeleteAs for rewrites and editing. I spent THREE years editing my first book and almost that much on the novel I'm querying now.
I have another major rewrite on book one. NOOOOO... but if it needs it, I have to do it. I am such a damn perfectionist. But I did wave the white flag on second book. I will not do another edit unless an agent/ publisher wants me to, I will not otherwise. Enough....
Congrats on your new WIP... keep it up! Happy weekend!
Part of the process is knowing when it's time to send it out there. I quite like the small press route---the agent route takes too looong for my patience levels.
ReplyDelete