Join Alex J. Cavanaugh and a multitude of writer's in this monthly hop to help support one another!
Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!
Alex's awesome co-hosts are JH Moncrieff, Madeline Mora-Summonte, Jen Chandler, Megan Morgan, and Heather Gardner!
I had my manuscript professionally edited. As an indie writer it is a good idea. The problem was the Editor deleted over 7k words, which is good. It's tighter and more succinct. But a fantasy needs to have more world building. So I spent the past weeks rereading the darn thing and still found paragraphs where I said, "Huh?"
It really is a great idea to let your story settle for a while. Then go back to reread it, you'd be amazed.
This meme is soooo true for me!
June 7 Question: Did you ever say “I quit”? If so, what happened to make you come back to writing?
Many times!! But seriously, when I first began the querying stage, with rejections galore, I was ready to throw in the towel. I thought I had to go the traditional route. Then I read about indie publishers. I sent out queries and within a week I had 3 offers. That started my writing career.
I don't know if I'll ever quit altogether. But I have thought of taking time off. It's the marketing aspect that I dislike. Now every author has to have a Newsletter!! So here I am starting one.
I started a Newsletter,
and hope to have the first letter sent in July.
I'm having a Giveaway
$10.00 Amazon Gift Card
Just sign up on my blog to be entered.
Sign up form is on right hand top of my blog.
I'm having a Giveaway
$10.00 Amazon Gift Card
Just sign up on my blog to be entered.
Sign up form is on right hand top of my blog.
I can definitely relate to that meme too! Leaving your work to 'settle' for a while is a good idea, it helps to give perspective. Happy writing.
ReplyDeleteyou too, Suzanne.
Delete7k deleted? Yikes! Hopefully rereading has helped you figure things out. I like to go back and reread parts when I'm feeling stuck.
ReplyDeleteYep, it was a lot...
DeleteThe editor actually deleted things? Um... My editors always highlight things and tell me to change or chop--I hope that's what you mean by edited. Whew! 7K? Typically my first editor can't edit out that much, because I've already done it.
ReplyDeleteShe actually deleted. No highlighting.
Delete7k of deletion - ow! I hope that revision goes awesome!
ReplyDeleteI really get that meme. I definitely start sentences and ... what?
Hope June is great! (And, I signed up but I was feeling tech-less so we'll see if it worked.)
Thanks Tyrean.
DeleteHa! I love that Steve meme. As a pantser, I do that a lot. :) Have a terrific month!
ReplyDeleteThat's a lot of chopped words.
ReplyDeleteSmall publishers are great. They give some of us the chance to be heard.
Yes!
DeleteI love that meme and can definitely relate to it.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you didn't quit! It's amazing how far you have come and all you have accomplished.
You too, Julie.
DeleteI've set a cut-off date. If I get no "bites" within a year of sending out queries for my next two novels, I'm going indie. How are you coping with the marketing demands?
ReplyDeleteAll very good advice:) I often tell myself during the first draft, 'hey, who's going to read this anyway?' Of course, later on people do actually read it...yikes;)
ReplyDeleteThat line from The Office is hilarious, and, like you said, so true! Thanks for the laugh. :)
ReplyDeleteHi. Good to get that first edit over huh. Not sure I'd feel good about losing 7k, but sounds like the book is in a better place. Good to keep a sense of humor in the process.
ReplyDeleteYep. But now I'm back to adding 8k, hahahaaa....
DeleteI'm going to echo what Crystal said. I freelance edit and edit for DLP, but I use Track Changes. I mark what I think should be deleted. If it's more than a few words, I explain why I suggest cutting it in a comment. And 7K is a lot, too.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with revisions!
Oh, and the link in the giveaway didn't work for me.
I can't get that silly link to work...
DeleteDeleted your work? That's astonishing. Thankfully, there are many other non-abusive editors available with helpful, valuable suggestions. An editor once suggested I 'shelve' an entire manuscript after 10 out of 18 'secret' readers requested a sequel. I was crushed, but enlightened by the fact that editors are also readers whose tastes we so aim to please ;-) Hang in there!
ReplyDeleteThanks.
DeleteThat marketing can be a killer. But it's all worth it in the end. Wow, 7k words edited out. That's huge!
ReplyDeleteYes it is. Hi, Lynda.
DeleteHi, Cathrina,
ReplyDeleteI can only imagine.... That is what kept me from indy publishing. I just don't have the strength. LOL.
Thanks for the info on Twitter pitches. And you are right, there is no guarantee, but you never know.....If you don't try.
I should get a professional editor. I need to scale down my current manuscript as well and it's so tedious. I love my words too much.
ReplyDeleteI tend to write lean and then have to add in things, mainly descriptions. Heh. I do recommend giving a manuscript time to sit, though. I know I find things so much faster to fix if I've let the work sit.
ReplyDelete