I've decided to chisel out my MS from the ice block I placed it in just before Thanksgiving weekend. It was hard to do, I admit, and seeing my little paper spawn frozen, tugged at my heart as emotion threatened to drown my eyes.
Okay, okay. Maybe it wasn't THAT hard. It was nice, however, to give myself a little self-dictated vacation from writing. Alas, the time has come now to give one last read through before I delve into the hell that is query letter writing and synopsis typing.
I hope my eyes are fresh enough to catch all those mistakes that have eluded me already. I'm wearing my hunter eyes. To the common folk they appear as a mere squint, but trust me, they are predatory and menacing. Be afraid ill placed comma and awkward dialogue tag, for I am coming for you, and all your rapscallion friends. I shall try to focus on voice consistency and grammar errors. The story itself will not change. In any case, wish me luck, and tell me of your writing process. What do you find that helps you the most during editing. Besides booze that is.
Chao for now.
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About Me
- Jm Diaz
- It's not that I'm mean. It's just that I sometimes say things others only think, yet are afraid to voice themselves. Oh, and I'm not very good at talking about myself. That's why I make up people, and then place them in situations, and throw in a guy with a gun. I'm a writer, attempting to peel away from the world of Systems Engineering. Not that Information Technology is bad, its just that I don't love it. Not like I love storytelling. Pays the bills though.
14 comments:
Congrats on making it through the hiatus, and having the presence of mind to take one at all! How is first reading/editing coming? I'm afraid I'm not far enough along to have an answer to your question...I have a tendancy to edit as I go along - comes with newswriting training, I suppose! Hmmm...Maybe I'd be farther along if I didn't do that...
Michele
SouthernCityMysteries
I just looked at something I hadn't seen for months and guess what...it sucked. Crap.
Sometimes when you put something on ice, you get freezer burn. :(
We're both off the ice now. I've been going through my ms. It's actually been sort of fun. Good luck with querying...it's a, uh, blast... ;)
I'm right there with you. I am on round three, or wait, is it four? I didn't stop writing though, I just wrote something else for a while.
My plan is to do one last read through and then join you in query letter hell.
As far as my process goes, my blog has several posts about process which is in the word cloud. The funny thing is to see how many times I wrote the phrase "final edit" and then to see how many months apart those are. I am starting to believe that there is no such thing as a final edit, just reaching the point where you finally hand it over and say, "Well, this is the least sucky version so far."
Best of luck!! Let me know if you need a beta.
You used rapscallion in a sentence! Sierra will be so happy.
In editing, I find that it works best to never stop complimenting your betas. I mean, just all out SHOWER your betas with adoration, and they will not let you down. I mean, so I hear.
RedBull is my editing assistant. I've been known to down deadly amounts of the, wing purveying beverage during all-night edit-a-thons.
Put it in the icebox for a year. Those are some fresh eyes, my friend. Just sayin'.
A year? Did mention that patience was not my forte?
And Amber, I do have the very best Beta's. In fact, there should be about them. Something that speaks to their total and utter awesomeness, and how lost I'd be without there invaluable input. How am I doing so far?
;)
Good luck. I wish I were at the query/synopsis/final edit stage. Awesome dude.
Best wishes!! Also, I left an award for you at my blog today...too cheesy for a guy? :0) Anyway, if you want it, just right click on the award and save as to your pc, then you can post it on your blog if you wish.
I really enjoy your posts! Have a great weekend. :)
I think the break away from the writing will probably help, like you said. It gives you some fresh perspective to come back after a little time away. I wish you luck in the Hellish Query Writing :)
I recently took a break, too. I wish you the best of luck!
In editing, I cut the beautiful writing and get to the story. Anything that seems off-focus, anything that distracts.
Also, as someone else said, I leave it alone for a while and come back with fresh eyes.
Best of luck to you with it!
When I put my ms away, I pray for a miracle. Instead, I know its time to get a new pencil.
Word Designer
Architect of Prose
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