Revision Marathon - ending the year with a bang.

After more than a week of procrastination, I decided enough was enough.  Thursday was ‘editing day’. Chapter 2 was not going to defeat me. Nothing would get in my way!

Everyone has a different process for writing. At the moment, this is what works for me:

• finishing a chapter (first) draft,
• self-editing for obvious holes/ spelling/ grammar,
• having it proof-read (with suggestions/ critique) and
• then tackling another edit  - to fill out plot holes/ characters/ not-so-obvious mistakes. This also allows me to write down important points/ threads to be followed up on and gives me added ideas for following chapters.

I am itching to get onto chapter 3 but was determined to finish off edits on the 2nd chapter before jumping into the next installment of the characters’ story. However, I did have some points that needed sorting out in this chapter before moving on, including some important family history (not necessarily on the page as yet) for our heroine, which defines her major motive. Rather important stuff really.

The edits have also included some additional writing. I needed more oomph in my characters. ‘Ramp up the sexual tension’, it was suggested. After all the Victorians may have seemed prudish in public, constrained by etiquette, but they still had the same desires… (I am still not entirely sure if the two main characters will actually hit it off, let alone give into any desires. Flirtations may happen but this is not chick lit or erotica)

Another snippet from chapter 2:
“The sunlight, from the window behind him, danced across the surface of his tea as he lifted the cup to his lips. Was that a glint in his eye or merely the reflected morning sun?”(copyrighted Karen Carlisle 2013)

I now have some conflict between major characters and some (hopefully) tantalising clues to expand upon later. Chapter 2 is now running around 3100 words, with only two scenes done and three to go. (two small and one major). Total writing/editing time yesterday: 8.5 hours. I dragged myself off to bed after midnight and woke, feeling like I have a hangover. Today I am rewarding myself with a large cup of tea and then we are off  to view The Hobbit for the first time.

Argh! That moment when I realise that I just have to write a short story relating the major events leading to the heroines motive…
and then when I realise that when  I finish the entire story’s manuscript, I will have to do the editing thing all over again!

The bang? Hmmm…. I have plans for chapter 3. Let me just say that there will be this demolition expert….

Editing Marathon - ending the year with a bang.