Tuesday 26 April 2016

When is enough enough?


Can one ever do too much? Can one ever do enough?

It’s been a while since you heard from me here on the blog. Several weeks in fact, at which time I had just taken my courage in both hands and sent my Regency novel to my agent, Lisa Eveleigh, for a ‘first look’. I had very positive feedback from Lisa but obviously there was still a lot to do. Her advice was invaluable and I have spent the time since editing, re-editing then editing some more. I am very fortunate in having beta readers whom I’ve known for a long time and who have no hesitation in telling it like it is. This honesty is as important as any other factor in producing the best finished article possible and they don’t seem to mind reading it over and over again. At least, that’s what they tell me. A week ago I came to the point where I felt I’d done as much as I could and I set it aside. I will leave it to sit for another week or so before going through it once more. Then it’ll go back to Lisa for track changes.

So what have I been doing for the past several days? Well, while my fingers have been idle my brain hasn’t. Somewhere in there the seed of an idea for the next book has been formulating for some time. I don’t yet have a fully established plot but my heroine has become very real to me. Physically she is completely different from the last but we’re getting along very well and I’m looking forward to knowing her better. My hero is much hazier – I haven’t got to grips with him yet but he’s definitely there, building himself quietly in the background.

Today I put pen to paper – well, fingers to keyboard – and I’ve written the opening page. It’s only 405 words but it has a feel. This too will now be left for a few days, after which time I will return to see if it works for me. The hardest thing has been getting out of Charlotte’s head and into Phoebe’s. I think I’ve done that now. Heaven knows how confused I’ll be when Lisa gets back to me with those track changes and I have to change heads again. Who’d be a writer? I can answer that one without hesitation. I would.


12 comments:

  1. Good luck with it. I've been editing my book for ages now, it still needs a lot of work. At the moment it feels like pushing water uphill but I hope/know it will be worth it in the end.

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    1. What surprised me, Carol, was how much I editing. I still haven't tired of going back and reading it all over again. I'm not quite sure what that means, but someone is enjoying it, even if it's only me!

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  2. I had to sort out the track changes for the re-release of one of my books and had to break off from a complicated part of my WIP. It didn't take me long to fall in love (again!) with the hero of the 1st book - but it was much harder to get back into the head of my WIP heroine!

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    1. It gives head-hopping a whole new meaning, doesn't it, Paula. I'm wondering how it will be when I go back

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  3. It doesn't matter how many times I read my work I can always find something I think could be written better. I have taken to writing a scene and reading and doing a first edit on it the following day and that seems to be working for me. Good luck with it Natalie.

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    1. Thank you, Elaine. I agree about always finding something to change...but when does one stop looking and 'go for it'?

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  4. I was once told that a novelist should only stop editing when they couldn't bear to read their work again! Good luck with both pieces, Natalie.

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    1. Well I'm still enjoying it (see my reply to Carol above) so maybe there's still a lot to do. Thank you for your good wishes, Rae

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  5. I wish I knew when enough was enough! I wouldn't like to say how many times I've edited my novels, but I know one of them has 14 versions! Good luck with the new novel and I look forward to hearing some of it in class.

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    1. I know what you mean, Francesca, but I think there comes a point when you just have to say 'enough' - at least until you've taken some outside advice. Otherwise it can feel a bit like - go back to the number you first thought of!

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  6. and a jolly good job you're making of it too. Your blog reads really smooth. Good luck with the new book, Moya xx

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    1. Thank you for all your encouragement, Moya. It's so lovely to receive such positive comments

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