Editing = Hard Copy of Galley + Coffee / Or Not

Writers are always asking themselves and each other, repeatedly, “when do you know you’re done?” with the draft, the edits, the book! It’s a hard question to answer. Even those far greater than I seem to have struggled with this question – why even Leonardo da Vinci said, “Art is never finished, only abandoned.”

I usually make the call when the thought of reading through my current WIP makes me green about the gills. If I’m that tired of it, it’s time to set it free! Hmm, something about that doesn’t quite sound right, but it’s in the ballpark.

Anyway, I was reviewing my galley for ACES DOWN and while I had a definite deadline to turn it around, I was pushing it to get another run through, just in case. So, when I tripped UP the stairs at my office while carrying my galley and a full cup of morning nirvana, i.e. coffee, this is what happened.

Yep, just call me Grace! After the massive clean up, fortunately we did not have to call in professional assistance, I was draping the coffee-soaked pages all over an empty office and I realized it was a sign. Time to set it free.

Writers, crafters, artists, poets, et al – when do you know that it’s time to let go?

Something Old, Something New

The only constant in life is change.

Don’t you love a play on words?

You know, blogging is a lot like standing in a Super Bowl stadium and trying to get the TV cameras to zoom in on your hand-made sign. A lot of effort into goes into that sign, but the chances of getting that cameraman to swing the lens your way are pretty slim. But you know, you pays your money and you takes your chance.

So I’m gonna be trying out some stuff here on Golinowski’s Gambol and we’ll see what sticks.

Happy Dancing

Something Old/Aces Down – just sent my first round edits on Aces Down to my editor at The Wild Rose Press. Yep, I SOLD Aces Down to The Wild Rose Press! Yipee! My third release through The Wild Rose Press. And I get to work with Callie Lynn Wolfe again!

Something New/Editing trick – Every time you edit your writing, you (should) learn a new trick or hone an old one to make the process easier. This time, I did a search on “ly” in an adverb search and destroy mission. In almost every instance, there was a stronger way to phrase it. So I did.

“She moved away slowly” became “She eased away” or

“He turned quickly” became “He spun”

I was happy to discover that I had fewer adverbs than I expected – thanks to the efforts of my wonderful critique groups. And, as some folks would be quick to point out, in some instances I kept the adverb because it worked for me. We’ll see what my editor thinks.

Questions? No Answers, just plodding along.

Do not seek so much to find the answer as much as to understand the question better.

SNARKY RESPONSE: That’s not what they say in the Test instructions.

My OS is OTH (Over The Hill)

My home computer has become semi-obsolete with the demise of Windows XP. Now: buy a new tower, upgrade this one, or switch to a laptop? A tablet is not for me. I’m old-school and I like the tactile effect of a keyboard. Testing out the laptop for now. Missing my mouse and full size keyboard, but adjusting.

Cinching it in!

My new weight loss program is going well. I’m losing on a nice steady, slow scale. I’m eating much better and learning to eat a few things I hadn’t been willing to do before. Best thing is that I’m beginning to kinda enjoy the exercise side of things. Free weights are challenging, however, I enjoy the challenge. The cardio is less enjoyable until it’s over. Then, it’s not bad. LOL

Timing is Everything

Finally,shortening the timeline on Aces Down sounded easy enough until I realized just how fast things would have to move and how my seasonal cues would have to change in order to line up. Yes, it’s pretty obvious on the outside, but the implementation is a bear. Fingers crossed.

Definitely short on answers right now, but working on the questions.

Do you hear a train?

See the light at the end of the tunnel.

SNARKY RESPONSE: Just hope it’s not a freakin‘ locomotive.

 

I am right at that point where the sense of anticipation is finely balanced with a sense of dread.

Let the fun begin!

 

My revisions to ACES DOWN have been fleshed out, and I believe I’ve feathered the plot and character changes into the original text pretty well. I’ve read it through on the screen, and now I’ve printed it out to read, marking out timeline, plot twists, romance points.

 

 

Aces Down Before Norah

It’s the final push to my personal revise&resubmit deadline, and now’s when it gets truly real.

• Did I write a strong enough story?
• Have I built a believable world with an intriguing setting?
• Do my characters connect strongly enough to satisfy my readers?
• Are my characters going to connect with the reader?
• Have I written a good enough story to convince my readers to blithely disregard reality in favor of fantasy?

Tristan’s First Love

 

Granted, readers who might consider ACES DOWN will be expecting the kind of book I hope I wrote. Paranormal Romantic Suspense covers such a diverse landscape. Will my take on the genre provide adequate entertainment to keep them turning the pages?

 

Only time will tell.

 

 

If not, that light will be the flash of my revised submission imploding.