There are very few things in this world that can make you feel as colossally stupid as line edits.
You find yourself thinking things like, "Can it be considered world building that parents are nonexistent and it's always Friday?"
And then you realize that you're a complete hack who never should have written a book in the first place.
And then you cry.
Eventually you work up the courage to open the document again only to find that your brilliant editor has pointed out that one of your characters is a complete doormat.
And then you cry some more.
You make some decent changes along the way and when you're finally done you realize your book is about a million times better than it was before.
And then you eat ice cream
Ah, the glamorous life of writers. Try not to be too jealous.
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Don't call this a comeback
So it’s been a minute. Or 10. Or truthfully more like 2,102,400. At least we think that’s how many minutes there are in 3 years, but let...
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When I was doing my first round of editorial revisions and line edits for The Caged Graves, I noticed that the moon was ALWAYS a sliver in the sky. 'Cause it's spooky, right?
I googled up a moon chart for June of 1867 in Pennsylvania and carefully plotted out exactly what phase the moon should be in and when it would appear in the sky for every part of my story.
Then, in the second round of revisions and line edits, my editor cut the moon references altogether. Sigh.
Ha! Dianne's comment made me laugh. I haven't been introduced to the joys of editor recommended line edits. But crying and ice cream I can do like a champ:)
Sometimes you feel like a hack. Sometimes you don't.
Ha! Poignantly funny :) I usually sandwich the angst by having ice cream first as well.
Mmmm...ice cream. Stupid diet. Good thing I don't have any edits to work on.
THIS. So much this. I had several similar meltdowns during line edits. And then we cut out a lot of worldbuilding because it was hindering the flow and then the copyedtior got all confused and sent me tons of notes on missing backstory and I fell apart....
But it's fixed, and seven hundred times better than it was before. Because my editor is awesome.
Also I ate a lot of cheetos and skittles. :(
I am fairly positive that the moon is always full in my last story that takes place over several months...but I know it's not always Friday. But Saturday is a different story.
Damn.
Well, from what I hear about the Game of Thrones world, summers and winters last for yeaaaaaaars. So a long Friday could be world-building. ;)
Glad you made it to the ice cream stage. Anything involving ice cream is good!
The other night I had a dream that The Lies That Bind was a frickin' masterpiece. Obviously this means my dreams can tell the future. ;)
Ice cream makes everything better. :) I'm sure your book will be brilliant, just like the last one. :)
Group hug....
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