I can't understand the transformation that happens to a draft when I leave it. Abandon it would be more accurate, while I wail 'It's all crap' and bash my forehead on the desk repeatedly. I give up, I move on to another project...then I have to go back. I always assume I'll have to entirely rewrite because it was so bad, but when I read it, it comes to life. What I was trying to achieve shines through the prose that actually dribbled onto the page, and it's really not bad. In fact, there are a few gems here and there, and there's little that can't be improved with a bit of strict editing from the grammar police and the cliche patrols. In between, the chapters that I need to write jump out at me. I need a linking chapter here and here, and maybe a new plot strand running through that will move the three book strand on further. I have 66k words that are OK, and a clear direction for the other 33k. Some are roughed out in draft already, in fact, and there are some lovely leads waiting to be followed. I just wish I could see this when I put the draft away! I've spent the last month dreading coming back to it, and it's been an absolute pleasure to meet up with Jack and Sadie and Kelley again.
Better than that, it's lovely to be writing new chapters again. For me, the joy is in creating the new stuff, even if it is just the raw material from which a book is ultimately constructed. New words, especially when you don't have to turn the laser beams of editing on them, and a delight. Fun, fun. I'd written a thousand before half eight this morning, so keen was I to get on with it!
I printed off a draft of A Baby's Bones and spread it around a few family members (kind critics). They liked it. Actually, although I can see where it needs to be shined up and the rough edges smoothed away, I like it too. That's a good feeling.
I'm sorry there hasn't been an announcement of any sort, it hasn't really been explained to me, maybe no-one would be that interested in a new author getting a book deal! But I am thrilled, and I'm glad to be part of Del Rey UK's publishing adventure.
I'm always interested - and heartened - by new author's getting a book deal! An increasingly rare ocurrence these days and definitely one to be celebrated :o)
ReplyDeleteI've just put my 1st draft away and am looking forward (dreading?!) coming back to it in a couple of weeks.
Best of luck with A Baby's Bones.
There shouldn't be an apostrophe in authors. Tut. Call myself a writer?
ReplyDeleteThank you, Karen, I hope you find your tucked away draft improves with age! Mine takes more than a couple of weeks though, more like a couple of months. Now all I have to do is find a name for the book elegantly named 'BT 2', I'm terrible at titles!
DeleteAs for getting published, it seems it's all about perserverance and keep writing...and keep getting better.
Did I miss the blog where you announced Del Rey are your publishers?!
ReplyDeleteWell done, I just had a look on Wiki and see you're in good company.
Oct is so near! How exciting. Like Karen, I too am very interested.
Interesting stuff about how you feel about your work can change - I have that too, it's odd isn't, working out what's real.
Glad it's all coming together.
Hi Teresa, I'm with the new imprint, Del Rey UK, which has just released Mark Hodder, Liesel Schwarz and E J Swift as its opening books. Great company to be in! I haven't officially been announced, but it seemed OK to let blog friends know. October - is either ridiculously far away it doesn't seem at all real, or insanely soon, depending on my mood. It can do both in the space of an hour. Hope your writing's coming on - hoping to read more of your short stories!
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