The title of this post aptly describes my current (and final, I hope) round of revisions. It seems like it's taking me nearly as much time to revise a chapter as it took to write it in the first place!
Yikes.
On Monday, I started revisions on Chapter 4 -- a longish chapter that's one of the most crucial scenes in the book. It's where real life and, well, other stuff collide. It was hard to write (there's some graphic violence and a young child involved), and I remember well the depression I sank into while writing it. It was hellish, even though I knew it was the make-or-break scene of the book.
It took me a week to write the chapter back in early summer of 2007. It took me two entire days to revise it.
At this rate, I won't be done for weeks. I mean, there's 28 chapters in the book! And keep in mind that this is the fourth of fifth (I forget the actual count) revision I've done. This sucker is going to sing when it's done. Hell, it ought to wash the car and cook dinner, too!
There's a part of me that wants to get the book done and send it off. To someone. Anyone.
There's another part of me that knows it has to be the best it can be before I send it out.
I keep telling myself that the book is getting better. And it is. And the better the book is, the better my chances of getting an agent and, eventually, a book deal.
So I plod on, desperate to get back to writing my new book.
One thing I've learned is this: For me, writing is a hell of a lot more fun than editing.
Yikes.
On Monday, I started revisions on Chapter 4 -- a longish chapter that's one of the most crucial scenes in the book. It's where real life and, well, other stuff collide. It was hard to write (there's some graphic violence and a young child involved), and I remember well the depression I sank into while writing it. It was hellish, even though I knew it was the make-or-break scene of the book.
It took me a week to write the chapter back in early summer of 2007. It took me two entire days to revise it.
At this rate, I won't be done for weeks. I mean, there's 28 chapters in the book! And keep in mind that this is the fourth of fifth (I forget the actual count) revision I've done. This sucker is going to sing when it's done. Hell, it ought to wash the car and cook dinner, too!
There's a part of me that wants to get the book done and send it off. To someone. Anyone.
There's another part of me that knows it has to be the best it can be before I send it out.
I keep telling myself that the book is getting better. And it is. And the better the book is, the better my chances of getting an agent and, eventually, a book deal.
So I plod on, desperate to get back to writing my new book.
One thing I've learned is this: For me, writing is a hell of a lot more fun than editing.
A week is like a pocket-sized amount of time.
ReplyDeleteI better write faster.
You'll be done in no time. It seems you're on the upside of things.
The most fun thing of all is when the project is done and you can sit down and enjoy the fruits of your labor. And the rest of us can too! Good luck on the editing.
ReplyDeleteYou have won an award from my blog:
ReplyDeletehttp://emmamichaels.blogspot.com/2010/01/another-award-yeay.html