Friday 18 July 2014

Line Edits - the last mountain?

How I felt when I got the line edits...
The end is in sight for my new book The Temp (formerly known as Spray Painted Bananas). I've got to stop saying this novel took me three months to write because it's just occurred to me that I started it in October 2012 and I'm still editing!
          
I'm on the line edits now. This is where the editor has gone through the book in detail, commenting on areas which need rewording, cutting or filling out. I didn't have line edits for my first book, Shop Girl Diaries, so it came as a bit of a shock to see how, after two extensive edits already, there was still so much to do.
          
I battled with a feeling of panic, before finally settling down to review all the notes. To my relief some of the comments were just positive observations with no changes needed. To help me climb the mountain, I wrote down numbers 1 to 107 (the number of comments I needed to respond to) and colour coordinated them so I could get an overview of what I was dealing with.

Making it manageable
Yellow - reword
Green -  expand
Orange //- chapter ending needs work
Blue - not sure I agree
Pink - positive comment
         

Now I've calmed down and connected with the task at hand, I feel confident I can get this next edit done in a couple of weeks. I even feel glad that Harper Impulse are pushing me to write the best version possible of my novel. Well, I wouldn't want want to sell you any old rubbish, would I? 

           
Soon I'll be getting a peek at the book cover. I can't wait to share it with you!




3 comments:

Julie said...

that colour coding idea for the line edits is such a great idea! And you can do it, you'll be so glad that you worked so hard on it one it's out- because you won't be able to change a single word once it's in print. ;)

Unknown said...

Colour coding comments constitutes perfect productive procrastination - aaaargh alliteration attack

Emily Benet said...

Funny, I'd usually agree the colour coordinating could be procrastinatiion HOWEVER THIS TIME they were really useful! I'm nearly at the end :) Thanks for reading Julie and Jane! X