Let the Editing Commence

I know I'm slow. That's just me. Slow, lazy, procrastinating lump - call me what you will. But I have FINALLY picked up (opened rather) the final editing draft for The Cost of Loving. I've had it since December 7th. Part of the delay was in not wanting to look at it without my full concentration. I like being IN the heads of my characters and for a while now my mind has been in Nick's. (Nick Jenkins from Names Can Never Hurt Me.) I have been trying to write my thoughts and scenes involving Nick and RC but even that has drawn out into this stagnation of guilt for not making the time to do what I love. Sometimes I hate that I'm actually responsible and care about my job and what I need to accomplish in "real life." If I could blow off everything and write when I wanted to maybe something would get done and I could finish some projects. As it is, December flew by. Now, with only TWO DAYS until my next novel (My Roommate's a Jock? Well, Crap!) releases, I decide to look at the MS (manuscript) for TCOL. (The Cost of Loving) Call me crazy. I want to stay one this! I WANT to be diligent and plod through it page by page, chapter by chapter until it is DONE, and done with perfection!! (LOL) As it stands, there are 332 pages. I know that will change. For one, I will probably delete things, scenes, etcetera that are unnecessary. I want to simplify the plot as much as I can without losing the gravity of the information. I'm going to rewrite chapters. THIS I already know!!! Not looking forward to that but it has to be done! KEEP ME ACCOUNTABLE! KEEP AFTER ME!! I'm going to update my progress, probably via comments on this blog on the Goodreads version. Today was step one - I opened the document. I am STARTING!!! I plan on doing edits all day.

First I am going through the ENTIRE document and adding the grammar changes and corrections to my original document. My style of editing lately is not just hitting "accept" to the track changes. I look at them, then switch to my original doc and fix things. I'm HOPING this will help me remember the things I get wrong. What I noticed in doing My Roommate's a Jock so recently, is that I make the SAME MISTAKES all the time. So to all you writers out there who are even newer to the publishing scene than I am, make/take notes of what you do wrong! Chances are you make the same mistakes all the time and never catch them! My editor said she spent 50 hours going over this MS. I can not imagine how much she wants (in payment) for dedicating so much time. I can only hope it is more of a flat rate and hourly. Hourly at like $10/ hour for example is a BUTT LOAD of cash! But I see it as education. I NEED a professional telling me what the hack I don't get right. I NEED a professional explaining what works and what doesn't. Luckily, she is willing to wait for payment. She said she'd wait for royalties and such to come in. My cynical self laughs at the absurd notion of even reaching enough royalties to pay her... HAHAHHAHA. But I htink it is kind that she would even suggest it. Plus, she didn't give me a price. I think she is working with me. I think she believes in me and thinks I can learn and improve. She is a great lady!

AFTER I add the corrections, then I am going to go back through and delete and rewrite! Stay tuned for the step-by-step process :D

Laterz!

OH YEAH... in the meantime... buy my new book!!! *winks* (click here!)