Wednesday, October 6th, 2010

Editing, Editing, Editing…

Picture of a Ghost Near a Car WreckI just received the first-round edits for my story “Lucky Clover” slated for inclusion in the Drollerie Press anthology Magicking in Traffic.

I’m pleased to say that I have no problem accepting nearly all the changes the editors have made or suggested. There’s only one item that I have a question about, and quite likely, I’ll take the advice of the editors there, too.

Included with the edits are two suggestions I need to act on yet – both excellent ideas – but I’ll need to spend some time on those. So I’ll be in “edit mode” for another day or three.

It always amazes me how I can submit what I think is a finely crafted story and then receive back edits for a hundred or so necessary changes in the document. I’ve spell-checked it, re-read it, sent it to my critique partners, gave it to beta readers…and still the editors find errors and make suggestions – good suggestions.

So far in the fiction game, I’ve been pleased with my editors. They make me look better. (Thanks, guys!)

 
 

*Photo from Monster Legends’ Scary Ghost Photos. Lucky Clover might be a ghost story…or it might be something else.

Thursday, September 16th, 2010

A Mini Vacation Helps the (Writing) Process

Indian River Inlet - View from the Bow

A photo of “me,” and the view from the bow of the boat.

I was away for the weekend, but hadn’t planned to be away from working. I’ve got tons of editing to do.

I’d arrived around dinner time on Friday, booted up the laptop and checked mail and comments on my blog, and showed off a few photos to some folks. After a while, my laptop chirped and the little power light started blinking, and I knew it was time to plug in. Except…

…after digging around frantically in the huge laptop bag I carry, I realized I had left the power cord at home.

At first, I was horrified, but by Saturday morning, I felt totally liberated: I had plans, and I needn’t hurry back to get any work done. I couldn’t get any work done.

(Needless to say, I lingered on the water as long as I was able.)

Now, I’m raring to go. Sometimes a little break is all that’s needed.