I realized the other day that I've neglected to share any updates on my book. Well... I finished writing it in September. Two weeks later I was referred to an editor by a CPS friend (his wife) and sent my completed story out to California. Since this is my first book, and I don't exactly have the funds for a full-blown edit right now, this lady is giving me a general overview rather than a full edit. In other words, she's going to tell me her opinion about content, flow, and story line. Then I can take her suggestions and possibly attempt some revisions.
For those of you that have followed Elizabeth's journey through editing and revising, know this isn't a simple task. Since I don't yet have huge aspirations for this thing, I think I'm just going to do some general revisions and then get it into print. I started by ignoring the book for a couple months. I knew I couldn't have an objective mind so soon after finishing it as the story was so heavily imprinted on my brain. So I put it down and didn't look at for a full two and a half months. Over the weekend I picked it back up and have spent a couple hours since reading through it fixing silly grammatical errors and sentence structure. I'd like to have the whole thing gone over within the next week.
After that I will be happy with it as a first manuscript. Then I will be getting it into print; at least two copies. One copy will be for me and the other I'll be giving to the person the book is named after. By then I should have my edit back and I can start calling in favors (that don't exist) to get it into the hands of a publisher or two or ten and try to get it analyzed. After that, who knows.
So there it is. My first book is almost done. I'm pretty excited.
Exciting buddy congratulation.
ReplyDeleteWhen do we get to read it?
ReplyDeleteI have a few friends that do editing. One of them used to do editing for science text books (boring!!).
ReplyDeleteI Want To Read It!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm about halfway through the "fixin'" and then I'll be getting it pressed. Since so may people want to read it, I guess I'll get three copies. One for the namesake, one for me, and one to loan to friends. I'm hoping to be done soon so I can get the pressings. I think it'll be so cool to have my own book in actual book form. It's pretty exciting. I'll let ya'll know when it's ready.
ReplyDeleteIf you self-publish at blurb.com, your friends and admirers could BUY IT NOW and we won't have to wait for the one copy you are sending around...
ReplyDeleteAnd I think they are running deals right now for the holidays...
Good idea Karin! Sam, Do That!! I don't want to wait either!!!!!
ReplyDeleteCongrats Sam!!! That's awesome! What is the title? I'm curious! :)
ReplyDeleteBets
The problem using an online service or making it immediately available to everyone, is that it's not a final work. I haven't even got feedback from my editor yet. I simply want to get a First Edition into print so I have it for myself and the book's namesake. If it actually gets picked up by a publisher, then the revision process gets into full swing and only when that is done will the book be available for reading as well as for sale. It's a good idea, but I'd rather not have a subpar offering read by the world when they can instead wait a while and read the finished process. But I'm humbled by all the interest. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteBets, I can't reveal the title just yet. Soon, though. So how's France?