I spent the summer doing summer stuff with my family and friends and working on this fantastic project. The thing that continually surprises me is how much time it takes. I will sit down and hammer out 1500 words and I am, like, “Yeah, look at that!” But then I realize how little distance I’ve made in those 1500 words when it comes to the plot.
Also, many people have been asking how it is coming along and I have my standard “It’s good” answer. Trust me people, is not that I do not want to talk about it. And I truly do appreciate your inquiries! I am still getting comfortable with how to talk about my novel. How do I describe it? Do I go into plot details? How much is too much before I give away something crucial? Or worse yet, before the eyes of the person who asked, glaze over.
This book and process continues to stretch and challenge me in ways I never would have imagined but it is all so, so good!
The first draft of book one is just about done. But then I have to cut, rejig and massage sections. I have already cut 40, 000 words and will cut at least another chuck of at least that. My family members felt sick when I said I was doing that but have no fear, I have plans <insert evil laugh> for those cut words and sections. They will not be discarded.
And after that process is done, I will doing something that scares the bejesus out of me and really does make me feel sick. I will be sending the draft for a developmental edit. To a person that will read it, JuDgE it (gawd I am sick to my stomach just typing this), fill the document with red and crossed out sections…this is what keeps me up at night.
So if you see me during that time, give me a hug, a drink, words of inspiration or all three. I will be forever in your debt.
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