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So, what have I been doing since the London Book Fair? Trying to whip a manuscript into shape, that's what. It's due at Allen & Unwin on May 31. (Actually, my contract stated May 15, but after appropriate weeping, this has been amended until the end of the month.) Despite requesting an extra two weeks, I wasn't overly daunted - in the beginning. I'd written the 85,000 words, had what I thought was a damn good plot, great characters, and a few amusing lines, so I was confident the manuscript would just need a guiding hand, some fine tuning here and a bit of love there. Wrong! Please allow me count just how many ways I was wrong. To begin, I started writing this manuscript six years ago. Since then, my writing has developed - I'm not being smug - if it hadn't developed over six long years then I'd be having a stern talking to myself. It used to take me ten words to get my point across, now it takes four. First task: reading and slashing unnecessary words. Easy and a great deal of fun. I love tightening a story - cutting out banal conversations and pointless observations makes for a snappier read and keeps the story focussed, on track and continually moving forward. TIP: If slashing, it's best you have a cheeky 100,000 words up your sleeve so that you end up with 85,000 words. You don't want to be in my position and arrive at 60,000. Stressful! Second task: building said 60,000 up to 85,000. How? I didn't want to add in whole new characters, themes and storylines. But the thing with computers these days is that they provide the reader with a concise word count. I send in 64,950 words to my editor and questions are going to be asked. This time, I needed to give myself a good talking to. ‘Let's be honest, Lisa have you skimmed over certain plotlines that you thought the audience would happily skip over too. ‘No,' I answered, outraged. How dare I ask myself such questions! So I left my writing self alone (God! She can be dramatic!) - drank cups of tea, dead headed gardenia flowers, de-fleaed the cat...got on with life. After a couple of days contemplating the manuscript, I could see definite holes in my plot. Not insurmountable publish-threatening dramas, but enough to know all was not well with my third manuscript. The upshot is I've written in a dead dog! I'm not giving away anything more. Suffice to say, he's there and he's staying. I am also in the process of fleshing out other scenarios, but I think you'll agree that adding a dead dog - whom might I add, is a much loved pet, is a definite leap forward. TIP: When editing your manuscript, make sure you give yourself enough time to step away from your masterpiece so that you can critique it objectively. You'll never be able to read it with totally fresh eyes, after all, this is your baby, but take a long enough break so that you can see the angry red rash on her otherwise exquisite and angelic face! Third task: remaining engaged with your family. Whoa! Tough call. But I really do try. Today, I went to my daughter's assembly - her class did a mighty fine Survivor skit (Same music, Jeff Probst was looking slightly younger and a lot girlier) but I got it. I was engaged but at the same time was conscious of being on a time schedule. I'd allowed one hour and fifteen minutes for this activity (Chapter 22 needs a lot of work!) - but it quickly turned into two hours and twenty minutes. (Note to mother in silver suburu, it's called a road for a reason! Grr! - Must avoid car line for next four weeks.) But I digress, which is exactly what I do when on a deadline. I can cook the dinner, get the kids to school on time but ask me anything beyond that and I'm incapable. I'm all about time, manuscript time - exactly how many minutes of the day I can devote to it. ‘You want me to help you with Japanese?' Okay, I am a mother first and foremost...'What do you mean "we have no food in the house?"'...'You need me to drive you, where?' And then something totally bizarre happens, I turn into this raging monster...then I get depressed and cry. And then my husband arrives home from work! Needless to say that next week, for the final few days before my manuscript is due, I am running away. Don't ask me where, just know that I'm safe, I'm writing and I won't be adding any more dead dogs to the mix! TIP: For your family/friends/pets sake, it's best you're not around other living beings while going through this process. (But perhaps I only speak for myself...) *I have called this Part A because there are many more things I can tell you and I will...next week!
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But I'm doing a major rewrite and it's DIFFICULT to do anything else. I want to stay in my bubble, I'm freaked out, feeling like there's a time bomb about to go off, and crazed that the fabulous book that's in my head will never show it's true self on the page. Fuck. But along with all the angst, I'm also ridiculously proud of myself for sticking with it. I'm going to give it my all, and then let it be what it must. Carry on! idanceiwrite.com
I took a photography course years ago, and I found that I started looking at everything around me as a possible photo. Same with blogging. Everything that happens is a possible post.
I can imagine, when you're working on this sort of thing, and you have plot lines and the like going on that you must just live and breathe those characters during the whole process! I can also imagine this goes on during family times. How can it not when it's at the forefront of your mind?
Authors, like you, should be commended for all their hard work. It's not just about sitting down and writing the words from start to finish and then you're done, now is it?
Look forward to next week's!