I don’t intend to procrastinate. It just happens.
I’m determined to go over my novel for the very last time and edit it as per Karine’s (my editor) corrections. I actually like the process. But I am so not doing it!
I’ve been involved in writing this novel for the last three years. Its gone from a 500 page novel to a 300 odd page one. A major character was eliminated. A major sex scene was obliterated. So many changes have occurred. I’m convinced that they’re all for the better – but how much more???
I’ve had the very good fortune of finding some very talented people to review and edit the manuscript. That means they read it completely and came up with suggestions, found errors, made improvements. Really – I feel so blessed. And Karine – my fearless editor and dear friend has been there from the beginning. She came up with the idea of me writing a book and read every chapter as it developed.
But now its approaching the end. Through a dear friend I discovered two wonderful women who will format the book for me. The most amazing artist in the ENTIRE world has designed a cover especially for me and its amazing! (I’ll keep that a surprise) I have a graphic artist who is finalizing the fonts on the cover. And I offered the manuscript to two friends – just for a fun read, and they found errors and made wonderful suggestions. How lucky am I?
So what’s the deal with this putting off the final run-through? I’m using the excuse that I have to clean my office. I want a totally clutter-free environment to surround me during this final stage. But I HATE cleaning my office – so many files to deal with. So many papers to put away. So many decisions to make! I can re-edit an entire chapter in less time than it takes me to just think about cleaning this office.
Enough bitching. Time to clean. Ya think?
I do freelance editing in case you ever need an extra set of eyes. And don’t feel bad about procrastinating–three years is actually really quick compared to most first novels. Some people take 10-15 years to write a book! kisses, C
Thanks for writing Amanda – great to hear from you. Considering that you’re also a mom (to 4! children?) how do you find the time to even write a line???
It IS tough in the summer, so I get up early and stay up late — those dark circles under my eyes are NEVER going away…one child or eight, it’s a balancing act.
I am a HUGE procrastinator. Sometimes it gets me into trouble, but sometimes it gives me the shove I need to get it done, and done right…the first time. Best to you~