That title is kind of how things turn out in this business. No matter how many manuscripts you finish, there's always something else to do. In past years I'd take a bit of a break between the prep week for Thanksgiving and New Year's Day, but I'm busy enough now that I really can't afford to do that. I'm working on more writing projects now than I've done in the past several years.
I had intended on writing an update last weekend, but over the past couple weeks I've gotten back two book galley proofs that had to be gone over. If you don't know what a galley is, that's the final stage before a book gets published, where it's laid out as it will appear in print. My job as author is to read through it and either make or authorize corrections that have been made by an editor. This is a courtesy to authors so that something doesn't get changed that shouldn't be altered, or so we can pick up on any mistakes (yes even editors make mistakes).
The first galley I got back about mid-month was a pleasant surprise—one of the outstanding Companion Dragons Tales books from Pro Se, LAZLO AT HOME. I'll have more about what's in there on the CDT's blog, but it's basically a collection of adventure short stories featuring everyone's favorite little blue dragon adjusting to life with his witch companion in the magickal place where they live. My job was simply to read through the galley and make notes of what I might want changed. That got turned back in fairly quickly, these are half-size books (novellas at around 30,000 words) to keep them affordable and an accessible read for kids, though plenty of adults seem to enjoy them as well. They are a labor of love too.
This past weekend, I received an editing draft of my western for Wolfpack Publishing. I was asked to do a couple of things besides proofread the editing notes. There were far too many instances of the word 'so' in the manuscript that needed to be dealt with. Also the ending I had was rushed and not satisfactory because it didn't really resolve the main issue of the plot. Oops! This is what happens when you're hurrying to meet a deadline as well as concerned about word count. I was trying to make a good impression on a new publisher and do things in a timely manner, and I shot myself in the foot instead. So this one was on me. There were some positive comments as well, it wasn't all dismal. So I set aside all the other stuff I was working on and got right down to business on that galley, which took several days to go through. Most of the editing changes were fine, I only found one I disagreed with and that was a very minor issue. I got rid of a ton of instances of the word 'so' and had a good laugh at myself for how often that appeared in there. Again, minor rewriting was involved. Then... I had to write a new ending, one that sewed up (no pun intended) the plot holes I'd left. That took a few days. Fortunately I was able to add most of it to the original ending, by shuffling a few things around. It added some serious word count, but I was told to just get the story completed. I'm satisfied that I did, and hope the publisher feels the same way.
That is a part of writing too, where things aren't always as cut & dried as you think they are and you need to set aside your ego and dig back in. I hold no grudge against someone asking for a rewrite. I've done my share of editing over the years as well, rework comes with the business. Being published is a privilege that not every writer gets. Getting a book from concept to finished form is a major task for all involved, so we have to work as a team. I know how to write, but the folks on the publishing end know their market and how they as publishers need to present their offerings to potential readers. I try and handle myself as professionally as possible no matter who I am working with. This is a career for me, not just some hobby I indulge myself in. I'm doing all I can to satisfy those who read my stuff and those who put out the books and stories that I write. But I will say, I sure was glad to get that one back to them so I could continue with other writing projects I have going.
Since the last time I posted here, I have turned in both the Monster Earth short story as well as the 7th Jezebel Johnston novel, subtitled MASTIFF. Those were two important projects I was pushing out over the last few weeks. Monster Earth had a firm deadline, but I also wanted to get that pirate novel in before November for a change. There's a lot of research with the latter because it's historical fiction, and so the average JJ adventure takes about 9 months to write. Monster Earth stories are being collected before being read because there could be continuity issues that must be dealt with. This book concept involves an ongoing scenario over a short period of time and stories are being written by multiple authors. Contradictions can happen, so there could be some rewriting ahead. Plus people write at different paces. So no feedback yet. I have heard from Airship 27 head honcho Ron Fortier that he is enjoying my latest pirate yarn, so I think we're good there. Now I have turned my attention back to other writing projects that have been waiting in the wings.
I went over the second Chandra Smoake paranormal investigator tale. Other than some minor tweaks, as far as I am concerned, that's complete and ready to go out once Occult Detective Magazine is looking for more submissions. It's saved and in a file, waiting. Right now I am toggling back and forth between that Vagabond Bards novel I started last year after my mother passed, and the 3rd Sinbad adventure I am writing for AS 27, which I began a year ago in mid-September. Yeah, things do get shuffled aside when they don't have a real deadline. But recently I've been making good progress on both. I'd like to have them finished by the end of this year if possible. I'm not sure what I'm doing with the Vagabond Bards novel because Pro Se still hasn't released the last one I wrote, and this one is rather large for their usual fare and still growing. I'll worry about that when I get it finished, I'm working on the big climatic scenario now. Sinbad will at least be a novella and it's possible it could become a novel. I'll see how that pans out as I go along. Providing nothing else pressing comes up, I should be able to knock these two out. I tend to toggle 2-3 days on one before switching to the other. That keeps me fresh, and I don't forget the storyline arc in that short a time.
You know, the turn of the year is not that far off. I'm already thinking about the next pirate novel, a third Silver Pentacle book, and whatever else I might get invited into. Some of my older series in the Terran World fantasy realm have been begging for sequels as well. No, I don't get tired of thinking about stories I want to write, I get frustrated that I can't get them written any quicker than I have. I'm far from the world's fastest writer and there are those who can turn out far more work in a year than I do. But I try and write good stories that I'd love to read, and so far I haven't lost my joy in the craft. Between my ongoing battle with mobility issues and this viral pandemic which is just not going away anytime soon, some days can be hard to handle. Yesterday we had our first snow of the season, reminding me that the days of slippery walking and biting cold are just around the corner. All that stuff can get to you. Writing gives me a reason to get up in the morning and something creative to look forward to that I can accomplish sitting down, without leaving home. Through my daily online contacts with peers in the business and the occasional fan, I don't feel like I'm sequestered in some remote location with no one to talk to. And my poor family doesn't have to listen to me natter on about things that frankly, they just don't understand. This is more than an art or a business, it's a lifestyle for us who dream of strange things and make them appear in words on a page. I love being able to share my passion for the written word with others, because reading was my escape for most of my childhood, which was often a very lonely time. Back then I read books that took me out of my world to times and places I'd never dreamed of. I'm still very much a reader today. But now I can create those tales so others can read them too. What a magical thing that is!
The magical quality of books to transport you elsewhere is good way to end this on Halloween. May that magic always be there to take you to places you never dreamed of...
~NANCY
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