Editing is one of those processes that can be time-consuming, hair-pulling, enjoyable, go outside and put your head in a bucket of water or a mixture of all four. The editing of Absolution Creek (like the writing of it) has been stalled intermittantly once again by mother nature. With 130 pages to go this edit has been a little more difficult than my previous two novels. I knew it would be. I’d been living in the world of the Wangallon Gordons for nearly ten years by the time book 2 came out and Absolution Creek is a brand new story with new characters, although the bush setting is still pivotal. It’s a hard call to write a novel in one year at the best of times. Throw in an interweaving narrative, historical detail which requires research and the determination to write something that is a little different and it’s a ‘task’ not for the faint-hearted. Occassionally I envy those big name authors with their assistants and researchers, but only occassionally. I like the creative rush of a deadline. I live my stories as I write them and, as the researcher and writer, I love discovering different elements that combined with a solid plot make the narrative hopefully ‘zing’. A well-known writing friend told me last week that I hadn’t been on the treadmill long enough. That come book 7 or 8 I’d be wishing for some assistance or at least some inspiration to keep the old ‘pen’ sliding across the page. Well maybe I will. But I reckon I’ll be pretty chuffed if people are still reading my work in eight books time.
So what am I checking during the editing process of Absolution Creek? Character motivation, timeline and clarity of the two interweaving time periods. I also have some of the same characters appearing in both time periods so I need to ensure that readers can clearly differentiate between character ages.
Here’s a picture of the manuscript for The Bark Cutters. The editorial markups for both it and A Changing Land were done directly onto my laptop. With The Bark Cutters I ended up printing the work out anyway, as I decided to add to the first few chapters, hence the post-it notes you can see.
Once both author and editor are happy with the initial editing process the manuscript is typeset. The next picture shows typeset pages for A Changing Land. This is actually known in publishing lingo as ‘first pages’ or ‘author pages’. The author gets to double-check details and/or, the editor may decide more work is required on the manuscript. This process can go up to ‘second and third’ pages plus, with the typed pages of the ms going to and fro between the author and publisher. Towards the end of the process and invariably before the manuscript is ‘polished’ and ready for printing, a proof copy will be printed up and circulated to ‘readers’ ie; booksellers and reviewers.
It’s a little hard to read however the red band across the top of the proof copy of The Bark Cutters says; Uncorrected Bound Proof – Not For Sale.
It’s a lengthy process. The lead time between an author submitting a manuscript and the actual book shelf appearence of a new title averages in at about 7 months. Hmm, I better get back to editing…
{ 19 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks for this interesting post. I’m about a third of the way through my final line edits for Brumby’s Run. I’m definitely at the hair-pulling-out stage! Hope you get through Absolution Creek soon (Great name BTW. Very dramatic!
Hi Jen, it’s a bit of a thankless task editing, but necessary. I always take the view that you can never stop learning and I have a new editor this year which Im finding is shining a light on different areas for consideration. Im looking forward to reading Brumby’s Run when it’s released. The title suggests a pacy story which is great from a marketing perspective. Happy editing…
Hi Nicole,
Thanks for the insight into your editing. It was very inspirational. I am in the middle of a redraft at the moment and it can be very overwhelming. You have reignited my determination with your wonderful blog…thank you
Mandy x
Great post, Nicole!Editing…sometimes I love the process, especially when it all comes together. But when I first receive that 12 page structural edit, I do feel like falling into a shabby heap…and usually do.
By the time the copy edit comes back, I’m generally feeling much calmer…but what a process!
And you’re right, many readers don’t realise the editing publication process takes a good 7/8 months.
Can’t wait to read Absolution Creek. Congratulations. xxx
Many thanks for sharing this insight into a world I have long been mesmerized by! If I work hard enough I hope I too can get to that gritting teeth editing stage!
Hi Mandy, it can be such a painful process can’t it? I always keep my eye on the finished product (not that that always helps) and I remind myself that I’ve done it before so I’ll eventually get through this one as well. As a friend said yesterday, ‘keep slogging away at it’. Nx
Hey Lisa,
nothing like a deadline to get the editing done. Although Im pretty good at finding ‘distractions’; more coffee, should I do some laundry, wash the dishes! Looking forward to having you as a guest blogger soon. Nx
Hey Donna, thanks for dropping by. There are three keywords I’ve had on my white board for years; persistence, inspiration and imagination. If you want to be a writer, you will be. Go for it. Nx
Excellent post, Nicole. Timeline, oh god, does that cause me some dramas! It’s the one thing in editing that tends to send me into a mini-meltdown. Everything else I can generally cope with but when you discover a timeline issue it can throw the entire book out. Change one little thing at the start and away the dominoes (and tears of frustration) fall.
Really enjoying this series. I love hearing about other people’s process and thoughts on this strange writing biz. Always something to learn.
Great post, Nicole!
I am one of those rare birds who actually enjoys editing. I love getting the opportunity to play around with my characters some more, and to polish things up. I am, however, extremely anally retentive, so that probably explains it!
Having said all that, I have also felt stressed and exhausted and totally over it by the time the deadline comes around!
It’s good to remind readers, and aspiring writers, that it is a lengthy and intensive process – it’s not all over when you get that first nod from your publisher. But like you, I still love it, and I am 8 books along!
Hey Cathryn,
how’s melbourne life treating you? You’re right. Timelines can be such a drama! Editing does give you a not so gentle reminder however when it comes to inconsistencies. Very important when you’re about to start the next work. N
Hi Dianne. Well I don’t think you’re ‘a’ retentive! I always seem to be time poor with my on-farm commitments and Im sure I’d be alot more conducive towards editing if I wasn’t doing most of it at midnight. Great to hear the enthusiam for the cause is still there at Bk 8! N.
Hi Nicole
i’ve just discovered your blog via twitter and am enjoying reading your posts. I’m working on a revision of a rural lit novel (although I didn’t set out to write rural lit!). Like Diane, I love the tweaking and improvement process. The part I’m having difficulty with is writing additional scenes so long after the original version was created. I’m pushing through and hope to have the ms finished soon to sned off to a publisher.
Hi Pamela, thanks for dropping by. Yep the whole revision process can get tedious however it’ll be worth it in the end. Keep plugging away. You’ll get there. best wishes Nicole
Hello for Northern California.
I truly enjoyed reading about your editing process.
I loved your photos of your manuscripts too.
I do a lot of writing–for myself mostly.
I have a self-love e-book that I’m updating.
I’m also writing another version of a children’s fairy tale that
I wrote long ago before fairy tales were as popular as they are now.
It was great coming across your blog this evening.
I enjoyed reading the comments too.
Peace and blessings to you,
Esther
Oh those pesky typos! Of course I meant to say,
Hello from Northern California.
Hi Esther, thank you for your thoughts and contacting me. It’s always great to hear from like-minded people. Stay happy. Nicole
Hi Nicole, popped over for Dianne B’s FB page. I am on book #1 and into my very first edit EVER. Like Dianne I am loving it. (Maybe the novelty wears off after a while. I hope not. I can’t ever imagine NOT wanting to make the story even better with the help of a knowledgable editor and I am lucky to have a fabulous one to work with. So so far so good.
Hi Jenni-congrats on number 1. Wishing you many more. N