FIRST ROUND OF EDITS - AND ANOTHER CONTRACT

I've been through this before with my previous publisher, but I learned from the experience what I shouldn't do. Or should I say, what didn't work for me. In nut shell, what made me want to pull my hair out.

So, what am I doing this time. Well first, I woke this morning to a nice e-mail from my editor with my manuscript and directions on how to do edits and what is expected of me. Interesting thing about editors and edits, you can make the changes, or not. I mean, if there is something I really disagree on, I'm supposed to just tell her my reasoning and we will go from there. So. I took a deep breath and opened the file. But before I started looking at her comments and suggested changes, I took out a pad of paper and a pen. Last time I did this, I just dived in dealing with the first comment, the first changes in grammar, spelling and usage of words and by the time I got to the second page, my ears were oozing blood.

First rule of edits done the Jenni Holbrook way - DO NOT JUST EDIT. I think it's important that you go through all the comments over the entire book and see what you think. Make notes on a separate piece of paper, or in track changes in your document, or in my case both.

So, today, I just read my editors comments. She had some interesting ones that at first glance I thought, Nope, not going to change that. But after further examination and looking at everything she said as a whole and not individual comments, I was able to get a clearer picture of what really need to be done. CHANGES NEED TO BE MADE. But they can't be made rashly, or in the heat of the moment. They need to be pondered and considered.

Kind of like most things in life. Don't act in haste or you will waste. Not sure where I heard that, but I like it.

So, I still haven't made any changes yet. I'm going to start on them tomorrow. I made a list of where I want to start and set a goal. Goals are good.

So, about ten minutes ago, I received an e-mail from my editor again. This time telling me she had finished reading DARK WATER and wanted to contract it! Yeah. More edits. Oh joy...

No. Not going to complain. I have edits. Next thing you know... book tour. Right. It's good to dream. Dreams are good. The generate good writing material. : )