Playing Editor

I’ve just finished editing the stories and poems that are going to appear in the anthology my writing group are going to produce, to show what they’ve been doing in the year the group’s been going. And I am very happy. There are some really great stories in there, and thankfully, very few typos I’ve had to correct! So well done to any members who might be reading!

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I’m having a week off the novel, now the second draft’s out of the way. So I’ve been able to edit the above work and write a short story. It’s a horror story. I wrote it following a conversation I had with James Bennett, in which I discovered I’d not written any horror in a couple of years. I’m happy with it as well, which is good.

Getting Fat!

The relaxed, laid back read through and note making (re my novel) couldn’t be further from memory. This has turned into a definite edit. I suppose I was intending to be lazy and type up corrections and address any serious plot issues after another read through.

The thing is, it doesn’t work like that. Something either works or it doesn’t. And there was something in this, a subplot, which just didn’t work. So I cut it. I changed the story (actually it means I’m contiually altering it because it effects a big strand of the story and I’ve not finished going through it yet) and I know, even where I am now (just over half way trhough) that the story’s benefited.

And that’s the point. It either works or it doesn’t. And if it doesn’t, then it has to be fixed. Don’t ever think that something could work, or that you might be able to get away with this, that or the other. Do it properly. Even if it might mean a lot more work.

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I’ve noticed as well (because in the version of WORD I have there is a constant word count at the bottom of the screen) that with all this changing the story’s putting on weight. I’m just over half way and it’s already gained almost another five thousand words. Well maybe it’s not so much getting fat. More filling out. The telling is growing into the story.

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Huge thanks to Suzka for sending me a copy of her fab album. I listened to it last night and enjoyed it very much. Nice and relaxing, but interesting enough not to be boring. If that makes sense. As I say – I liked it.

To Writing!
Above is the picture of my faithful pens. The red one, which I’ve used for editing over this past year and the lovely one my girlfriend gave me a couple of Christmases ago, which I use for everything else. And a highlighter – which is also useful when editing.
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After a lovely weekend, in which much walking was done, I’ve been getting stuck in to typing up the notes I made on the first draft of my current novel. And, so far, all seems to be going well.
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I was thrilled to receive from Harry Owen, a signed copy of The Music of Ourselves – a collection of his poetry. You can check out his website here. Thanks Harry!
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I wanted to add as well that over the course of the weekend I saw a fair amount of wild animals – the sort you don’t see every day. I saw three birds of prey, a ferret and a badger. Which leads me on nicely to suggesting that those of you who like wildlife have a look at Kate’s, About a Brook blog, which I’ve been enjoying for a good while now.

Make it Better

Well I’ve just finished the casual read-through/note making of the first draft of the novel I’ve been working on. And I’m quite happy with it. There’s a lot of work I’ll need to do before it’ll be ready to send out, but at least now I know where that work is required. I’m happiest that it makes sense. The plot, I think, works. The characterisation is good. There are even bits I laughed at (in a good way). And I was keen to read on. All good things. The best bit is there’s nothing huge that needs changing. A couple of scenes need reworking, a couple adding, but that’s what I’d expected.

So, for now at least, I’m contented. I know how I can make it better. Next step: make it better. That’s the hard part.

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It occured to me, at some point this week, that I’ve been using the same red editing pen for just under a year. I don’t know why, but that makes me happy for some reason.

Great Shakes!

I had a pleasant and, for a change, relaxing weekend, which as my aching legs would tell you if they could talk, involved a fair amount of walking. On Friday I went, with my girlfriend, to see Great Shakes’ production of Twelfth Night which was fab. Great Shakes, by the way, is run by a trio (including our good friend, Molly) who, in a week, manage to put on a Shakespeare play, from scratch. With children. The ages of the cast in this one were, she told me, from eight to sixteen. They were brilliant. Well done to them, and of course, well done to Molly, Fiona and Paul.

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I’ve been listening to a fair amount of Suzka lately. Especially the Batcopter song. Check her out.

A Happy Coincidence

I was planning to talk to the writing group I run about the importance of researching the publications they hope to be published in. I noticed that Kay had blogged about the exact same thing yesterday. This made me happy because it backed up what I had told them and gave me an excuse to tell everyone to have a look at it.

Reading Kay’s blog was good for another reason. It remined me of the fantastic literary magazine Cadenza which I’d not read in far too long. A quick email to the editor and I’d sorted out my sample copy. Thanks Zoe.

It really is a very good magazine. I suggest you take a look.

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As an aside, the group was photographed last night for a local publication. I have requested a copy of said picture. If it’s any good, and if I have no objections from the members, I’ll post it here.