The next editing process

I have slowed to a complete stop on the 3rd and 4th draft edit of the Afterlife book, so in order to get out of this rut, I decided to type the changes into the manuscript. What I thought was going to be hideously boring, really isn't all that bad. Granted, it's not nearly as fun as the creative process, but I am still able to get sucked into that world really well. I am impatient to get this thing done because the deadline is closing in.

But then again, what deadline? The conference? I don't know why I am pushing so hard for it. If the agent asks to see anything, it will be a partial - the first three chapters, and the chance of them asking for anything more is pretty slim. Not that I don't have faith in my writing (a lot of writers think their work is utter crap) just that most agents don't end up picking up clients from conferences. And second, I don't have faith in my writing (some times I do). So what am I rushing for? Chances are good that I have all the time in the world with this manuscript. But no matter what the odds say, I still have hope that I will get requests for fulls.

So within me is this conflict on the story. Either rush really fast and hustle to get it done in the off chance that an agent asks for a full during or just after the conference, or say screw it and go with the odds, take it easy and relax. It'll get done when it gets done. Hard call. Any opinions?

Beta Reader 2

Well, I learned yesterday that Beta Reader the Second (Lovingly called The Mama) has finished my book, and is eagerly awaiting my current edits so she can re-edit. I really respect her abilities as a beta reader. She isn't blood related, she is extremely well read, and has an affinity for catching the things that make bad writing well, bad.

Let me put it this way - no author writes stunning shining prose on the first draft. Maybe on the second draft, but never the first. My Beta Readers are there to tell me if the story is going no where, if it's not publishable, and how my writing is. Then we get into the nitty gritty - sentence by sentence, taking it apart and putting it back together again. That is how we remove anything unwanted from the prose and turn coal into a diamond :)

So I will need to speak with The Mama about truly what she thought of it, and her opinion on its level of success. Maybe sometime this weekend I can post about that.

Still editing

I am still editing the book - marching my way ever forward. Our hope (our as in my beta reader and I) is to have it completely done, revised and printed up by the time the Florida Writer's Conference begins. I just bought my ticket today to show off Afterlife book one. I have 3 interview sessions purchased - two with agents and one with an editor from Random House. The odds of anything coming from this meeting in person are slim, however, the odds of me gaining knowledge, friends, and who knows what else are very high.

So, if any of my few but faithful readers are going to be in Orlando , FL for the 2006 conference, shoot me an email! I look forward to meeting you!