Editing woes

Hey guys, welcome back! Yes, I slacked off here again. (Sorry) Some life stuff happened and sometimes that’s just how it goes. However, I’m still here and admittedly listening to holiday music as I write this…yes, I’m one of those. 😬

Anywhoo, I’ve been working hard on the book and tonight, I think I finally figured out how I’m going to not only get the word count down significantly, but also how to change the timeline a little. Right now, the story is supposed to take place in a month’s time. That may need to change, or better yet, I need to reel it in. Either way, I’m going to have to work it like a puzzle. Breaking up the entire manuscript and piecing it together bit by bit.

Quick segue here…a little known fact by those who know me now, I used to be a theater person. I majored in it in college and also worked in a professional theater for a few years. This was many years ago, but I still have a great love of shows, both musicals and straight plays. (Hamilton has taken over my brain and is on repeat now on the Disney+ app.) I tell you this because a song that can invade my brain is one from an old show called Sunday in the Park with George. The song Putting it Together has come to the surface as I work on this book. Why? Check out these lyrics:

Bit by bit putting it together,

piece by piece, only way to make a work of art

every moment makes a contribution

every little detail plays a part

having the vision’s no solution

everything depends on execution

putting it together

that’s what counts.

Seriously? Why that is not the anthem of every creative person in the world is a mystery. So as I move around chapters, rewrite character monologues and create new scenarios for a book that technically is already written, yes, this song has been taking up residence in my brain and making me a little crazier than usual. Still, all hail Stephen Sondheim for writing it.

I had no idea when writing this book that I’d be doing this at all. Taking chapters and moving them around. Taking full paragraphs and adding them to another ‘day’ in the life of these characters. Losing it a little here and there as I cut full pages and cursing myself for having written so much in the first place. I am now understanding the writer trope of being a full on alcoholic. It’s both satisfying and infuriating watching what I created be changed in such ways. And this is even before a true editor gets a hold of it!

What makes it even more brutal is that one of my favorite activities in life is taking long walks. I was always a walker and used to walk 15-20 miles a week, sometimes more, before I got sick 9 years ago. Especially now that I’ve had another setback, this is not in the cards for me, so walking off the frustrations isn’t a possibility. It doubly sucks because I used to get great ideas and have revelations during these nighttime walks. I’d suddenly figure out a plot point or backstory or a line that I’ve been struggling with, rush home and get it down before I could lose the idea. Now it happens while I sleep, or rather try to sleep…sometimes I get lucky and it happens while I’m washing dishes or showering. At least I’m awake and aware during those times.

Am I rambling again? You betcha! I’m struggling like crazy to make an internal deadline and as I cannot scream out loud, I shall rant about it here. So here’s the deal, as I cannot give you all a group hug for following along with my insanity, I ask that those of you who are reading this, treat yourself to something fun. Get yourself some of your favorite ice cream, get that book you’ve been keeping in your save for later, take that trip, buy yourself a present before the gift giving season hits hard. Do something just for YOU.

We are all working towards some kind of goal. No matter what it is, we need to remember to take a break, clear the mind and enjoy life for a little bit. My own personal escape is reading and I make time every night to knock out a few chapters. Now it’s your turn. One of these days, I hope to have a more entertaining and funny post than I have been giving you lately. In the meantime, I want to make sure that you guys take time for yourselves and get some enjoyment out of this thing called life. The stress will always be there (sorry) and if we don’t take the time to enjoy ourselves, what’s it all for?

And that is where I’m leaving you for today. As always, I thank you SO much for being here and here’s to treating ourselves!

Until next time…cheers!!!

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If you’ve made it this far, thank you so much and I’ll see you soon! 🥰

Hey guys, welcome back and welcome to November! I am still in shock that it is already nearing the end of the year as in my mind, it’s still September. However, I love this time of the year and have been slowly transitioning from the Fall/Halloween decorations to the holiday stuff. Some may say it’s too early and I really do not care. If it makes you happy, you do it. And seeing our place decked out in thousands of lights always makes me happy.

Anywhoo, let’s get on with it shall we?

First off, hope everyone had a lot of fun and had some trick or treaters over Halloween. We had none, yet we bought enough candy for the entire city. (We like to be prepared.) I am one for traditions and do the same things every year. The only one I really flaked on though was my annual screening of the original Halloween. I like to make a game (used to be a drinking game but, meds) out of how many times PJ Soles says ‘totally.’ Trust me, it’s a lot and you can get one hell of a buzz off doing it. This year, I wasn’t feeling the movie though. I watched the first twenty minutes and went back to Big Bang reruns. Halloween was always huge with me. Loved dressing up, going to parties, going to our favorite bars and man, did my group of friends know how to do it up right! Miss those days, but that’s ok. I still celebrate in my own way and it is all a part of the best time of the year: Sept. 1st- Dec. 31st. Now, I’m looking forward to this month, thanksgiving, my birthday and letting the holiday season seep into my very soul…it’s what makes me, me.

So enough of that stuff, what about the book? Well, I’m stuck. Like super stuck. I’m in yet another read through, proud to say I’ve now hit the 10,000 word mark of words cut and still have hundreds of thousands left to go. I’m noticing something different this time around though and if you’ll indulge me a little, I need to get it out here and see if the thought still holds true…

I’m thinking a big rewrite may be in order. There, I said it.

The more I’m re-reading this manuscript, the more I’m finding an underlying storyline that I didn’t see before. Again, I’d very much like this to be a series and this is of course, the origin story. But I’ve been noticing that there are things I wrote that have been swept under the rug and could be crucial character traits for later on.

I’m also finding it impossible to figure out where the major cuts have to come from. I’ve said several times that to me, the way it is written now is exactly how I want it to read. But it is so long. Like, so, so long. I’ve been trying to also figure out if I can just cut what I have into several books. I mean, the word count is certainly there for a multiple book series as it is now. However, if I cut it up that way, it won’t make sense. Ok, so next is mixing and matching chapters to reel it in better, but then the flow is lost. If I do a rewrite, I will be able to keep some of what’s there now, introduce more from the side characters and create more depth to the story earlier than what is presented in the draft I already have done.

Another thing I keep going back and forth on is the heavier storyline. This book is half romcom-half serious story with a message. If I keep the romcom aspects with the rewrite, yes, it would be an entire romantic comedy book. I could make the serious storyline a whole separate book but then there goes the FMC’s backstory. I’d also like to be able to use this platform as a way to get the more serious story out there. To prove that survival can happen. That you can in fact, not only move on from a dark past but also start a whole new life on your own terms. Up until this latest read through, I thought I did a damned good job of getting that message out there. Again, it is just a very LONG message. And just how bad do I want the heavier past to be?

If you understood any of that? Way to go! Imagine this going round and round in my head 24/7 even while I’m sleeping. This is life now. Well, this and reading…and watching Hamilton on repeat.

My goal was to have the first draft done by Christmas. I was hoping upon hope that with the new year, I’d have something to submit. Now here it is, November and I may have to rewrite this whole thing. Can I still meet the goal? I guess we’ll have to see! This my friends is what keeps me going. The utter insanity of trying to get a book done by the end of the year, while sick, while trying to get through my TBR list of books and while on meds that some nights? Have me reading the same paragraphs over and over again. I say, place your bets now to see if I can do this. (Hint: I’m damned determined to do this!)

And that is where I am leaving you for today. A crazed ramble of thoughts, more than I usually do, as my brain turns to mush while I read the same story on a loop. I think this time though? I’ve hit the nail on the head of what needs to be done. To pull from what is already written and turn it into the book that I KNOW is inside of me. To do the rewrite and make it something so much better than what I already have done.

And if you’ve been following along with this? Please know, that I think you are awesome and I thank you for being there. Having a platform to work out my issues has been more than therapeutic. It has kept me focused and more than driven than ever to get this done.

Until next time, I wish you all a happy new month and may there be lots of awesome opportunities coming to you over these next weeks! Cheers guys!!

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Want to start your holiday shopping? Hit my links around the site! I have lots of shops, many with designs my me on thousands of items that would make great gifts, home decor and ways to treat yourself. You can also hit this: linktr.ee/stuffwemade to find shop links.

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I have lots of fall and holiday themed books listed in my on the bookshelf pages here on the site! Be sure to see the menu bar for my other pages and get yourself some seasonal reads!

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If you’ve made it this far, I can’t thank you enough. Just, thank you. See you soon! 🍁