I discovered while I was going through the 566 pages of my monster manuscript that I caught more boo-boos if I read it out loud. I didn’t catch on to this until–oh, chapter 4 or so, so I didn’t read all 566 pages aloud. I probably read 500. My voice got a little rusty. But I got through it, and only found about 40 corrections total. Not bad.
I remembered some things I put in the first book that will have an impact on the second and had to make notes so I can go back and add them in. They did take out the things that had to come out in order to keep the bad guys from being exposed before the proper time. And they left in the things that could have come out, but I really wanted to leave in because I think they made the book better. So I’m happy. And the copy edits took it about 20 pages shorter–about 5000 words shorter–than it was when I turned it in. Which takes it down to about 143,000 words. That doesn’t sound nearly so bad. (Yeah, I’m obsessing. So what?)
I took time off for my quilt class Saturday. We were learning a pattern called Hatchet–and I learned that I am a very sloppy quilter. If it gets sorta close, that’s good enough for me. No wonder they come out all womperjawed and funny-looking. Though the quilting can hide a multitude of sins. These other ladies were measuring and ripping out and worrying about getting exactly one-quarter inch seams, and I was just zipping right along–and coming out with funny looking stuff. I only obsess about the writing, I guess.
My motto: I won’t get perfection this side of glory, so pretty damn good is good enough.
Works for pretty much everything.
Did get one page of new stuff on the new book written today. Have to do more tomorrow.