Sunday, May 21, 2006
Gotta Love Those Revisions
With Watchers in the Night, I got off easy. As I nervously awaited that revision letter, I conjured all kinds of images of huge changes, disagreements, etc. When I got the letter and read through it, I realized with each point my editor made, "Hey, I can do that. That's easy." And it was.
Not surprisingly, the same cannot be said for the revisions I have to make for Secrets in the Shadows, the sequel. As I read through that letter, I became more and more worried. My editor made some requests I didn't understand, and commented on things I didn't know how to fix. Naturally, my first instinct was to go into a panic. I nipped that one in the bud, and set about doing the easy revisions first. Then, I tackled the ones that I thought were kind of hard but that I understood.
After that, it was time to tackle the ones I just didn't get. I called my editor and had a nice long conversation with her, trying to understand where she was coming from. It was a productive conversation, and after I got off the phone, I felt much more confident that I could give her what she wanted.
What I hadn't counted on was a phenomenon I've heard of frequently from other writers, but that I've never experienced myself. I am now sick of reading my own book! I've never had this problem before, because whenever I was reading my own book, it was because I wanted to make changes, or because I hadn't read it in a long time and was curious if I'd still like it.
This time, I have to make changes at someone else's request, and I'm reading through the whole dang thing twice in the same week. (Three times, if you count the minor amount of reading I had to do when I was fixing the "easy stuff.")
In short, these revisions are kicking my ass! But I've at least gotten them done on paper. Now, all I have to do is type them all into the computer. I can't wait to get through it all. And not just 'cause I'm sick of reading the book--I've got to have the third book of the Guardians of the Night series done by August. And I don't even know what the plot's going to be yet! I have to get started, but I also have to force myself to keep my concentration on the revisions first.
Lest you think I'm complaining, I'm actually having a grand time of it. These are all great problems to have, and I'm thrilled that Tor has enough confidence in me to expect me to be able to deliver a full novel in three months. Good thing I write fast, no?
So far, it's looking like my publishing schedule will be:
Watchers in the Night, November 2006.
Secrets in the Shadows, May 2007.
Guardians book 3 (may be titled Shadows on the Soul, but not sure yet), September 2007.
Guardians book 4, May 2008.
It's going to be a challenge, but a great one, one I've dreamed of all my life. Now, it's time for me to stop procrastinating and get back to those revisions.
posted by Jenna Black @ 9:51 AM
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