I'm back at it. Well I have to be if I'm going to keep to my schedule. I want to finish my revision by the fifteenth. I've already set it up with the person who'd editing for me. She'll do a read of the whole thing without touching it - just as a reader this time - and then we'll sit and talk. For the last two weeks of January I'll get my package together. Only one huge awful problem with that. My computer died. Oh, I know, I haven't mentioned that here - or at least I don't think I did. It died a couple of days ago. I had my latest revision backed up on my external hard-drive but not all my package bits and pieces - not my brilliant synopsis which just about killed me to write and that I finally got.
Sweet Patootie says my hard-drive is OK but something is wrong with something. He's been fiddling with the whole thing for the last few days. The latest thing is just to take the thing to someone who can salvage all my files - including all my mail and photos etc... I have some of them but not all of them. And I'm on an old outlook express. One thing I am going to do for sure is to switch to gmail. This just sucks so big I can't deal. I've been meaning to do it for ages but I knew I'd have to get a hold of everyone and well...I'm lazy. There. I said it.
So...today I fine-tuned ten of 51 chapters. Even ones I thought had been fine-tuned to death. The thing is that we get so acclimatized to our own schlock. Not now. I want anything that sticks out even the tiniest bit as boring or awkward or not quite the right voice to be gone. I'd happily lose 7 thousand words.
And I'm trying to do this in the most detached way possible. Not freaking out that it is all garbage or pretty brilliant but like it has nothing to do with me. Like I'm a plumber or something. A steely-eyed technician - like the one that's going to recover all my files. Yes.
How is your new year going?
6 comments:
Sorry about your computer. Unless the hard drive is corrupt, you should be able to retrieve all of your files. So don't despair!
Oh gosh. How can we so depend on something that can let us down so definitely? I will cross my fingers that your computer woes are solved. Yet that steely-eyed objectivity is a good thing all the way! You go for it girl. 2012 WILL be good.
Ouch. I've had similar computer woes. Technology is so awesome until something breaks.
I think I'm a little better than most about being an objective editor, but it's so hard, isn't it? We know why every words and scene is there and we remember what we were thinking when we were writing it. Time and distance is the best help I've found.
I had some virus issues on my computer last month but I seem to be past it now. For a while anyway.
I've been working on some serious fine tuning edits of late too. I can't say I'd happily lost 7000 words but if they have to go, they'll go.
My year is going great so far. Writing up a storm. However, for me, editing is much harder. I hope you have success with your edits.
Ouch! Ironic that it's collapsing just before your deadline. However, I love hearing that you've tackled ten chapters in one day. Does that feel so good, saying that? Hitching up your belt and saying, "I've fine-tuned ten chapters," as if you wake up and battle dragons and whole cities and manuscripts before breakfast every day? I'm proud to know you. Good work, Jan!
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