Final Edit Update and My Particular Process

I am seeing the light of day as far as the Final Edit of my e-book, "Good Ole Boys."  BTW:  A novel, before publication, before release, shows up in quotes as I have done in the previous sentence.  After being published, it is shown in italics, like so:  Good Ole Boys (CMS 17.213).  I should have my debut novel uploaded tomorrow, if things go as planned. 

But life tends to throw us curve balls as most of us can attest.  I had a day job until the end of October, so as expected, that second workplace ate up hours and left little of them for my own writing, after I spent the requisite hours on my freelance projects.  Having shucked that day-job obstacle, I willingly took on NaNoWriMo--what a thrilling ride!  During NaNo, I finished my prequel to my debut novel coming out tomorrow.  So the prequel will be my next book to go through a Final Edit.

As for the Final Edit process, you can drive yourself nuts with it.  I had to let go of my serious nature a little and just relax.  My particular version of a Final Edit consists of three parts:  part Margie Lawson's trademarked Deep EDITS system (dealing more with the language, the art, of storytelling), part Carol Hughes's DEEP Story construct (dealing more with the plot and the structure) and then part general overview of DOs and DON'Ts.  Making sure your characters are 3-D and come alive in print.  Also, watching for red flags, putting out fires, like scenes that don't work or feel too contrived, anything (actions, words) that depart from the theme of your book. 

It's a big undertaking. 

But, hey, once we do that, we can truly be proud of ourselves.  Plus, surely it gets somewhat easier each time, right?

Have a good week, y'all!

And My Thanks Goes Out to . . .

First, to Margie Lawson for her Class Notes version of The (Deep) EDITS System©.

I’m an author who happens to freelance as a copy editor for one major NYC publishing house.  So I deal with spelling, sentence structure, adverb placement, noun-verb agreement and other basic grammar rules plus some not-so-basic as set forth in the Chicago Manual of Style.  Webster’s and I have become great friends as well.

So what I do and what Margie Lawson does are TOTALLY different.  Think of her like the Big Editor at the Big Publishing House you are trying to impress with your writing.  Now multiply that by twenty-five.  To the nth power.  I know.  It’s the how-do-I-eat-the-world’s-toughest-mammoth problem.  One bite at a time.  Trust me.  After you finish reading her over three-hundred pages of notes from this one class, your pulse rate should return to normal.

You can find her Class Notes on her website at www.MargieLawson.com.  I purchased the first one for $22 and even before I finished her Deep EDITS class, I bought the notes to two other classes.  She’s amazing.  I recommend every author take her classes or buy her notes.  Your work product will soar afterward.

While I’m sending out my thanks and kudos to her, I may as well mention a few other people I have never met who have helped hone my writing career.

David Farland.  Go to www.davidfarland.net/ and sign up for his Daily Kick in the Pants newsletter.  (Check out his author community while you are there.)  Although with his time constraints and writing schedule amped up even more, his Daily Kick is more of a weekly publication at the moment.  Still he gives wonderful detailed advice to authors.  I’ve been following him for years and feel like I’ve been taking a free writing class from him.  Which I have.

Randy Ingermanson at www.advancedfictionwriting.com/ezine/.  Sign up for his monthly newsletter.  You will not be deluged with email from him.  He has great content (and humor) in his e-zine and I’m a fan of his Snowflake software, too.  Check out his website and his blog and other features.  He has this hilarious recurring short-short series about his plumber Bob, if memory serves.  Find it.  Read it.  Laugh out loud.  Several times. 

I have also been blessed to take online courses from Laurie Schnebly-Campbell (see her Enneagrams book at www.amazon.com/Believable-Characters-Creating-Enneagrams-ebook/dp/B0040GJHU4 for Kindle and www.amazon.com/Believable-Characters-Enneagrams-Laurie-Schnebly/dp/0930831039 for print).  Plus Carol Hughes’s DEEP Story class is marvelous.

Authors are a fantastic group of folks—giving of their time and advice.  Mentoring newbies.  Uplifting.  Encouraging.  Exhorting.  These wordsmiths personify core values that enhance our lives and our careers.   I am proud to be among them.