Different Hats

To quote Yosemite Sam: "Sassen Frassen Rassen!"

I've just finished editing Demonesque and tried to delete 16k of words. I managed 6k.

I fear I'm going to snatch myself bald in frustration, but 129,954 words is still too long. While I'd like to go back to unilaterally hack and slash, that would not be conducive to a well-written story.

I'm going to let it sit - again - and concentrate on writing another. (That sound you hear is me gnashing my teeth, by the way.) I really wanted this to be ready to send out.

It's taking too long so I'll have to go with plan B. That is, drag out the post-writing plot and see where I can carve off 6-7k or more; break it all down into bite-sized pieces, aka, scenes, and see what can be dumped. I have an idea, but I don' wanna!

Okay, whine over.

One thing you have to be is profession in this business and the business is writing. Yes, the hard yards come when editing, but a professional focus must be kept. And if I'm foolish enough to smirk and be smug at how many words I can write for a book, then I deserve the hard time that follows for overstepping the mark. Mea Culpa in other words.

To that end, I need to forget about reading as a reader, and read as an editor. I need to focus, oh, and read and inwardly digest, Holly Lisle's article: Your Book Is Not Your Baby. That should shame me into not being such a sookie-la-la and get on with it!