BOOK UPDATE:
I'm about to ship off Draft #6 to my editor (freelance, the novel hasn't gone on submission yet). One year ago, almost to the day, Draft #1 came kicking and screaming into the world. If it had a birth announcement, it would've gone something like this:
I'm about to ship off Draft #6 to my editor (freelance, the novel hasn't gone on submission yet). One year ago, almost to the day, Draft #1 came kicking and screaming into the world. If it had a birth announcement, it would've gone something like this:
PLEASE GIVE A WARM WELCOME TO THE NEWEST MEMBER OF MY FAMILY!
Name: Can't tell you yet. (Agent will kill me.)
Date: November 17, 2009
Sex: Both
Weight: 1.2 lbs
Height: 11 inches
Width: 8.5 inches
The new baby is WONDERFUL, although it has already caused many sleepless nights and serious self-doubting on Mommy's part. This next year will, no doubt, be filled with numerous bouts of mind-numbing growing pains, causing Mommy to drink wine and eat lots of chocolate chip cookies. (More than usual. Often at the same time.)
In lieu of baby presents, please send chocolate and Cabernet! Or money. Money's good.
Since baby was born, I've written five more complete drafts. That means, reading every word on every page over and over ad nauseum, changing POV, editing, revising, adding, subtracting, and all that goes into subsequent drafts. During this latest draft, I cut out over ten pages, and added thirty more. Raising this baby for the past year has been filled with "first steps" and lots of crying (me, not the baby). BUT no matter how much work it has been, it has always been a "labor" of love.
I'm about to take a breath again as I hand over my pages to my ingenious editor. I'm hoping sometime before my 100th birthday, AA will say, "This effing rocks! Let's take this BABY on submission!" (Of course, by then it'll technically be a toddler, but it would be weird to say, "Let's take this TODDLER on submission!") Alas, I regress. My point is, until AA and I feel this baby's ready to crawl into the world (and set it on fire!), I'll keep working until it's the very best it can be.
Where are you in your writing? What is the most number of drafts you've ever completed on a novel?**
**No, this is not a competition and you won't be receiving any of my prized chocolate. I'm just darn curious.
And, to those of you participating
in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month - Goal of writing 50,000 words between Nov. 1 and Nov. 30), I have only two things to say:1) Good luck!
and...
2) Better you than me. ;-))
25 comments:
I've never done six drafts! That might make me a little woozie. Or maybe a lot woozie. Congrats on the sixth. Hope this is THE one for ya!
Well, happy birthday to your baby is in order. Mine isn't even born yet and it's already a handful. I'm pretty sure this is the length of an elephant pregnancy, but, hey, maybe it will come out looking as pretty as baby Dumbo.
I hope sixth time is a charm for you! I've been doing revisions while writing (hyper, I know) and I just know I have so many of them ahead of me once I finally push this baby out into the world (I might need a C-section). So good luck with your new version! Hope to see your baby in Amazon soon (I just got the image of a baby swimming across the river, and that is probably not the best metaphor).
Oh, and about NaNoWriMo, you couldn't have said better. I feel the exact same way.
Katie, Woozie is a good way to describe it!! I hope it's "the one," too.
Gabriela, Your comment cracked me up. A C-Section would be much easier. Let someone else "catch" the newborn!
Good for you for sticking it out with this piece. That's true love.
Caroline, Thanks! You're right - it is true love. ;-)
That's the trouble with "babies" -- once they're born, you have to keep changing them. ;)
Linda, Hah! I've always hated that part... ;-)
I've done about 5 on current WIP. That's the most for me.
Good luck on this one. I always feel that I'm successful, too, if writers I've met online are. Strange, I know, but true. So I raise my glass to you!
CONGRAAAATS!!! ^___^ High five!!
Yes, I am definitely doing Nano this year. I need to prove to myself I am who I think I am - a writer - and this is a good way to get going. :D
I love Nano ;) Of course, I haven't had a chance to write today. That'll be later tonight. I think.
Congrats on the 6th draft! Phyxe's story has had about that many, but without the wonderful influence of an agent, just my own learning and growing.
Enjoy the wine and the chocolate!!!
Congrats on the latest revision!
Jill, Five is a lot. Good for you for sticking with it. ;-)
Ruthanne, Best of luck w/Nano. I'm impressed by anyone who takes that on. High five right back atcha!
Stacia, Good for you for doing Nano. You are one of the most disciplined people I know and are a huge inspiration to me. *thank you*
Daisy, Guess what I'm buying today? ;-)))
That's something I call meticulous. Six drafts and the ssociated pain. Winderful and congrats! Debra.
nsiyer, As always, you're way too kind. And, as always, I thank you!
You are way too cute for words my friend...boy I must say labour looks like a piece of cake compared to this!
I was just thinking about you the other day and wondering how you are..and bingo bango...there is your sweet face up on my comments..xoxoxo Hugs.
I have high hopes for you on this draft. Fingers and toes crossed. I would cross the eyes, too, but I think I would probably fall down a lot and that would hurt.
Another clever post, Mrs. Schubert. And good for you for persevering -- it sounds like things are going the right way in your writing life.
Keep working hard, lady. I get the feeling you're almost there.
I've gone through four drafts of my current non-fiction that's being submitted. Two of those drafts were mostly tweaking and adding more stories when one publisher asked to see more. Right now, I'm waiting to hear back. Who knows if there will be any more re-writes before it's published. Sigh. The life of a writer.
And yes, NaNoWriMo is going great! I'm over 27K right now and loving it!
Have an awesome day!
Danyelle, Tx for letting me know your writing status, and best of luck w/your submission!!!
Hi, I am looking around for blogs written by people in the writing industry, and somebody linked me to one of your blog entries, hence why I'm here. :D Anyway, just wanted to say congrats on your 7th draft. I am working on a third draft of one of my novels at the moment and so far have managed to cut out 17k of superfluity from this round of editing alone!
Trisha, I'm so glad you found me, and best of luck with your edits!
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