I completed the first round of edits (or as my publisher called them, somewhat ominously, "pre-edits") and sent them back in. Most of them were minor corrections, typos, or slight style adjustments. One small set was a rather embarrassing pronoun/name correction to a character I had overhauled significantly from an earlier draft.
Rarely, though, I disagreed with an edit. Sometimes, it was because I felt removal of a phrase would make something less clear, and sometimes I felt adding a sentence made a character seem too verbose. It was funny going back after about a year to find I could still hear my characters quite clearly--clearly enough to shake my head at an editorial change that was merely a word or two. "That isn't what she/he sounds like," I muttered to myself as I rejected the advice.
Two interesting comments from the publisher caught my eye. The first was that these edits were "pre-edits" and I'd be working with their editorial staff on more substantive changes. What he alluded to has the potential to be a little bit of a struggle, depending on how deeply he wants to make changes. We'll see how that goes, and I'll keep you up to date on the process here.
The second comment, however, was at once thrilling and frightening. It was a very casual comment (though I suspect he tossed it in casually knowing full well the effect it would have on me) referring to still-unexplained plot points in this sequel. He mentioned that book three will have to answer some questions.
Book three?
There's no such book. I never even hinted at such a thing in my pitch, and, once again, I felt like this story is OVER. Hell, I even have an EPILOGUE this time, as if to say, once and for all, "done. Finito. Full stop."
So now, of course, I'm already thinking about what the hell Book Three would even be about.
Strangely enough, a title did occur to me: Beltrunner: Legacy. That's got a nice ring to it...
Be seeing you!
Rarely, though, I disagreed with an edit. Sometimes, it was because I felt removal of a phrase would make something less clear, and sometimes I felt adding a sentence made a character seem too verbose. It was funny going back after about a year to find I could still hear my characters quite clearly--clearly enough to shake my head at an editorial change that was merely a word or two. "That isn't what she/he sounds like," I muttered to myself as I rejected the advice.
Two interesting comments from the publisher caught my eye. The first was that these edits were "pre-edits" and I'd be working with their editorial staff on more substantive changes. What he alluded to has the potential to be a little bit of a struggle, depending on how deeply he wants to make changes. We'll see how that goes, and I'll keep you up to date on the process here.
The second comment, however, was at once thrilling and frightening. It was a very casual comment (though I suspect he tossed it in casually knowing full well the effect it would have on me) referring to still-unexplained plot points in this sequel. He mentioned that book three will have to answer some questions.
Book three?
There's no such book. I never even hinted at such a thing in my pitch, and, once again, I felt like this story is OVER. Hell, I even have an EPILOGUE this time, as if to say, once and for all, "done. Finito. Full stop."
So now, of course, I'm already thinking about what the hell Book Three would even be about.
Strangely enough, a title did occur to me: Beltrunner: Legacy. That's got a nice ring to it...
Be seeing you!
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