Michelle becomes a slashing butcher…
Last night I grabbed a (literary) machete and hacked my book apart. This was my first book, a book that I wrote without any clue what I was doing. I’m amazed that it ended up 412 pages long. How that happened, I’m not sure. Chapters one and two were vaporized in the process.
Anyway, as many of you know, I decided to enter the American Title contest with it. So far, this manuscript has been butchered. Passive scenes are lying in cyberspace bleeding from the wounds I’ve inflicted. 
I finally tightened it up until I felt good about it and sent it to my critique partners. They agreed that I needed to cut the first scene. 
I don’t know whether to laugh hysterically or thank them.
Having a fresh set of eyes is so crucial. I’m amazed at the stuff that gets past my radar when I’m self-editing. But sometimes you reach a point where you question–have I edited the heart out of this manuscript? Is it no longer my own? What’s happened to it?
I don’t recognize this book anymore. Maybe that’s a good thing. In the meantime, now I have to go back and do some more editing since chapter 4 will now become chapter 3. 
Rats. I had that puppy printed, the envelope addressed, and ready to go. Isn’t that just the kiss of death? Once you print it, you find every typo in the world.
On the bright side, it’s like having a new manuscript. Shhh! I can change the title and resubmit it, since in the past, it never made it past the proposal stage, except for Harlequin Historicals. 
Now there’s a good thought!
Michelle posted in Writing @ 6:57 am | Viewed 816 times
kacey Says:
I do that ALL the time. End up cutting the first chapter…or two.
But it seems like writing them is necessary to my process to get to know the characters.
And yes it’s a fact of life as soon as you print something, you’ll find the typos…or where you call the hero by the wrong name or something.
Go have some coffee and get to work!
katie Says:
:coffee2: I’ll have coffeee too - why IS it printing on hard copy brings out every error like the screen doesn’t?
Bonnie Ferguson Says:
Jill Says:
This is great, now get that baby out there and on an editor’s desk.
Michelle Says:
Jill–I think the post office people know me by name now. Is that bad?
Katie–you’re not kidding! I think little gremlins put typos in the hard copy.
Bonnie–thanks for the encouragement!
Kacey–you rock as a critiquer.:thumbsup:
Suzanne Says:
This book is going to be EVEN better by the time you get it out the door. Good luck in the American Title contest! It would be SO COOL to final in that!
Mary Says:
Slashing is good. In fact I have to go slash and hack and burn.:rambo:
Michelle Says:
The chapter is now lying in a pitiful, bloody pile of gore. I think there’s life in it somewhere…
::Michelle snaps on her rubber gloves::
I’m going in!
Michelle Says:
Okay, having WAAAAYYY too much fun with smilies… :starwars:
Olga Says:
I have to do some slashing, too, argh, though I dont’ like it either. Best of luck in American Title!
Steph T. Says:
You’ve actually inspired me to go peek at an old ms that was slated for SIM, then turned into a single title. problem was, I’d never actually tried subbing it to SIM first. (I know, I know, loser.) So now, along with the other project I’ve got going, I’m going to join you in the ms slashing.:confused2: After coffee, though.:coffee2: