Edits on Pearl of Fire went on an involuntary hiatus for several days as I had to wrangle RL stuff. (To name just one: Why do vets schedule pickups at rush hour? Why?)
But I’m limping back into them now. The line edits are pretty set, and any remaining typos are keeping their heads down. Currently trying to get in more “set/picture each scene and character” details. Some of that I can get into a first draft, but I usually have to go back and hit scenes again in at least two more drafts to make sure as much as possible of what’s in my head makes it onto the paper.
…This is frustrating, but doesn’t really surprise me, no matter how much I work at it. IRL I can concentrate on people’s words or their body language, not both. Makes sense that I have the same concentration problem as a writer. So I try to roll with it, and focus on nailing down dialogue and what’s-happening-when in first drafts as clearly as possible, then get in the fine details of how the set of somebody’s shoulders changes words from weeping to defiant, or vice-versa.
There have also been one or two edits where I hit a spot and realized, “Wait, the character covered that/knew that already. Okay, how can I either bring up a different facet of the situation or modify what’s being said here to something that makes more sense?”
Writing. Successive approximation, yes.
Currently through about 25 of 183 pages, and at 70.5K words. It’s going slow, yes, but I think that once I go through this draft – and fix the spots where I need a scene/part of scene written, can’t forget those! – then it’ll be time to nail down some cover art and start formatting for book form.
I’d like to finish this draft in the next month. But Murphy having been what it is lately, I don’t think I’ll really know until at least mid-August how much longer it’ll take.
*Crosses fingers, knocks on wood.*
Crossover Queen's Creative Chaos 
Why do vets schedule pickups at rush hour?
I don’t know.
They think the cat or other pet howling from their carrier adds to the experience of driving in rush hour traffic?
Through that does depend on what the critter was there for and their temperament.
Our cats tend to complain alot. Of course, they only go for car rides when we move or they go to the vet.
Makes sense that I have the same concentration problem as a writer.
Your brain works how your brain works.
The writing and editing gets done and its done right. Does the how really matter? 😉
But Murphy having been what it is lately . . .
Tentative date is for the best.
No sense in taunting Murphy into targeting you more.
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Yes, please, no taunting of Murphy. 🙂
…On a completely unrelated note, apparently there’s a bit in ep 4 of How Not to Summon a Demon Lord that does overkill right.
…There is no demon army.
There is no bridge.
There is a hole in the water that then rushes in to fill it.
….Yes. This is how you do overkill. *EG*
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There is no kill like overkill.
Bad guys are never going to learn NOT to attack the protagonist’s precious people. Yes, you can hurt them doing that. It is where they are vulnerable. It can also be a Berserker Button.
Okay, this guy is pretty calm for a Berseker Button . . . still, you can tell that there was a button mashed. And the people fighting him suddenly regretting their life choices.
Also I think that lady’s monster mount might be smarter than she is.
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“You see that button? Don’t push it….”
And yes. Definitely a smart critter. 😉
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“You see that button? Don’t push it….”
Very good advice.
But people seem almost compelled to push any button labeled “Do Not Push.”
They can be in a room full of buttons where they are allowed to push all but that one in particular. Naturally, that forbidden one is the only one they want to push.
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See also TV Tropes: Schmuck Bait. 😉
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They can be in a room full of buttons where they are allowed to push all but that one in particular. Naturally, that forbidden one is the only one they want to push.
Gosh, that sounds like a familiar story. *innocent whistling**halo*
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Successive approximation
I just started reading Swain’s Techniques of a Selling Writer.
Successive approximation seems to describe it. I’m getting something out of it.
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Oof, RL can really be No Fun. Granted, it can also provide plenty of writing fodder, so I do appreciate that aspect. Still, it should come with a default prescription of chocolate. Or something.
Out of curiosity, how many rounds of edits do you usually do on a draft, and what do you focus on during each round?
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About 6 rounds, more or less; 3 major (do I need this scene? Does there need to be an intervening scene/bit/character here? Is the story actually on track?) and 3 more minor line-edits, word choice, tightening up verbiage. The last of those usually comes when I’m formatting it into actual book-shape, because the words look different when you reshape the page.
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