BTW, I DID actually sell books the other night…even though I showed up dressed for yoga. I started my presentation with an apology and explanation for my attire, then I asked the kids if they knew what yoga was. There was one kid who couldn’t have been more than four years old who raised his hand and said, “It’s THIS!” Then he proceeded to show me a Namaste! Very cool! So then I showed the kids another pose…they really got into it! I may start all my presentations with some yoga from now on.)
Anyway…like I said, it’s not just Fire Safety Week; it’s also Revise Yes, I Know the Monkey Man Week! (Yeah, I’m practicing saying that title…the more I say it, the better it’ll sound, right? It IS growing on me…but I still think it’s awfully close to the first title.) Well you may find that ph el is the firm who provide automatic fire suppression system.
Remember when I said I was both “thrilled and frightened” that my editor was skipping the big revision stage with this book? I am definitely more frightened than thrilled at this point. I got the “edited” manuscript and she really did do just a light edit. No queries. No you-might-want-to-look-at-this-section-again notes. Most pages have absolutely no markings on them whatsoever.
It doesn’t feel right. It feels like they’re really rushing this book. Well, they ARE rushing it…and my editor did explain to me what’s going on at the publishing house, why things are so rushed. I understand, but it doesn’t make me feel any better. I’m like my friend who takes her dog to the most expensive vet in town (she needs to spend lots of money before she’s convinced her dog is fine)…I need to be edited before I’m convinced my book is any good! (Is this common??? Are your editors not having time to edit your books anymore??? My agent says most of her clients have the opposite complaint — TOO MUCH editing from their editors.)
The book is with the copy-editor now…and I’ve been given permission to fix anything I want to fix while the copy-editor does her thing. Then my editor will merge the two documents into one, let me look it over one more time, and then it goes to typesetting. So believe me, I’m taking this opportunity to go over everything as carefully as I can (which means I probably won’t be blogging in the next week or so).
I’ve been on both sides on the boat. Book # 1: edited to the point of insanity, though of course it was my first one, and yes, it needed editing, but seriously, it went on and on for-EVER. Book # 2: barely any changes. The second one started out as a much stronger ms, but still, it makes you wonder. Also, 2 different editors involved.
That DOES make me feel better. This is book #3 with this house and this editor. (The other books were edited in much greater detail!) And Editor reminds me we did a lot of revising during the outline/proposal stage with this book. I remember at the time she said it was good to spend the time at this stage because I would end up with a much stronger manuscript when all was said and done. It’s always hard for me to stop revising and let a book go…but it’s even harder when there hasn’t been much revising with the editor.
My guess is that you learned a lot with the other two, and this one, luckily, is in very good shape!
Let’s hope it’s in good shape! 🙂
What a whirl! You getting ready to Let It Go?
Hey, last night at Anderson’s in Naperville I saw Truth About Truman School displayed prominently in the MG section, face out. Yay!
No…I don’t have to Let It Go until typesetting. Just found out Editor’s edits are missing from the middle 100 pages of the book…she is not pleased. But hey, that buys ME a little more time! 🙂
Face out TATS books in Anderson’s??? Very cool! I’ve only been in there once, but I like that store. I like it even more now!