Surrender the manuscript!

May 1, 2007

I have just stolen this graphic from and intend to use it until I’ve finished these damned revisions.

Actually, I’m getting a little depressed over how much revising I’ve got to do. *sigh* I keep going through the manuscript trying to find scenes I can salvage for the part that I’m currently at, and everything I find has to be so completely rewritten that there’s not even any point in trying to use the original text as a jump-off point. There _is_ salvageable material later on (though that, too, has to be rewritten), but I have what is clinically known as “fuckloads of new story” to write before I can get there.

I’ve now been sitting here for fifteen minutes trying to think of what else I can add to this entry, but apparently that pretty well sums it up. Guess it’s time to go back on my head.

17 thoughts on “Surrender the manuscript!”

  1. There _is_ salvageable material later on (though that, too, has to be rewritten), but I have what is clinically known as “fuckloads of new story” to write before I can get there.

    Yeah. Been there. Live there, in fact.

    Gave up and built a house.

    Sympathies. You wonder what the hell brain was thinking the first time through.

  2. My cunning plan – and it helps that no one reads my manuscripts other than my betas yet – is to just keep starting new novels. That way I don’t have to do revisions. Clever, no?

  4. Very, very sneaky. Of course, you don’t get published that way…:)

  5. Sure! Credit Rachel for the graphic, and me for the icon, if you like (but more importantly, Rachel. :))

  6. You wonder what the hell brain was thinking the first time through.

    I don’t *know*, but I would be very happy to not have to go through this kind of massive revision on the third book (having done it on the first, as well). Argh!

    I like your icon. :)

  7. I’m still crossing my fingers on that one. The latest greatest version of my query is out this past month. I send 10 at a time, and only heard back from 3 of them including a handwritten note on what needs improving. I think I might be getting closer to Agentland.

    ::Jenn now knocks on wood::

  8. I don’t *know*, but I would be very happy to not have to go through this kind of massive revision on the third book (having done it on the first, as well). Argh!

    I’ve had to do it for every book. I’m resigned to the fact that it’s My Process. The discouraging part is knowing in the back of my mind that I will need to rewrite, even though I think the first draft is going well.

    I like your icon. :)

    Thanks! I was complaining about characters one day, and made it for me.

  10. I sent you season 8 of SG:1, not 9, didn’t I. I didn’t have 9, despite advertising as such. I feel sort of embarrassed about that.

  11. That’s OK – I’d collected religiously up to about 7. And then was waiting, because I had got used to seeing the entire seasons coming out cheaper than when one buys as one’s going along and … well, you know, if you can wait for six months, suddenly it’s a couple of years.

    So, I can’t remember right now which it is, but it’s one that I didn’t previously have.

  13. You and I are currently treading the waters of “fuckloads of new story” in the land of Revisions. Tonight, I must finish chapter 12 and start on chatper 13! I so I say now, while sitting in my office at work. In another 2 hours, I may be brain dead.

    And speaking of brains, welcome to the party! We shall gorge on tasty brains at WFC. The “Zombies Need Brains” party should be fun. The paperback of my book 2 is coming out the Tuesday after the con, so I’m going to try to get a few copies of that for the party . . . but Penguin was a bastard about giving up copies last year and I have a feeling they’ll be the same way this year. In any case, glad you could join us!

  14. I’m sure it must’ve been 8, because 9 is the one where Ben Browder replaces RDA, and I haven’t seen that yet (because I don’t own it), so I wouldn’t have sent it to anyone. But ok, whew. I feel much better now.

    well, you know, if you can wait for six months, suddenly it’s a couple of years.

    Yeah. Weird how that happens, isn’t it?

  16. Yep, just checked, I had series 1 to 7, with 6 and 7 being sets, and now have 8 too. Yay.

    Again, thanks.

  17. It seems to be going around. I hope you finished chapter 12! I need to finish chapter 12 tomorrow myself…

    And thank you! I’m really looking forward to it, and am delighted to have been invited! *beam* A good time shall be had by all!

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