Sunday, January 20, 2008

My Mighty Red Pen



I'm editing my book. Again. I wonder if I'll ever be able to just read the damn thing?

8 comments:

anilize said...

Oh, I'm just the same (even though my book remains unfinished and unprinted). Heck, I sometimes find myself mentally editing other people's books! Even actual published authors with agents and contracts aren't safe from me...

Crystal Lynn said...

When I stage managed at a Regional Theater, I would make notes and corrections right up to the last performance...I was never satisfied. You probably will never read it without the red pen!!!

Jen O said...

Ooh, exciting times! I've got to sit down and do the same thing with mine... I've just got to convince myself that it's actually worth it... :)

Cat said...

Ah such a nice writerly photo :) I hope you get to read the book for pleasure, not for editing, soon!

Kimberly said...

I can relate. I am sure I would have the book done by now if I could just stop revising it.

I started reading yours and think it is really good. I haven't been able to finish it, but hope to soon.

hoosiertoo said...

To heck with all that editing nonsense. That's what EDITORS are for.

Novelists...

R.J. Keller said...

According to Self-Editing For Fiction Writers by Renni Brown and Dave King:

"...self-editing is probably the only editing your manuscript will ever get.

Recent cutbacks and consolidations at publishing houses have left many of those houses editorially short-staffed."

This book was published in 1993. I shudder to think of how much worse it is now.

No, I'll edit it as thoroughly as I can myself.

hoosiertoo said...

I, however, am (was) I journalist. Editors may be the bane of my existence, but they at least get paid to edit. I was paid by the article; I didn't get paid to edit.

In fact, it didn't pay to edit, so I was more than happy to let them do their jobs.