And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.

Genesis 1, RSV

Ok, so “Goddess of Romance” I’m not. Because somewhere last week (after many more than six days), I sat back and realized I’d finished drafting my novel. And, behold it was …

Welllll…. Not horrible.

But certainly not as good as it could be.

So we’re into revisions. Ideally, this is where I would set the whole mess aside for about a month and goof around with researching and outlining my next book (tentatively titled Goddess of Beauty, or perhaps Siren of the Sea. Dunno. GOB and SOTS are both fun acronyms.) and then come back to my manuscript with fresh eyes and a ruthless red pen. But I can’t take a month off.

It’s at about 105K now, which means I’m playing a zero-sum game. If I add somewhere, I have to subtract an equal amount somewhere else. There’s plenty of fat to be trimmed, but I also need to write two extra scenes and finish the epilogue.

My motto these days: Ack.


7 comments to “Mere Mortal”

  1. Sara
    Comment
    1
    · February 28th, 2007 at 12:35 am · Link

    I’ll take whatever you cut. I’m worried that I’m not going to make it to 96K. Although, Loretta Chase did say that her new contract w/Avon had a shorter wordcount than before. I’m getting my wisdom teeth out tomorrow – ack, indeed! – so no “real” food for a few days, but we (and the incredible H, of course) need to have brunch again someday soon!



  2. Alice Audrey
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    2
    · February 28th, 2007 at 1:31 pm · Link

    I know exactly how you feel! I’m in the last 20 pages of a revision and the by word is ack!

    Alice



  3. Lynne Simpson
    Comment
    3
    · February 28th, 2007 at 5:21 pm · Link

    I just realized that you have a cool acronym for your WIP, too! I never do come up with titles that spell anything. 🙂



  4. Maggie Robinson
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    4
    · March 1st, 2007 at 5:02 am · Link

    I’m so looking forward to reading GOTH (I’ll wear black, but no lip piercing)… revised or unrevised. I’m still in the 80s on mine and will feel thrilled if I get to 90,000. 🙂



  5. Sara Dennis
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    5
    · March 1st, 2007 at 9:43 am · Link

    My WIP is OSB. Which, rearranged slightly, is SOB. Works well as an acronym or an expression of hair-pulling. 🙂

    word verification: dvitushi

    Sounds like an ailment divas get when they sit down for too long.



  6. Tessa Dare
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    6
    · March 1st, 2007 at 10:39 pm · Link

    Thanks, guys. Sara, Maggie – I was worried all along that I wouldn’t have enough to fill 95K words. Hah. Once I hit about 80K or so, the whole thing snowballed. I’m going to need some readers to pick out the boring parts so I can cut it down to 100K or so.



  7. Sara
    Comment
    7
    · March 2nd, 2007 at 12:40 am · Link

    I’m always willing to swap! I really need to find myself a CP…