Editing: The New Neverending Story

First, let me say that I'm not one of those authors who doesn't like editing. I find it an enjoyable part of the process.

Which is good, 'cause it's all I've been doing for the past several weeks. And it's all I'm going to be doing for the foreseeable future. Put it this way? Doing this blog is an exciting opportunity for me to do something OTHER than edit.

Oh, it's all good, mind you. Just mailed off my page edits for "Touched by an Alien". (Have I mentioned you can pre-order it right now from Borders.com and Amazon.com? I have? Have you so ordered? If not, let me remind you to do so again...) And I'm revving up the edits for "Alien Tango" (coming from DAW Books in December, 2010). And I have a variety of other editing-related things going on that have nothing to do with my Alien series. All in all, I'm an editing fool right about now.

The entire process has been fascinating, especially as a first-time novelist. For short stories, it's been faster, shorter, and by far easier. For novels? Not as much. At least my agent says that my reaction to my page proofs was a standard author's reaction (and we shall speak of this no more...they're in the mail and I can forget all about them now).

Of course, the risk is that, after the seven-hundredth read through, you're going to be a little sick of your beloved novel. I'm right on the cusp of that. Thankfully, I just go and stare at my cover art and it relaxes me because the cover's so awesome it reminds me of how much I love my book. Even if I'm sick of going over it with a fine-toothed comb. For what seems like the millionth time.

I'm sick of it mostly because I just know a typo's going to make it to press. And I know someone's going to point it out, most likely during whatever ends up being my largest book signing event.

The question won't be "if". The questions will be "when" and "will Gini burst into tears or throw something?"

I'm betting on both.

Love,
Gini

I'm Still Here AND Creation Agent Installment 6 Is, Too

Yahoo! My edits on "Touched by an Alien" are off to my editor. I'm almost finished with edits on "Alien Tango", too. So, having a chance to put my head up and look around.

Um, wow.

I haven't done anything for weeks, have I?

Well, that's all in the past! (stop laughing) I've got a new Playlist up (click on the iPod icon), more new places to go and things to do up at my Datebook (click on the Sunglasses icon), and, as my Hook Me Up! readers already know, there's a new installment of "The Creation Agent" up on Expanded Universes (click on the open book with the galaxy icon).

Now that the hysterical crush of editing is over, I should be 'here' on a more regular basis. I know, I know, what could be better news than this? Wait...don't answer that...

Love,
Gini

Answer to a Strange Question

The question being -- why have I actually been so...silent...recently?

Answer? I'm doing my edits on my first book, "Touched by an Alien", coming to bookstores near you in April, 2010.

This isn't going to be a rant, by the way. Unlike many, I'm really enjoying the process.

It helps that I have an editor who is both nice and awesome. Makes everything better. What also helps is that I found pretty much all of her editorial suggestions to be comprehensible (not always a given) and likely to make the book better and stronger (also not always a given).

So, while I've been focused on those, many other things (blogging, humor pieces, feeding my husband, paying the bills) have gotten shoved aside. Oh, not everything, to be sure (the playing of all albums by Smash Mouth and Aerosmith has not been stinted, for example, nor have any of the pictures of hot looking leading men been ignored, either), but a lot of things.

I'm not done, but I've completed what I'd call my main run-through. I'm diving back in for the next go-round, so if I'm kind of quiet, that's why.

And I'm excited. The book is better, and making the additions and changes has been fun. Not work. Enjoyment. Really, you can't ask for more than that.

Love, Gini

Harsh Realities

One of the more interesting bits of information I picked up at the last conference I attended was the way the editorial process works for novels.

At some smaller houses, the editors have free reign -- they choose what they want and, if all goes well, go with it. They like your writing, they like your agent and trust his or her opinion, they think the book can sell, they buy it.

But at most of the bigger houses, it's decided by committee. So, the editor picks your book, likes it enough to champion, and then takes it to the full staff for review. The process varies a bit per house, but your book is going to need a variety of champions in order to make it to the acceptance phase.

There are pros and cons to each, of course. You know at the smaller house that if they like you, they're going for it, which is cool. You know at the bigger house that if they like you, someone fought persuasivly to ensure they ALL like you.

Either way, it helps explain in part why the process takes (to writers) so long. The editor at the smaller house, having full authority, is going to be VERY careful and really consider all the options before saying "it's for us." The editor at the bigger house is going to do that, too, because he or she is going to then have to fight for your book. Careful consideration is being given all along the way.

The positive? When you DO get the contract offer, it's nice to know it means that they like you...they really, really like you!