#windborn writes

[windborn]

Finally, I'm making decent editing progress again. Chapter 4, the menace of my existence, is behind me. The new version will probably be chapters 4, 5, and 6, just because it's so long. Original word count: 13303 Revised word count: 9320 Down by almost 4000 words in just one chapter! And the total has gone from 22274 to 16286. Nearly 6000. That says something about where the most bloat was. Of my intended cuts, I have about 14000 left to trim out. If I can manage even just an average of 500 words cut per chapter remaining, that's 13000, VERY close to my goal. 6000 per 4 the rest of the way would be 39000, and would put my 160k novel at 115k. I don't expect it will be that dramatic a cut. Probably somewhere between 120k and 140k. Hopefully in a range where agents will no longer flinch when I tell them the word count.

[windborn]

Editing progress

I finished the chapter! Finally. Only took weeks. *eyeroll* I’ll get faster. Have to get faster, or this editing will go on forever.

Original chapter 3: 4276 words New chapter 3: 3020 words

Original total: 8953 words New total: 6945 words

More than 1k words cut from this chapter alone! That’s awesome! And the rewrite is a lot more interesting, much more active. I think, anyway. It’s going to get a little longer, because I still need to work out a history excerpt for the beginning of the chapter, but those are very short, ~200 words or so. I’m very happy with this rewrite.

On to chapter 4! May it not take quite so long!

(Only...27 chapters to go? *headdesk*)

[windborn]

Weekly progress post

Managed another couple editing days this week. It’s been tricky, because not only have I been sick most of the week, we’re also preparing to have people come paint my room and install new carpet next week. My room is a disaster, naturally, so that required a LOT of cleaning. And reorganizing. And general throwing away. But I did make some progress.

Original segment: 1115 words

Revised segment: 1185 words

Now, at first glance, that seems to run counter to my goal of making this whole book shorter, right? But due to how this scene is being rewritten, a good page + of the rest of the chapter just won’t happen. It’s all being condensed into what I’ve written here. So, fingers crossed, but by the end, the entire chapter should be significantly shorter than the original.

[windborn]

Finishing this scene today would be nice. All the new transition bits are finished; it's just down to working into the new scene what was necessary from the old one.

[windborn]

*gets deep into a dramatic, high tension scene* *main character starts making jokes* NOT HELPING.

[windborn]

Editing progress:

Segment’s original count: 1150 words Revised count: 834 words

Not a lot, since I only got about two days in, but I’m satisfied with the cut. Also figured out to revise this scene I didn’t care much for. We’ll see how the new one turns out!

[windborn]

Since I’m currently in the process of critiquing for @triciatstuff, it may be a few days before I really dive into the editing, but here is a baseline report on where the revisions currently stand.

Original total word count: approximately 160,300 Original count to revised point: 4,930 Revised count: 4,098 Completed chapters: 2 of 30

My objective is fewer than 140k words, preferably closer to 130k. Thus far, the novel has lost nothing in terms of content, and actually contains more information than the original version. It’s more concise, and, I think, a bit more intense. Intensity and maintaining a sense of conflict are things I have some difficulty with.

[windborn]

Edits

Today I'm getting everything set up to resume edits on my novel. This putzing has gone on more than long enough. My goal is currently unambitious, just enough to rebuild good writing habits, but even editing only two pages a day, I'll finish in reasonable time. But it's long past time to get this book in shape and start seriously shopping it around. I'll post regular updates on my progress, original and revised word counts, maybe my thoughts on the week's work. Hold me accountable folks, please. I really want to do this. (Tagging my crit partners, @triciatstuff and @katemartin-books / @minako1x2, but anyone interested in adding assistance or encouragement is welcome. *pointed look at other writer friends* ^_~ )