Writing, re-writing, editing, re-editing and a final edit!

I once read a quote by the late Sir Terry Pratchett, "The first draft is just you telling yourself the story," he said. I have always 're-written' everything I have written for as long as I can remember and I completely agree with Sir Terry. As I read my work during the process of a re-write, it always feels to me as if I am observing my work from above, as the mistakes jump off the page at me. It is both frustrating and embarrassing to an extent, to see such silly mistakes but also very satisfying to have the chance to correct them as yet another finished draft of my novel '23 days', to be presented to my editor and my team of reviewers. My editor has already edited it once and returned each chapter to me and he will now complete a final edit ready for publishing. He is a first time editor and has thus far done a sterling job very efficiently and in a very timely manner which is most impressive given he has a demanding day job too. That, in effect, means there will have been 5   re writes. 

My dilemma now is, do I need to send it for a professional edit which is a very costly business in the region of £10 per 1,000 words and so a 100,000 word book is going to be very expensive. What will I get for that money, can they improve on what I am already very happy with? My motivation is to absolutely get the best possible piece of work out there to my readers. It cannot and will not be an "oh, that will do," piece of work. It can only be perfect. 
This is the first time people will read, hear and see me and this is a really big deal for me. You never get a second chance to make a first impression and I will never get another chance to 're-tell you all' this story once it has gone for publishing. I need to research some more I think and within all of that the answer I need will come to me.


Word of the day: Edit:  to correct, check, copy-edit, improve, revise, amend, polish, modify, adapt, rewrite, reword, rework, rescript, redraft, rephrase, assemble, prepare for publication, shorten, condense, cut, abridge, approve, censor, redact, informal clean up, iron out. 

In the process of editing my novel '23 days' I will ask myself a question relating to all the descriptions contained above, in order to ensure that I (via my editor and/or professional editor) have met all the criteria that ensures that I have gone beyond, not only telling myself the story but that I deliver to you, my readers, the best piece of literature that I can. The devil is in the detail, so they say. Thank god for voice activated software.  

Dear Author,

Well today I finished the product placement requests.

Note to self: Dear Author, do NOT include too many products in future writing!

On a positive note, lots of yes's coming in. 

It's exciting to be getting shopping malls, fashion houses, small businesses, bars, pubs and restaurants, jewellers, perfume houses etc etc that are all familiar to me, agreeing to being a part of the text in my book and to have some of them commenting positively on the book too is very flattering. 

I have also had my first rejection today from an agent. Was I disappointed? Sure? but not for long. It is after all, somebody's opinion and I appreciate that they took the time to consider my work and if rejections were part of JK Rowling's early career and spurred her on with her self belief, then they will certainly be a part of mine!! because I do believe in myself and my work and I will be a successful author. I will make sure of that.

I feel like stage two of this process is almost complete and that is very exciting with the final aspect being the publishing stage.

Word of the day: Rejection. Never be afraid to try and fulfil your dreams out of fear of rejection. I had my work rejected today but I won't reject my dream. I will make it happen.   

Surreal Sunday

Today I have completed the back cover for my book which reads as follows:

After the realisation that her marriage was based solely upon a foundation of lies and the subsequent descent into a spiral of despair are seemingly too much for Fiora Burton to bear. 

Can she ever recover from the trauma? 

The climb out of the vortex seems impossible but Fi has a determination to heal without medical intervention. Her tenacity, sense of fun, positive outlook and her strategy to rebuild herself, result in a transformation both emotionally and physically. She even tests the waters of dating again, via the world of the internet and finds the man of 'everyone's' dreams, it would seem. 

Filled with trauma, angst, despair, emotional turmoil and physical decline Fi uses her love of music, good food and her gym regime to rebuild her body and slowly lift her spirit. With the support of her exceptional circle of girl friends, where belly laughing until she cries, is an almost daily occurrence, she finds a new purpose in life and a new life with a purpose.

"Wow, this book is amazing. Well written and the story is touching.

I found myself tearing up at points, especially the beginning, which is very relatable." (female 20’s)

"Really really enjoyed it, it's a really good read!" (female 40’s)

"I haven’t read a book for 28 years, since it was compulsory to do so at school. 

I couldn’t put it down, needing to get to the end which has some great twists." (Male 40’s)

"I can really see this as a movie." (Male 50’s)

Would you buy my book based upon that description?

I have then spent several hours sending out more product placement requests and it seems so surreal to be getting phone calls and emails back from companies such as Apple, discussing loading my book onto ibooks,the National Trust in relation to quoting one of their properties in the novel, Hermes who are considering permission to allow me to use one of their perfumes in the novel, to name a few. What an extraordinary Sunday but I feel it really is all coming together nicely. Only another 56 permissions to go!! I think I probably made a lot of work for myself as a new novelist but this is all part of the education to becoming a successful author! Maybe not so many products next time! 

Oh yes there is a next time, I already have notes for my second book. 

Word of the day: Relatable. 

I wanted people to be able to relate to the emotions Fi feels as she discovers the story unfolding before her is getting worse and worse. I also wanted her recovery to be relatable and for women to realise that there absolutely is a way forward out of such trauma and angst and so to have two reviewers tell me in different conversations that they find my book 'relatable' is a huge compliment to me. If I can help one woman to recover successfully from a similar experience then the novel has served it's purpose. 

Happy Woman! I'll take that compliment... for sure.

Lazy start to the day today as it's a Saturday. 

My days usually have a set routine with minor chores and pets being first on my agenda and ALWAYS to the accompaniment of music on my iPad. I chose a playlist depending on my mood. If I need to bat crazy thoughts out of my mind it will be a loud happy playlist that I can sing along to as I do my chores or that I can imagine dancing to like I have never danced before, usually!! My cat Leia, however, scarpers when the music comes on! I guess it's too loud and also she just wants food and has no patience to sit and wait for the disco to be over.

Next is emails and my first drinks of the day. Again a specific routine of lemon and hot water, decaf tea and skimmed milk and half a litre of a combo of fruit and vegetable juice and today it was pear and golden beetroot with ginger and I have to say, it was delicious! I had a wonderful email to view this morning. It was from my commissioned artist who is designing my book cover and I will share it with you now because I am a happy woman today. Actually I'm a happy woman everyday but theres nothing like a bit of positive feedback to kick start your happy day!

Here is what Sarah has to say as she reads my book in readiness to put her design ideas into her art form and I cannot wait to see what she creates for me and I hope my words on the page do her designs on the cover justice, because I just know it will be amazing. I just know it: 

"Wow, your book is amazing. Well written and the story is touching (thus far!). I found myself tearing up at points, especially the beginning which is very relatable."

Yes, I'll take that compliment.... for sure.

Todays focus for work is concentrating on research for uploading my work to Amazon, Barnes and Noble for nook, ibooks, Sony ereader etc and website creation inc domain names. In fact I am going to set a competition here for my fans to come up with a creative name for a website to link in with my love of writing! The winner gets a signed copy of my book when it is published! So get thinking please. I am excited to see the ideas emerging. 

Could I also ask you all a favour?, please share this blog. 
This is the start of the web traffic journey between my fans and myself. Thank you. 

Todays word of the day is: Votary. 

I am hoping as my web traffic increases at a steady pace in time people will say I am a votary of Jayne Higgins. 

Have a great Saturday everyone. 
   

Diary to a book launch

I have decided that as I am new to publishing, I am going to keep you up to date with the exact process I go through in order to achieve either represented or self publication.

Starting today I will blog my process on a regular basis so that you can all follow and/or be a part of my journey to being a published author. 

20/03/2015

• Re formatted my novel following a 90 minute personal tuition session with an Apple employee yesterday. That is why I love Apple products, they have never failed to provide customer service that is second to none. 
• Completed my personal introductory email to agents and the film company, introducing myself as a writer. Why, when and how I became a writer and what prompted the creation of this novel. Keep it succinct. No need for waffling on.
• Sent email with a synopsis and the first three chapters of my book to my chosen agents. Just two at this stage.
• Researched how to contact a particular film director. I have been very fortunate to have been told by three of my 12 reviewers that they can see my book as a movie! I take that from each of them as a huge compliment but I have a particular director in mind and if I don't ask I don't get. I searched and searched and searched some more and eventually found his agents and yes, I sent him my synopsis and first three chapters too! 
• Researched successful self publishers and started a to do list to follow their advice including creating this blog!
• Sent an email to my chosen artist re book trim sizing. Too technical for me to understand yet but all to do with the word length of your book!

I will also post a word of the day each time I blog, as I am after all a wordsmith and explain my choice in detail. 

Todays word is: 

Vortex: 

I used the word in my first blog post describing the spiral into which the main character Fi descends, following the discovery of the foundation of lies upon which her marriage was built. The force of the continuing revelations ensured that she remained in the never ending uncontrollable crazy making tailspin with seemingly impossible means of escaping the traumatic events that just kept coming her way. 

However, if you have ever been fortunate enough to see a vortex of water, it is one of the most mesmerising experiences to watch, but the speed and velocity confirm the almost impossible task of being able to climb out of such a phenomena. How did Fi do it?  

Firstly.

Welcome to my blog. 

I am Jayne, a 54 year old writer who has just completed my first novel and I have today sent it out to agents and a film company for consideration for publishing. I have a team of 12 re-viewers who have all given positive reviews upon their experiences of reading this, my first piece of adult fiction. 23 days is a novel about recovery from the trauma of realising that the main characters relationship was founded solely upon the foundations of lies and the spiral of despair into which she then descends. 

Can she ever recover? 

The climb out of the vortex seems impossible but Fi manages it, with a determination not to involve any medical interventions. Her tenacity, sense of fun, positive outlook and her strategy to rebuild herself, result in a transformation both emotionally and physically. She even tests the waters of dating again via the world of the internet and finds the man of 'everyone's' dreams, it would seem. 

Filled with trauma, angst, despair, emotional turmoil and physical decline Fiora Burton uses her love of music, her strategy for good food and her gym regime to rebuild her body and slowly lift her spirit. With the support of her exceptional circle of friends, where belly laughing until she cries, is an almost daily occurrence, she finds a new purpose in life and a new life with a purpose.