Step, step, step … the novel progresses

I need to make a list of the steps left to get my next novel ready to go. Otherwise, I’ll run helter-skelter and accomplish nothing. Writing the first draft was, of course, the first step. Editing and revision will be the next several steps. I think—hope—I learned a bit writing the first novel, so there won’t be as much work to do this time.

I have my previous task list here somewhere. On my hard drive. Somewhere. I have a gazillion files for The Brevity of Roses. I’m great at creating files, but lazy sorting them logically into folders. So, yeah. That task list is here … somewhere.

During the past ten days, I finished the second and then the third draft of my new novel [Insert Title] and sent it to my alpha reader. Now, I wait to see how much revision she advises. I’m hoping she sends me the perfect title along with her feedback. Or maybe I already have one. I keep adding possible titles to my list. None have really taken my breath away, but my husband has already cast his vote. Though I suspect that’s just because he knows how indecisive I am, and he’s trying to move me along.

One editing tool I’m using this time is my Kindle. Three times during editing of my first novel, my husband printed the manuscript at work, but now he’s retired, so instead of printing I upload it to my Kindle. I read a chapter at a time, with my manuscript loaded in Word, and edit directly. I do miss marking up the actual pages, but the “distance” created by reading on the Kindle makes poor syntax, typos, punctuation and other errors jump out just as printouts did.

Last night, I started reading my manuscript straight through on my Kindle. I didn’t even make it past the first paragraph before I reached for paper and pen. I don’t know why I never heard it before, but when I read that paragraph last night, the duh-duh-duh-duh-duh rhythm of the first four sentences made me cringe. So I noted the need to mix up the sentence beats to add some music to that opening.

“So much time and so little to do. Wait a minute. Strike that. Reverse it.”

Have a wonderful week. Maybe I’ll even find time to comment on some of your blogs … don’t faint.