Anju Gattani's Blog - Posts Tagged "edits"
Fragrance and fast revisions
Hi,
So I got the jasmine plants I was looking for last week, planted them and I'm thrilled to say they're alive and doing well.
As for the edits on Bk II... slower than expected. I go back and think to myself if I had written this better... I wouldn't have to put so much time in the edits/revisions and therefore would have completed it faster. But how could I, when I didn't know better in the first place?
For years I struggled to understand the childhood fragrance of the flower I loved. But I had no idea how to plant, nurture and take care of an outdoor plant. How could I, when i didn't know better in the first place? But as time went on... I learned (over the last 2 summers) and took the effort to understand precisely which flower brings back my childhood days.
And now I understand. It took a while. But I'll get there.
So I got the jasmine plants I was looking for last week, planted them and I'm thrilled to say they're alive and doing well.
As for the edits on Bk II... slower than expected. I go back and think to myself if I had written this better... I wouldn't have to put so much time in the edits/revisions and therefore would have completed it faster. But how could I, when I didn't know better in the first place?
For years I struggled to understand the childhood fragrance of the flower I loved. But I had no idea how to plant, nurture and take care of an outdoor plant. How could I, when i didn't know better in the first place? But as time went on... I learned (over the last 2 summers) and took the effort to understand precisely which flower brings back my childhood days.
And now I understand. It took a while. But I'll get there.
Dark Circles
Hi,
I'm looking at myself in the mirror and wondering where all those dark circles around my eyes came from. Was it from reading? Writing? Or rewriting? I'm not sure because the division between each becomes blurred when you've gone over the same book so many times.
What's worse is when you're reading your own work and wondering "How could I have written that?" or "How did I not see those mistakes in grammar, run-on sentences and more?" My list goes on.
Which explains why the edits are taking longer than I expected. I can see more. Understand more. Which requires more focus and attention... and dark circles - are those the proofs of a good writer?
I don't think so. Because one thing I've learned so far is that easy reading means HARD WRITING. So it's back to the edits and wearing my dark circles again!
I'm looking at myself in the mirror and wondering where all those dark circles around my eyes came from. Was it from reading? Writing? Or rewriting? I'm not sure because the division between each becomes blurred when you've gone over the same book so many times.
What's worse is when you're reading your own work and wondering "How could I have written that?" or "How did I not see those mistakes in grammar, run-on sentences and more?" My list goes on.
Which explains why the edits are taking longer than I expected. I can see more. Understand more. Which requires more focus and attention... and dark circles - are those the proofs of a good writer?
I don't think so. Because one thing I've learned so far is that easy reading means HARD WRITING. So it's back to the edits and wearing my dark circles again!
Deadlines
Hi,
So, I set myself a deadline... and from the way I'm running with edits... I don't think I'm going to get it done in time. For a while I tried to think of strategies to make it - like working late nights, spend less time on social media, pushing aside things on my to-do list. It bought me a little time... but not that much.
I had to re-think. What if I give up living some of my real-time in life? That sounded right. It was bound to buy me more time. I tried. But I couldn't push anything away. Kids need what they need. Have to cook. Have to exercise. Have to pick up and drop off kiddos from extra-curriculars, orchestra and chorus practices... can't expect them to drive around at their age!! Then, I noticed that as I continued to live my real-life time... I continued to gain perspective of my work and a new pair of eyes with a little distance too.
That made it refreshing to come back. That made the home-coming sweeter and better. And you know what? As long as I don't lose focus... I think I'll do alright.
So, I set myself a deadline... and from the way I'm running with edits... I don't think I'm going to get it done in time. For a while I tried to think of strategies to make it - like working late nights, spend less time on social media, pushing aside things on my to-do list. It bought me a little time... but not that much.
I had to re-think. What if I give up living some of my real-time in life? That sounded right. It was bound to buy me more time. I tried. But I couldn't push anything away. Kids need what they need. Have to cook. Have to exercise. Have to pick up and drop off kiddos from extra-curriculars, orchestra and chorus practices... can't expect them to drive around at their age!! Then, I noticed that as I continued to live my real-life time... I continued to gain perspective of my work and a new pair of eyes with a little distance too.
That made it refreshing to come back. That made the home-coming sweeter and better. And you know what? As long as I don't lose focus... I think I'll do alright.
Fried Brain
Hi,
OK... it's Friday and I was hoping to jump back in Bk III and pick up from where I last left off. Except things aren't quite going as planned.
I read and edited the last chapter, fixed things a little here and there, and can't seem to move on. I've got work to do on Twitter (learn stuff), take Scruffy puppy for his puppy bath and trim at 6pm... and am miserable!
So, I've decided to stick to working out the twitter thing, finalizing the author bio for Decatur Book Festival and trying to jump back in the story on Monday. Unless I'm real lucky and start clicking away today itself!
Any one else ever have scruffy days?
OK... it's Friday and I was hoping to jump back in Bk III and pick up from where I last left off. Except things aren't quite going as planned.
I read and edited the last chapter, fixed things a little here and there, and can't seem to move on. I've got work to do on Twitter (learn stuff), take Scruffy puppy for his puppy bath and trim at 6pm... and am miserable!
So, I've decided to stick to working out the twitter thing, finalizing the author bio for Decatur Book Festival and trying to jump back in the story on Monday. Unless I'm real lucky and start clicking away today itself!
Any one else ever have scruffy days?
Attention
Hi,
Well it's been a while since I posted a blog and here's why...
I did hop on over to this 'blog' section several times last week but everytime my good intentions to post a blog hit - something came up.
The manuscript currently in edits would call. The blog tour scheduled for Sept 2012 needed my attention. My kids needed my attention and on and on and on...
But the good news is that I'm looking forward to 2 major reviews for DUTY AND DESIRE; one scheduled to come out in UK and one in India - both before the year ends. I'm also looking ahead to schedule more author events so have to work on those too.
As for the book of my heart - Bk III? That, like so much else, continues to wait. It calls for my attention but I can't be in so many places simultaneously. AND... I have to prioritize.
So back to the edits once again! And let's see who calls next!
Well it's been a while since I posted a blog and here's why...
I did hop on over to this 'blog' section several times last week but everytime my good intentions to post a blog hit - something came up.
The manuscript currently in edits would call. The blog tour scheduled for Sept 2012 needed my attention. My kids needed my attention and on and on and on...
But the good news is that I'm looking forward to 2 major reviews for DUTY AND DESIRE; one scheduled to come out in UK and one in India - both before the year ends. I'm also looking ahead to schedule more author events so have to work on those too.
As for the book of my heart - Bk III? That, like so much else, continues to wait. It calls for my attention but I can't be in so many places simultaneously. AND... I have to prioritize.
So back to the edits once again! And let's see who calls next!
Culture Compass
Hi,
So now that I'm done with the edits of Bk II... I decided to catch up with everything else on my 'To Do' list.
The first is a blog post for Aug 22. I can write about anything I want. Relief? No. Pressure. Yes! When you're swimming in an ocean, which direction do you take for land? North? East? South? West? And do you know if you'll get there - assuming you don't have a water-proof compass.
So I started with a topic that forms the backbone to both books in the 'Winds of Fire' series. Culture. One word. Two syllables. But it's packed with punch. And it's in both books.
What's so good about culture? It forms - let me stop right there. It's a post for another blog. Not this one! I'll send you the link when I'm done! :)
So now that I'm done with the edits of Bk II... I decided to catch up with everything else on my 'To Do' list.
The first is a blog post for Aug 22. I can write about anything I want. Relief? No. Pressure. Yes! When you're swimming in an ocean, which direction do you take for land? North? East? South? West? And do you know if you'll get there - assuming you don't have a water-proof compass.
So I started with a topic that forms the backbone to both books in the 'Winds of Fire' series. Culture. One word. Two syllables. But it's packed with punch. And it's in both books.
What's so good about culture? It forms - let me stop right there. It's a post for another blog. Not this one! I'll send you the link when I'm done! :)
Book Hangover
Hi,
So the edits of Bk 2 in the 'Winds of Fire' series are over and I'm breathing. Breathing. Breathing.
But something's missing. I can feel it in my veins. In my blood. A call that something doesn't quite feel right.
It's called a book hangover. I've been living with these characters and I've been immersed in the lives of these fictitious people for so long now - 10 years - that I feel empty without them. The story is over - in this book, that is. The next one waiting to be dealt its fate.
In the meantime I'm not sure how to go on. I mean I have a real life... oh yes! A very busy one too with 2 kids, a loving husband and a puppy Shih Tzu. But there's another side of me... the writer in me that's at peace. And also at unease now.
I guess this will take some time to get over. Perhaps I should read another work of fiction, or begin writing another blog post that's due next week... or....
What do you think I should do? How do I get over my own book hangover?
So the edits of Bk 2 in the 'Winds of Fire' series are over and I'm breathing. Breathing. Breathing.
But something's missing. I can feel it in my veins. In my blood. A call that something doesn't quite feel right.
It's called a book hangover. I've been living with these characters and I've been immersed in the lives of these fictitious people for so long now - 10 years - that I feel empty without them. The story is over - in this book, that is. The next one waiting to be dealt its fate.
In the meantime I'm not sure how to go on. I mean I have a real life... oh yes! A very busy one too with 2 kids, a loving husband and a puppy Shih Tzu. But there's another side of me... the writer in me that's at peace. And also at unease now.
I guess this will take some time to get over. Perhaps I should read another work of fiction, or begin writing another blog post that's due next week... or....
What do you think I should do? How do I get over my own book hangover?
Consequence Of...
Hi,
Writing a book is a journey. Like a train-ride perhaps. You start at Point A and enjoy (if it's worth enjoying) the ride to point B. Then off you get and on you go to you destination. Sometimes you get off in the middle somewhere and wait for another train on another platform - known more commonly as 'transit'.
So I began the journey of Bk III in 2008. After the initial beginnings of a first draft and a huge amount of research - I had to stop in 2009 and put the manuscript in 'transit'. - OK! I shoved it in the cupboard for a while. The 'while' became 4 years. So I'm guessing the manuscript was a stow-away then? Right?
Since January 2013 I've been busy getting my head 'back in the book' and catching up on where I last was (about half way through). Last night I reached the no-turning-back point. There's nothing to revise or edit for now - not in this draft, at least! I have to type the next few chapters on the laptop (from the original hand-written version) and then pound out the other half of the story.
Life doesn't roll like that now, does it? Real life, I mean. It doesn't stop and languish for a while until you have time to catch up. It just ticks away. Real life is like a chain of events that result as a series of actions from those preceeding it. A consequence of...
I wonder what the consequence of picking up the unfinished story will be? Any ideas?
Writing a book is a journey. Like a train-ride perhaps. You start at Point A and enjoy (if it's worth enjoying) the ride to point B. Then off you get and on you go to you destination. Sometimes you get off in the middle somewhere and wait for another train on another platform - known more commonly as 'transit'.
So I began the journey of Bk III in 2008. After the initial beginnings of a first draft and a huge amount of research - I had to stop in 2009 and put the manuscript in 'transit'. - OK! I shoved it in the cupboard for a while. The 'while' became 4 years. So I'm guessing the manuscript was a stow-away then? Right?
Since January 2013 I've been busy getting my head 'back in the book' and catching up on where I last was (about half way through). Last night I reached the no-turning-back point. There's nothing to revise or edit for now - not in this draft, at least! I have to type the next few chapters on the laptop (from the original hand-written version) and then pound out the other half of the story.
Life doesn't roll like that now, does it? Real life, I mean. It doesn't stop and languish for a while until you have time to catch up. It just ticks away. Real life is like a chain of events that result as a series of actions from those preceeding it. A consequence of...
I wonder what the consequence of picking up the unfinished story will be? Any ideas?
