Writing with Effort
Quote for the Month....Writing without effort is usually read without pleasure Samuel Johnson
I have been finding out just what this means this month, with edits back from my psychological thriller Medea's Curse, due out next year.
As Simone Sinna I have three novels and six novellas edited with help from the wonderful Siren Bookstrand.
But editing for mainstream books is quite different - and I have to say this is where I really get Samuel Johnson's quote, painful though it might be.
I read out loud to my husband (a published author sold to 40 countries and one of those cut throat editors getting things very neat and clean) the first paragraph of the last nine books I had on my I-pad, plus one book from the past, all psych thrillers of sorts. This included one I thought was rubbish, one that was highly celebrated and awarded as literary and one that has been highly commercially successful. The last two as I read them stood out so far ahead of the others (including one author who was on the NY bestseller list and who I really like) it was stunning. My husband picked them without hesitation (even though he had no idea what the books were).
Yes editing and rewriting works (as I keep telling myself after the 20th rewrite of my prologue!). I can hear the difference myself- cleaner, less (or even no!) adjectives...now just have to do the same for the rest!
Oh and the two stand outs? Gone Girl and The Secret History.
I can dream can't I?
I have been finding out just what this means this month, with edits back from my psychological thriller Medea's Curse, due out next year.
As Simone Sinna I have three novels and six novellas edited with help from the wonderful Siren Bookstrand.
But editing for mainstream books is quite different - and I have to say this is where I really get Samuel Johnson's quote, painful though it might be.
I read out loud to my husband (a published author sold to 40 countries and one of those cut throat editors getting things very neat and clean) the first paragraph of the last nine books I had on my I-pad, plus one book from the past, all psych thrillers of sorts. This included one I thought was rubbish, one that was highly celebrated and awarded as literary and one that has been highly commercially successful. The last two as I read them stood out so far ahead of the others (including one author who was on the NY bestseller list and who I really like) it was stunning. My husband picked them without hesitation (even though he had no idea what the books were).
Yes editing and rewriting works (as I keep telling myself after the 20th rewrite of my prologue!). I can hear the difference myself- cleaner, less (or even no!) adjectives...now just have to do the same for the rest!
Oh and the two stand outs? Gone Girl and The Secret History.
I can dream can't I?
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