Pete’s Comments (group member since Sep 10, 2014)

Pete’s comments from the Net Work Book Club group.

Susan wrote: "Hi Everyone,

For the first time in my adult life, I am taking a huge risk. I no longer have a full-time paycheck. I have decided to offer my editorial services full-time instead.

I am at the tail..."

Good Luck! We all need editors, but few can afford them!

Martin wrote: "Thanks"

You're welcome. Just tell us where the party is!

Well done!

No idea - but I've got another question. My latest ebook, when uploading it to Amazon, didn't give me the tick box to get an ASIN number. I notice it's got one on the publicity page, but I like to get one, insert it into the book on the 'copyright' page and then submit the text. So now anyone can copy my book and there's nothing to say it came from Amazon.
(I suppose now I know the ASIN I could resubmit the text, but that's not the point. Why is the tick box missing?)

L.F. wrote: "I usually stop when my edits consist of a simple word change here and there---when I stop any major overhauls of scenes or sentences and just keep fine-tuning. There comes a point when you have just "stop" and say it's done. I could edit my work forever if I didn't do that :) ..."

I totally endorse these comments.

As with artwork, there comes a time in writing where further 'improvements' become regressive. Once you are satisfied that the story flows, that all chapters are relevant to the story, and all ambiguities and typos corrected, you have a finished story.

I have a folder full of 'deleted scenes' - chapters or chunks of narrative which were unnecessary to the story line. I keep them, hoping that they'll be usable in another scenario one day....

The number of drafts you get through before being satisfied surely depends upon your writing ability, and the manner in which you write. Some advocate 'get it all on paper any way you like, then go back and edit'. I can't do that. I'm always flashing back over the previous paragraph and correct anything I don't like before proceeding.

L.F. wrote: "I'm pretty old school--I find it hard to create at the keyboard. So all my first drafts are done with pen on paper and my first rewrite coincides with transcribing the hand-written work into the c..."

Yes - spotting typos on paper is much easier than on screen - but always get another 2 people if possible to check it as well - the author tends to 'see' what they 'think' they wrote!!

Timothy wrote: "I've often said I travel to the Upper Aren, come back and write about it. I feel like that most of the time.

Though I have a general outline, I am a "pantser" and definitely let the characters gui..."

I totally agree.

Exactly the same, except you forgot to mention the months of research on every conceivable issue that readers might pick up on, the months of editing, tightening, re-editing and so on. Then pushing the draft out to friends for comment and trying hard not to defend your book but rather listen seriously to what they have to say. Then back to the editing cycle again.
Yeah- writing's easy. Producing a polished story isn't!!!
~Pete

Michael wrote: "No problem - you wrote an excellent story."
Yes - I enjoyed it. Well done Kath. And you, David and Chad!

Great idea for a comp, Michael! I've entered!