First up, while reading through my lovely editor’s letter, I have been making notes on *her* notes as I go.
This week, I also wrote out my own broad-scale to-do list, to summarise for myself the main changes I need to make.
Again, some bits are still a bit fuzzy in my head… 2/
…But I feel clear enough at this stage to dive into the MS itself.
STEP ONE: SAVE AS NEW WORD DOC.
(Heaven help those of you who edit your original manuscripts 😱😱😱)
ps For the record, “Draft 2” really means draft about 5 🤣
3/
Now I can go in big and brutal, deleting whole sections (MY POOR DARLINGS!!!), moving whole chapters, etc.
I’m also highlighting in blue sections I’ll need to revisit & rewrite properly.
For now, it’s moving the big bits of furniture and leaving blue signposts for future-me 🤣 4/
I’ve worked on the MS for two days so far (about 4 hours total 🫠).
I’m about 100/369 pages in, but like I say, this is just chopping and changing big stuff, and I still have LOADS of those blue sections to properly re-write.
My deadline is 3rd April (with some wiggle room). 5/
I’m at work at the psychology practice all day tomorrow, so won’t get any writing / editing done then.
But then I’m on leave for two weeks, so hopefully will be able to make plenty of #AmEditing progress then.
Tune back in this weekend when I’ll be back at it! 6/
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
Thank you, Megan. I’m listening with an open mind & will wait to hear the full series before drawing my conclusions.
I was disappointed, though, that (in this episode at least) you repeat @jk_rowling’s severe misrepresentation of Scotland’s Gender Recognition Reform Bill as… 1/
…allowing trans people to use a new “self ID” process to “access single-sex services or spaces with no (medical) gatekeeping”.
As JK has been informed *many times*, the UK’s legal gender recognition process (covered by our Gender Recognition Act 2004)… 2/
…has *no* impact on access to / exclusion from single-sex services for trans people.
Ref👆: equalityhumanrights.com/en/our-work/ne…
(NB: The Equality & Human Rights Commission is the UK’s statutory body for oversight and guidance on UK equality laws.)
3/
⭐️The #EditLetter — a 🧵⭐️
So…I’ve just received the letter from my editor for my fourth psychological suspense novel (due out early 2024).
I thought I’d write a thread with a blow by blow account of this part of the writing process, to motivate myself & share some insights! 1/
My lovely editor starts off with some enthusiastic praise, using words like “complex“, “intriguing“, “ambitious“, “brimming with potential“ and “set to be your best book yet”.
As a psychologist, I know all about the “shit sandwich“, but trust me, it really does help! 2/
She follows this up with fifteen pages of suggested improvements 🤣
I very very quickly skimmed them yesterday to get a sense of the overall gist. Today I am armed with pen & pencil for my proper first pass through her notes.
Back soon to let you know how I get on #EditLetter 3/