| Come and visit me... |
...in revision hell. 'Cause that's where I'll be for the next few weeks.
Exotica needs a lot of work. I knew it did, but I was too close to it, and I didn't know exactly what it needed until my editor told me. My editor is brilliant, I swear. Every single suggestion she makes rings true the moment she says it. Darn her. I have tons of work to do. But it'll be a much better book in the end.
Meanwhile, there will be no meals cooked, no housecleaning, no long phone conversations with my friends, no shopping trips or lunch with the girls, no idle nights in front of the television (okay-reality check-it's season finales for Lost and American Idol, but that's only three hours of TV a week, less if I DVR it and fast-forward through the commercials). But this is what I want to do with my life. I want to be a writer. So, I may sweat a little blood in these next weeks, I may tear my hair out and chew my nails. And trust me, there's going to be a lot of whining. But no matter how hard it is, it's worth it to me.
Most of us have no idea going in how much harder this gets once we sell a book. I'm just beginning to get used to all of it. To remembering to allow time in my writing schedule for this sort of thing: revisions, copy edits, galleys to proof, life. To every day being a work day. To that guilt when I spend the day goofing off instead of writing or editing.
My first print book, THE DARK GARDEN, is coming out in a few weeks. My boyfriend and my parents and I are going to go to the bookstores together on June 1st to see my book on the shelves. We'll take pictures. I'm pretty sure I'm going to cry. And if I cry, my step-mom will start in, and the guys will stand there and roll their eyes. I can hardly wait.
So-this is why we do this. This is why we tear ourselves up getting all that pain and joy on the page, why we sweat it out waiting to hear back about a submitted manuscript, drown ourselves in chocolate when we get a rejection. Because some day, we just might see one of our books in an actual bookstore, sitting on the shelf, waiting for someone we don't even know to buy it. Wow.
This is what keeps me going through the times like this: knowing that in only a few weeks, that'll be me on the bookshelf, right between Shelley Bradley and Celeste Bradley (I've checked), and maybe even close to Marion Zimmer Bradley.
Hopefully I'll live long enough to see it. These revisions may kill me-at least, that's how it feels right now. So, I'm loading up on chocolate and sympathy and locking myself in my office. See you in a few weeks! Onward and upward!
Eden |
|
| 10 Comments: |
-
Oh wow, I got all teary just reading that!
-
So did I! Great post, Eden. I hope the revisions go well. Take care :)
-
Good luck on the revisions! I'm so excited for you that your book is almost out!! Yes, this is what all writers dream about, going to the bookstore to see THEIR book on the shelves.
Your dream has come true!!!
-
Just remember, what doesn't kill us, makes us stronger! :) I know you will be brilliant, as always. I'm cheering for you from my little corner of the world. I can't wait to see you in B&N. I'll be dragging my daughter in there like I did when Gemma Halliday hit the shelves, bragging about how I 'know' her ;) *kisses*
-
It'll be GREAT when you finish!!
Hang in there, Eden. You can do it!
-
Hope you haven't gone insane yet *kiss*
Can't wait to go to a San Diego bookstore and take a picture for you... see, that's what I'm going to ask all my far-flung friends to do... go to the bookstore and take a picture, so I have pictures of my book on the shelf all over the country!
-
*holding your hand in revision Hell* I've got your book on order and I'll be going to Borders and pointing and saying "I know that author's REAL name." LOL.
Remember to come out of the cave and breathe.
*sending good revision thoughts to Eden*
-
Thanks everyone! :)
Well, the first three chapters have been through no less than 3 rewrites, chapter four has been through two, and I'm about to do rewrite number two on chapter 5. Only 15 chapters to go!
I'm feeling much better after a number of epiphanies I had yesterday. Went to my local RWA chapter meeting, and the speaker was speaking about writing and spirituality-said a few things I really needed to hear, which starts with me cleaning up my attitude and making an effort to focus on what I liked about this story in the beginning. Then last night at 2AM (why is it always 2AM??) I had a huge epiphany about how my voice had changed for this book and how I could get it back. So-off I go to try to deal with chapter 5. At least I'm feeling for the frist time like I can do this and actually do a good job. And seriously, the support I always get from all of you helps so much!
-
Oh, I'm so glad i stopped by. I actually looked for Dark Garden the other day in the store, wondering when it was going to come out. I'm so happy for you! I freak out everytime I see my Caveman antho on a shelf, I know I'd cry too if I ever saw a book up there with just my name on it.
Hugs, and good luck with the revisions!
Anna J. Evans
-
I'm so proud and excited and overjoyed for you!! I know in my heart its going to be great!!! June 1st here we come!
|
| |
|
|
|
|
posted by Eden Bradley-Eve Berlin at 
Oh wow, I got all teary just reading that!