This post is linked to my last one. Which means it is more to do with my recent writing experience than other references, tales, analogies, what have you, I may or may not have previously posted. In even more words, this is being directly typed from my heart, to my head, along my arms, to my fingers...okay, you probably get the picture and I'm procrastinating again. :)
A few days ago, I completed my collection of short stories. I was happy with them. Had gone through searching for repetitive words (I hate seeing the same ones in the same sentence or paragraph - sometimes it is unavoidable but it is rare). The plot too was defined, enough clues to allow the reader to see what was coming and yet (hopefully) an alternative there too, to mislead. After that I went through changing some of the names of the characters. Somehow, from conception to finalising, many
of them had developed, either become nastier, stronger, older and so forth.
I have a tendency to use the same names for my characters, and when I'm at this point in the editing, it helps to give them new names, because it makes me see them afresh.
It is not unusual (don't you just love that song by Tom Jones?) to find it difficult inventing names for places/characters in SF/fantasy. Even though we're creative people, it's just that now it seems there's fewer words than people writing. Anybody out there know the actual figures? Unless you're one of the rare few that has no problem with this, in which case I might just be a tiny bit jealous of you, it is quite a challenge. Well, I bounced ideas with those that will put up with me and it was fun. Many names in these genres are unpronounceable, hence quite riotous (especially at a party).
Finally onto the proof reading. After printing if all off and putting it into a folder, I put it to one side where I could see it and have it as a 'to do' reminder. At this point it is interesting how many avoidance tactics I can come up with, and mostly legitimate. There is no way my writing gets lost in the nether regions of the farthermost corners of this house, no matter how safely I store it - it sits on the shoulder like that proverbial monkey! Watching films and reading are great, but they're killers of time, and probably detrimental to me right now, and of course to my chosen way of life. Am I not supposed to be a writer...and as I have been told many times, if that is the case, then damn well (apologies) treat what I do as a job. It might not pay as yet, but hey, look at the bright side; most things sell posthumously! And while we're doing our Monty Python, (unless you've been a couch potato), no doubt you've been sharpening other tools. I have.
On my blog now, there are a few more pages. That's been my latest venture. And I really enjoyed digging, uploading and writing on them. Now I can justify all that time I spent/spend away from my writing. Another bonus, the few friends I've asked to look at my lists have reminded me of others - reminisces are invaluable to us. They are as nutritious, tasty, and beautiful as food. Doesn't a meal for one seem less enjoyable?
Right, I finally managed to force myself to read from the printed page. There were so many mistakes. Bad grammar. Typos, where fingers had typed one word when I meant another, the list was endless. So another red pen bit the dust. Another print run, followed by reading into the dictaphone. Very useful. Tiring. Boring. You name it, but this isn't the hard bit. That was having to listen to my voice when I played it back...! A positive point to note here...by the time I finished reading aloud the 21k + words, my voice was super sexy! It's back to normal now...shame.
From there, with the printed pages, another red pen and the dictaphone, side by side, I went to work again. Yes, there were still errors. It was getting there but I wanted to berate myself. If Isaac Asimov did it in two...maybe it's because he was a...genius? Or perhaps I just ate too much popcorn while I worked that it fuddled by razor like editing skills! Nope.
All done? No. These errors also dealt with, I loaded it onto the e-reader. And discovered still more. Interestingly they were mostly towards the end of the collection. Signifying? I had had enough. Tired and so forth but determined to finish before the day was out, I had carried on. Big mistake. A tiny bit of advice, know your limits. Go do something else. Return refreshed, however many times. A lesson learned.
Great. From here, with the corrections made, I have sent my collection winging its way to my daughter to proof read for me. She always likes to be warned about any adult content (these words have come out of her mother's head after all!) and anything specific I need her to tell me. 'Everything' does not go down well...so I have to say concentrate on the apostrophes...the things that I spot in everyone elses writing, except my own.
My 4th baby (this collection), I have named Vicious Vignettes. I have to be honest, my friend Neill came up with the title (damn him), I was going to use one of the names from the book. A cover is being planned. Hopefully, (yes I do a lot of that), this book will be bouncing around the internet within a couple of weeks?! Fingers crossed.
Oh lastly, (but not least), I hope that people will not only read Vicious Vignettes, but like it too.
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