
A couple of weeks ago I got an email from my assigned lead editor from The Writer's Coffee Shop for my book "Wrong Place, Right Time," which hopefully will be released in December. She introduced herself (name is Mavvy, very cool name!) and asked if we could Skype on March 3rd. We set up a time during which my older daughter would be in preschool and I hoped my younger daughter would be asleep. Then I worked on some pre-edits that the publishing company said a lot of manuscripts need to address.
My editor had a lot to say and it's hard to summarize really. I took several pages of notes. Small note pad but still. :)
The jest of it is that I have a lot of work to so between now and the deadline for this edit which is early June. The first thing I have to do is rewrite the beginning. The editing team that analyzed the book liked where it started but didn't like how I then had to tell back story things later. They want me to start the story earlier and lead up to the first scene I had. It makes sense and is something I'm willing to do. I have this week to make that happen. After that my lead editor will go through chapters five at a time and offer comments etc on the group. We will go back and forth until we are both happy with where it is.
The only thing she said that I didn't like I also did like. Let me explain. She said with the kinds of changes we will be making she couldn't guarantee the manuscript would stay a novel based on word length. It might become a novella or even a short story. She said she didn't want to concentrate on word length but rather the story itself and allow it to dictate length etc. When she put it that way I understand and agree. However on the other shed I desperately want this to be a novel and not a short story or novella. I haven't yet figured out how to address that issue. I might just see how it goes or perhaps I should speak up as to how I feel about that earlier. I don't know.
So I'm in for a lot of work between now and June. My editor said she doesn't say positive things unless the thing is really striking. So I have a feeling I'm in for some days of feeling blue. :). But in the end it'll make it better and I know that so I'll go through it and do what I can! Send your positive thoughts my way. I may need them!
I'll keep you updated on the process for those interested in editing with a publisher and the process of getting published.