6 Responses

  1. Lisa
    Lisa at |

    Great post. Shows how much work it takes before a book can be released. I have really enjoyed your Blue Notes series. Look forward to Blood and Rain. Thanks for the excerpt. 🙂

    Reply
    1. Shira
      Shira at |

      Thanks, Lisa!

      Reply
  2. H.B.
    H.B. at |

    Wonderful post. Thanks for sharing with us all how much work goes into writing a book and what everything entails.

    Reply
    1. Shira
      Shira at |

      Thank you, HB! I may be crazy, but the work really is fun. 😀

      Reply
  3. sandym0327
    sandym0327 at |

    Awesome post, Shira. I have a question, if you don’t mind. Do you ever panic when you get the first round of edits back?

    Okay, I guess I have two questions…sorry. 🙂 When you get notice back from your editor advising that a chapter really didn’t work and it needs to be redone or rewritten, how do you go about getting yourself out of the mind set you had when you originally wrote it? Do you ever read it it and think, “No, please, this is good. I really want to keep this in here?”

    Reply
    1. Shira
      Shira at |

      I haven’t had that problem yet, Sandy. I tend to be one of those writers who doesn’t see a book in progress as complete until after editing. In fact, I tend to do some of my own edits ahead of the formal editing process. That helps me to keep an open mind. I always know the book that’s contracted isn’t the book that will be published. It gives the story time to “age” a bit (yes, like wine!).

      So far, I haven’t had that “I have to keep this” feeling about something major. Sometimes there are phrases that I want to keep, but my editor is great about that too. It’s a collaboration, truly. I am VERY fortunate to have found someone like her to work with. She really makes me look good!

      Reply

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