Post Title.

I am working on editing the galley for MURPHY’S TROUBLES and am anticipating a late May or June publication date.  I received the galley electronically in early March.  My editor, Cat Spydell, at Mischievous Muse Press warned me before sending it that first time authors often have feelings of euphoria and ebullience when they see the manuscript they’ve slaved over in book format for the first time.

Being in the twelfth year with this manuscript (only since 2010 full time) I thought I would be immune from the throws of elation.  Didn’t happen.  I received the galley attached in an e-mail and didn’t actually download the file for hours.  Then I opened the file.  Hallelujah!!  There it was a special font for chapter headings, laid out just like a book.  The first thing I wanted to know was page length – 280 pages.  I’ve written a novel that 280 pages – amazing – a miracle – I did that?

I closed the file and saved a copy to a jump drive devoted to the most recent versions of the manuscript and now the galley.  I didn’t look at it again for three days.  I was completely distracted and couldn’t focus.  My editor sent me a page of detailed instructions for the first three chapters and I couldn’t read those either.  After three days I did review my editors’ instructions in detail.  The most radical change was in how the first chapter ends.  Her suggestion added tension and mystery to the plot –it t was brilliant.  I wondered why, after many critique class and beta readers no one suggested this change.

It has been a lesson for me in both the art and craft of writing fiction.  Anyone who says that writing fiction is a solitary undertaking is wrong unless they self-publish and don’t pay for editing services.  Sadly many who self publish pay a copy editor and miss out on a content/craft edit all together.  A book may be technically correct and still be badly written, lack tension, have an unbelievable plot or other problems.   Self publication was originally called vanity press and there’s a reason for that.

My experience is that art, by its nature, is collaborative and I for one wouldn’t want it any other way.