Cutting Room Floor: Part 4

Here are some numbers for you:

302 – pages
74,366 – words
8 – major characters
4 – editing revisions
26 – days before publication

That last number is burning a hole in the back of my eyelids, but that’s okay. I generally perform well when the pressure is on. And this final editing revision is still motoring along. One thing I’ve noticed during this process is how much I truly hate editing, but a second thing is a deeper understanding of the necessity of it. I had taken a hiatus from the editing of this book for four months after I wrote it, in order to give myself distance from it.

You see, to an author, the manuscript is flesh and bone, born from the mind as a child is born from the loins. As such it is very difficult to rip it apart even if it needs it. When we are too close to it, we only see what we meant to say, not what is truly there. Now, with so much distance, each edit feels like a cleansing ritual instead of an exorcism. It’s like I’m meeting my characters for the first time again, and it’s helping the process immensely.

As the time draws near for publication, though, the editing is just the first part. I still need to choose my fonts carefully, decide whether or not to name my chapters or leave them as “Chapter #,” and of course a title. This week I had a big discussion with my wife about a possible title for the book, and we made some inroads. Let’s hope within the next week or so I can settle on one, because it affects the book’s cover as well.

With that being said, back to work. Thank you for your support.

Sam