Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Birthright in the finishing room

Well, hello. Long time between posts. Have been busy doing the boring stuff readers probably don't really want to know about: know you, the working parts showing/mic too low, camera man spotted in the mirror accidentally type of stuff.

This is what I stare at currently. Double click on the photos to get a really close look-see:



And there are pages and pages and pages of it. I need to read/check/agree or disagree with the suggestions/corrections/changes my publisher has made (mostly agree) and then address the comments (like the brussel sprouts or cooked cauliflower on my plate), I leave these till last because that's the hard stuff.

This is how I have been (and will be) spending my school holidays: the last touches to the final novel before it heads off to the line editor to make sure all the gaps are where they should be and no gaps where there shouldn't be.

This is NOT the creative phrase and is why I am so pleased to be part of an established publishing house. I'm the talent (to continue with the movie metaphor) but it's everyone else who makes the final product fantastic.

Creatively, I'm nibbling away at some new projects, writing a bit of poetry, running the youngest out to the horse farm, teaching my lovely students and getting myself healthy.

And reading lots and lots and lots of books - bliss!

6 comments:

Amy said...

This is just what I'm doing - minus the publishing house... but fingers crossed - or rather, fingers typing! It's great to see behind-the-scenes, Tania. Thanks!

The last of a trilogy - you have to get all those loose ends now or not at all - though leaving something for the fanfiction-writers is an option :)

Best of luck keeping focused and clear-headed about it all.

TK Roxborogh said...

Thanks Amy. My publisher/editor has a mind like a steel trap so she's really good at picking up 'loose ends' stuff from books one and two. Same with my agent - most of that was addressed at the first read through where I needed to do a HUGE re-write. At this stage, I'm being told to 'kill a couple of darlings' - characters who came along and had some things to say (or do) but haven't advanced the story so need to go (sob).

Amy said...

I write a variation of that phrase in the margins of my drafts: 'kill this baby'... usually followed by a question mark because it seems too brutal. But necessary. Bonne courage!

Amy said...

I write a variation of that phrase in the margins of my drafts: 'kill this baby'... usually followed by a question mark because it seems too brutal. But necessary. Bonne courage!

Mackenna said...

Read mum's blog, check :P

TK Roxborogh said...

At least you can say you are the ONLY member of the immediate family to have done so Mackenna and the novels as well.