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Week 2
Author: Bev Vincent
A monumental day. I took my disk to the local Copy Club and printed out a clean version of the entire manuscript for the first time. I've been printing chapters as I finish them, but I've also been tinkering with the chapters so much that the printouts aren't current. So now I have "the manuscript" except for the concluding chapter.
My deadline to have the book with my editor is five weeks from Friday, so that gives me a good chunk of time to pore over the manuscript, tweak and refine and then come up with what I want to say as my final words on the subject. No one else has read even a single word of the manuscript and it's likely no one will until I send it to Ron, my editor, and Michael, my agent, at the end of July. Because there are spoilers for the last three books throughout, there's not really anyone I can share it with. My poor editor will have to handle the spoilers, as he won't have read the final three books during the editing process. I'm going to try to get him an ARC of Wolves of the Calla when they come out so he'll only have two books ruined for him instead of three.
I think I'm starting to enter the OHMIGOD, IS THIS GOING TO SUCK? phase. I think there's a lot of really cool stuff in my book -- details, trivia, connections, insight from all over, but my big question is -- does it achieve what I set out to do, which is to provide something readable, informative, not preachy, something that leaves room for discussion and is fun and interesting. We'll see. I'm sure my editor will have something to say on the subject in the near future!
Author: Starr_R
I can't wait to read it. I've enjoyed reading your log so far.
Author: Jreitan47
You mean I have to get a job at your local Copy Club to see what happens next with The Dark Tower? LOL
I'm glad you got a message board Bev...I will be checking it daily!
Author: Bev Vincent
Welcome aboard, Jonathan. I'll be looking for you at the local Copy Club!
Author: Bev Vincent
For the past couple of days, I've been dawdling a little. Well, not exactly dawdling. I've been reading through some old resource books that I've had stacked up on my desk, looking for some of those neat little tidbits of information that I can plug in to enchance my book. I've got a big notepad stuffed with all these little snippets of ideas, some complete, some just seeds to be planted while I reread the manuscript.
But last night I took the bull by the horns and started my first editing pass. Got through the introduction and the first chapter. The first chapter is the one that I submitted with my proposal when I sold the idea last fall, so it has been gone over numerous times, but I've added to it since then and continue to tinker with it. It's a fun chapter, dealing with the real-world road to the Tower -- the history of the series starting in 1970 when King wrote The Gunslinger and every little bump in the road along the way through November 2004.
I started on chapter 2 this morning and can see that it is a little rougher, never having been read beginning to end before! The pages have a lot more insertions, deletions and places where large chunks of text are moved to make the flow more logical. I'm still liking what I read, though. I'll probably be sick of the book by this time next year, but right now I'm happy.
Five weeks from today I ship it off to New York.
Author: Joycey
I can't wait Bev!
Author: Bev Vincent
Me neither, Joycey!
I got through Chapter 2 last night and took a good bite out of Chapter 3. Chapter 2 is still a little rough, but I see some things to improve it when I get around to the rewrite. Chapter 3, which is the character studies, has already gone through extensive rewrites, so it is pretty good. I was pleased with it as I read through. It started out horribly long -- almost 100 manuscript pages that I had to cut down to about 35. You wouldn't believe the stuff that had to go. Whole characters didn't make the final cut. Maybe if there's a collector's edition some day I'll be able to restore some of it.
I decided not to get up and work this morning. It was raining and thundering and it was just too nice and comfortable and atmospheric. I've got the whole weekend ahead of me and I get so much work done on a weekend it makes up for the occasional days I take off. And next weekend is a 3-day weekend so even better!
A monumental day. I took my disk to the local Copy Club and printed out a clean version of the entire manuscript for the first time. I've been printing chapters as I finish them, but I've also been tinkering with the chapters so much that the printouts aren't current. So now I have "the manuscript" except for the concluding chapter.
My deadline to have the book with my editor is five weeks from Friday, so that gives me a good chunk of time to pore over the manuscript, tweak and refine and then come up with what I want to say as my final words on the subject. No one else has read even a single word of the manuscript and it's likely no one will until I send it to Ron, my editor, and Michael, my agent, at the end of July. Because there are spoilers for the last three books throughout, there's not really anyone I can share it with. My poor editor will have to handle the spoilers, as he won't have read the final three books during the editing process. I'm going to try to get him an ARC of Wolves of the Calla when they come out so he'll only have two books ruined for him instead of three.
I think I'm starting to enter the OHMIGOD, IS THIS GOING TO SUCK? phase. I think there's a lot of really cool stuff in my book -- details, trivia, connections, insight from all over, but my big question is -- does it achieve what I set out to do, which is to provide something readable, informative, not preachy, something that leaves room for discussion and is fun and interesting. We'll see. I'm sure my editor will have something to say on the subject in the near future!
Author: Starr_R
I can't wait to read it. I've enjoyed reading your log so far.
Author: Jreitan47
You mean I have to get a job at your local Copy Club to see what happens next with The Dark Tower? LOL
I'm glad you got a message board Bev...I will be checking it daily!
Author: Bev Vincent
Welcome aboard, Jonathan. I'll be looking for you at the local Copy Club!
Author: Bev Vincent
For the past couple of days, I've been dawdling a little. Well, not exactly dawdling. I've been reading through some old resource books that I've had stacked up on my desk, looking for some of those neat little tidbits of information that I can plug in to enchance my book. I've got a big notepad stuffed with all these little snippets of ideas, some complete, some just seeds to be planted while I reread the manuscript.
But last night I took the bull by the horns and started my first editing pass. Got through the introduction and the first chapter. The first chapter is the one that I submitted with my proposal when I sold the idea last fall, so it has been gone over numerous times, but I've added to it since then and continue to tinker with it. It's a fun chapter, dealing with the real-world road to the Tower -- the history of the series starting in 1970 when King wrote The Gunslinger and every little bump in the road along the way through November 2004.
I started on chapter 2 this morning and can see that it is a little rougher, never having been read beginning to end before! The pages have a lot more insertions, deletions and places where large chunks of text are moved to make the flow more logical. I'm still liking what I read, though. I'll probably be sick of the book by this time next year, but right now I'm happy.
Five weeks from today I ship it off to New York.
Author: Joycey
I can't wait Bev!
Author: Bev Vincent
Me neither, Joycey!
I got through Chapter 2 last night and took a good bite out of Chapter 3. Chapter 2 is still a little rough, but I see some things to improve it when I get around to the rewrite. Chapter 3, which is the character studies, has already gone through extensive rewrites, so it is pretty good. I was pleased with it as I read through. It started out horribly long -- almost 100 manuscript pages that I had to cut down to about 35. You wouldn't believe the stuff that had to go. Whole characters didn't make the final cut. Maybe if there's a collector's edition some day I'll be able to restore some of it.
I decided not to get up and work this morning. It was raining and thundering and it was just too nice and comfortable and atmospheric. I've got the whole weekend ahead of me and I get so much work done on a weekend it makes up for the occasional days I take off. And next weekend is a 3-day weekend so even better!
Comments
Bev, I'd just like to say that I think it's incredibly generous of you to be doing these weblogs. Many people are very private about their writing, and personally I find it fascinating to sort of take the journey with you. You're allowing all of us a real-time view of how a book comes together, and it's great.
Author: Nille
yeah what Michael said
It's very interesting to "be there as it's happening"
Author: DTUK
Concurs
Author: Nytrydr
Bev, I can't wait!
But based on the items I've read so far from posters @ SKBB, I have to ask about that Chapter 3. I've not yet begun to read the Revised Gunslinger, but going by the posts of those who have, Roland's character has been revised, too. Since your Road to the Dark Tower covers all 7 books, is there a mention of the difference in your book? Or... Is that something I'll have to wait to find out for myself? :~
In any case, I can't wait to read the results of your monumental work!
Author: Bev Vincent
I don't think Roland's character is revised in the new Gunslinger. Not substantially. If anyone changes, I'd have to say it is Jake, who is much less passive than he was in the original. He speaks up, aggressively, a couple of times when he was silent in the original. Also, King's narrative described Jake negatively (like a sheep, for example) in the original and those aspersions have been removed in the new one.
I do address the changes in my book. My editor suggested that I might do them independently, but I decided it would be less repetitive and more clear if I addressed the important changes where they occur in the overall arc of The Gunslinger, which is essentially the same.
I'm glad you're all enjoying this. I should have started it much earlier in the process as we are reaching the beginning of the end, as Roland Deschain would say.
Author: Nytrydr
OK, thanks Bev!
I got the Rev Gunslinger, but am trying to stay honest and first finish the book I was already reading. Ugh!