Editing Happens in Stages.
For me editing is a long but interesting process. And the most difficult decisions are made during the blood and sex…scenes. Once the first draft is complete I go back and begin to edit, usually after a week of ignoring the final draft altogether. The first thing I do is read through and note anything that I don’t think makes sense or isn’t needed. I completely (try) to ignore grammar which isn’t important at this stage.
Then I leave it for a day or two before attacking it again. I re-look at the decisions I made in the first edit before altering the draft. Then I take it chapter by chapter and focus on the detail, referring to the chapter before and the one after.
Re-writing comes next. This is where, if you pass by my open window, you will hear me reading out loud and growling at the document to try to make it read better. I am currently at this stage with ‘Whispers on the Hill’ and I’m trying to root out the gnarly bits.
When I feel like it’s finished and I’ve done a grammar edit I email my little team of readers and ask them if they are ready. Then when they foolishly say yes I give them the things I want them to check for, send them the document, give them a time frame for when I want it back by and then wait.
I read a book, watch lots of movies and check out the window everytime I hear a noise waiting “patiently” for the email to tell me they are done.
Then I decide whether their changes make sense or not, I might even discuss it with them and see if I simply need to change the wording so what I was trying to say is clearer.
Then when the final manuscript is done they get to download the final draft to their eReader incase they want to read it again and for a few weeks they can have normal conversations with me again.
Blood and Sex
Editing the Sex
Trying to find the right way to write sex without sounding like a bad porn is challenging. I did contemplate taking it all out until I realised that it would result in a significant portion of the book feeling like something was missing or that readers would think the author (me) was too scared to put it in.
Part of this story requires sexual content or sex scenes and come on, honestly, they are couples in a hotel, it’s bound to happen right?
Blood and Gore
I can’t help feeling that I haven’t put enough of this in, perhaps I need more.
Some of these scenes need re-writing but not many, without them the book really wouldn’t work and I think my only problem is making sure that the levels are right and that they are believable.
Whose books or movies do you particularly like that have blood and gore scenes that work well?
Finally
I created a timeline for the history of the story and I thought that I would share a part of it with you, this helps keep the history for the story in order rather than relying on my brain to remember. It is everything up until ‘Whispers on the Hill’ begins.
Whispers being the name of the hotel that is situated on the hill.
Kate xxx
Related articles
- Kate on Gore (katetrinity.wordpress.com)
- How to write a sex scene (gettingsomethenovel.wordpress.com)
- Idiots Guide to Writing Sex Scenes (Dirty, Erotic Language) (everyrosehasathorn.com)
Horror and Fantasy Author – Also writing as K.T. McQueen. Love Western Horror, cowboy boots, my cactus Collin, & my Demon Cat.
Moths – I hate moths, the way they flutter at your face!
