I have a guilty writerly confession: I avoid rewrites.
And “avoid” is putting it mildly. I literally run away howling anytime someone mentions it’d be a better idea to rewrite one of my 18 drafts instead of writing up 395839 new ones. Why? WHY!??! Excellent question my friend. There is much more pressure when it comes to rewriting and editing. In first drafts, if there’s a plot hole? AH. WHATEVER. Fix it later. But in rewrites…you must fix that plot hole NOW. Terror ensues.
BUT HERE I AM, ABOUT TO BE BRAVE. What could be better to distract me from panicking over Christmas* than dusting off my 2014 NaNoWriMo project and hacking at it with the proverbial chainsaw?! Plus I promised to return to The Dead Boy and the Paper Cut, part of which graces Wattpad, and continue updating it. SO I SHALL. I am a dragon of my word.
My 2015 NaNoWriMo project (Did You Lie About the Dragon) draft shall fester for a bit longer. But you can still read my derranged shriekings about how I won this year’s NaNo in 4 days.
* Yes I am a sufferer of Christmas Panic. It’s too overwhelming, okay?!? Expectations, presents, loud music, dubious amounts of tinsel and holly which would make a perfect murder weapon, I might add, so why are we leaving it around for potential attackers?!? WHY HAS NO ONE THOUGHT CHRISTMAS DANGERS THROUGH?!?! Ahem.
Myself! The last Beautiful Books linkup is live (join us here!!) and it’s all about editing. Enormously fun, right?! In 2016 we’ll be back to the regular Beautiful People linkups (with interview questions for your characters).
And I’m NOT talking about my NaNo book that I just wrote!! This is an older draft from 2014!! JUST SO YOU KNOW.
Also Emily @ Loony Literate and I are doing an impromptu rewrite challenge! Starting this weekend (the 19th). Basically we are just going to rewrite at whatever pace we want and howl at each other (that’s encouraging howling, by the way) on twitter under the hashtag #rewriteathon. It’s going to be fun. JOIN US.
I give a more logical blurb on wattpad, but the basic run down is:
- It’s about a deaf girl and a dead boy.
- They’re adorable.
- They band together to discover the dead boy’s murderer because the ghost-life is making him a violent little brute and needs to forgive his killer and chill.
- They develop squishy feelings for each other — but #awkward — BECAUSE HE’S DEAD.
- There is so much coffee and cake, it’s ridiculous…ly awesome.
- There is much murder.
- Also the dead boy gets killed by a book. Yes, a B.O.O.K. This is to underline how dangerous the bookworm life is.
I prattle on about this novel of mine so much it has it’s own tag on my blog.
Follow Cait’s board WIP The Dead Boy and the Paper Cut on Pinterest.
1. ON A SCALE OF 1 (WORST) TO 10 (BEST), HOW DID THE BOOK TURN OUT? DID ANYTHING DEFY YOUR EXPECTATIONS?
Back when I first wrote The Dead Boy and the Paper Cut in November 2014 (OMG IT’S A WHOLE YEAR OLD, BIRTHDAY CAKE!) it turned out really well. I had a hilariously good time. But. Plot holes. PLOT HOLES. So many plot holes you can fall into Wonderland and never climb back out…aghhhh. I would give it a 7 right now, because I know I can do better. Or I hope I can. I BELIEVE IN ME.*
* I totally do not. Omg. Someone save me.
2. COMPARATIVE TITLE TIME! WHAT PUBLISHED BOOKS, MOVIES OR TV SHOWS ARE LIKE YOUR BOOK? (EX: INKHEART MEETS XMEN?)
It comes from an entire motley of inspiration, but basically I wanted a) books, b) ghosts, c) coffee, and d) muuuuurder. All the good things.
+ 
+ 
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3. DO YOU ENJOY WORKING WITH DEADLINES AND PRESSURE (AKA NANOWRIMO) OR DO YOU PREFER TO WRITE-AS-YOU’RE-INSPIRED?
YES DEADLINES ARE LIFE. Although funny how they’re considered deadlines isn’t it? Ahem. I always give myself deadlines because I’m a super competitive person. I’m super competitive against MYSELF. Basically my life is this:
Me: I’m going to write a book in a week!
Me: I did it. BUT I GOTTA BEAT MYSELF. Next time 5 days.
Me: 4 days?
Me: I’m going to finish before I start, basically.
It’s a problem.
I do wait until a book is ready to be written. This could mean a full year of it just bopping about my head, and months of plotting, and half a wall covered in sticky-notes of facts and dastardly plans. But I do not just write a “little bit here and a little bit there”. Either I write 8,000+ words a day or I don’t write at all. For like…months. I do not recommend this method. I’m an evil writer.
4. HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT EDITING? GIVE US AN INSIGHT INTO YOUR EDITING PROCESS!
I once did an entire post detailing my editing process! But I’ll break it down briefly for you here:
- Start by crying and procrastinating for at least 9 if not 97 years.
-
ME, UNFORTUNATELY
Then reread old draft and cringe and gasp in horror and laugh hysterically because YA CALL THIS A BOOK?!?!
- Write a list of things that need fixing.
- The list consists of one word: everything.
- HAHA JUST KIDDING. There is a list and it’s minutely helpful.
- Then highlight the entire book in red and rewrite every. single. word — changing to black text as one goes. It’s a visual representation of progress. It saves lives.
- Intersperse days of editing by HOWLING and running in circles in nice socks on the dewy grass under the dragon moon saying things like “I AM NOT CRAZY” and “MY NAME IS NOT FERDINAND”.
- No one thinks the above is weird. It’s actually normal.
- Eat. so. much. chocolate.
5. WHAT ASPECT OF YOUR STORY NEEDS THE MOST WORK?
The part where it starts, the middle, and the ending.
HA. I’M JOKING. (I am totally not.) But right now the plot holes lie mostly with:
- The fact that I wrote a lot of horrible cliches and misconceptions around my deaf character. MY BAD. I have since been researching all year and learnt a lot. (But if there is anyone who’d like to give me tips about correctly representing a deaf character, I WILL LOVE YOU.) This needs fixing.
- I relied on my deaf character lip-reading…perfectly. But apparently lip-reading is really hard with basically 33% success rate. So I will have to edit/rework/delete a lot of dialogue.
- There are plot holes.
- I tried filling up said holes with my tears but it didn’t work.
6. WHAT ASPECT OF YOUR STORY DID YOU LOVE THE MOST?
I loved my ghost!
My snarky, mean, bitter ghost — who has issues. So. many. issues.
But yet is adorable and awkward and well-meaning.
(Despite um…stabbing several people throughout the story…um. But we all have bad days! C’mon!)
7. GIVE US A BRIEF RUN DOWN ON YOUR MAIN CHARACTERS AND HOW YOU THINK THEY TURNED OUT? DO YOU THINK THEY’LL NEED CHANGES IN EDITS?
\\ Pictures link to their pinterest pages!! //
- MOXIE: She is my 16 year old deaf protagonist and narrator. She’s wispy and sad and has PTSD and a coffee addiction and has more books than space in her room. I definitely need to work on making her deafness respectful and believable. I don’t want to misrepresent her!!
- THOMAS: He is my 16 year old ghost. He is mean, but small and secretly nice and very very lonely. He is perfect. PERFECT, I TELL YOU. Let me live in my delusions, shush.
- KHALIDA: This is Moxie’s best friend and I really need to make sure I don’t make her a “token” best friend who just gets dumped midway through the story. I’d like to slip her into the finale. So edits = yes.
- MOXIE’S DAD: I can’t remember. It’s been a year since I worked on this book, okay?! I think he’s awesome. He runs a coffee shop, he has to be awesome.
- MOXIE’S BROTHER: Okay so this dude started as her uncle, changed to her older brother, and now I’m considering making him a younger brother. GAH. He needs work.
8. WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THIS NOVEL ONCE YOU FINISH EDITING? MORE EDITS? FINDING BETA READERS? QUERYING? SELF-PUBLISHING? HIDING IT IN A DARK HOLE FOREVER?
I’ll be posting more to Wattpad! I’ve yet to decide if I’m going to post the whole book. I definitely want to. BUT YA KNOW. Fear. Trepidation. Other small details.
I do have an agent but we’re working on other projects and The Dead Boy is kind of just my “fun thing” at this point. But maybe I’ll still look for betas to help it be the best it can be! I’ll do a shout out on the blog when I get there!
9. SHARE A FAVOURITE SNIPPET!
I have shared these snippets in the past, but they’re my favourite so excuse me but I CAN’T HELP MYSELF.
10. WHAT ARE YOUR WRITING GOALS AND PLANS FOR 2016?
POSITIVITY! I had a really rough year (writing wise) and I want to be calmer about writing in 2016. Have some fun??! Write more wild crazy stuff and LET LOSE THE KILLER CRICKETS. (Or…something.) But I have an entire post I want to do on 2016 writing goals, so for now, here is a brief list:
- I want to rewrite my 2015 NaNoWriMo book, Did You Lie About the Dragon? (Spoiler: everyone lies in that book. It’s like the book of lies.)
- I want to write a Sherlock retelling but by the point-of-view of Moriarty with SHERLOCK AS A GIRL. It has a pinterest board so it’s official.
- I will doing edits of SOMETHING with my agent. I can’t tell you what SOMETHING is. But SOMETHING is grand.
- I have like three other books that are dying to be written.
- And of course I plan to get a 6 figure publishing deal, be paid solely in pirate medallions, purchase a dragon, and then do all my writing on dragon-back whilst flying over the high seas. #legit
I just went and peered at The Dead Boy and the Paper Cut on Wattpad and I just realized: I’ve read it before. Before I actually followed your blog. I really enjoyed back then (ten or so months ago), so hooray for an update.
And I swore to myself that I WOULD NOT WRITE until next year, that I would give myself a break from NaNo. And then I thought up the most marvelous idea and I’m currently outlining. I’ll most likely start writing in Monday. And I think it’s my favorite title I have ever made up. (Of Murder, Magic, & Talking Cats).
WAHHHH REALLY!?!? EEEP. So did you find it before my blog? BC THAT GIVES ME LIFE ACTUALLY. *ahem* I don’t know how to really network on Wattapd so I’m afraid I just sit there like a little soap bubble of antisocialness. So I’m glad non-blog-readers might stumble across it at some point too. heheh.
(Are you writing right now?! Because magic and murder and cats is like the BESSSST combination I have ever heard.)
Isn’t rewrites and murder every season for writers? (Not that I would know since I still haven’t gotten around to actually writing any books. *sigh* I’m so indecisive that my planning is taking forever, but anyway…)
I can *maybe* help with little things regarding your deaf character. I don’t have any deaf friends or family, but I took four years of ASL in high school and learned a little bit about Deaf culture. I’m definitely no expert, but I’m willing to try if you have questions 🙂 I can probably decently answer questions about sign language if she uses that lol. The best general advice I can give is to look up the difference between deaf and Deaf (one is capitalized) if you haven’t already. And certain aspects of her character would also depend on whether she was born deaf or something happened. But I’m probably just telling you a bunch of things you already researched, so ima move on.
I would so read this! This is totally my kind of book, and the dead guy definitely sounds interesting. I don’t mind if he’s a little stabby lol. The more issues the merrier! Good luck with the editing!
IT SHOULD BE. There is no season that is inappropriate for rewrites and murder. *nods sagely* I HEAR YA WITH THE PLANNING THOUGH. 😜 I’ve been planning one book for 12 months and am still no closer to writing it. Oops.
OMG THIS IS HELPFUL THANK YOU. <3 My problem with the sign language is my book is Australian and would then need to be AUSLAN instead of ASL. So while I look up youtubers and read a TON of articles on it...mostly everyone talks about ASL! And I did read one book about the Deaf vs deaf...which was really enlightening. One of my biggest problems is that my character went deaf because of an accident. So she’s going through a bit of a grieving process for her hearing — but at the same time I don’t want the book to be saying that being deaf is like a TERRIBLE THING. Because Deaf culture!!! SO YEAH. It’s tricky. I don’t want to offend.
Probably what I most want to know is what it feels like…like how much should she be able to hear. I know all that varies so I’M SUCK. xD
EEEEeP. But thank you, Kristen!! I will totally come and poke you when I have questions. hehe, if that’s alright, of course. 😜
Ooh, yeah, I wasn’t even thinking about the fact that you’re book might have a different type of sign language when I commented. And I totally get what you’re saying about her struggling but not wanting to offend. I think it’s probably ok for her to struggle and think it’s terrible in the beginning, so long as she’s still just as capable of everything and doesn’t see it as a disability by the end? I mean, it’s definitely harder for people who grew up hearing to get accustomed to deafness since we learn to rely so much on sounds. How much she can still hear would just depend on what you decide since, like you said, it varies.
And you can throw questions at me whenever 😛 My email is on my blog. I could possibly beta read when you get to that point if you want. It’ll probably just be little things that slip by accidentally, like her turning around when there’s a sound or something.
Oh yes yes *nods* I’m attempting all of this (this is glorious advice, tHANK YOU) and I definitely want her to not see herself as “broken” by the end, because I think that’s offensive? She’ loses her hearing in an accident, so yeah. Gah, though. I would hate for someone who is deaf to read it and be horrified at my inaccuracies.
I WOULD ABSOLUTELy lOVE FOR YOU TO BETA. <3 That offer has completely made my day!! I'll get back to you when I finish edits?!
Ok I’m going to feel like I’m taking over your entire comment section if I post anymore here, so I’m sending an email through your contact form lol.
BAhaha, DON’T FEEL BAD!! That’s what the comment section is for. 😉 But yes, feel free to email as well! ALL IS APPRECIATED 10000%.
I agree, the Holidays always put me in a state of panic, I get so overwhelmed with the things I should do, that I forget to enjoy them all together. Tinsel is horrid, and I hate it. It would make the perfect murder weapon. I love Thomas, him and his bitterness and dislike for children. I didn’t know it was a love story, I need to read more of it.
I’m glad I’m not alone in my holiday panicking then. 😜 TINSEL IS EVIL. It just gets everywhere and sticks to you and is basically as bad as glitter. *nods*
Eeeep. *flails for 90000 years* I’m really intensely pleased you like it, Skye! 😀
YES YOU’RE GOING BACK TO DEAD BOY EEEEK. I absolutely loved Thomas! (And not just because he shares a name with my protagonist. of course not.) I actually realised the same thing about Moxie’s lip-reading when I was doing research for my deaf (wrote that as dead TWICE) character and I thought, “Should I drop Cait a note? Erm … well it’s basically a dead fic now so never mind.” BUT APPARENTLY IT’S NOT SO YAY.
(But like, if you’d be interested in sharing our research pm that? I would be totally up for that. I am basically Jon Snow in that I know nothing about the experiences of deafness, but two brains are better than one. I would also be totally up for beta-reading basically anything you write, so just tossing that out there.)
Also Rooms! That got rec’ed to me a while ago so I might bump it up the TBR since it inspired something so wonderful. 😀
ALYSSSSSA. WE SHARE 2 CHARACTER NAMES NOW. I’m beginning to think your my sister-from-a-different-country or something, okay? Because we have a lot in common. 😜 AHEM. But seriously feel free to shout things at me if you see me making a horrid mistake in my writing. I WILL ACTUALLY APPRECIATE IT. *nods* Although sometimes I do know I’m doing something awful I just am also…lazy. >_> Ahem.
(And YES. We should share research!!! A lot is in my head though, dangit, but I’ll gather what I’ve got and email you?)
And afjdklsafd if you wanted to beta anything of mine — I WOULD SAY YES. <3
*whispers* I didn't adore Rooms a ton? But it inspired me. XD
Gurl, you are a walking, talking genius. Where do you get these ideas?! I always abandon my writings in the middle, because I can’t bear to end them xD ANYWAY, I am so looooking forward to your book, because that looks pretty amazing actually! And a deaf character. Plus, the ghost dude sounds bloooody cute xD
I don’t really have any suggestions or advice for you (I’m a failing writer), but DON’T GIVE UP OK? If you feel like giving up, eat cake. It always helps heheheh
EEEEP. YOU ARE THE NICEST BEAN OF EVER. I guess I…read a lot?!? And I just have a wild imagination. 😜 Finishing something is the first step, *nods* that is for sure. But I finish drafts all. the. time. AND YET NEVER REWRITE THEM IT IS BAD. I can’t learn to rewrite better if I don’t know it, right?! *cracks whip at self* I need get busy.
I SHALL EAT CAKE. SOLID ADVICE.
I hate edits and rewrites too! My 2014 NaNoWriMo novel hasn’t been opened since last November purely for that reason. Even at the time I knew it had gaping plot holes and needed some serious work, and I’m still working up to facing that a year later.
Anyway, good luck with your rewrite (your book sounds awesome by the way! I’ll definitely have to check out what’s already on Wattpad)!
I did some vague edits around January last year? But since then…NADA. 😜 Somehow plot holes are the most terrifying thing of eVER, right?!? I need duct tape…*trots off to find some*
I wish I had something to contribute towards this month’s Beautiful Books, but I’ve been editing mostly and haven’t written extensively anything new for a couple of months.
Even so, I loved reading about The Dead Boy and the Paper Cut. I can’t have a story ‘bopping’ about my head. I have to write it down or I lose it. I think it’s fascinating you have a deaf character – I couldn’t write that because I’d be worrying all the time about getting it wrong.
(I don’t much like rewriting, either, shh. I cannot do the extensive take-it-out-and-replace-it. Not every word! I’m a gradual grazing type of rewriter.)
Love your little introduction picture, too. Cute Holly deer.
(Eeep, thank you!! I got a freebie download off some website and I was just like OMG IT’S LIKE THE RAVEN KING I’M USING IT. XD I have a thing for deer now. #noregrets)
I am worrying all the time about getting my deaf character wrong. XD I mean, I want to stretch myself? But at the same time, I personally dislike reading books where the author has no idea what they’re talking about. *sigh* It usually shows. BUT at least this one is just for fun and hopefully I’ll find some people with firsthand experience to rip it to shreds for me someday.!!
I SHALL KEEP YOUR DISLIKE OF EDITING/REWRITING A SECRET. OF COURSE. YOU AND ME BOTH.
Plot holes are scary. I think that’s why I’m procrastinating on the editing of one of my own NaNo/Camp NaNo novels, ’cause most of it I lovelovelove but the timing has holes in it so I have to rewrite the whole beginning and it’s hard.
The Dead Boy and the Deaf Girl sounds awesome, though. I want to read it. Best of luck with rewrites!
My best tip for editing . . . go easy on yourself. Say “it’s ok if I legitimately need to take a solid hour to rewrite one page so I can fix the plot holes that need fixed”, or “it’s ok if I leave this thing in for now, even though I feel like it might need changed”- the latter because editing is sometimes easiest if you don’t try to fix everything at once. However, don’t allow yourself to procrastinate, ’cause for me at least, procrastinating during the editing process is a lot easier than procrastinating during the writing process and it’s the reason that I will write a book in a month and then take much longer to edit it.
They are terrifying. UTTERLY TERRIFYING. Especially when you fall into one and its so deep you sort of just lie in the bottom of the plot hole and sob. <-- My life. Eeep, that is fabulous advice. REALLY FABULOUS. I tend to write like 10,000+ words when I'm drafting, and it's hard for me to remember that it's OKAY for editing to be slower. *nods* And that it doesn't need to be perfect on the first swipe through. 😜 I also need to "procrastinate" and have dreaming time, because that's how I fix my plot holes mostly. xD
I want to read all of your books Cait. Simply because I am very sure they’re all spectacular. Also, nothing says Christmas like murder, ghosts and cake, right?
AFJDKSALD ZOMG. THANK YOU, BEE. I want you to read all my books too *nods* And I want to read yours. We need get published simultaneously and make this happen, okay? OKAY. 2016 PLANS.
Yes, we need to make that happen. It would be epic and glorious and there’d be cake, obviously.
AAHHHHHHH
I flailed and squeed and cheered and squeaked and make crunchy happy faces throughout this entire post. MY GHOSTIE BABE *coddles Thomas for a hundred years*
I’M SO EXCITED. GOOD NIGHT CAIT YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH I LOVE THIS BOOK OKAY. I NEED IT. IN MY LIFE. RIGHT NOW. SO BAD. OKAY.
ahem, yes. sorry. i can get very excite about The Dead Boy okay. I love it an insane amount and I am unashamed.
ZOMG I LOVE YOUR COMMENTS. They make my day continuously, Lisa. <3 And the little ghostie is going to be SO MUCH FUN to go back to. Hopefully I'll actually finish it this time and you can read the ending?!?😜
WELL GOOD. I LIKE TO MAKE PEOPLES’ DAYS <3
omo YES. Goodness Cait I want to read the ending and the middle and EVERY SINGLE WORD. EVER. JUST. *grabby hands*
The book worm life is a dangerous life. #IDidntChosetheBookWormLifetheBookWormLifeChoseMe
THE THINGS WE GO THROUGH. *collapses dramatically*
I won’t quite be finished with my first draft by Christmas (Hopefully by New Year!) BUT I will probably still join in on the fun shenanigans and do a bit of pre-edit note making throughout he 90% of the book that IS finished! I can’t wait! I’ve been looking around for write-a-thons and what not and just can’t find anything that sparks my interest, but this edit-a-thon looks fantabulous!
Judging by the way you write you blog, I have a feeling that I’d really love the way you write a story. Must check out your Wattpad! *moseys on off to do so*.
YAYYY WE WELCOME YOU WITH OPEN ARMS AND CAKE, AUGGIE. *sprinkles cake crumbs in your hair* But I think edit-a-thons and rewrite-a-thons should happen more often. *nods* Because it’s more fun to do things in a crowd, right?! Like NaNo! (I wish the NaNo people would host an edit version. xD)
AWWW. YOU ARE THE SWEETEST. *blushes*
Tips for writing deaf/Deaf characters – talk to actual deaf/Deaf people!!! That will be your best bet for not relying on stereotypes & such. http://thelegalizeddeafies.tumblr.com/ is a great place to start & learn more about the culture.
No editing advice for you because I can’t even get my act together enough to make meaningful progress on EITHER of my WIPs. *wails* I have a very high-level idea of the story but I can’t fill in the gaps. *wails again* But go you! I hereby dub you my writing spirit animal. 😀 😀
OMG THANK YOOOOOOU. You save lives, Tiffany. SAVE. LIVES. (Mine. Well, my book’s that is. XD) I shall devour that tumblr immediately.
Well, let’s just wail mutually together because THAT’S THE BEST I CAN DO FOR EDITING TOO.
Holy moly, girl. I want this book…even with all the plot holes…in my hand now. It sounds freakin’ marvelous. What a wonderful idea for a book, Cait. I also love the name Thomas, I may be biased slightly because that’s my boyfriends name, but hey, good choice 😉
I think this sounds so lovely and amazing and just wow. Definitely a book I would die to get my hands on!
AHHHH THANK YOU, ERICA. *dances crazily* Thomas is an excellent name, ergo you made an excellent boyfriend decision. *nods* I maybe have a sliiiiight thing for Thomas from the Maze Runner. SHHHH. SECRETS.
Rewriting is so hard! I often struggle with editing and the joys of deciding which parts need editing and which can be left alone.
A deaf character is a novel is tricky. When I was in school for assistant speech therapy they said lip reading, while inaccurate, was still a viable method of communication. But when I took sign language classes my deaf instructor said that it’s incredibly rare for anyone to lip read. And these days with cochlear implants and the like it’s even rare to see a kid that isn’t using tech to supplement their hearing loss.
But in fiction we all take liberties. I think you can have a character that lip reads and struggles with it e.g. when people talk too fast or turn their heads, etc. without being disrespectful of people in the deaf community.
Good luck with your rewriting!
I’m glad you share my terror of rewriting. 😂 I AM NOT ALONE IN THIS OMG GOOOOOD. I always am freaked I’ll ruin it by cutting something crucial. hehe. YES I’M DRAMATIC. Writer. *collapses dramatically*
Ohhh, that all makes a lot of sense *nods* and matches up to things I’ve read. I was watching some youtubers talk about being deaf and some of them said they didn’t even use sign language. Just lip reading + texting basically. And I do hope that stretching the truth a bit will be okay in a book. I know realism is important though, too, so *sigh* IT’S A HARD BALANCE.
Thank you. <3
YES. You should definitely post more of The Dead Boy and the Paper Cut. *glares at you until you do*
I REALLY HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT WRITING AND PUBLISHING YEAR. Like, it’s stinkin’ about time the publishers recognized your genius. And now I am excited about your secret grand something project thingy. *waits expectantly*
Lip reading is so hard. I’ve been working at it for years (I’m not deaf, though), and I can only read lips about half the time. It especially depends on the person because it helps if people accentuate their words and some people mumble which makes it next to impossible.
Also, since I love editing, I will edit your books for you if you pay me in pizza. 😛
I won’t actually be doing any editing over Christmas, I don’t think. I want to, but I have a ton of busyness to get squared away before I can sit down to editing or I will regret it. And as much as I don’t like to, I find it works best for me if I take a complete month off after NaNoWriMo before I start editing a bunch because I really need to let my wrists reset as much as possible. And I have about a thousand and nine things to do but grr, I really want to edit. I love editing and I hate drafting, which is why I write like my life depends on it, because the lives of my books do. If I can’t write 10,000-20,000 words a day or more, I’ll lose momentum and never finish anything ever again. *flops*
*types furiously so you stop glaring* I WILL I pROMISE. I’M WORKING HARD. (har har I am totally NOt working hard. I’m here answering comments instead of writing but shhhhh. Our secret.)
Zomg, I KNOW RIGHT?! Those publishers. They are missing out on me and my brilliance. *flips hair impatiently*
I can’t lip read at all. I admit I didn’t try for very long, but…gah. Too hard. I’ve watched a few youtubers talk about their experiences with being Deaf and some don’t even ever learn sign language! They just get by with lip reading and texting and stuff. So that threw a whole new light on the process for me. AND WHAT ABOUT BEARDS AND STUFF?!? That’d totally ruin lip reading. :O
OOOH. REALLY?!?! Because I would pay you in pizza. I WOULD.
I usually take 6 months off after NaNo.😂 I AM BAD. *ahem* But hello, you write like a zillion words, I think you deserve a month off.
I do not know weather to laugh or run for the hills Cait! xD
I haven’t written a BIG book yet (Note: Yet is the keyword!!!! ) but I know the editing process can be pretty tiresome, sometimes it feels like back to square one, isn’t it? But you can write like a dragon, so I think if you tried you’ll kick ass in editing as well! Oh oh that ghost was soooo cute! It just reminded me of Casper… I need more cute ghosts in my life! Ahh… I mean… I have no idea why I said that! Nonetheless, you need to finish that story so that I gobble it up… like a CAKE! Loved the snippet btw and I forgot what else I wanted to say….so that’s it! Hilariously great post! 😀
BOTH SIMULTANEOUSLY. <-- It is the best advice and the only way. *nods* It does feel like going back to square one. *sighs* And sometimes it’s hard to know WAHT to change and edit. Like I wonder if I make things worse or better, you know??!! LET ME FRET. XD
Ooh, I LOVE LOVE LOVE the idea of this rewriteathon. Cait, is it okay if I join in–but not with a first draft? I neeeeed to get my NaNo done, and I *was* hoping to get it done before the end of the year, so I seriously need all the motivation I can get. 😉
YES OF COURSE. I’m technically doing a 3rd draft here!!😜 I need motivation too. For some reason, this time of the year kiiiills my working spirit, hehe.
Yay! I love when you do your own Beautiful Books posts because your books are beautiful and I love hearing about your writing! ^_^ Best of luck on rewriting The Dead Boy and the Paper Cut! You can totally do iiiiit! I remember what I read of it being fabulously hilarious/scary… I CAN’T WAIT TO READ MORE. Also, FYI: THIS POST IS HILARIOUS! *huggles it* I LOVE YOUR HUMOR. And I totally connect over your dread of rewrites… I’m in the same boat. (And I think it’s sinking…) Meep. o.o
I don’t know if I’ll be joining in the rewrite howling on twitter but I actually do have an editing project I’m doing… Which is rare. I was SO done with writing when NaNo finished but instead of taking a break like a reasonable pumpkin, I up and have been writing ever since to finish a story for a contest AND I JUST FINISHED. …But now I have to edit it. And rewrite the horrible plot holes and NaNo-rambling. And cut out a fifth of the words because it has to be a certain length. AND ALL OF THIS IN LESS THAN TWO WEEKS BECAUSE THERE’S A DEADLINE TO SEND IT IN BY THE END OF THE YEAR AND I HAVE CHRISTMAS TOO AND I’VE NEVER EDITED UNDER A DEADLINE AND I DON’T KNOW HOWWW AND JUST ALKDJFLSJ. Hold me. I may die. *crumples and hides under helpful ghost sheet because it’s so awful*
I AM NOT CRAZY AND MY NAME IS NOT FERDINAND AAAAAAAAAAHHHH *runs around howling*
(Also, Christmas + murders, there is a song about it. Here you are. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8fPvODASoI )
AWW THANKS, DEOBORAH. 💕😊 I don’t know why I get such cold feet about it?!? BUT I DOOOOOO. hehe
(I’m actually procrastinating rewrites right now by answering comments but shhhhh. I’ll get to it soon. I PROMISE.)
EEP. I’M GLAD IT MADE YOU LAUGH. My work here is done. *flips hair majestically*
Omg, good luck with your edits!! Cutting is HARD sometimes…especially if you don’t know if cutting something will impact the story badly, right?! GHAHAHAHA. *chews nails nervously on your behalf*
*holds you*
*feeds you reviving chocolate*
I get anxious and depressed around Christmas time too. The shopping, expectations, presents both giving and receiving all make me a bundle of nerves. This year has been much better, the reason I’m assuming is because this is my first christmas as a married lady. Anywho, I love these questions! And I totally need to do them.
Editing can be the worst. And I’m honestly not the best at it. At least when it comes to my writing. *sigh* But I’m definitely joining you for the weekend of revising. I need to polish off a nano novel from years ago. 😀
Ohhhh, we are basically TWINS in this then, Abi. *hugs you and feeds you christmas cookies* It’s the expectations that kill me. Gah. STRESSSSS = I am not good at handling it at all. I need my quiet room, my quiet books, my quuuuuiet life.
I’m so glad you’re joining in though! MORE THE MERRIER. 😀
I do love christmas cookies and food though. 😀 YASSS. Stress everywhere. And I’m already anxious. I can’t wait till the holidays are over.
INDEED! I’m super excited. I always need to do more editing.
Omg YES to Christmas food. It is so ridiculously delicious. I basically refuse to go to the store around christmas time. AGH. It’s ridiculously busy. >_> And yes, anxiety is basically through the roof right now. WE SHALL HUDDLE IN CORNERS WITH CHRISTMAS FOOD AND QUIET, AMIRITE?
So I think I’m going to try and write a book over 2016! So I have never attempted this, so it may be a horrible, devastating, train-wreck, that kills thousands of people (which is highly likely). Or if all goes well, I will have a horrendous copy of a book with a thousand errors, that could use a WHOLE bunch of editing. I am clueless on what to write about, but I am leaning towards dragons! Like you I love them! I wanted to write about Greek mythology, but I would probably end up copying Percy Jackson word for word…. Then I stumbled upon the glorious idea of DRAGONSSSS!!!! Seeing that you were able to write a book about them, in 4 days! I thought HEY maybe I can try to do it too!! So my resolution is to try and write a book, even if it turns out horrible, I can always edit!
AHHH THAT IS GREAT NEWS, MAYA!!! Zomg, I wish you the most luckiest of luck that ever lucked. THAT IS ALL. hehe. And don’t worry…my drafts are always train wrecks too. Characters die. Sacrifices must be made. *shrugs* *buries characters* YES WRITE ABOUT DRAGONS. They are the best topic of ever. Plus how can you go wrong with dragons?!?!
And that is the BEST resolution you can make *nods* Just finish writing the book. <-- my #1 piece of advice. Even if it's bad, it's still progress! You can't edit nothing, right?!
Me: I’m going to write a book in a week!
Me: I did it. BUT I GOTTA BEAT MYSELF. Next time 5 days.
Me: 4 days?
Me: I’m going to finish before I start, basically.
That is the most favorite thing I have read all day 🙂 I love the glimpse and the humor into your writing process, especially since we’re so opposite. I love editing. I love reshaping things that have already been written. I love the most when I write it well the first time and only have to tweak things, but don’t we all 🙂
I compare writing to sculpting sometimes. That first draft is like having to build the clay you’re going to have to work with – and that’s the hard part for me. Especially all the plots. Once the thing is built I just have to shape it and start the actual sculpting 🙂
EHEHHE. THANKS ANNIE. 😂 Awk, I envy your love of editing though. I feel like having some neat and orderly and well written books is better than having 2 million messy first drafts that no one can even PEEK AT because they’re so horrendously unedited. 😛 I do like finishing an edit/rewrite though, and that really accomplished feeling. :’)
AHH. THIS SOUNDS GOOD CAIT. OMG. I love the concept – I don’t think I’ve ever heard of anything quite like that. And I love the way you seem to blend humor with a creepy murder mystery / ghost story. Only you could do that! 😜 Thanks for sharing and, as always, fabulous post! ♥
BAHAHAH THANKS ZOE.😂 I have read a few books that mix humour/dark comedy/ghosts and it’s my faaavourite. So of course I had to try and write it. 😉
I’M SO EXCITED FOR OUR #REWRITEATHON. I may have sneakily already started (shhhhh). But it’s so daunting. Omg.
AND YAY DEAD BOYS. I love Thomas. And Moxie. And their banter. It’s just all perf <3 <3
I WON’T TELL. I may have…not even finished my read-through yet.😂 But I am actually looking forward to rewriting more than I have for…erm, EVER?!?! SO THAT’S A GOOD THING.
Death by book… yep, sounds like a prediction of my future.
Mine too. Except I’m going to be squashed by my enormous TBR. I JUST KNOW IT.
I always find re-writes and edits much easier than the actual writing process…which is why I am current;y struggling to actually finish my first (but kinda really third, because of all the edits I’ve made along the way) draft.
Ahh, I do get that. I used to really like edits, because at least you have something to work with, right?!😂 But now…gah, I just find it so much FREER to write whatever in my first drafts and just have fun. Editing = pressure. hehehe. BUT I NEED TO GET CRACKING AND CONQUER THIS FEAR.
Your book sounds really good! I want to read it!
AWW THANK YOU. *parties quietly with extreme happiness*
This book sounds really cool. ^ ^ I had a deaf piano teacher. She could lip read, but I also intermixed sign to make it easier for her. Some deaf people can’t lip read at all. It depends. I’ve known a few. Best wishes with rewriting it! Rewriting is actually my favorite part. XD I like it so much more than first drafting.
Ooh, thank you for that tidbit! (And a deaf piano teacher is really really amazing. GO HER for going with that career!!)
Yassssssssssssss! Pretty please for me just drop a line or two about what happened to the Jamaican guy. Okay? This storyline is different than anything I have read. It is fresh. This is why I think it is so grand. 😀
Bahahha,😂 OKAY. JUST FOR YOU. (Tbh, I think he…died….) Awww, I’m SO thrilled you think it’s fresh!! That…zomg, that’s like a massively inspiring compliment. :’)
Oh man. This book sounds amazing! The bookworm life is SO dangerous. I am so glad you decided to alert the world through literature :). YOU CAN DO IT CAIT, I BELIEVE IN YOU! *Here’s a cake for motivation*. Also, competitiveness makes the world go round. I’m ecstatic to read ALL the books you have to offer, because honestly, the voice in your blog is fantastic, so an entire book would be perfection 🙂
IT IS. It’s like we risk our lives by papercuts and falling bookshelves and huge heavy dangerous hardcovers. WE OUGHT TO GET SURVIVAL AWARDS.
AWwwwww. *blushes* YOU ARE SO NICE. 😊
I always love hearing about this story. 🙂
I’m still first drafting my NaNo novel. Let’s NOT talk about that.
…If you find out where to purchase a dragon, please send me a link/directions/the magic spell.
You could always compromise on the brother’s age and make them twins. 😉
Awww, thank you. 😊 THAT COMPLETELY MAKES MY DAY. (I find it really hard to talk about writing for some reason!?!? So this is super encouraging.)
I shall definitely share my dragon-purchasing-adventures as they happen. *nods*
TWINS. Now there’s an idea….*dissolves into plotting*
THE DEAD BOY AND THE PAPER CUT?! YOU’RE REWRITING IT?! *dances*
I’m so excited! I can’t wait to read more and I hope it does go well.
I’ve only met one deaf person in my entire life. But I did take a sign language class at the local college. It was very informative since our instructor, you know, works with deaf people. She taught us a lot about deaf culture and such. We also watched a lot of videos of deaf people signing on youtube (mostly videos where they signed to songs, which was really helpful). If you can take a sign language class, I”m sure you’ll learn a ton. Also, youtube is pretty good too sometimes.
That scary ghost gif! I was dying laughing. It’s awesome.
A Sherlock retelling?
I’m speechless. . . . .
Told by Moriarty?
. . . . . . . .
Wait! Sherlock, a GIRL?!
I NEED IT! That is the bestest idea ever. Especially since I like to think of myself as Sherlock but the biggest thing standing in my way is that he’s, you know, a guy (the IQ has nothing to do with it). Also, girls are so underestimated when it comes to brains. A girl Sherlock sounds fantabulous! And through Moriarty’s POV, that sounds positively creepy. I love it!
P. S. Every time you write “muuuurder” or even just “murder” I always have a picture of Cumberbatch’s Sherlock in my head. Either jumping around after a phone call about murder or talking about Christmas and murder, or just the evil grin he has in that one episode.
*whispers* I am DEFINITELY quoting Sherlock when I go “muuuuuurder”. XD😈
ZOMG BUT I’M SO HAPPY THAT YOU’RE EXCITED. THAT MEANS SO SO MUCH. AHHH!!!
My problem with the sign language is that there is TONS of stuff on ASL but not AUSLAN (which is the Australian sign language) so…that complicates things because my book is set in Australia. I need to know how it feels and like what the subtle discriminations are and things….gah, I should find some autobiographies on people who are deaf, right?! That could help. *nods* AND I should watch more Youtube videos…THAT IS GOING ON MY TO-DO LIST IMMEDIATELY. Thanks Ashley. <3
Squee, I am so. ridiculously. excited about my girl Sherlock and my Moriarty/Watson. I want to set it in Paris, but I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT PARIS so we'll see. But zomggggg...there will be murder and I AM EXCITED. *composes self* *fails*
I love the sound of your book and the deaf characters, the influences of your book sound amazing too Cait! Great work on this one, keep writing and you will get there, I know you will. <3
Awww, thank you, Jeann, YOU ARE SO NICE. <3
That’s amazing that you have an agent and you are working on edits. I was wondering when you would turn up with a whole book to give the world. I mean your personality in a book? Pure gold. I don’t know about your ghost being perfect though. You did just admit he stabs a few people throughout the book. That sounds like a bad ghost. A very bad ghost.
Eeep, thanks, Adriana! 😀 It is all very very exciting and fingers crossed for the future that’s for sure. 😂
And my ghost is a perfect….unhinged murderer?! OKAY OKAY. He’s not perfect. 😂 He’s slightly terrifying.