Chunky Editing

Awhile back I blogged about editing CALLARION AT NIGHT in chunks instead of as a coherent whole. The reasons for this, beyond the one already mentioned in the post I linked to, are several-fold.

1) I wrote on Microsoft Works and MS Word 3.1 back in the day -- those programs used to go all nutso if you had a document that was greater than roughly 120 pages. I've only recently gotten out of the habit of keeping a complete MS in four separate documents.

2) It's easier to focus on 10 to 15 chapters at once rather than staring 30+ in the face. Why? Well because then you can scroll back and refer to earlier sections without sitting there for five minutes looking for the exact section you want.

3) Once I'm "done" with a previous section, I can move into a clean file and not have to worry about dozens of marks and everything from stuff I've done before. Granted, it's more time-consuming to flip from one file to another when I have to refer to chapters not in the section I'm currently working on, but I'm willing to make that sacrifice.

4) Did I mention that it saves my sanity to focus only on a specified number of chapters?

Another side reason is that you're able to check chapters off the list, so to speak, when you've finished editing them. I hate making to-do lists, but I love checking things off them.

CaN update, by the way: The first 11 chapters are roughly 75% edited now. I included another Rombard chapter (on Donna Hole's suggestion) and am moving along with smoothing out the middle portion where Moriah searches for her mother's diary. Big changes and life-changing discoveries are in store for our spunky heroine and the honorable scoundrel who loves her. I won't say the beginning section is perfect (because nothing ever is) but it's a heckuva lot better than it was two months ago.

Also, another note: We still have open spots for guest posts on The Secret Archives of the Alliterati. Like L.T. posted on Friday, we're booked up through much of May, but we're accepting folks for slots well in advance of the actual date. Send an email to alliteratiarchives@gmail.com.

Callarion at Night Update -- Part I don't know anymore

CALLARION AT NIGHT has now ballooned from 231 pages, 23 chapters, and 62,000 words to 270 pages, 28 chapters, and 72,000 words. Yes, folks, I have added about 10,000 words since I said I "finished" the book. And there's a chapter I finished today that hasn't even been flowed into the main text yet -- add another 4,000 words and 13 pages.

Of course, I made half a dozen decisions to alter the storyline since I "finished" that draft too. Now, I still want my betas to read the versions they have, because about 75% of the events in the story are going to stay the same. Everything that I've sent to you fine folks will be incorporated in some fashion into this version (and might be preserved entirely depending on what it is).

Ay yi yi revisions are effing hard aren't they?