June 23, 2007
I got back my Editorial Evaluation from the publisher today, and the prognosis looks good. Final line of the review reads, "With additional work this will be a delightful, entertaining, debut novel." So I got that going for me ... (can you name the movie?)
STRUCTURE. That is the main area I need to work on. No surprise, I write like I think which can be erratic at times. Sure, I enjoy hopping about with some mental calisthenics, but I am in my head. Being on the sideline watching all this in a leotard lunging hither and yon could send a head spinning ... get a sense why I need to focus on this area?
In addition to excellent feedback, what I really appreciate from the edit eval (I need to start using some of the biz lingo ... or at least what I believe it might be), was getting another person's perspective on Ocean Raton. Sure, I have had people I know read the manuscript, but the problem with that is that they KNOW ME. When you know the writer personally, it's tough not to hear her/his voice in the words on the page - it's going to taint your reaction and review. Not to mention, as Michelle so lovingly pointed out to me as I curled at her feet while she read the initial manuscript, I am damn needy.
No doubt about that. After eleven months writing just to complete the first draft (with my eval back, editing is now in its third month), I am Cat Scratch Fever anxious (I prefer Nugent's album to the disease) for feedback. Honestly, that's one of the two reasons I love to write.
Which leads to this question that has been nagging at me since I started Ocean Raton last May - why do I want to publish this book? Finally, I can express the answer I knew but could not verbalize in the words of Stephen King. TANGENT WARNING: I could go on for pages about how much a writer can learn and appreciate from this man's work, and perhaps will once I know it is more than just me reading these diary entries. For now, let's just say if you are a writer; aspire to be one; or may in the past, present or future come in contact with a writer in either a professional or social setting, read as much of his stuff as you can. Put on the top of that list On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft.
Anyhow, I am surfing through his web site looking for ideas for my own and genius to plagiarize, when I come across this innocuous question in the FAQ section inquiring whether or not he has retired. The answer is one only Stephen King could deliver, and in his response I found my own truth why I want to publish Ocean Raton:
"... that feels like the final act of the creative process, publishing it so people can read it and you can get feedback and people can talk about it with each other and with you, the writer ..."
EXACTLY. So I better get back to revising if I hope to get this published by August 25. Why that date and what's the other reason I love to write? I might touch on both those topics in my next entry or you can email me and I'll give you the inside scoop. You can also visit the Ocean Raton Message Board and post your speculations, though until the book actually comes out and starts creating a buzz, those are going to be some lonely words.
Until then, thanks for visiting!!
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