Wednesday 14 October 2009

Finished!

It’s not often you get to finish writing two books in one day. Although it’s easier than you think, as there are so many landmarks in the writing of a book that feel like the end.


There’s the first draft - the marvellous moment when you write the last word of the last chapter and you think that’s it! It’s done! I’ve actually told a story from beginning to end! It’s perfect! Hurray!

Then there’s the stop-start process of second, third and infinite number of drafts where you admit that the first draft wasn’t perfect at all and you catch the weak bits and sort them out.

Then, there’s the editing process - the on-screen manuscript to read and change. The hard copy to mark up - how nice to mark up copy on paper again, I haven’t done that for a newspaper for years.

And then the final, final changes. Mine came through for Joe yesterday, everything picked up by the proof-reader, including one page which had the word ‘point’ repeated four times - argh. Thank goodness Frances Lincoln isn’t one of the publishing houses I’ve heard about who have cut down on proof-reading.

In the meantime I’d finished the first draft of Almost True a few weeks ago and sent it to my agent. She came back with her comments on Monday…generally positive, but with one problem. I spent a little time thinking about that problem, and then kazam! One hundred lightbulbs went on in my head. I knew how to fix it! The whole book would change if I re-wrote 10 pages. At 10pm I sat down to rewrite.  Three hours later draft two was done.

So, yesterday I finished two books. My agent sent Almost True to my editor, I sent him my thoughts on the final changes to Joe. Of course Almost True isn’t really finished at all - there are his thoughts and changes to come, and then the whole editing and proofing process. But the writing and inventing phase is nearly over. And now I have to face up to the most difficult question. What next?

14 comments:

  1. Congrats! I say for what next: take a bit of a break, you've earned it!

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  2. Great news. Well done. Bet you're buzzing, eh? Looking forward to reading both.
    Jim

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  3. Woo hoo! How exciting! Congatulations Keren

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  4. This is huge tempting of fate of course. My editor might hate Almost True and want massive rewrites..

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  5. Way to go! I've got my fingers crossed that they love the new book. This sounds like a very exciting time for you.

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  6. Keren, that's mind blowing!!
    Send me some of your productivity, would you? I could do with having a good day!

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  7. Of course, sending it your way! Must say it's unusual for me..normally achieve nothing.

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  8. oooo, Congratz!
    You must have a book signing in London for When I was Joe, so I can fan girl scream all over you :)

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  9. Amna - maybe I can hire you as my fan girl for signings!

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  10. Haha! I'll do it for free :)

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  11. OK, you're on...hope you're in north London...

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  12. congrats... this is the future i want. but it scares the shit out of me.

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  13. I think there's a post to be written about the fear of getting published...I'm going to think about that one. Nice blog Nomad - how scary is that?

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