Editing, blogging and (still) writing.

My new book is now out and the first copies have been bought by my lovely gal pals and other friends. They are clutching their signed books and looking forward to finding out what I have served up this time.

One of the ways that I can advertise my books is by doing a blog tour. This means asking people who blog about books to feature me in their posts. I have been looking into doing this and was delighted that I was coincidentally invited to feature in the blog of the Dorset Book Detective. I will be seeking out more bloggers to see if they will mention The Dog and The Girl.

I have finished the basic story for my novel Mr Fortuna and now comes the editing. A post on Twitter by another author said that they had written over 100k words and had to edit it to reduce it. I work the other way around. Once my story is written I then go back and usually add between 20-30k words as I clarify and elaborate on my first draft.

The process for me begins with reading what I have written so far then I go back to the beginning and start to add things in. I do this a number of times adding more each time until I am happy.

It is amazing how much you miss out in the first draft. I am rushing to get my thoughts down and I am assuming that the readers will be on the same wavelength as me. The revisions are where I have not explained a particular scene well enough.

Often I find that I add completely new chapters too. Maybe giving the point of view of a different character or giving more of a back story. I have learned not to number my chapters until I have finished editing. Its tiresome to have to keep re numbering them as I put more in.

I am going into a week of social events so writing will be squeezed in where I can. So far I am going out for a meal with one friend and then, the next day, lunching with two others. The weekend brings a meal out with friends at a Thai restaurant which I am really looking forward to. I do like spicy food.