Revision H-E-Double Hockey Sticks

Oh, it isn't really hell... I am up to 75,000 words + on the new version. I'm told to keep it close to 80K. Um... don't know about that... I'm thinking more like 85K if I'm good.

A crit partner and I shared our "agent" critiques. And it begs the question-what do you normally get? (I put agent in quotes because mine was from a prospective and hers is her actual agent)

Mine was a few pages- broad scoped paragraphs. No real line edits or anything too specific. And I thought it really focused on the soft spots well. And I knew some of them existed (I had just pulled out the whole paranormal premise and two main characters were completely without justification for their behavior and the ending was completely changed and the ink dripping).

Hers were short and sweet. A couple specific places noted. A sub plot TBR as in To Be Removed.

Mine started positive, had some positive thrown in the middle, and ended positive.

Hers were only the problems. No indication of where the story was really working.

SO-- does the type of revisions one gets depend on the agent, the part of the process, the needs of the work? All of the above? The reason I ask- I think it would make a big difference to me if I had a good handle on the type of revision requests I could expect. I liked the revisions I received, but I don't think I would have liked the ones my CP did even though hers weren't as extensive(And she may not have given me complete disclosure).

This Week's $5 word: Schadenfreude

The word "schadenfreude" has suddenly started showing up everywhere! And especially on one of my Yahoo Loops, where it was tossed about casually until someone finally had to ask- what does it mean?!

Schadenfreude(shädn-froid)
NOUN: Pleasure derived from the misfortunes of others. ETYMOLOGY: German : Schaden, damage (from Middle High German schade, from Old High German scado) + Freude, joy (from Middle High German vreude, from Old High German frewida, from fr, happy)
*Thank you American Heritage Online

So why are people tossing around that word on my loop? Because of the bloody watered feeding frenzy that happens every time a self-proclaimed Anti-ChickLiter takes a tumble. So why all the schadenfreude? Is it the big $$$ advances? All the publicity? Is it just jealousy? It is what it is- the bigger you are the harder you fall.

So here is the blood just to get everyone caught up:

First we watched Curtis Sittenfield with her diarrhea of the pen in this case, where she basically threw down and called ChickLit writers sluts. Well, don't take my word for it- here it is.

Well then Jen Weiner brought it with this. And this.

And then there is the THIS IS NOT CHICK LIT book, from some of the best (so they tell us) women writers because yeah for some of you writers the warning is needed- um Curtis? Frogs and pink belts on the cover sort of misrepresents...doncha think?

Now we have a new scandal worthy of its own Wiki! Kaavya Viswanathan and "her" book How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild and Got a Life. Read the wiki for all the juice. Form your own opinion- but while any one or two of the examples can be explained away- it is the volume of them and the similar sentence structure that really convince me.

Not a ChickLit author, but we also saw some schadenfreude with ol' James Frey. But I've talked too much on my blog about him as is.

So the bottom line- what do these three have in common? It's not chick lit, it's not even a scandal (I personally have not seen Curtis brought up on anything other than a lack of clss or grace)-- the common denominator in why we love to see their blood in the water is that they all are big talkers. Vanity in spades. Cocky in that obnoxious in-your-face way. And that is why the schadenfreude is so yummy.

And the moral of this post is: be a little more humble or your bad ass just might get a boot up it and no one will be there to pull it out. Peace out ya'll.

Dream A Little Dream

OMG! I had the weirdest dream last night--I'm not sure if it was the funniest thing I've ever dreamed or a nightmare. So, somewhere in this dream I get this mail delivery, and it is a story that appeared to be a middle grade type of story (not something I write) that was (judging from the returned stack of papers) way too short to be a novel. The kicker was that it claimed to be written by me! But I knew I had not written this obviously inadequate submission. Apparently my grandmother had written it for me... and... and... and... had been sending it to a publisher--Delacourt to be exact--relentlessly. They were returning to me to tell me that it has been rejected for the last time! Do not send it again! In fact, never send anything to them again! Oh boy... was I ever mad at Granny! I wish I could remember more about the story she had written-- the MC had a funny last name, but all I can remember is that the first name was Wendy. Maybe I should ask my grandmother... Not to long ago I was telling someone about how she used to send my junior high poems into those bogus competitions. She'd do this without telling me. So I think that was why I had this dream. Still, too funny.

Fly-by Updates...

I am up to chapter ten on my revisons. Not saying a whole lot... only tacked in one small scene, But that scene now sets up the rest of the book better... and gave it a title change. So it was a big change.

Chapter ten also needs a little add-on scene... it will also set up a sub plot, but it is part of the "party" scene and I really scrimped on it the first time. I think YA readers like to read about parties and such, so I'm going to do better on it.

In other news I am doing my taxes and if I'm correct I'll be getting a juicy refund. Yea! It was kind of nerve wrecking as I had to do the income first, which had that little "You Owe" amount growing and growing... but since I bought my house and pay ridiculous amounts of interest and taxes, I am now getting a nice refund. But I'd like to point out that while it didn't significantly alter things- I don't see why I have to include my state tax refund from last year as income... that is just rude.

The Way-ay-ting is the Hardest Part

Okay, for all of you on the edge of your seats, scoot back. If you've almost lost fingers from crossing them so long for me, shake them out. We are back to waiting.

Or more precisely to revising.

Yes, the ol' "we love it, but change it, and then we'll talk." I was expecting it, because let's face it the ink was wet on this version. I am excited to say that the revision suggestions were not that painful, and pin pointed all the areas I had concerns with as well. This is kind of validating in a way-- 'cus I was worried that maybe I had no idea what the story needed and was too close to it. But alas, at least one or two or three other people out there also think the same way. It also means that the rest of the story made sense! Hallelujah! That in of it itself is a miracle.

So thank you for hanging in there with me, it looks like we have a few more weeks of fun... I just know I'm going to end up with grey hairs from this, and I'm a little concerned that I have had my monthly friend over 3 freaking times this months, I'm not even playing. So if I'm a little irrational or on an emotional roller coaster, you know why...

DARA

Okay, I'm starting to recover from the DARA conference last weekend. It was only two days (really just a day and a half!) but social events always wipe me out, especially ones like this. I scored a ride down with two wonderful ladies from my local RWA chapter: Donnell Epperson (who you don't want behind you if you aren't fast lane worthy!!) and Gena Showalter (who freaking kicks ass!!). Now I had the opportunity to hang out some with Donnell at nationals in Reno, but this was my first real hanging out with Gena. Up until this, I had been in total fan girl fog around her (and still am!)

So anyway, since I'm late getting to the blog... all the juicy details have already been talked about... catch them here at Gena's Blog and here at Shelley Bradley's Blog...

In other news, I'm at the last stage of the gauntlet with Agent McDreamy... so hopefully good news will be next!