What a Difference an Edit Makes.

Yes, I know. I haven't posted since March. Well, I've been busy landing a deal with Escape Publishing for Tearing the Shroud and it releases Nov. 1, 2013 from Escape Publishing. (let there be rejoicing)  I also re-wrote Mending the Shroud and started The Shroud Reopened. I'll try to be better...honest. I even have a few Author interviews coming up, so don't give up on me. Anyway, on to this week's blog. (Yep, I'm aiming high...one a week.)

After:

12 Beta readers

2 grammar and punctuation editors

3 Critique Partners

2 professional editors who went through it a total of six times. And at least 15? 20? times personally reading through it and even listening to it being read by my computer…I agreed with my publisher, Tearing the Shroud was “done.”

Six days later, I found a missing word.

I emailed Escape (my publisher) and fortunately, there was still time to insert, “side” hopefully making the novel complete. If you find, or rather don’t find, a word you should find…do me a favor…don’t tell me. There’s nothing I can do about it now.

The whole thing got me thinking about the journey this has been and the changes various edits made in this novel. As I pondered the various possibilities, a musical example came to mind. In 1977, Cheap Trick released the album In Color. On it was a “power pop” song. Give it a listen here: (sorry of there is an advert you have to skip.) 

Its lite, full of bubblegum, yummy goodness has a ton of smooth synthesizers and miles of slick production. To my ear, it’s a bit of throwaway fluff that I wouldn’t give a second listen. Then, on April 28 and 30, 1978 they recorded their live concert at the Budokan, in Tokyo in front of 12,000 screaming fans. The easy listening keyboards and the overproduced sugar and sweetness were stripped away. What was left became the stuff of legend.

What a difference an edit makes.

What edits have you made or want to make to your life...writing...or music?
Drop a comment about your experiences.  

Cheers,

JM