or, biting off more than I can chew.
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βπ»Writing Updates
I made the brilliant (re: mad) decision to edit two manuscripts simultaneously, and it was sort of working. Is working. Sort of. I mean, Iβm getting the edits done at a relatively decent pace (for me), but Iβm starting to come to terms that what I thought would be a final proofread for Before You Called Me Baby (Book 1) is turning into a solid final (final) content edit. A mild developmental edit, if you will. Definitely not the simple line edit I thought it would be.
And thatβs ok. Whatever makes the book better. Iβm here for the long haul, after all. But it does mean coming to terms with the fact that I may not hit my fall release goal. Maybe late fall, if my body cooperates (with chronic migraine and summer storms triggering the pressure, thatβs a BIG if). NGL, itβs gotten me a bit down. I amped myself up for a Fall 2025 release since I wrote it in my vision board/planner back in 2021.
If youβve followed my journey onΒ YTΒ or theΒ blog, youβll know I queried for two years while pursuing trad pub before deciding that my work stood a better chance in indie. It was a decision I wrestled with (the thought of being a small business is daunting as heck), but Iβve been all in since I made it. Now, here I am, regretting the years I lost querying and, more recently, the time I spent thinking I was done with edits and ready for proofreading.
Still, Iβm glad I can make these changes before putting it out into the world, though it will mean some tweaks to my publication plan. Iβm also learning that my initial goal to have all three books edited and ready for a (semi)rapid release launch is not going to work. Iβm not a fast writer and editing takes me twice, if not three times as long to complete. Iβm never going to be the writer putting out 5 or 6 books (or more) in a year. Itβs just not in me, unless I quit my day job (and thatβs highly unlikely to ever to happen. Hello, I need health insurance). So, Iβm coming to terms with having to make some realistic changes to my plan, and focusing on producing the best book I create, given my current reality.
Who knows, maybe Iβll get a burst of energy and push through to the finish line to meet my goal. Iβm keeping the hope alive, if nothing else. π€π»
πAnyhow, here is May by the numbers
Current Drafts in Progress: 2
- Before You Called Me BabyΒ (Tangled Hearts Book 1)
- My Favorite MistakeΒ (Tangled Hearts Book 2)
β²οΈTime spent working:
BYCMB π
- Reading: 5 hours, 27 minutes
- Read: 66 pages
- Revising: 10 hours, 33 minutes
- Revised:Β 59.5 pages
MFM β€οΈ
- Revising: 7 hours, 26 minutes
- Revised:Β 41 pages
Total time spent working on both drafts: 22.86 π
These numbers help me recognize the slow, but steady progress Iβm making. This month I lost 13 days lost to migraine and/or travel. It also took me a few tries to find the most effective editing schedule to juggle these two projects with life and work, but after a couple of weeks, I found a plan thatβs working, even though I missed some days.
As I write this, Iβm down with a cold, but still making progress. Fingers crossed that it stays mild and goes away soon.
marginalia and such 