What I learnt this week: 9th August 2018

Pine trees and willow

My last post was about writing in the heat. This one is about editing a Christmas book in August.

ALCC coming -2

My next book, A Little Christmas Charm is due out sometime in October and already I’ve had the structural edits in. These are the ‘big’ edits. The ones where we sort out the story, and yes, dear reader, I have quite a bit to sort out. The first two chapters need rewriting, for a start. Gulp. Then there’s my timelines which, when the book is effectively a countdown to Christmas, are apparently quite important. It worked in my head, but no longer works now I have chapter headings of Seven days before Christmas….and the following chapter, set two days later, Eight days before Christmas. At least it would be, according to the events I have going on.

Lesson learnt; my head is no substitute for a proper diary.

The other major edit I need to incorporate is, in the words of my editor, make it more Christmassy.

Hence I now live in the surreal world where, in between going to watch my sons play cricket, I am knee deep in tinsel and fairy lights.

christmas-1140818__340-2 tinsel-1168300__340

And if I’m ever going to have this book ready for Christmas, and it would be shame not to, considering home much Christmas I’m now trying to pack into it, then I’m afraid I will have to leave you here.

Don’t worry, I’ll be back. I just hope it will still be summer when I finally emerge.

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