Herewith a photo of the unrevised manuscript of Cold Steel. I printed it out because I received my editorial letter from my editor today . . . a mere ten pages. While I do revise on screen as well, I like to do an editing pass on paper; it just looks different and the visual change highlights things I might not notice on the computer.
I expect to take about six weeks to do revisions, including a tight line edit, but overall nothing substantial, just a lot of careful close-up work, some trimming, and clarification of various elements and some scenes that need to have a little more heft and clarity.
Pen for size comparison. That’s 690 pages, double spaced, 12 pt, Garamond (I prefer to compose in Garamond rather than Courier or Times Roman because I like the look of it better.)
I’m very excited at the news that the completion of your Spiritwalker Trilogy will be published soon. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed Cat as a protagonist and look forward to reading some of your other novels. (Cold Magic and Cold Fire are the only two novels of yours that I’ve read so far.)
I hope all is fabulous for you and your family in beautiful Hawai.
By the way, I prefer Garamund, too – or Cambria. I believe Times Roman is a font of the (near) past.
Cheers!
Cassie
I hadn’t seen Cambria before — just looked it up, and it’s lovely. However, I don’t use Microsoft products; that’s probably why I haven’t come across it before.
Thanks so much for your kind words about Cold Magic/Fire, and I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed Cat’s point of view (she’s pretty easy to write because as a character she is very talkative and distinct).
Cold Steel still has to be revised and go through the long production process, so unfortunately it will not be published in 2012, but when I have completed the revisions and had them approved by my editor, I’ll post again about its progress.
Thanks for your patience. This “first” draft took me 14 months to finish, and I have the revisions to do now, but I want it to be the best book I can make it.
I agree with Cassie that Times New roman is likely a font of the past at this point.
And, Congratulations on First Draftness!
I, too, love Garamond or even Courier (maybe because I first learned to write on an old Royal typewriter). I’m forced to use Calibri at work — a rather industrial looking font (I guess, considering the company I work for, it makes a kind of symbolic sense).
After the book is published, would you be willing to share some of the comments from your editor? Would be interesting to see what recommendations you got and how you addressed them.
Wait.
So this isn’t printed out to send me for my birthday?
Eheu!!!!
(even despair is classier in Latin:-)
I’m also a Cambria user. What is this Times New Roman you speak of? (and dammit, where’s my sarcasm font?!?)
Very excited to see it inprint form. Congrats on your first draft. I suppose you are not too daunted with a 10 page editorial letter and are well up for the task. I will be asking the writing gods to help you complete it faster as I now feel a little bit teased at not being able to get my wee little hands on it!
Impressive! So will it be 690 pages printed as a book as well? How does that work? Good luck on the edits. Let us know how it goes. Alley
I’m just grateful it wasn’t a 20 page editorial letter!
To be honest, I don’t know what the ratio is of manuscript printed to book printed pages. It depends on the size and spacing of the book typeset page, so it would vary. I guess we’ll find out!
Why would Times New Roman be a font of the past? I ask that genuinely — is there a way in which modern computers and online tasks don’t fit with the ways it was designed? It it more a typewriter font? or?
Mostly asking for clarification of the spirit world related stuff, which is what I expected and was already intending to work on.
Is “Eheu” == > despair?
Have fun with that editing! I wish you many pleasant clarifications and corrections.
Thank you!
Thanks Kate, that is great news you’re working on edits to Cold Steel. I now have something very exciting to look forward to in 2013!
Thank you, Melanie!
I’ve been so overwhelmed by how kindly and patient people are being about the wait.