The deepest cuts...

July 24, 2023

And so time races by…
 
The past week has been devoted to ‘killing my darlings’, that is, editing a total of 7000 words OUT of the novel project. This involved working through the manuscript, searching for and eliminating:

• Overwriting
• Unnecessary words, especially adjectives and adverbs
• Repetitive words
• Repetitive sentences
• Repetitive information
• Paragraphs and whole sections that do not effectively advance the story or character
• Cute side stories that do not advance the story

 
The 126,000 words draft is now 119,00 words. I’m sure I could eliminate more if I really wanted to, but it’s time for the manuscript to visit a publisher.

Today and tomorrow I will sift through potential publishers of historical fiction who might be interested in this tale. At the same time, I have to pull together:

• A CV
• A synopsis of the novel (up to 500 words summary)
• Samples (1-3 chapters, depending on the target publisher’s requirements)
• A cover letter that will attract attention/interest

 
Okay, I’ve done this in the past, and there’s plenty of current examples and guides online to help out, but, frankly, I’m terrified. But it has to be done.
 
My other next challenge is to find an agent or agency willing to take me on. I started this whole career without an agent way back in 1990, when it was still possible to approach the major publishers without an agent in Australia, and I continued solo until 2000. Those who know me also know that Robert Stephenson acted as my agent from 2000-2012 while I was writing during that period. Unfortunately, Robert’s passing late 2019 put paid to our plans to revive the business relationship. Finding the right agent for my new work will be interesting.
 
Over the weekend, several friends and acquaintances asked how I am travelling in the role of full time writer. The answer is simple: loving it.
 
Oh, must put the washing on the line.