So for those newbies who weren't around the last time we did this (four score and seven years ago), our pathway goes something like:
1. Prep Reading: Read through relevant character passages from old works I think I might need to remind myself of. This time I'm actually really nervous about this, since I've been away from the work for so long it's not as inside my mind as it usually is and I'm only slowly getting everything back in its proper place and training my brain to make all those connections again. So if I do fuck up some continuity stuff...oops! But usually this is my superpower so here's hoping, right?
Another big reason I want to do a full reread of the series before I start FM7 (finally)(I know)(no, really, I know!)
For "Everchanging Dilemma" we are looking at "Shadow Running" and Eva's POV/Isabel scenes from "Assault on Dread Fortress Paine", should be starting this today and typing down more notes. Fuck you Halloween, there's writing to do! Not you, Football Manager, daddy loves you!
2. Second Draft (Addition Edit): Basically where I just let the work engulf me a second time. Early career me would be adding inner monologue and fleshing out scenes so the characters would be active in them, not just standing in a boundless, bodiless space talking. More experienced me has started to really manipulate and rework scenes on a fundamental level, far more fearlessly than ever before. We get better! Future me...might even plan ahead more to begin with? Now that's scary!
3. Third Draft (Character Edit): Another pass looking specifically on making sure secondary characters sound like themselves and that King Henry isn't overriding everything, making sure dialogue and mannerisms are right, stuff like that. No KH this time, Evelyn Strange instead, so she shouldn't bleed over as much, I imagine. It is at this point when the work is it's most bloated and unwieldy.
4. Fourth Draft (Subtraction Edit): We start cutting off bits and killing our children! Cut! Cut! Cut! It was at this point in editing "Assault on Dread Fortress Paine" where I caught the worst flu of my life and really half-assed it, leading to why the stream of consciousness of that novella was so TURN IT UP TO 11. This might be the most important draft and starting with "Glassbreaker Goes Home" I promised myself to be extra ruthless going forward and will show no mercy this time around either. No, Raley, you can't have a cock joke on EVERY page.
5. Fifth Draft (Formatting/Kindle Edit): At this stage I finally reformat the files for digital use and add in all the bells and whistles. I then read through the book on my Kindle which kind of works to reset your brain and let's you notice errors and typos easier. I also keep making cuts, the novel slimming down and getting sexy. This is also when the annual Ellipsis Genocide usually takes place.
6. Copyedit: We hate typos! At this point I also hate myself and hate what I've written and never want to read it ever again. You also start obsessing over words and shit gets very weird. Fuck you 'that', fuck you! You're so unneeded! You're ugly! I hate you!
7. Beta Read: the lucky few friends, family, and hanger-ons get advanced copies and also kill typos since their brains don't know what "should" be there.
8: Release!!!
9. I make money?!?!?!
10. You laugh and cry and feel things.
11. The reviews make me want to commit suicide no matter how good they are.
12. I work on the next novel because I am a masochist!
Can't wait!
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