I’m in the middle of edits for my debut book The Bond That Ties Us. I’m learning a lot about myself as a writer and as a person as I go through this process. I thought I’d share some of these things with you. 
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2. Quiet and music. I also seem to bounce between needing absolute quite and wanting to have some music playing. I find if I’m editing an emotional scene, I need the silence. Action sequences need a sound track. 3. Obsessively check my email. I only seem to do this when I’m editing and not when I’m writing. It’s very strange, and I can’t seem to stop. 4. Random thoughts. I found myself quote weird facts I’d heard recently to my husband as I was working away. They seemed to come out of no where and popped out of my mouth. (Did you know the original Star Trek was the first TV show to use the word Hell on the air?) 5. Organize my desk. Okay so maybe I’m procrastinating a bit. At least I’m still by my computer. 6. Talk things out with my cat. She’s a really good listener and likes to sit on my lap while I edit. I think it’s her way of making me sit still. 7. Get excited about parts of my story. I love it when I read a paragraph and get an idea for the perfect fix. I read it over and over loving the way it sounds. 8. Day dream. I’m bad for this. I keep wondering what my cover is going to look like. I hope I get to find out soon! 9. Read. As I’m editing I find myself reading more. Not only for the enjoyment but to see how other authors handle things. When I have a comment by my editor that I’m not sure how to address, I pick up one of my favourite books and read. It usually helps me get my head around the issue. 10. Eat. Bad things usually. Cookies, crackers, rice cakes (the ones with chocolate and caramel!). I need to stop this habit before I gain 800 lbs! 11. Walk around. Busy mind, busy feet. I do this a lot at night if my husband isn’t around for me to annoy. The activity helps me work through problems. 12. Blog. If I’m really stuck, or simply need to recharge my batteries, I’ll visit some of my blogging friends. The support is always helpful. 13. Write! Eventually I get my butt in the chair and managed to get through it all. I’m a deadline kind of girl. Give me a date and I’ll procrastinate until the last minute, then I’ll plug through it all. I love the rush! |
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I like your style!! Especially the part about talking to your cat. They are great listeners, as you said. Just let us know when she starts giving you feedback or correcting your grammar!! lol
Sounds like a workout! Good luck with your work!
Great list! I do a lot of the same things… either that, or I sit down and plow through it until it is DONE DONE DONE and send it back RIGHT AWAY so it’s not hanging over me. I don’t know which method produces better results!
(More Star Trek trivia–the original Star Trek showed the first primetime interracial kiss, Kirk and Uhura.)
Hee hee, I loved reading your list, and I related in a big way. I do a great deal of writing / editing with my cats in my lap — one of them in particular, my white kitty Marilyn, wants to be in my lap pretty much any time I’m sitting down. Good thing I have a laptop stand, which I keep at a tilt!
And my hubby’s used to me muttering weird things while I’m working — he wouldn’t be surprised if I started jabbering about pink elephants dancing on the ceiling in purple tutus — he’d figure it was all part of my book.
Happy TT, and thanks for visiting my blog!
I’m a deadline girl, too, bay-bee!
Selena
whatever works, right!
Terrific Thursday Thirteen!
My TT is posted.
Have a wonderful day!
Happy TT’ing!
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Raggedy
Thanks for that window into “what to expect when you’re expecting” edits!
…why I’m just finishing a bag of those rice cakes with choc chips and caramel off as I write this
Isn’t it great all the things we can think of to do when we should be focusing on editing? I’m with you on all of them as well as flicking through an endless supply of magazines and catalogues.
I love your list. My problem is that I’m still writing my first book and I can’t seem to stop editing or nitpicking over my story and just write the dang thing. Getting through an entire first draft would be wonderful.
I think we were separated at birth.
Especially the e-mail thing. And the eating bad stuff thing.
Sounds like exactly the things I do when I’m procrastinating… *LOL*
Thanks for visiting my TT!
Seems like #10 and #11 could cancel each other out, so no worries there.
Amazing, isn’t it, how the mind works?
LOL… That e-mail button is a siren, I swear. The bad thing is, I have four e-mail accounts to roll through. Needless to say, I’m training myself to stop this behavior. (right)
It’s funny, though. I’m usually much worse while writing than while editing.
Have a good day =)
Hrm.. I must be the odd ball. I find that I do a lot of similar things *before* getting to the editing but once I start, I find that nothing can tear me away from it. It’s a focus thing. My whole outside world just shuts off and I imerse myself into the story and how it’s playing out.
Of course the exception is a kid screaming at one of the others about something that somebody did that someone else didn’t want them to do. *sigh*
I do nearly all of these, except the walking around and talking to the cat. Maybe I should get one?
Hmm… I do a lot of those while trying to work too. :/
Editing is sort of automatic for me. I can listen to loud music. Something I cannot do when I’m writing.
Eat – ugh. I need to put a padlock on my kitchen to keep me in my chair when I’m writing.
This was great. And I agree that I usually feel recharged after blogging. Well except for the last catchup time that took 7 hours – i was dragging ass after that bloghop session!
I love a few great laughs to get me in the mood to plant my chair glue! Thanks Christine!
Truthfully, I’m a calculated procrastinator. I’m fully aware that I’m procrastinating, knowing that in a few days the pressure will build up so much that all I think about is editing or writing – then nothing can pull me away from my keyboard. It’s not a very disciplined approach though! Oh, and I always start a writing session with a few treats and a cup of tea…then a few more treats..then a few more…okay my husband reads these messages.
Maybe we need another cat, Pete?
Great list Christine! Sounds like you won’t settle for anything less than perfection!
Can’t wait to read it!
Happy TT!
Great list!! I do a lot of the same things.
Eek! Somehow my Thursday Thirteen code invaded your blog. How on earth does that happen? I put a link to your Thursday Thirteen blog on my Thursday Thirteen blog and then when I visited your blog again, I see that somehow my blog has added a comment on your blog. Lookout! The blog sphere is out to get us!!!
*LOL* I’m with you on checking emails obsessively.
I drink lots of alcohol during edits. May not do much but it sure makes me feel better.
Old habits are hard to break.
I have to have something to drink or eat by my computer most of the time. And, I have the TV on, unless I’m really trying to write something that needs quiet – then I put it on pause. And, like you, I have to check my emails!
Check out my TT
Oh these are tough issues for writing and editing…i find I got stressed out just thinking about your list and how I will suddenly wander around and avoid.
One thing I do is cook massive amounts. I’ll get soup stock going and laundry going then sit at the computer getting up to saute onions or meats…it’s very weird. I remember reading a good book about writing…gosh I wish I could remember the author…and she said concentrating no matter what, don’t get up for coffee or cigarettes or move…that the flow would come…I dunno…I seem to like messign around ha ha
I wrote a list of questions I am interested in about art and home decor.
Christine it’s a “mini-survey” and I hope you have time to visit I’d love to hear your perspecitve!!! Or if you know anyone else who would participate to let them know, I could really use the HELP!!!!
And I am super excited…Oprah’s new book is by one of my very favourite writers ever! he used to be really obscure and artsy and now he has reached a lot of mainstream attention with his new novel…which is an adventure horror sort of story about the end f the world…and a father and son trying to survive. I need to figure out how I can get on the Oprah show for this special event…ha ha ha!!
good luck with the editing!
Here is my TT:
http://gnosticminx.blogspot.com/2007/03/candys-special-tour-of-art-on-ebay.html
Ha ha ha, done all of that. Here’s a tip I got from Shelly Munro. Set a timer for a half hour. For that half hour, you will only write, so you won’t be online. Do nothing else for that half hour. If you feel like you want to do more, reset the timer. It’s helped me focus so much.
)
I’m cool with editing – take your list and retitle it writing, and you have me down to a T!
Procrastinating is an art.
nice to see an artist at work.
Happy TT, mine’s up.
I adore that you talk to your cat. If I were a writer, I think I’d do the same to my dog.
Awesome list! Happy TT!
I do some of the same things. I pace lots too.
Yup, sounds about right with me as well. I remember doing edits for EE when it got requested and cheering at the parts I thought kicked ass!
Keep up the edits, I’m waiting for the release date missy!
I do many of the same things you do. At least I know I’m not crazy.
Yep. Been there and done all that during edits. Nice to know I’m not the only one.
alot of procrastination on this list, but looking at lists is procrastination too. so who am I to talk?
Heard about a writer once who would wallpaper inside furniture to avoid editing.
You sound an awful lot like me. I’ll put it off and then with great gusto I’ll get the thing done right before the deadline. I’m like that with a lot of things in my life. I think I work better under good stress.
Yep, I do most of those too. Closer to a deadline, the more I procrastinate. Hence why I’m here posting this, not doing the edits I said I’d have back by the end of the week…
I so know procastination. UGH! Now, I should get back to work and you to your editing.
Have a great weekend!
very nice