A bonus writing update because I am absolute GIDDY over this long, detailed, goddamn helpful editorial I received from my friend (and publishing/editing guru), Katie today. She read my story last month, then read it AGAIN, and left me comments on the manuscript as well as wrote the letter pointing out loves and opportunities.
I am very, very happy about it. I’ve been having trouble figuring out a place to sink my teeth back in, and while I need to go over Katie’s notes in more detail and consider her suggestions, they were just so good I suddenly feel like I can polish this draft and get a diamond. It must be the mark of a good editor to give you a heap of constructive criticism and then the writer feels better about the potential of the story. I feel like she saw possibilities where I didn’t and God I just love writer/publishing friends.
That’s this whole post. I love writer/publishing friends so much. I feel so lucky to have this tribe from college who are invested in reading each other’s work. I finished listening to Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird today and she talks at length about writing groups and critique partners. I want more of that in my life, but I am so lucky to have the people I do have.
I was also thinking while listening to the book, that I might be moving a bit too fast. In my writing and in my own expectations. I admit that I like to do things quickly and after the lift of writing two drafts of my story this year I really wanted to do a few weeks of lighter edits and then be . . . done? maybe?
But all of a sudden I feel energized to spend more time on it and get the most out of this story. Which probably means more careful rewrites. I have some time this weekend that I’m planning to save for approaching and editing plan and reviewing all the feedback I’ve gotten so far in more detail, but my feeling is that my edits will stretch a month or two out now. I don’t want to rush it and I do have a day job 🙂
With Love,
Natalie