Well, yesterday, it looks like I booked a date with an editor. Emily Nemchick, who has a thread on the Writers Cafe forum, which I’ve had bookmarked for a while. She can take my novel on June 9th, but she’s squeezing it in with some other work I think, so it will take here a couple of weeks to get it done. Which is OK I suppose. I will have to get this process down a bit better, and book her earlier, so I don’t have to wait too long. But, what it does mean, is that I actually have a deadline. Which is something I haven’t had for a long time. A pretty easy deadline, which is OK for starters, a deadline none the less. I still have about another 40K words to clean up on the novel, that is make my first editing pass, and make them more presentable. But, I also have a cover to put together, and depending on how things go, I should be able to start writing my second novel before she starts editing the first. What I should likely do, is to book my next editing date, as I have the first novel completed. Then, you’ll have a real deadline. Maybe, you should get the outline done first, before you book though. That would be good, as you’ve yet to do a proper outline first. One, that follows some sort of good structure (7 point structure), and has adequate conflict withing scenes, and sequels. I should practice to be a more concise writer, when I’m doing my journal. Although, I don’t want to mess with this process too much. I do however want to write the first pass of a novel a little bit more concisely. That way the 5K words you write, and the 5K words you edit in a day go quicker. Certainly, you will have a better novel as well. So, today, I do need to get through as many edited words as possible. I would think, that my writing the first pass can only improve, after torturing myself so much with this first round of editing. I mean, it’s been a pretty brutal process, and time consuming. There are some words that I need to get rid of “really” is one of them “a bit” is another and “somehow” is another one. Certainly, I will be more conscious next time. One of the things I do too much is over explain a situation. This is not a technical document your writing. You don’t need to explain everything to the n’th degree. Secondly, you need to use less narrative and more dialogue. I have a few chunks of that in the novel for sure that can be cleaned up. And thirdly you need to be more decisive in your writing. You use words like “somewhat” and “probably” and “somehow” a lot, because your unsure of yourself. You need to back off on that shit. If something is black, then say it’s black. Stop wavering. Your the writer, if you say something is, then it is. PERIOD. If I focus on those things, I think my next novel will be so much better. Be sure of yourself, use more dialogue, and don’t over explain everything. It will be a more fun experience. So, what else is going on today? I was going to go to the boat this morning but the weather isn’t totally agreeing, so I think, I’ll go tomorrow. Although, I should check the weather this morning to be sure. Also, today, I need to go out to Canadian Tire, and get a few more bottles of wax, just in case you don’t have any at the boat. Although, I’m pretty sure I do have some. You should also check for your bottom paint. I think I have a full can lying around here somewhere. If not, then you’ll have to buy some tomorrow from Ron. Also, check that you have enough paint supplies . . . rollers and things. I’m sort of excited, that I have a date for an editor booked. Sure, it’s going to cost me about $300 to get the novel edited, but the peace of mind will be worth it. And, it makes me feel like a real writer. Or at least more like a real writer. I have a deadline. I never thought, those words would make me happy, but they do. I have a deadline, and I’m going to hit it. Yes, this is a business, and you need to treat it like one. It feels good to know, that someone is going to an extra polish on my work and make it presentable for the public. Happy me 😉

TIGERBLOOD: of course DAILYMOOD: good LOCATION: home office WORDSWRITTEN: editing PUSHUPS: 3:30 wall sits TODO: editing TV: californication, orphan black, mad men BOOK: none GAME: none EXERCISE: walk for 30 minutes WEIGHT: 170 BREAKFAST: bacon & eggs LUNCH: big ass salad DINNER: salmon patty, brocolli SNACKS: orange grapes (too many), apple ALCOHOL: none BEDTIME: 11:30 AWAKE: 6:30