That story I mentioned in last Thursday's post, "Surveyor of Mars," is now fully revised and off to the editor for whom I wrote it! I really hope they like it. *fingers crossed*
EDIT: I started drafting this post late last night, and my editor already wrote back this morning. She called the story "amazingly good" - wow, that's about the best thing I've ever read first thing in the morning. What a wonderful way to start the week!
Interesting observation: Though I cut hundreds of words from my finished draft during the course of revision, the story ended up being 1,700 words longer by the time I finished. Here's the progress-tracking:
Based on those word-counts, would you believe that I cut hundreds of words each time I made a pass? However, as usual, most of my reviewers' comments required me to ADD something.
Is this how it works for you, too, or do you actually end up with shorter work after each pass?
PS: In case you missed it above, I SOLD A NEW STORY! WOOHOOO!
Best,
Chris
EDIT: I started drafting this post late last night, and my editor already wrote back this morning. She called the story "amazingly good" - wow, that's about the best thing I've ever read first thing in the morning. What a wonderful way to start the week!
Interesting observation: Though I cut hundreds of words from my finished draft during the course of revision, the story ended up being 1,700 words longer by the time I finished. Here's the progress-tracking:
- Original draft complete: 6700 words, March 30
- Revisions:
- 7650 words, March 31
- 8100 words, April 1
- 8250 words, April 2
- 8350 words, April 3
- Revisions complete: 8400 words, April 4 (and this was after A LOT of cutting)
Based on those word-counts, would you believe that I cut hundreds of words each time I made a pass? However, as usual, most of my reviewers' comments required me to ADD something.
Is this how it works for you, too, or do you actually end up with shorter work after each pass?
PS: In case you missed it above, I SOLD A NEW STORY! WOOHOOO!
Best,
Chris
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2 I've never sold a story. I have one short story that I'd like to sell, but I don't know where to sell it. It's not that I want the money, it's that it means that I did well enough to be professional about it.
--Hawk
2) There are tons of resources for writers out there. If it's a spectulative-fiction story, check out the links - including market lists - assembled on the Center for the Study of Science Fiction's website.
As Robert Heinlein said, the only way to sell a story is to submit it, and when it comes back, to keep submitting it until you find the right editor.
My one bout of serious editing with the GDB was pretty much on par with your experience. Every pass gained about five words with pretty much exactly the same page count. As a fan of short, punchy language, I didn't complain.
I'm envious of those people whose work actually gets shorter with each pass.