Answers Continued

(Scroll down for the first section. This might take me a couple of days, as the response was more enthusiastic than I had expected!)

Valerie, who is curious about my edits, asks, What kinds of notes do they give you? Like global (I think this book should be more about this theme) or detailed (On page 73, third sentence, etc.?)

My edits came in two parts. The first was a marked-up manuscript that targeted specific sentences, word choices, paragraphs, etc. It was SO FUN to read because Erica would write "Ha!" or put smiley faces in the margins when she liked something.

I have the best editor ever.

The second part is an editorial letter that talks about more global things--clarifying and deepening relationships, tightening pacing in the second half, explaining some mythology better, etc. Some of these are pretty specific, but some are more general.

All, by the way, were dead on. I'm really enjoying thinking about it and have mapped out a plan of attack. Working with an editor to make a book you both love even better is, quite simply, a blast.

I'd also love to know what about the letter makes you feel like your editor gets your book and that the changes she suggests will make your book better? Were any of her suggestions things you previously considered? Was anything she suggested a huge surprise?

I've always felt like Erica really "got" my book, if that makes sense. Some of the best parts of her line edits were where she'd say, "This is good, but it doesn't sound like Evie." And she was always right.

And yes, nearly every suggestion was actually something I had already thought about/worked on! She just wants me to dig a little deeper, and I completely agree. So nothing was much of a surprise.

Except when she said she totally had the hots for one of the "bad" characters...hrm...

Okay, that was a lot so I'll stop after just one last question: If I read one of your tweets right, you're giving up Dr. Pepper? Why on earth would you do that??

I like to think of it as giving up on the five extra pounds I'm carrying around.

Janey, my darling Irish friend, asks, If your amazing editor asks you to change something but you don't want to. Do you have to? Is that the deal? Or can you say - I feel strongly such-and-such should stay just as it is? Or is the actual publishing bit dependent on the editor's happiness?

Here's another great thing about my editor: she's always said that if I feel strongly about anything, we'll talk about it. But here's the BEST thing about my editor: I agree with all of her edits, so I don't have to worry about that! I've no doubt that if something were important, or that if I was really passionate about, say, the third line on page 72 that she suggested we cut, she'd give me some leeway.

Anne asks, How do you, er, work your way through (?) the editorial letter?

I read the editorial letter to get an idea of what she was looking for. Then I ignored it and worked my way through the line edits (which allowed me to make some of the small changes she had suggested as I went along). Now that those are finished, I'm re-reading the letter and taking notes. Then I'll tackle one issue at a time, starting smallest to biggest, until I'm done! A couple of scenes need to be rewritten, so I'll probably write those separately and add them in when I'm close to finishing.

And if you were stranded on a deserted island with two books, what would they be?(and don't say one of them is your own, as awesome as it sounds)

I hate these questions with a burning passion. So I'd have to say the Bible, because that's the one book I can't read in a day or two. Then I can rant and rage about the Old Testament instead of, you know, worrying about my own stranded plight.

Ashley asks, So when Hollywood decides to make your book into a movie will you please invite me to your premier bash?

Yes.

Nadine asks, What is your vice?

I procrastinate. A lot. Back in college I had it down to an art--I wouldn't write my five-page-papers the night before, I'd write them the day of.

However, I don't procrastinate my writing anymore. I use it as an excuse to procrastinate everything else...

And if you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?

Everywhere. Really, I haven't traveled very much. High up on the list are England, New Zealand (Okay, really I mean Middle Earth. I'll own up to my geekiness right now.), Greece, and Romania.

Good heavens, am I only halfway through? Alright. It's hot, I'm melting, more later!