Feeling underqualified

[redbird]

The problem with reading tight, well-edited prose with a good story to tell is that it reminds me of how far I have to go. And then I remind myself that, well, yes, but what I have is an incomplete first-draft.

I'm also a bit boggled by the size of the nonfiction project. Seven to ten pages to cover "early history", including prehistory, the invention of irrigation, early Egypt, and several other things. Yes, it's a review, but this isn't so much skimming the surface as flying over it like the kingfisher, touching down at random and hoping to hit a fish.

If I can write a metaphor like that, I can do this!

Comments

[cattitude.livejournal.com]

A quick note for them as might be reading this: the "tight, well-edited prose" in question is The Prize in the Game.

[papersky.livejournal.com]

Um.

What is your definition of "well-edited"?

[redbird]

Not full of extraneous stuff that doesn't tell me anything. Coherent. Basically, either you do a damned tight first draft, or you went back and fixed things and made sure it held together.

[papersky.livejournal.com]

I either get it right or I throw it out. But hundreds and hundreds of people do drafts and make it work, it's just that I don't, nine and sixty ways. I find my way quite annoying sometimes. It's just the way I do it.

About editing and copy-editing, I probably shouldn't say anything here, but it seems to me for various reasons that it was significantly less edited at several levels than my other novels. But OK. I'm glad you liked it.

[elisem.livejournal.com]

If I can write a metaphor like that, I can do this!

Indeed. It was a lovely one.