Progress Report on Manuscript and Recent Reads

 I've completed the first rewrite of the fifth book in the John Ross Boomer Lit series. I'll sit on it for a couple days, then get back in earnest to have it ready for my editor by the end of the month.

So far this is what I've accomplished:

• The first draft was written during National Novel Writing Month in November.
• Read the manuscript in January, making minimal changes (spelling, grammar, etc.) to see how flows. I also wanted to see if I like the story; if I didn't, then the readers probably wouldn't either. (FYI, I like it.)
• I returned to the manuscript for a rewrite in February, increasing the word count by about 3k words. I also deleted a few scenes and dialogue as well.

What I've done this time is print the manuscript. I'll go over it with red ink (much like the editing many of us experienced in high school and college), and make needed fixes while giving it a read from a different perspective. Believe it or not, I see and read things differently on paper than on the computer screen (much like a book and e-book). 

Then I'll go back to the saved manuscript on my computer and make the red-line edits and perhaps make a few minor changes that catch my eyes. Most authors will tell you that editing is a neverending task.

If all goes well, after all the changes, I'll give it another quick readthrough and send it on to my trusted editor at Wings ePress.  By the way, the manuscript is scheduled to transform into a book on Nov. 1 so stayed tuned for further announcements such as the title and cover reveal.

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A few book recommendations:

Chris Boucher's Pivot Move is a young adult novel that deals with basketball, peer pressure, bullying, and divorce. Boyd Kindle is a raw but talented basketball player who is dealing with several issues in his life. He has alopecia, a condition that causes the body to shed hair, which he tries to cover up by wearing a hoodie.  He's a confused and angry 14-year-old. Boucher writes in the first person to give readers a feel for the boy's angst but also provides empathy and humor.

Michael Jennings' Like a Wary Blessing is a collection of short stories that delve into the effects of war on individuals. Jennings, a Vietnam vet and former newspaper reporter, writes with precision and depth as he examines how soldiers and citizens attempt to cope with the ugly side of combat from different perspectives.  Some individuals succeed and others don't in these insightful stories that cover topics such as race relations, suicide, and post-traumatic stress syndrome. 

Until the next time . . .