Updates

Status: Drafting the fourth book in the PERILOUS series!

Monday, November 16, 2009

Eeek! I heard from my editor!

Writing is so much fun, isn't it?

I heard back from my editor today. Sounds like she's mailing my manuscript back with mark-ups all over it. I'm VERY excited.

First of all, we're cutting out the villain's POV. We tried it, didn't really work, we're cutting it. While I enjoyed his POV, I'd already cut it before and just added it in at my first editor's request. It's always fun to get inside someone else's head. I won't cry over cutting it, though.

Second, and this is the one that really intrigues me: She wants me to consider making only two of the girls LDS (Latter-day Saint), to appeal to a wider audience.

Now, would you believe I'd never even considered that before?

I can see how it would make the book more interesting to a national audience. All of the sudden it goes from being a book with LDS characters (and thus an LDS book) to being a culturally diverse book with several different religious characters in it. (And since the MC is Mexican-America, I think that'll help with the diversity.)

It makes sense, really. I grew up in a predominantly Baptist community. There were four of us in high school who were close friends. Two of us were LDS and two of us were Baptist.

I'm going to explore this idea more. I'm quite excited about it. It will require major revisions, but I agree that it will make my book more marketable. And that is, after all, what we want!

Sequel revisions:
today's goal: 147/175
actual: 168/180
tomorrow's goal: page 178/180

7 comments:

Karen Jones Gowen said...

This sounds exciting! And I just had to see for myself that you have over 50 followers...goodness, how did that happen? Is it because of Twitter? Way to go Tamara!

Tamara Hart Heiner said...

I knkow, isn't it crazy? I laughed that you came over to see if I was exaggerating or not. I'm not sure how it happened. I can definitely contribute some of it to Twitter. It's been fun meeting other writers on Twitter. I hope it's a good sign.

Jannie said...

Make that 51 followers :) well, I guess I'm not officially a "follower" but I always can see on my blog when you update and I love reading your blog! Exciting about the book developments! Have fun with the writing!

Laurel Garver said...

It's cool that your publisher is so editorially involved beyond strictly style matters like grammar and pacing.

It's always a nice surprise when another reader throws some curveball at your manuscript that at first is like "huh?" and then "oh, yeah, that would make this and this and this more compelling."

Have fun digging in with revisions.

Tamara Hart Heiner said...

isn't it exciting? I love it. It's like seeing my book with new eyes. and we all know, after years of writing the same thing, it can get old!

Jannie, you're awesome! I'm your number one fan, I hope you know that!

Heather Sunseri said...

Wow, Tamara, that sounds like a lot of fun. Are you relieved to have the feedback? It seems to me I would like that editorial feedback and direction. Very cool.

Stephanie Faris said...

I've found these things strengthen the manuscript. Did I mention when I got my agent's revisions, one of them was to take out the doorbell that I had chiming in an ANTEBELLUM MANSION? In the PAST? She was sweet about it but I couldn't believe I hadn't caught that!

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