K.M. Jackson

The very sweet from Debra from Lifescapes was kind enough to ask me about my editing process which is a little hard to pin down but I’ll try to write a bit about it here and not bore you all too much.

Now every time I write a book it’s a new and different process. I have written 5 full novels and quite a few partials which are sample pages of novels that are ideas in work.  A little back-story before I get to the edits. I’m a pantsterwhich is a term for flying by the seat of your pants. Now, I wish this wasn’t true. I’d love to be a big time outliner and have every aspect of my story down cold before I start to write, but that’s just not true and even when I do have it and map it all out, the characters are like these “real” people in my head that seem to go off in their own directions at the oddest times. So then its map out the window and time to pull out the GPS. Well, somehow through all this I find my way to the end of a novel that looks remarkably like the “movie” I originally saw in my head way back when.

But being done is just the beginning. My grammar and spelling, as most of you long time blog readers can attest to, is just a hot mess besides that, who knows if I changed a characters eye or hair color way back in chapter 3 and not even noticed. Heck, I may have changed a name. Writing a story is a long process.

Coming to the rescue is my critique group. I have a core group of 3 writer friends that I havehad for years I call them my Writing Vault and they are invaluable to me. We read for each other and give loving but very real feedback. No just easy pats on the back here. So I’ll send the manuscript off to one of them.

Opps Add in: Thanks Maira for reminding me. First I print out a full copy and read it through myself and red line edit it once going through all the way with a full read. This is usually painful. Ouch.

Then off to crit partners and  they will edit the whole book with bold red track changes with all their thoughts on grammar, seeing if  I’ve totally fleshed out an idea, have enough emotion etc… then I go back and make whatever changes (I agree with) I want to the entire book. Then I’ll do this again with another critique partner until I feel the work is the best that I can make it. I can’t put a time on this as it can be quite long depending on life and how much work the book needs. I’m not a quick writer and it’s different for each book.

Now this process doesn’t work for all writers. I know many published authors that don’t work with readers at all, but for me the help and mostly the caring and support has kept me writing through the years even in the face of rejection.

I am eternally grateful to my critique group. Thanks so much Megan, Jen and Jeanine. May all our writing and publishing dreams come true.

 So tell me, what’s your editing process?

Best,

Kwana