It’s “Phew”, Too, Re “Daughter Of Blood”…
You’ll recall that last week I posted that I’d had some great news for the Daughter Of Blood (The Wall Of Night Book Three) manuscript, in terms of very positive, overarching feedback via the series’ lead editor, Kate Nintzel, at HarperVoyager (US.)
And as I said in the comments: “There may also have been a huge exhalation of relief as well!”
Not only because the journey of the book has been a long one, but because sometimes manuscript submission ends not being the culmination of the writing process, but only the end of the beginning.
I think one of Kristin Cashore’s posts on writing Bitterblue, illuminates this occurrence really well. The full post is:
Pictures Of A Book Being Made
I believe it would well repay a full read, but here’s a sequence of excerpts that really ‘spoke’ to me as an author:
Firstly: “Above is the first page of the first draft of Bitterblue. Note that the date is October 25, 2007. …
Then: ” Notice the date. It’s April 3, 2010. I’ve been writing for two and half years. I’m nowhere near the end of the first draft …
[Yay, I thought at this point: so it’s not just me!]
Finally:… I’m paraphrasing, but what [my editor] said was along the lines of: This is going to sound like a crazy idea, but now, at the beginning of the revision process, is the time to voice crazy ideas. Would you consider starting again from scratch?”
I really love Bitterblue and think it is worth every minute of my wait to read it — but nonetheless, I am so glad that I will not have to start again with Daughter Of Blood! (Not least because I’ve already done so once, in the earlier stages of the book.)
But as I said, do read Kristin’s full post because she then goes on to talk about her writing process from that point, which is also really illuminating, right through to:
“In total, Bitterblue was four years of drafting and revising from start to finish.”
And the concluding sentence, which I heartily endorse:
“Love and godspeed to all writers.”
And to all readers, too: love and safe journeying through the realms of Story to you all.