Weird heading, huh? Well, it was the title of my last newsletter. My email provider had some issues with the one I sent out the 15th of September, and a lot of people were sad that they didn’t receive it. So I thought I’d publish it on my website for those of you who might have missed it (but check your junk folders first because I’m often thrown there like the trash the evil email gods believe me to be 😳)
I’m gonna copy paste it straight in, but before I do, I thought I’d give those of you who only stalk my website an update.
Where are we with Assembly? Well, it’s almost done. It’s coming SOON (I know I’ve said this a lot, but this time I really think it’s true! *cue desperate laughter that kinda sounds like sobs*). I’m at the very end of the Red Pen of Doom stage (I’ve been editing 12+ hours a day every day, and when I close my eyes at night, all I see are floating, taunting letters underlined by red), and I’m very very close to giving my betas this monster tome to read through. Also, hubs is very close to smashing my computer (I promised him I’d take every Sunday off, and so far this year, I’ve only stopped editing for 8 Sundays all in all) so it behooves me (I love that word, behooooooooove) to hurry the hell up!
Anyway… Don’t want to miss out on future newsletters? Sign up below. And below that, the newsletter that went out the 15th is copy pasted. Enjoy my rambling ramble.
The email begins...
Well, do you? Do you have exploding head syndrome?
I’m usually not one to self diagnose, but the other day after a long day of editing, a throbbing headache, and a sudden, strange pressure that resulted in the top of my head suddenly shooting off and into the ceiling like a furious teapot blowing its lid, I came to the conclusion that I do, in fact, have exploding head syndrome. I didn’t even have to google it.
“But Erica, what is the lesson here?” you may be wondering. Well, I’m glad you asked. The lesson is… If your head randomly explodes, it’s time to take a nap.
“Oooh, Erica, you’re so wise!” (this is what you’re thinking right now, isn’t it?) If it isn’t, then you should. I am wise. With exploding head syndrome comes a fountain of wisdom. And if you’re now worried you’ll be the victim of exploding head syndrome… it ONLY attacks writers in the editing stages. If you’re not an editing writer, you’re safe. If you are… Invest in some swimming caps to avoid brain on the ceiling.
Anyways… Remember the rant I’ve promised you for 3 emails now? Well it’s here. Read at your own risk.
And now, to the rant you’ve waited one and a half month for:
Honesty, this is probably more like a ramble. But I’ve figured out why Assembly is taking so long to edit! At least, I think I’ve figured it out. I have two theories, one spawned from the tiny (TEENY TINY) logical part of my brain that I basically never listen to (theory 1). The other just burst to life in an explosion of fiery self-loathing, existing in the much bigger, much more dominant part of my brain. The one I so hatefully refer to as my anxious stressmuffin of horrors. That hellish part spawned theory 2.
Theory 2 first (since it exploded and all): Somehow, back when I wrote the first draft of book 2, I forgot everything I’d learned from drafting book 1, and I started sucking. So book 2 was a steaming pile of trash that needed tons of editing to fix, and that’s why it’s taking so much longer than I expected.Â
Theory 1 (the one that better be correct or I’ll make good on my threat and find a nice, dirty bridge to live under so I can start my bridge-troll-life-of-doom): After writing the first draft of book 3 AND editing book 1, I improved (cue shocked gasps). I know, I know. Doesn’t sound like a thing I’d say. Or even think. And I didn’t until—okay wait, I’m doing this out of order. Hang on, let me try explain.
So, when editing book 1, I learned. Quite a lot, I think. And then when I started editing book 2, I felt overwhelmed (because book 2 was more complicated and had to make sense even with the HUGE change that happened in book 3 when Ash went rogue and changed the story) so started studying editing. And investing in editing books and courses. So I improved again (at least I sure as hell hope so, if not, the time I spent on that was a HUGE waste). So then it stands to reason I’m now editing better/deeper than I did when editing book 1? Right?
I didn’t actually consider this until the other day when I had to try remember something I’d forgotten about book 1, so I started reading Hunted and I saw SO MUCH STUFF that could be improved! Stuff I didn’t notice back then. It made me twitchy (because no way am I going back and re-editing a book I already spent 8 months editing!)
So there you have it. Either I’ve improved (YAY) and editing much more thoroughly. OR Past Erica wrote a terrible book that I have now spent what feels like 100 000 years fixing.
What do you think? (Yes, I snuck in a poll in this newsletter too. You can thank me by sending me furbaby pictures. Seriously. Send them. Send them NOW!)
Which of these theories do YOU think is correct?
(in the newsletter, these were clickable fields you could vote on so I could see what you all thought.)
- I vote theory 1. Mostly so you won’t become a bridge troll. There’s a slight, very slight, possibility I’d miss you. And now that I’ve invested six hundred and forty eight years waiting for Assembly… ducking finish it already!
- Theory 2 for sure. Past Erica ruined your life by writing a trashy book (on purpose probably!) and now she’s cackling maniacally while you work your ass off fixing it. I’m kinda laughing with her. At you. HA HA
That’s it! That was the whole email! If you’re subscribed to my email list, PLEASE try to open most my emails (the more you open and click on links in said email, the better my sender reputation). My goal is to one day NOT be placed in spam/trash/promo folders. I know, I know, sounds impossible. But dream big and all that.
Anyway, if you’re subscribed to my newsletter, you’ll get the next one either the 27th or the 29th of this month. See you all then <3