Lolly, Lolly, Lolly Get Your Adverbs Here!

So I've been editing. I really don't like editing. But I know I need to do it, and I'm really tightening things up. I consider myself a pretty tight writer. I'm not overly flowery, I don't waste time on unnecessary description. (At least I hope not.) But every now and then I hit a section that is chock full of adverbs. Like I had an adverb attack that day while I was writing. The thing about it is this is not my first round of edits, and I have slashed mercilessly at those adverbs each edit. And. They. Are. Still. There.

When it gets particularly bad, I start singing "Lolly, Lolly, Lolly . . ." I must be driving my husband crazy. He doesn't say anything unless he's editing (film not writing) and then he shushes me because I'm messing with the quiet he needs. I've got the whole song memorized in fact I have the entire Grammar Rock collection on video somewhere. I loved to use it when I taught grammar--parts of speech to my students. But every time I slash an adverb I wonder why they were invented, identified and used.

On another note--I've not written in a few weeks, because I've just been frustrated by my editing process. Shudder. The thing thing is that I'm just plain frustrated. I don't want to write whiney post after whiney post. I know you don't want to hear it.

I've revised my query again:

Seventeen-year-old Isis’ life changes the day she uses magic to save herself from an exploding car. It wasn’t like she had a choice in the matter—instinct kicked in—and she did it without thinking. The only problem was that in the process she saved Dane—her stupid class project partner. The bomb was meant for him, but did he say thanks? Nope, instead he kidnaps her because of her powers and pulls her into a world of magic where two societies are warring for control.

Isis discovers she is the dreamer. That means her gift is stronger than most and she can do things other people can’t –like walk around the world of dreams. It allows her to take control of people’s minds and tell them what to do and how to act through their dreams. Not to mention all the magic she can do in the real world. Both societies want her and her choice could end the fighting, but Isis doesn’t know whom to trust.

Afraid of her family’s rejection Isis is afraid to join either group, but Dane insists on training her, and she begins to fall for him as they spend more and more time together. Still Isis didn’t ask to be thrown into this world, but when she learns about a planned assassination attempt on the president and she discovers the wrong side is winning, she can’t just walk away.


But I still don't have a title. I so need a good title--where can I find a title muse?

Finally all of the published authors, editors, and agents blogs I read have been talking about BEA. It seems like everyone is there and having fun. It sounds fun--maybe someday I can go too.

Happy writing!

Revisions

Okay so here is the truth-at least the way that I see it. Revising is the hardest part of writing. For me, it is just so hard to go back again, and again.

I know that it makes my writing stronger.

I know that my story isn't perfect the first time through.

I know that the difference between getting published and not getting published is in the editing--most especially when it is your first novel, your first shot at getting an agent and getting published.

Things I've realized about my story this week--my first door (as referred to in Plot and Structure) is weak (well I've known this). The first door is an event or thing that propels your character forward. And this weak, I figured out three things I can do to make it stronger. I can move up my first door in my plot a bit, add a little bit of mystery throughout the book, and raise the stakes--make it much more compelling.

But now I find that I'm avoiding the writing time I have set aside, because I don't want to do the revisions I know that I need to do. Uggh!

Good writing!