Monday, July 27, 2015

Sprint Journal and Vacation

You've heard me mention that I now use a sprint journal. Some of you have asked questions about what exactly a sprint journal is and how it helps raise your word count. Today over at the IWSG blog, Ramona DeFelice Long, an author, editor and writing instructor who introduced me to the sprint journal at a workshop during the conference I attended in May. She graciously agreed to do a guest post for us. You can also learn about her upcoming class on her blog.

I finished my edits on Sunday. I was surprised how many little things I found to change on a manuscript that has undergone so many rounds of editing. The first publisher who contracted Keepers of Sulbreth took it through five rounds of edits as did Musa Publishing before they closed. Now it is in the hands of my current publisher for a final read through before it's reissued next month. As I finished up yesterday, I tried to put a number on the drafts this book has seen or how many times I've read and made corrections. It has to be well above twenty from that first rough draft five years ago. At the aforementioned conference, the keynote speaker, Ridley Pearson, mentioned that he sometimes does more than fifteen drafts of a book. I begin to understand how that happens. But it's done now. Yippee.

A few fun facts as July winds down from The Old Farmer's Almanac.
July's birthstone, the ruby, was once thought to bring health to the wearer. 
Friday, July 31st, is the Full Thunder Moon and is also a Blue Moon. If you recall, the last full moon was July 1st so we have the rare second full moon in the same month.

On Wednesday I'm leaving for Myrtle Beach where all my children will gather for Friday. On Friday, my oldest natural son will marry his lovely fiance on the beach as they both have dreamed of doing. Hopefully, we'll have some good weather. So this will be my only post for this week but I'll be back a week from now for the first Monday in August. There will be pictures.

Are you ready to learn about sprint journals? After how many drafts and edits do you get tired of reading your own work? Own any rubies? I don't. Maybe that's why my knees hurt. Did you know July was a once in a blue moon kind of month?


43 comments:

nashvillecats2 said...

Pleased your edits went well. Hope you have a great vacation.
Yvonne.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Glad the edits are done. I'm sure if I were to read through my first book, I'd find things to change as well.
Enjoy Myrtle Beach! What route are you taking? You might pass through my town.

Madeline Mora-Summonte said...

Congrats in finishing the edits! I enjoyed the IWSG/Sprint Journal post - read and commented over there. :)

I hope the wedding and the weather go wonderfully!

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

We're really past due for one. Thanks, Yvonne.

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

Not sure of our route, Alex. We take route 15 from PA to Virginia and then pick up 95. I'm not sure where we'll turn east from there. I haven't been to Myrtle for a few years. I hate the traffic but it will be worth it.

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

Thanks, Madeline. Glad you liked the sprint journal.

Pat Hatt said...

20 time is a lot, glad they are done though. Enjoy the beach and hopefully good weather is had for the wedding

A Beer for the Shower said...

Cheers to finishing up those edits. We usually comb through our novels twice (each), and one novel we ended up almost entirely rewriting. It's definitely our least favorite part of the process, but that feeling of being done after is well worth it.

And congratulations to your son and his soon-to-be bride! I hope the wedding is everything they dreamed of and more.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Beach weddings are so beautiful. Have a wonderful time in Myrtle Beach.

SpacerGuy said...

Congratulations, you must feel quite fulfilled having completed another stage of editing. Enjoy your break. You'll be refreshed after the wedding.

cleemckenzie said...

I believe edits could go on forever! I know mine can. Enjoy your time away and congratulations on your son's marriage.

betty said...

Yea that you got your edits done!! Enjoy the time together with family! Congrats to the soon to be married couple!!!

betty

Sarah Foster said...

Congrats on getting your edits done! Enjoy the wedding and your vacation.

Cate Masters said...

Have a wonderful time in Myrtle Beach! Hope the weather and wedding are both beautiful.

J E Oneil said...

Ooh, blue moon. Cool. As cool as the book being through it's final rounds. I hope you have fun at the beach and the wedding. Congratulations!

Ann Bennett said...

Myrtle Beach stole my thoughts. Have fun, I have spent many a fun week there.

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

20 times is too many, Pat.

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

I don't mind edits but when I have to totally rewrite big parts, I hate that.

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

We're hoping for beautiful weather. Thanks, L. Diane.

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

I hope so, Spacerguy. Refreshed and ready to get to writing.

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

Thanks, Lee. The beach is his idea of a perfect wedding. I would have like an old castle like you've been sharing about. Though not a haunted one.

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

It's a lot off my mind to have the edits all done. Thanks, betty.

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

It will be much more enjoyable now that those edits are out of the way.

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

Thanks, Cate. The weather can be a worry.

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

Thanks, J E. Fun is our aim.

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

Thanks, Ann. We haven't been there for years but we're looking to renew our acquaintance.

Christine Rains said...

Have a lot of fun down south and congratulations to your son! I do more rewrites now than I once did, but I think that's because we're better at the craft. I don't think every story is perfect and shiny when I first write it!

Ella said...

I am intrigued. I will check it out~ Oh, a wedding on the beach sounds magical. I hope and pray the weather is glorious~ Yes, Congrats to the happy couple~

The Happy Whisk said...

I've been a journal writer since age 12 or 13. Great stuff, but it's not for everyone. Congrats on the upcoming wedding. Here's to sunshine and no drama!

Tara Tyler said...

hey hey hey! lets go on vacay! congrats to your son and his new bride and happiness going forth! we are going on vacay to a lake in TN, didn't know if we'd get to take one
and way to finish edits!
but most of all thanks for your sweet comments! i'm still working on the screenplay =)
i'll think of you guys in myrtle when we see the blue moon! happy trails!

Misha Gerrick said...

A sprint journal sounds interesting. I have an excel spreadsheet to keep track of my daily progress, but because I write by hand, a sprint journal wouldn't be practical. I'd spend more time counting than I do writing. :-D

Mark Koopmans said...

First of all, I'm a guy (and I forget stuff soooo easily) so congrats to your son, his bride-to-be and I hope you all have a wonderful time in Myrtle Beach.

I'm sure the weather *will* cooperate and no matter what, you're going to have so many wonderful, new memories!!

And I hear you with the gazillion edits/versions ... I'm seriously excited about my book coming out, but I may never read it again:)

Have a great time - see you on the flip-flops side :)

TBM said...

Congrats to all and enjoy your time away.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Susan - you'll be on your way now ... congratulations to your son and soon to be DIL ... have lots and lots of fun - wonderful the family will all be with you .. and I hope we see a few photos anon.

Gosh - just lovely thinking about it ... so pleased for them and for you all .. cheers Hilary

Liz Blocker said...

Twenty drafts? Yikes. That probably doesn't even count all the revisions you initially did on your own.

Have a wonderful time at the wedding!!! So exciting!

Crystal Collier said...

Sprint journal... You have my curiosity. I'm headed to check it out.

mshatch said...

I get tired of reading my own work after the third or fourth time. But, if I leave it alone for a while and then come back, I like it again. Congrats to your son on his upcoming wedding :)

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Shanaya Tales said...

20 drafts? I get tired reading my own posts after 5-6 times, but I persist nonetheless. I just take a break and revisit again.

Have a great weekend. Best wishes for the newlyweds. :)

Anonymous said...

Have fun at the wedding!
I never put numbers on my drafts either and tend not to know how many times I went through it. A lot is all I can say.

Patricia Stoltey said...

The number of drafts I create equals the level of hatred I have for my manuscript by the time I submit it to an agent or editor. I usually don't start loving it again until I hold the published version in my hands....and sometimes not even then. The one manuscript I've never hated in spite of multiple revision is the one I can't seem to find a publisher for. :D Hope you had a wonderful vacation.

Nick Wilford said...

Sounds like you've been on an epic journey with your book but I'm glad the final version is near fruition. Congrats to your son!

Unknown said...

congrats on your sons marriage :) I think if I could I'd edit my stories over and over because how I feel about a scene may change depending on the mood I'm in when I read it. I'm weird. I admit it. LOL