Editorial gold dust

I was shocked to see how long it is since my last post. It honestly doesn’t feel that long.

I suppose the reason for that is that I’ve had my head down, working on one thing or another for the whole time. So what’s been happening Chez Tora since the last time I checked in?

Well, I sent my ms of The Welsh King’s Spy in to Mills & Boon and settled down to a nail-biting wait. In order to save my nails, I started work on my next novel and had just got my head settled in Roman Britain when I got my report back from Mills & Boon. There were lots of things they liked about it but wondered if I could take a few characters and situations further.

I had to read the letter all the way through, heart pounding, before I read that yes, I could resubmit if I was able to make the changes. After picking myself up off the floor, I printed out the letter and read it through more thoroughly.

What it boiled down to, in my interpretation anyway, was that the opening chapters promised something that the story didn’t go on to deliver. Upon another read through, I had to admit (reluctantly, oh, so reluctantly!) that the editors had a point. So after some walks to think things through, a bit of sulking and a lot of chocolate, I sat down to revise my ms. If I’d known how hard it was going to be, I’d probably have indulged in a lot more sulking and even more chocolate – every scene I changed required me to unpick so many things running up to and leading from it. As a result it took me much longer than anticipated.

However, I’ve finally worked through all the revisions and I sent the ms back last week. I think it’s an improvement, but obviously I’ll have to wait for the editor’s verdict. Whatever the outcome, though, I’m tremendously grateful for the opportunity to work with a Mills & Boon editor. Feedback like that is pure gold dust and it’s spurred me on to keep writing and look more critically at my characters and their conflicts and ask myself if the story can be improved.

And finally, as I’ve got a busy few weeks, I’ll take the opportunity to say Happy Christmas, one and all! I’ll check in again in the new year.