Diary of a multi-tasker

My week has been crazy but lovely with the extra anthology deadline.

Now add some more craziness to the mix.

Remember the last book I revised and handed in a month ago, THE TYCOON'S LIVE-IN LOVE?
Well, heard from my lovely ed requesting a final tweak, which is fine...except the book is scheduled for May 2010 and needs to be at the copyeditors ASAP!
So this needs to a be a priority.

Thus yesterday looked like this:

5.45am. Roll out of bed, stumble to computer, scan emails, write 1000 words on Rom Com.

6.45am. Shower, rouse the troups, brekkie, make school lunch, peak hour drive to school.

8.45am. Indulge stressed self in favourite brekkie at fave cafe, shop for 2 hours for birthday presents, grab a Max Brenner Italian milk hot chocolate to go.

11am. Warm up PC to start work when toddler naps. See email from editor, requesting urgent tweaks. Eeek! Swoon, have mini panic attack before printing out email and knuckling down.

Midday. Toddler naps. I work for an hour before falling into bed for more 'plotting' time (see yesterday's post.)

2.00pm. Rise and shine, get cracking for next school run.

4pm. Boys playing at my feet, I speed write short story for as long as they let me. 1000 words done.

5-8pm. Dinner rush starts. Cook, eat, clean, make hubby's lunch for tomorrow, bath time, read books.

8-10.30 pm. Start work, tweaks on last book, 60 pages in, eyes closing...

I'll need to follow this diary for the next week.
Nothing like 3 short deadlines to get the creative juices flowing!

Switching POV

Another interesting tip while revising your manuscript: switching point of view can make all the difference.

During the black moment of THE TYCOON'S LIVE-IN LOVE, I had Starr seeing red and losing her cool with Callum.

In the revised version, I need Callum to push her away so rather than slashing the scene, I changed POV.

Amazing how powerful it can still remain with just a few tweaks, adding new dialogue, changing things around a bit.

So before you cut that scene you love completely, see if it works in an alternate POV. You may be surprised with the results.

Slashing scenes

When I first wrote Starr and Callum, I had such a clear idea of who the heroine was.
Fun, flirty, sassy, resilient.

Yet there's a scene where she stops a scintillating kiss from Callum.
I need her to do it yet it doesn't fit in with her character.
This is just one of the dilemmas facing me as I tweak this Modern Heat.

I'm a third of the way there. Have slashed scenes (which always kills me!) and tweaked others.
Aiming to have this done by the end of the week...hopefully!

And Chapter 5 of ONE INDIAN SUMMER is now live at eharlequin. Enjoy. :)

Areas to concentrate on

While tweaking Starr and Callum's story, here are the 3 main areas my editor wants me to focus on:

1. Characterisation and emotional conflicts (so the reader can follow their motivations and behaviour every step of the way.)

2. Reworking the plot so that it showcases their personalities in the most exciting, pacy, intense way possible.

3. Upping the sensuality levels-steam up the page at every opportunity.

I posted these because it's amazing how as a writer, you may think you have everything covered, yet all it takes is one, small change (in Callum's instance, changing who died in his past and his role in their death) and the rest of the book needs an overhaul.

I revised 4 chapters last night, nothing major. The nitty-gritty stuff is about to start.
Changing his motivation has changed quite a bit.
And that sensuality stuff? They've been too good, keeping their hands off each other.
All about to change...