Live-Blogging Revisions, Round 1

I know this will take more than one round. I'm actually planning on it. I just hope that I can fit my revisions into two rounds!

These revisions are somewhat different from any other revisions I've ever done before, namely because these are revisions suggested by an agent...my agent. So, as opposed to suggestions from beta readers or critique groups, these revisions are very specific (which I'm hoping means they are easier).

Here are my goals:

1. DONE Revise the pitches I wrote last live-blogging sessions, as well as fix a few grammatical errors in the shortened (and much improved) synopses
   
2. DONE  Develop my setting more: specifically, give clearer descriptions of the size of the space ship and the number of people on board
3. DONE  Change some details with the main characters' parents' background to coincide with plans for sequels
4. DONE...or, actually, I decided it would be best to leave her a bit ambiguous. But I did add one clue with her. Develop a minor character a tiny bit more, as she'll play a more important role in sequels
5. DONE Add a few details and clues in a scene that will be layered in for the sake of the sequels
6. DONE Change a bit about the ending, making it a tad more open ended (for the sake of a sequel...do you see a pattern here?)
7. DONE  Add a clue about a sequel in an early scene
8. DONE Alter the ages of a few characters to make them closer in age to the main character (which sounds easy, but will actually pose a bit of a continuity challenge that I'll have to keep tabs on)

That's it. Eight specific things to change, with a clear idea of how to change each one. I'm pretty interested in seeing how long it takes me to do all this, so I'm live blogging again!

Start: 6:51pm...

6:56: Realize that if I'm actually going to do this thing, I'm going to need to turn off Prince Caspian. *sigh*

7:13:

1. Revise the pitches I wrote last live-blogging sessions, as well as fix a few grammatical errors in the shortened (and much improved) synopses

 That didn't take long...but all I had to do was put the paper corrections I'd already made into the computer. But all the files are saved and logged away, ready to be emailed to my agent. OMG IT IS STILL REALLY COOL TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT, MY AGENT.

7:18: I keep checking Gmail, Twitter, and RallyStorm, hoping to find an excuse for a distraction. Not good. Bad author, bad!

7:20: OMG an email! *trots away to read it* (and it's not spam!)

7:24: My other bad distracting habit: hand lotion. I use it *constantly* to avoid doing real work.

7:50: The email was (ironically) about revisions. Also, I started a Google chat about revisions. So, technically, I'm still on topic, yes?

8:01: I have the document loaded on my computer, that counts right?

8:08: I'm tweaking the formatting, surely that counts, right?

8:41: Completely deleted all the formatting. On purpose. Because I did it wrong. Then I redid it. Back to the way it was originally. Also, I changed one sentence. That counts, right?

8:57: Done with chatting, done with emailing, done with interwebs. Time to buckle down properly. *checks list above* OK, I did this:
          7. Add a clue about a sequel in an early scene

Current goal:  3. Change some details with the main characters' parents' background to coincide with plans for sequels

9:22: 3. Change some details with the main characters' parents' background to coincide with plans for sequels

9:30: Added a few sentences throughout mentioning the number of people on board the ship (352).

10:12: Still working on making sure the character age changes flow continuously. I knew there'd be some continuity problems with that one.

10:20: Taking a break...

11:02: In reading over my goal of changing the ages and making sure the continuity problems were fixed...I'm calling that one done. I think I've got it covered. But I plan on waiting for tonight and working on all the rest of the edits, then printing it out and doing one last check for that. I think it is done and ready, but this one has so many little details in the ages that I'm going to have to read through the whole manuscript to make sure I've correctly fixed it.

11:03: Back into the fray...

11:44: I...whoa. I've finished everything but changing the end. Of course, I may need to go back and do more, but I'll wait until I print to make sure the check list is truly done. But, actually, it does seem mostly done. I guess all I need to do now is tackle that end...

11:50: Wow. I really don't want to touch that end. I've just gone through the whole lit of email, twitter, facebook, rallystorm *again*...but fortunately (or not) no one's talking to me now. Guess that means I really do need to go back and look at that end.

11:51: (this will make so much more sense when the book is published and you have a chance to read it, but I just want to put this out there: I love Chapter 53.)

12:01: Must look up pictures of embryos and fetuses. Yes it's relevant. Leave me alone :P

12:03: EW EW EW EW!!! Anti-abortion pics are gross!!!!!

12:04: OK, got my info. Back to work on the end.

12:20: Ummmmm....I think I might be done. Maybe. There was a lot of back and forth and reading and re-reading, but in the end, I added a paragraph. One. And I think that fixed it. Hmm. I'll finish for now, and re-read it later just to make sure.

The End!