Waiting On Line Edits

Right now I'm waiting on line edits for my soon-to-be-pubbed (eeek!!!) book.

I did a set of revisions before contract and a set after, but now the story is being sent to a different line editor. Even though authors from the same line gave me some encouragement about these edits, I'm still nervous.

What will be changed? Will the editor like the story or hate it? Will the editor cross out all my "was"s?

The suspense of not knowing what will happen is driving me to chocolate.

Are you waiting for anything right now? How do you handle the suspense of the unknown? Are you prepared for the changes an editor might ask you to make?

Comments

Jessica R. Patch said…
I love reading blogs about the publishing journey, especially edits. I know they're asking for changes to make the book better, so I'm willing to do that.

I need no anxiety to drive me to chocolate. LOL
August 31, 2011 at 7:14 AM
Wendy Paine Miller said…
I can imagine how waiting for those line edits could cause anxiety.

I'm on the end of a long wait. Ah. But as all writers know, the wait will begin again soon for publishers.

~ Wendy
August 31, 2011 at 7:57 AM
Jennifer Shirk said…
I'm waiting for copyedits right now. Publishing is so funny. They want you to hurry up and write and then hurry and do edits but you have to WAIT for them. LOL!
Do you have a pub date yet?
August 31, 2011 at 8:16 AM
Mary Curry said…
Right now I'm waiting for school to start. That's a whole different part of my world and my excitement over that makes it really difficult to concentrate on writing. It's a season and there is a time for everything. :)

Good luck when the line edits come.
August 31, 2011 at 8:26 AM
Sarah Forgrave said…
"The suspense of not knowing what will happen is driving me to chocolate." Story of my life, girl. Thus why I'm on a diet. :)

It just hit me yesterday that I'll get to meet you in person in a few weeks! How exciting is that! :)
August 31, 2011 at 8:59 AM
Jessica Nelson said…
LOL Jessica! You're right. I'm always trying to justify my drive for chocolate. *grin*

Wendy, you never know. You could sell in less than a week. It's happened before. ;-)

Hey Jennifer! I guess you're back from your blog break, huh? My release date is April 2012.
August 31, 2011 at 9:05 AM
Jessica Nelson said…
Hi Mary, that is very, very true. Hope your season goes smoothly!

Sarah, I know!!! LOL I can't believe how quickly it's coming up. Yikes.
August 31, 2011 at 9:05 AM
Linda Kage said…
I'm always, always waiting on something. Waiting on a submission response, waiting on edits, waiting on a cover, waiting on the release date, waiting on reviews, waiting on the sales statement. I think waiting is simply the life of an author.

What's worse, you wait and wait for edits, then they come, and you have like ten days to fix them and get them back. Eek. No pressure.

But it'll be fine and worth it all in the end!! You'll survive ;-)
August 31, 2011 at 9:06 AM
Jessica Nelson said…
Hahaa, yes, that's what I'm starting to realize. Thank goodness for coffee and chocolate. Heh.
August 31, 2011 at 9:21 AM
Janet, said…
That is a nice thing to be waiting for. Soon to be published - congratulations!
August 31, 2011 at 9:51 AM
Anita Grace Howard said…
Haha! This should totally be on a t-shirt: "The suspense is driving me to chocolate."

You are so funny! LOL

And yes, I'd be feeling the same way as you. But there is one word that every author can use when they try to cross something out that's important to your story vision: stet.

Stet is your friend. It means to return the correction made by the copy editor to what you originally wrote.

Anyway, good luck my terrific pal! I'm so excited for you! April cannot get here soon enough 4 me. :)
August 31, 2011 at 10:15 AM
Jessica Nelson said…
Oooh, I'm gonna remember that! Thanks Anita. LOL
I know, I'm driven to chocolate daily. So sad. *wink*
August 31, 2011 at 10:23 AM
Sandra Orchard said…
Oh, I can so relate Jessica, I had major first revisions to do on my second book, and wasn't sure if I hit the mark, so I dreaded seeing the line edits. In the end, there were only a few suggestions, which I followed, but next to no changes were made by the line editor. So relax, and pass the chocolate!! I'm waiting on galleys :)
August 31, 2011 at 10:42 AM
Jaime Wright said…
Oooo that should be exciting - but yes, a bit nervewracking for sure. coffee time!
August 31, 2011 at 11:16 AM
Keli Gwyn said…
I enjoy editing, especially the micro or line edits. What causes me the most anxiety are the macro or big picture edits that require me to rewrite and revise big chunks of my story.

I wish you well on your edits, Jessie. I have a hunch you'll sail through them, but having chocolate on hand is a good thing any time, right?
August 31, 2011 at 11:31 AM
Loree Huebner said…
Exciting for you! Hey, if you gotta be driven to something - chocolate is the way to go!

I'm almost done crafting my query...yeah, like I said, chocolate is the way to go.
August 31, 2011 at 11:39 AM
Elana Johnson said…
I'm editing my second book, and wondering if I can make it right. That's always hard.

And line edits are nothing! They don't change anything; they just make sure that what you have is grammatically correct. Good luck and happy waiting!
August 31, 2011 at 12:02 PM
Jeanette Levellie said…
Driving you to chocolate--I love that!

I am so excited for you, but I can understand your nervousness. The Scriptures always help me when I'm nervous. IF I'll meditate them.

I am waiting to hear back from 3 editors that have proposals of 2 books. Pass the Milky Way Dark...
August 31, 2011 at 12:07 PM
Erica Vetsch said…
Content edits are the ones I get all jiggly waiting for. Line edits don't bother me so much.

That being said, I'm waiting for some line edits at the moment, and I'm watching my inbox pretty closely these days. :)
August 31, 2011 at 12:28 PM
Diane said…
Knowing all will be well for you and can't wait to see it finished and in your smiling hands!!! :O)
August 31, 2011 at 12:33 PM
Jessica Nelson said…
Awww, thanks Diane. :-)

Erica, yeah, mine are supposed to come hard copy in the mail. Gulp. I think maybe because it's new it's making me nervous?

Jeanette, thank you for that valuable advice. I should do that, and will. Thank you!

Hey Elana, I didn't know you were on a second one. Congrats! I'm positive you'll pull it off in an amazing way. :-)
August 31, 2011 at 1:36 PM
Jessica Nelson said…
Sandra, you've been such a great encourager for me. Thank you so much. :-)

Jaime, would you believe I'm out of coffee? It's been a horrific day...

Thanks Keli! Yes, chocolate is always great to have. ;-) I alread ate quite a bit. lol

Loree, thanks so much for popping by. Congrats on the query! If you want a pair of eyes to look it over, let me know (not that I'm a pro or anything, lol).
August 31, 2011 at 1:38 PM
Kate Karyus Quinn said…
I am waiting on my very first editorial letter - I probably still have a few more weeks until it arrives and - YES - the suspense is killing me!

Line edits is so much further in the process - congratulations soon you'll be crossing that final draft finish line!
August 31, 2011 at 4:07 PM
Larie Carlice Proverbs 27:19 said…
Driving you to chocolate? Come'on Jessica, it's okay to admit that you just want chocolate! ;)

smooches,
Larie
August 31, 2011 at 6:06 PM
Susan J. Reinhardt said…
Hi Jess -

"...driving me to chocolate." Love that phrase!

You'll get through this. I can't wait to read your book.

Karen and I sent out partials on our book, and I sent partials out on mine. The waiting is hard. And, yes, I'm eating lots of chocolate. :)

Blessings,
Susan
August 31, 2011 at 8:59 PM
Karen Lange said…
Driving you to chocolate - love that! I am waiting to hear from an agent and an editor on a collaborative project. Keeping busy to avoid being antsy. Most of the time it works. Going to the kitchen to look for chocolate now...:)
September 1, 2011 at 8:07 AM
Warren Baldwin said…
Neat to read about your progress in the publishing field. About suspense (or stress) driving you to chocolate ... I eat the chocolate first, and avoid all stress :)
September 1, 2011 at 1:38 PM
Caryn Caldwell said…
You will do GREAT! Look how far you've already come.

I'm waiting on revisions from my agent, and every time I check my email it's with this mixture of excitement and fear. The unknown is the hardest. Okay, well, maybe the actual edits are harder than the unknown. I don't really know yet. But that's what I tell myself. :-)
September 1, 2011 at 2:27 PM
Eileen Astels Watson said…
Jessica, you are such a gift. I love your open book way!

I'm thinking she's going to LOVE it!!!!
September 1, 2011 at 4:13 PM
Eileen Astels Watson said…
And, oh, I wanted to add, isn't it lucky you can afford all that chocolate, you skinny-minny!!
September 1, 2011 at 4:14 PM
Angie Muresan said…
I'm so happy for you, Jessica. And so proud!
September 1, 2011 at 10:45 PM
Katie Ganshert said…
Oh - I understand this girl! I SO understand it! I'm still working through line-edits. It's been SUCH a learning experience!
September 2, 2011 at 7:15 AM
Nancy said…
That would be difficult waiting for changes from an editor. You made changes because you wanted to improve your story and now, you may have to make more. I'm sure you love elements in the story that you want to stay. Good luck. I hope the editor likes what you have submitted.
September 2, 2011 at 12:39 PM
Glynis Peters said…
I am waiting to hear from a publisher. They asked to read the full. Nearly six weeks down the line I am on the chocolate too!
September 2, 2011 at 1:13 PM
Faith said…
Ooooh line edits!

I'm sure it'll be fine, even if the notes make you freak out and cry and throw things for a little while at first. :) LOL.

I'm waiting on registrations for my dance classes. I've done so much work marketing and advertising for them, but at some point, I have to just step back and wait for the results. I'm very impatient, though... I know it's okay to fail the first time I go it on my own, but I'm still stuck in suspense mode!!!
September 3, 2011 at 8:34 AM
Lauren F. Boyd said…
I do have a lot of "irons in the fire" when it comes to submissions right now: a children's picture book, my first novel(la), and a few Highlights stories. So what do I do when I'm having to wait? I find something else to write, HAHA!
September 3, 2011 at 6:58 PM
Lauren F. Boyd said…
And many congrats to you, Jessica, for your hard work on your debut novel! I can't wait to learn what this editor thinks about your work and when the release date is going to be!

Thanks for keeping us posted - please continue to do so!
September 3, 2011 at 6:59 PM
Deb Shucka said…
Such a lovely pinch to find yourself in. And a grand solution. Chocolate works for almost everything. :-)
September 5, 2011 at 2:56 PM
V said…
Keep us posted on what they say!
September 5, 2011 at 5:59 PM
Jessica Nelson said…
Hahaaa, you guys saw right through my chocolate excuse! LOL I was going to respond to everyone but my power was out ALL night last night. Grrrr. And I've been working today. Needless to say, I appreciate all of your comments. You all crack me up!

Eileen, you're pretty small yourself. :-P I felt like a giant next to you!

Kate!! You sold? Going to check out your blog now...
September 6, 2011 at 8:09 PM
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