I got my copyedits back for Change of Heart a couple of weeks ago. I've been taking my time with them because I don't have a major deadline to get them finished and I don't want to rush. As long as I've got them done by the end of the month, I'll be happy.
My editor is the same person who edited Break the Rules for me, so she's familiar with the series and can offer some great advice about continuity. Along with the line edits, she gives me some suggestions about the structure of the story and how I can improve characterisation and motivation. There was one key element which I'd struggled with while writing the story and I'd hoped I'd fixed it, but she said it needed more work. Sigh. I know she's totally right, but there was a little part of me that was crossing its fingers that it would be all right, because I was so sick of the story by then.
The problem is the ending, and I've been brainstorming different options for the last couple of days while working on other parts of the story that also need work. I've got a good idea, but it needs a little bit more tweaking before I can be satisfied. In the meantime I've printed out the manuscript and I'm highlighting four different aspects which my editor said needed work. I'm hoping by seeing the different colours and being able to focus on each aspect one at a time, I can make sure it's all cohesive in the end. I've not used this kind of method before so I'm curious to see how it turns out.
I kind of have a love-hate relationship with my copyedits. I hate that my manuscript comes back with red lines all over it, and sometimes I'm a little defensive of the comments that are written on it, but I love that someone impartial has looked over the story and is trying their hardest to help me to make it the best book it can be. Each time I get edits back, I learn something new. Sometimes I can see I have improved in one area, while another area still needs work. I set myself little goals to work on each time I edit. One of the things my editor picked up this time is repetition and so when I do my next edit of Blaze a Trail, I'll keep my eye out for that and try to cut it out before it goes to my editor next time.
Writing is a constant learning process and I love it!
