All this year, I'm keeping a video diary of everything that goes into writing my third novel, It Started With a Kiss, due to be published on 10th November (but you can pre-order it here!). This week, the line edits are complete, so I head off for fun and inspiration at the RNA Conference in Caerleon - and gain a new hat!
First of all, massive apologies for the delay in getting this episode to your screens. I had just two weeks to complete what turned out to be a mammoth line edit (15,000 words ended up being edited from the manuscript, but I think it's better for it, even though it was a bit scary!) and then I contracted flu and was out of action for almost a week...
But I'm all better now, thank goodness, and just about to start going through my novel again, this time checking the edits suggested by my new copy editor, Rhian. It's quite surprising to a lot of people when they discover how many times I 'finish' my book through the various edit stages, but I'm a big believer in the importance of all of these edits to create a story that is the best that it can possibly be.
The best reward for emerging victorious after the killer combo of edits and flu was to join with lots of lovely RNA members at this year's RNA Conference at the University of Wales in Caerleon. Writing can be such a solitary pursuit, so to be able to spend time with other writers and share inspiration and experiences of writing is always a treat! I also received a lovely new hat (which you can see in the vlog) from the very lovely Mandy Baggot (read my Writer Spotlight interview with Mandy here). I had some issues with my Flip camera, so didn't get to film as much as I wanted, but hopefully the bits in the vlog, together with the photos I took, will give you an idea of this fabulous weekend...
So here's this week's vlog and photos from the conference are below. Enjoy!
p.s. This week's YouTube-nominated freeze frame is entitled 'Half-asleep at a picnic table'
Images from the RNA Conference: Tamsyn Murray's brilliant talk on the rise of the bad boy in YA fiction - with a plug for Keris Stainton!); the very glamorous Gala Dinner; and my table at the Gala Dinner with the very lovely Tamsyn Murray, Cally Taylor (who also won the Elizabeth Goudge Trophy for her short story on the night) and Kate Harrison... together with (not pictured) Ruth Saberton, Julie Cohen and Joanna Cannon.
4 comments:
SO lovely meeting you at the conference and I LOVE your vlogs, what an excellent idea. My question for you is about titles...
When I was writing 'Heaven Can Wait' I read about two books, one called 'Unwed and Undead' and one called 'You Had Me at Halo' and thought damn, I wish I'd come up with those, they're perfect for my book! Are there any titles you've heard of that you wish you'd snapped up first?
Thank you! Glad you're feeling better and another layer of editing is done. So interesting to find out about all these edits - I read a book by one of my fave authors which obviously did not have those line edits and I read it like a proofreader instead of enjoying the story. Painful as I'm sure they can be for authors, for readers they really do help us love the books! (especially when you're a pernickity reader like me and you notice when a characters name changes!)
Ok, this week's question is a bit of a 'duh' question probably...but what is 'RNA'? And, er, what is YA fiction? Thanks Miranda.
x
I was sorry not to be able to make it to the RNA Conference, but can imagine how interesting and fun it would have been. Hope to make it to Penrith next year.
Thanks for answering my question!! Sorry that I've only just been able to look, had the dreaded flu too! Looks like you had a lovely time at the RNA conference!
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