Yep, you read that right.

Last night I finished my third manuscript clocking in at a little shy of 85,000 words, which is ideal. In my previous post, I talked about why that number is the sweet spot, and right as I was typing the last chapter, the number counter hit that perfect number and brought a big grin to my face.

I got to tell you, having this one done feels good. 

However, I'm nowhere close to finished. 

I've learned this lesson the hard way, twice. Maybe because I'm impatient or stubborn, but in the past with my other two manuscripts, once I crossed the finish line I had the audacity to celebrate and feel like I was ready to pursue publication. Now I will tell you that in hindsight, going down the process and experiencing failure has taught me more than success ever could. Perhaps this is why as I hit save on my third manuscript and leaned back in my chair, I felt different than before. 

I'm taking it as a good sign that even though I've finished with composing all of the chapters and even deleting a few that didn't need to be there in the first place, I am compelled to go back and begin the editing process immediately. Maybe this is because I have a plan for how I will be editing. Or perhaps just because this book is different than my first and second, as it is the start of a new series. It could also be that I want to have a different outcome and I know the stakes from before. 

Whatever the reason, I'll be taking a few days off before I dive back into editing. The process will be multi-layered and involve several passes over all of the chapters. The first pass will be for formatting and spelling. The second will be more for grammar and voice. The third and most ruthless pass will be for plot and streamlining as much as possible. A unique journey waits for the first five chapters, which have already received two of these three rounds before to prepare them for a contest. After I get the feedback from that contest, I'll edit and do it again for the next one. Every time I will submit to a contest I will be repeating this process. As it is, I took some advice and wrote a query letter before even starting to draft the manuscript. Since the beginning, I've passed back over that letter at least five times and will be continuing to do so.

Creatively, I will be outlining my next book in this series, but I'm going to hold off writing until November so that Firemark gets the time and space it deserves for editing purposes. I will not be querying any editors, agents, or publishers until January at the earliest. That doesn't mean I won't be participating in Twitter pitch events or Pitch Wars, but aside from those events, I will not be reaching out to individuals unsolicited until January. 

I hope that after proper editing and much feedback from judges Firemark will have an easier time in the slush pile of publication and a much different outcome.

Thanks for coming on this journey with me. I never said it was a short trip. 
Kathryn