Polished Completion Happy Dance

As the title suggests, I've finished polishing my manuscript. From my first big edit to a polished product took me three months. Editing was, and has remained, my least favorite part of the writing process. I owe a big kudos to Michelle, my reader extraordinaire. I only hope everyone else is as fortunate to have a sister who also has a knack for spotting inconsistencies and giving invaluable critiques. Of course this is the same woman who never lets me forget I caught her kitchen on fire that one time...

At any rate, you may be wondering what next? Well that's easy: time to start Oliver's story for book two. I recently sketched up the plot for books two and three, although being the non-plotter I am, I have just the bare bones. I love to incorporate ideas as they come. A prime example is this morning: while I finished polishing the last few chapters, I realized what the fourth book will be about. Some authors want to write a trilogy and move on, but I believe with a large, complex cast of characters, writing a series will be fun. I love the world I've created (Secondworld) and hope to work my way forward and back in history. If you think you know what's happened in the past, think again. The Fair-folk have hidden themselves well over the years...

As time and word count goes on, editing may become a little less tiresome, but only time will tell. I certainly hope I don't have to throw out the first 100 pages again, like I did with this first book, and start over.

Time to celebrate briefly with some upbeat music before chaining myself to the keyboard once more.

Query update: I've researched and found five wonderful agents, sent them letters and now have to wait. I'm still researching agents for my second wave of letters, but I'll wait a little bit longer before I send them out.