Editings, revisions, a whole lot of work and cake to keep me fueled


This past weekend I started the first revision and edit on the second volume of my vampire trilogy. Book 3 is well on its final legs, meaning the end is nigh (is it normal that I'm severely heartbroken at the thought of reaching the end of this saga?) and because I wanted to check some facts from the second volume, I decided it was about time I got a move on that first edit. An I can already ascertain it's gonna be a hell of a lot of work. There's far too much to tackle in there, I spotted it already. Still, it has to be done, and I figured I should get a move on already, because it'll take a long time and I want to publish it sometime after Easter. More like June, I'm thinking, because I still have to convert everything for digital and paperback editions, so there's another big batch of time consuming work right there. Might as well really get through that first edit soon as I can, because the next revision is the one where the real work comes into place.


I always say I hate the editing process, I really do. I end up re-reading my work so many times to the point I already know certain chapters by heart, and I still have a hard time killing me darlings. Or I end up with an overkill in hands and just throw the whole thing away - lucky me I always keep an unrevised, unedited copy stashed away for situations just like that! I know I didn't edit "Unnatural" enough, I got to a point where I binned my third draft and began anew because I felt like I had taken away far too much already, and the novel was left with next to nothing. I took out all the soppy love scenes and all the sex scenes, for instance. I took out all the scenes where Sasha is second guessing Rune's feelings and talking to Ruth non stop about it, because I felt they were pointless and people would just say no one feels or acts that way. But then I remembered I did feel that way, and my friends as well, and we all acted that way at least once, so I put them back in. As well as the sex. People have sex, so why shouldn't it be in a book? Only because E.L. James has ruined it for everyone? Nope, my characters have sex, and they even enjoy it. So there.


But because I feel I under-edited that one, I want to take my time with the next. I need to look at it objectively, I don't know if I can, I wish I could pull myself away from my 'love' for those characters and that story line so I could be rather blunt and cold hearted with the writing, but on the other hand I always feel like the writing sucks, so if I start going around that chain of thought, I end up binning the whole thing, which won't do. In the end, my writing ain't that bad - I've come across a lot worse and it sells like cupcakes! - the storyline ain't that bad - again, I came across stuff that made me gag and still, it sells like hot buns! - so I need to find a state of mind where I can tackle it all objectively, and yes, be more courageous in eliminating stuff that doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of the novel itself. I always feel like the reader needs to be told this and that, but most times, the reader can hint form the rest of the narrative without me having to come out and spell every single thing out. So I want to take a longer, harder look into this one, as there aren't as many soppy love scenes in, but there are certain scenes that should be emototional, and should hold the right amount of emotion as well. Not too much and not too little, know what I mean?


But besides starting up my revision and editing, I also managed to tackle a huge number of photos I had on a folder waiting for me to go through them and edit the good ones. I have a bunch of recipes to share already, and some are really up my alley. Mostly, I noticed, it's simple daily food, the stuff we have for dinner or lunch as a family, nothing very fancy. There's cake, too, there's always cake, even if I only partake of a slice over a Sunday. Not too sugary cakes, not too heavy, light fare that tickles our fancies, with fruit or veg in them. Yeah, alright, not all that veg, I confess. I tried the beetroot cake and I quite liked it, I admit, but it's not my favourite resource when it comes to cooking with fruit and veg in cakes. I am very particular to apple cakes, yes, but also the carrot cake is a staple here. It's my husband's staple, he always goes back to his trusted recipe of carrot and orange cake when he's pressed for time. And this time, both our kid and I asked for a batch of cocoa, orange and carrot mini bundts. He gave us these, and they were heaven.


Here's the recipe for these little bites of heaven:
  • 1 orange - juice and zest
  • 2 large carrots
  • 2 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 120 gr flour
  • 100 gr sugar
  • 100 gr butter
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp baking powder
Turn on the oven at 180º and prepare small cupcake tins or little bundts. Grate the carrots and add the orange zest to them. Cream the butter with the sugar until fluffy and pale, and add the eggs, beating them in well. Mix in the carrot and orange, the flour and drizzle the orange juice in. Beat everything tgether until well combined. Now, with a wooden spoon, fold in the cocoa powder and pour the batter onto the tins. Bake for about 30 to 35 minutes, and allow them to rest for about ten minutes outside of the oven. Serve with tea or coffee, or as a treat at dinner, for dessert. Mighty good, they are!!



Comments

  1. Que bom que o pacote chegou e bem :) Envio-te uma vaquinha só para ti rapariga, não seja por isso! Eu adoro estas vaquinhas em madeira para a manteiga, temos até umas antigas feitas pelo avô do viking.
    Para o xarope escuro podes usar melaco, é o mais parecido. Podes usar as especiarias em qq pao, e até num bolo ou brioche pois claro.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. o puto entretanto chegou á conclusão que não se ajeita com a faca de madeira, lol!!! Já eu adorei-a!!

      Delete
  2. Ai estes teus mini bolinhos :( são tão lindinhos, não me canso de os ver!
    Se estivesse a escrever um livro de certeza que a coisa que ia gostar menos é a edição. Mas de certeza que com o tempo hás de encontrar métodos que te facilitem a vida e que te dêem mais confiança no que cortar da história ou acrescentar :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. pá odeio editar mesmo, e n sei se alguma x vou conseguir discernir o q deve e n deve ser cortado - para isso é q existem editores, claro. acho q o self editing é do piorio, mm, pq nunca se tem o distanciamento necessário, mas como sou control freak tb n me vejo a conseguir delegar tal tarefa ahahahh

      Delete
  3. Olá!
    Também tenho umas quantas fotos e receitas meio alinhavadas, mas tem sido difícil chegar a elas. Tenho-me ficado pelas mais recentes e pelas que vou fazendo em ultimo, até por causa do "Ingrediente do mês", e tenho uma pasta algo cheia...talvez para um dia quem sabe ;)

    Gosto imenso de bolo de cenoura, já bolo de beterraba acho que nunca experimentei, mas não deve ser mau também. Ambos os ingredientes têm aquele sabor terreo que gosto, por isso acho que deveria gostar também.
    Beijocas grandes
    Marta

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. prefiro a cenoura á beterraba, mas tb fica bom, courgette é q n me convence, epah, isso é q n!

      Delete

Post a Comment