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A full day of book editing. I got through the whole book, more or less, but I did leave quite a few of the more complicated bits for tomorrow. It was good to take a bit of time off though. Coming back to it, I am pretty impressed with what I’ve achieved. It’s a funny and slightly moving (for me at least) account of what I went through and all the mad stuff that went on in 2021. Plus it’s a celebration of family - well of my family- and of being alive.
There are some clunky bits, but I can improve them, and I need to work on the bits between the chapters where I give an overview of the history and cultural significance of testicles. It’s basically there though. Hooray.
My editor is truly excellent - not only pointing out the less good bits of writing, but also praising bits that are good. And it’s nice to have someone clever to point out the recurring problems with one’s writing style. Like starting too many sentences with and, but or so. So I cut those out. But not all of them. Apparently I use the phrase “I felt” too much, but I have to say I felt that was justified.
From my blog I am also in the habit of not really naming my family members -usually referring to them as my wife, my daughter or my son. This was established early on when I tried to preserve people’s anonymity in general, but my editor correctly pointed out that it’s much better to call them by their actual names. It’s not really a secret what their names are by now. I have written this book partly with my kids (I mean, Phoebe and Ernie) in mind. They won’t really remember what happened in 2021 or the significance of what I (and so they) were going through. But I hope they will read this one in the future, maybe when I’m not around any more and realise how much they meant to me. I hope they never read “How Not Up Grow Up” though. There are things in there that they must never know. No one tell them about the champagne bottle or… well actually pretty much all of it.
There’s definitely loads of stuff I would have missed, though she’s also picked up on all the bits that I knew were not right, so it’s cool to be working with an editor who has pretty much 100% hit rate of being totally correct. It makes the second draft process a lot easier - though I have spotted a few extra bits that I am not happy with. When you’re writing 80,000 words it’s very very difficult not to accidentally repeat yourself or use the same word twice in the same paragraph or forget to finish off a thought or just miss a word out. Not everything will be spotted. Not everything will be perfect. But this book feels quite special and I am determined to make it as perfect as it can be. So there will be at least one more sweep through the whole thing, even once I’ve fixed the glaring problems that still need to be addressed. Dare I dream that I will be done with it by the start of next week?
It will bounce back later once the proof reader has had a look at it and when I need to add acknowledgements etc and I’ve requested that we do the audio book early so that any more terrible errors that I spot can be rectified before the book goes to print. It’s all very exciting.
I know I managed to write a book of sorts last year, with Would You Rather? Though I don’t actually recall doing any of the writing and given its nature it didn’t take me very long. It’s been a challenge, but a weird pleasure to write this book. It still makes me emotional to read some of it. Can’t wait for it to be on the book shelves and to be largely ignored by everyone as usual. Though I think this one will be helpful to anyone going through the same experience. So that’s something.
Speaking of which, RHLSTP with my fellow monoballer and doppelgänger Charley Boorman - can you spot the difference? is now out wherever you get your podcasts.
Like here for example. It’s a really good one.
