I can probably just help with the mechanics, tommyrot.

Cool!

Are you using Final Draft?

Not yet. I mean, I need to buy screenwriting software, and Final Draft is one I'm considering....

I have achieved chapter 14 Edmund removal and I'm on my chapter 15 read through, chapter 16 and 17 await the read through process as well. This week will be busy though, that I expect it could take awhile to get all the read through stuff done.

I made some significant changes to 16 that I think will pick things up.

I got back my comments from beta exchange person 2 on my chapter 3. I'm a bit concerned she says the characters are too flat, but less concerned about too little description of the setting. I don't want to get bogged down with too much description of places that aren't very important to the story or have little emotional impact on the MC. I'll have to synthesize all the comments for the next revision, so we'll see. The part that I found interesting was that she expressed curiosity about what Curtis would do. Curtis? That surprised me. He doesn't strike me as an especially interesting character in comparison to the others. Interesting.

One thing I've learned, is if I find myself immediately rejecting criticism to think about it again the next day. For example, even if the setting does not want to affect the plot, might you want to spend a few words let people know the atmosphere in which something is taking place? Sunshine, fog or shadow? If at night clear or starless? I'm not a beta, so maybe you are doing this, but if you are not you can add a word here or there to description you are giving anyway. Someone is moving, leaping, whatever anyway - it might as well be through sunlight, down the crowded streets or whatever.

I'm not rejecting anything yet. Just some things concern me more than others. If multiple people have the same criticism, then I'll figure I need to do something even if I don't see the problem. I've learned that I'm not going to make everybody happy, I've already gotten directly contradictory comments on a few things.

I am going bananas waiting for feedback from my agent. Yes. I know. Probably won't hear anything for two more weeks. AND THEY WILL BE THE LONGEST TWO WEEKS OF MY LIFE.

cries

What if it sucks? What if it needs another rewrite? What if it's an epic fail? What if it doesn't go out to editors until after the holidays?

I shall die. Just die.

Hang in there, Allyson.

Pass the smelling salts, as I shall faint.

/drama

My plan with comments is to collect everything and go through all of them with every chapter in my second revision. If there are enough general problems though, I might have to rethink that second revision strategy. I'm hoping that I'll have things in good enough shape to spend the second revision picking away at paragraphs and sentences, clearing up confusing parts, removing adverbs, removing adjectives where possible, finding better words, punching up dialogue, eliminating out of character moments, and generally fixing stuff up but not making big changes to plot or characters.

Well, that and generally looking for recurring problems that I might start keeping a lookout for on my current revision.

Revision, it's going to take awhile.

Allyson, don't make me speak sternly to you.

In the meantime, why don't we figure out what we're doing with this collection thing? Should we make a poll for the theme?