Editing

Got another edit back from the editor yesterday. Rather than get straight onto it, I let it sit during the daylight hours and got stuck in last night.

When I first saw all the proposed changes, I thought it would no longer be my story. I was worried. I didn't want to say no to this opportunity, but I didn't want to sell my soul either.

In the end, I made a copy of the file and accepted every single change. I then went through and read the 'new' story, and found--it's still my story--only so much better.

There were some things I wasn't 100% sold on so I marked these up, some other things I didn't understand or which didn't sound right to me, so I marked those up as well, and sent it back with an email containing just a couple of questions.

I got a prompt email back with answers to my questions and notification she was going to do what I've suggested all writers do, take a break from a story so you can come back to it with fresh eyes.

This means a day or two of me sitting on my hands and fretting. Character building stuff!

No news back on anything else while all this is going on. It's like my whole writing bubble has taken a deep breath and is now holding it till this situation resolves. Honestly - I've not got any other acceptances or rejections. I've not even received an assignment back from the Academy.

Picture a street with high rise buildings on either side. It could be New York, London or Sydney, but it's quiet apart from the rustle of discarded paper and the whine of the wind as it races around the corners of the monoliths towering above you. And everything is grey. Colours are washed away. Low clouds of the same bland grey hang overhead. Imagine the first moment you step out into the middle of the street and wonder what's happened. Now imagine the moment before any theories or answers or conclusions begin to form in your head to explain away why things are as they are around you. Now imagine that moment is where you have to stay forever. It's not Ground Hog day. Bill Murray isn't about to come screaming around the corner in a truck advising a furry creature not to drive angry. Things aren't on an endless loop. You are just in that moment before thought, with nothing around you, and you know it will be like that for the rest of your life.

That's how I feel right now.

I know things will start up again in only a few days time (maybe sooner), and for better or worse, the colour will flood back and motion will once more reign supreme, but for now, I'm stuck in that moment. Limbo without the fire, half-naked women, and over drinking. Roll on the weekend.