I’ve spent the last few weeks deep in edits on The Novel. For all the developments that have been made to it, working with a proofreader ahead of the Italian publication and now an incredible editor at HC, there is still a way to go.
I guess I assumed I was a writer who was exempt from other people having views on what they were doing. It’s good to be humbled sometimes, for someone to prove you wrong. It’s going to be so much richer for the experience. If everything goes well, so will I, lol.
This novel is now so loaded with heart that I don’t know if I’ll ever duplicate how this one feels. And believe me, I’m really trying.
For all the line edits that were needed, there are also a number of delicious asides that highlight what does currently work and how we can lean into that. Gripping onto them like Rose and Jack clinging to a door of the Titanic.
I’ve also, in the last two weeks, seen potential cover designs. It will come as no surprise to those of you who know me that I immediately burst into tears. Somehow, despite all the conversations up until this point for my book to become real, seeing a cover by a highly accomplished and wonderful designer absolutely tore me up. Very excited to finalise and be in a position to share.
For now, I remain in the shadows, like Batman.
This week, I started to see the book come back together after being pulled apart. The flow of the story is there. The justification for movements of characters. The foolish spelling and grammar mistakes eradicated. I’m so grateful to those who have got me here.
It’s all happening.
Paul Schiernecker 
Leave a comment