I had excellent feedback from my new editor, which was of great value to me. However, I knew there were a few weak points, and as he said, I often got carried away with my descriptions ‘having way too much fun’ .
My head-hopping was another thing to address—the hardest, in my opinion. I first tried very hard to have only the MCs and two of the other important but lesser characters per chapter, but it all started to look far too artificial.
Now I hope I haven’t changed it so much that the whole thing has become a bit disjointed. But, at least this time, it shrank from 155 000 words to about 100 000, which had been my goal all along.
I did sometimes change from POV in one chapter and think it gave the chapter more tension.

These modern rules help a bit but are often stuck to with a vengeance, which makes many new books samey and, for me, unreadable. I can practically see where they are trying to SHOW and not TELL.
Like with good food, a bit of everything is the healthiest.
I want to send the book in for a second edit round as a whole. The last time I only sent the first 20 chapters.
Which I think newbies like me should always do to see if you gel with the editor.

I have just started a new writing project as well. It is a bit of a relief to be in drafting mode, but I have learnt that I should do the editing while I go, as the last book already had 7 rounds and now after the editor the 8th. But as I said, it is all a learning curve. I kept all my “darlings” for when the book becomes famous, and I will publish the uncut version.
I will have to work on the sequel after I have sent up Harbour Cities Midland. It will be using the overflow from book one, and the storyline is more or less clear.
The title will be Harbour Cities Perris. The location will move to the Continent. I plan to have only two books in the series, even if no 1 sinks without a trace. Maybe some archaeologists of the future will dig it up one day and wonder…

School will be closing 1st of July, and my afterschool homework girls will both go to their home countries for a visit.
I will miss their happiness and energy, but it will be a good break too. The young ladies have already convinced me to have a sleepover at our house somewhere in August. I hope the Virus will stay away for a bit, so I can take them somewhere nice.
I will not write about the big V because I am totally done with it. Let’s hope it too with me.

Inkarnate, the mapmaking software I use, has been a great joy again for me. When I have been good and wrote enough, I can make a map or misuse their software to create pictures. Handy for people like me who can’t draw to save their life.

Until next time. Hope you enjoy the blog.