As much as I would love to get more words written on my WIP, I realize that I need to finish my edits on The Gnome. I added another beta reader for this story, and she’s pretty tough. LOL. She makes some very valid points, though, so I’m trying to edit based on comments from two different beta readers. I’m just going chapter by chapter, first working on one beta’s suggestions, then going back and working on the other one. These two betas are authors. The other two were readers. I love getting four different points of view from four very different people. Neither of the two authors are commenting and suggesting about the same passages. So I really am getting totally different perspectives. I love it. 🙂
Anyway, my whole point is that I need to finish The Gnome before I can get as serious as I like about the other work. So I’m going to devote my writing time tonight on edits. I want to get this thing published this week if possible. I was really worried about this story since it was my first step into horror, although it’s not hard core horror by any means. But I’ve gotten favorable comments from beta readers, so I know that at least it’s not horrible. LOL I was waffling today about whether to go ahead and do a cover reveal or wait until it’s published. What do you all think? Should I go ahead and reveal the cover? And I also wanted to know if any of you have had to lay your WIP aside to finish edits on something else. Feedback, please!
lauralynnelliott.com 
Beta reading is always eye-opening. Sometimes, one person will pick up on something so obvious that nobody else saw it. 😀
You’re stronger than me. LOL. I tend to give up the edits to first draft without much persuasion.
At the moment I’m fact-checking though, and it’s taking soooo long. All i want to do is first draft. But if I didn’t lay aside my drafts for editing, I would never publish anything. It’s hard, but sometimes it has to be done. Starting is the hardest part for me.
Revealing the cover might give you a little nudge in the right direction, so why not? 🙂
Claire, if I give up edits to write something new, then my book doesn’t get published. If my book doesn’t get published, then I don’t make money from it. And since I’m in this business to help me make a living, I need to get this book edited and published. THAT’S what caused me to make this decision. I don’t like to edit, but it’s part of the process. Darn it. LOL
Fact checking is a pain. I try to write stories that don’t need a lot of research. However, I did have to research the Amazon rain forest for the last Libby Fox novellas. 🙂
I might just reveal that cover….
REVEAL IT. REVEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAL IIIIIIIIIIIIT.
Granted, it should be known that this opinion is entirely selfish. I can totally understand having to put aside a WIP for edits! I’ve barely touched SiaC since I started editing BoB! It’ll be so nice to finally return to it once everything with BoB is cleared!
Ok, I just might reveal that cover tomorrow. 🙂
Gotta edit because I gotta publish! LOL
Yes, I’ve definately had to put aside a WIP to do edits. When I send my work of to my beta’s (makes them sound like fish, do you think they flare their colours as a warning to one another?) I begin working on something else. Then when they send my work back I have to put aside my new project to finish the old. And considering how many edits I go through it will always clash with another project.
And just to be diferent, don’t reveal it. Make us suffer. Keep giving out teasing hints about it then don’t give it to us. Tell us its the best cover ever but we can’t see it yet. Tell us how your eyes are drawn to it, how it won’t let you gaze away. How hypnotic it is. But keep the cover for yourself for now.
Or share it.
Ok, your fish reference concerning betas really gave me an interesting mental picture. LOL
I actually did write on the new story while The Gnome was with the last two betas. (Drat, now all I can do is think of fish!)
Don’t reveal the cover, huh? Make you wait, huh? Are you using reverse psychology on me???
I could reveal the cover if someone offers me enough incentive. 🙂 ***evil laughter*** Cover artist rights and all that ya know? heehee
I’ll give you a hint……..it has a gnome on it. *snicker* *snort*
Oh, you’re terrible. LOL. They can see it tomorow. 🙂
Yep. I have to put aside all writing when I edit a book. I don’t know why, but it’s hard to do both creative writing and editing on the same day. Usually, I end up putting aside an entire week or two just for the editing. Beta readers and other authors chiming in on the book is very helpful, and I’ve also noticed that two people will pick out different things.
I’m working backwards on your posts so I already saw the cover. Glad you caved. 😀
That’s what I’m doing, Ruth. Just editing right now, because I want to get this published. I was pleased to find a new beta reader who had some really good input.
LOL, I had to show the cover. I just HAD to. 🙂
I always compare beta comments/suggestions. It shows me where something stands out. But I like when I get a wide range of thoughts too, as I get a feel for what readers might think when reading. My first book – and therefore, first beta experience – was daunting. I had three different opinions about a singular topic…and so I contracted a new beta that had no connection to me whatsoever…it helped so much! I was too new and unsure to trust my gut. Since that first experience, I’ve learned a lot…and I’ve found a nice group to beta for me 🙂 Their styles vary a lot, giving me a rich mix of opinion and idea.
Good luck with edits…it can be fun – I love reading a scene and thinking YES! That’s just what I want it to ‘feel-like’….but it can be hard, too. I cannot do much else when I have to concentrate on edits.
It amazed me the different things that were picked up on. However, in the end, you have to decide for yourself. That had to have been perplexing to figure out what to do when you had three different opinions about the same thing. I’ve been doing this for about four years, so if betas disagree with each other, I DO go with my gut. And I also don’t always agree with everything every beta suggests. For instance, one beta changed a word spoken by a character, but in a small town, the word I used would have been much more common. But most of what my betas (I’m smiling while saying this to you) suggested were things I agreed with and worked on.