Sunday, January 4, 2009

It's done. Kind of.

The first draft is done! About 320 pages, 78,000 plus change words; and almost two years work.

I printed it out, and had to resist the urge to dive in and begin fixing and revising. Most of the books I have read suggest letting a first draft sit for a month or so before picking it up again, and that is my plan, if my willpower holds out.

The working title of this book on three generations of fire fighters, a slight variation on this Blog, is “Keep Back 200 Feet: A Three Generation View From the Rear Step.” The stories involving my Dad, myself, and my son Michael range from the tragic to the hilarious, I think.

Now comes the hard part; completing the revisions, and most importantly, finding someone who wants to put it between front and back covers.

2 comments:

M. Slaby said...

Wow, let me be the first to congratulate you, Gary! Your stories are terrific, and I know you'll find a publisher. Start querying right away. Many agencies and publishers take e-mail queries which saves time and money. Good luck. I'm proud of you!

Jeanne said...

Kudos on your effort and achievement, Gary. I've read the same advice: let the ms sit for a few weeks before you revise. But like Mary said, you can start querying right away. No harm in that. You and Mary are inspirations. Congratulations!