Textual Fulfilment

Apart from being distracted by Wyndham/Gigeresque novella-ideas, I’ve also been sent some further “nips and tucks” from Julie at Macmillan for The Horde of Mhorrer. Far from the radical revision that turned me into a hermit at the end of 2007, these tweaks are less labour intensive, and after a break from the book of about two and a half months, I’m really enjoying it.
Which is a real surprise, because I’ve now read The Horde of Mhorrer nine times in two years and should be sick of the sight of it. As it happens, I’m not, and it’s a real joy seeing someone else’s suggestions on the text, making it tighter, toning the muscles of the prose, keeping the pace at its optimum. When the proofs arrive later this year, that enthusiasm will hopefully be maintained, which is a very good sign, I reckon.

After all, if you’re sick to death of your own book, do you really expect others to enjoy it?