Great news. My editor has now sent me six chapters back and I will start, yet again, grinding through it. It has to be perfect. Not like some of the mistakes on the blog, but that is different.
One of the wonderful things about me and my editor, is how I freely granted him to freely say whatever he thinks about the book. Unlike other editors, who caress your ego and entice more cash out of you to ‘tidy’ up a few problems, mine is an honest gent. He should be - he is also BSAP. Actually, that has sod all to do with it. The reason he can say what he likes is that talk is free and so is his fee – hah hah.
Still, it is looking good. I will let you know what he has messed about with in due course but in the meantime, I copy his lovely quicky note to me that I received this morning –
Howzit Penga man
Shamwari, I can assure you that you are unlikely to ever appeal to a Rhodie audience: you diss everyone.
You also appeal to every Rhodesian/white supremacy-hater that every crawled the Earth... not to mention every BSAP officer still alive who regards any former member under 80 as much use as a Nottingham Hoodie.
I could dissect your work to the nth degree, but I will stick with my job of editing this discombobulating compendium of random thoughts and striking memories.
After six chapters I have reduced my role to casual, yet knowledgeable observer.
You are unlikely to ever sell a copy.
But, that's not why you're doing it.
And that's why I love it.
Thanks for doing this thing, champ.
Well, was I pleased or what? Yes, yes, yes – if my own editor disses me, it means I have a massive hit on my hands!
8 comments:
Have you ever thought about writing children's books?
Yeah, I do. This book brings the kid out all of us.lol
Have you read my kid’s story about the porcupine and the hippo? Scroll down and on the right it is there. My most beloved posting.
Any chance of reading a couple of the chapters you sent out...to which the answer was 'a huge NO!'. Have a brother who is a writer, with some of his writing published, and a few novels not. Your writing, to a certain extent, reminds me of his. Great for travel books, awful in novels.
Aah, sweet. Actually, I take pride in my writing craft of satirical expertise. I banter such with my editor. Look carefully, there are double meanings in much of what I write. That is the secret of the Gokwe Kid – Dick of the Bushveld. There are a couple of unedited chapters on the blog, but that is your lot. Lol. Stay cool and keep reading and don’t forget to be a follower here and Facebook.
Well, did a search and came across Chapter 29. Loved part of it, this part being the final 'Memoir mutterings and glossary'.
My opinion, for what it's worth, is that it the most sincere portion of the chapter; no attempt to show clever-clever (as you have put it yourself), just honest clear writing.
M
That is a very nice comment. Chap 29 was done at high speed and will be changed a bit during the final edit. Send me your Email address to lore-data@hotmail.com and I will send you some more.
Your editor is soooo wrong. I will buy a copy, and so will my friends. The fact they will do so at gunpoint is neither here nor there.
Hmm - the so called editor made such a fuck up, I had to edit what he had done. He is now DEAD, drank himself to death. The book is selling well.
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