Lately I’ve been writing the blog on Sunday or Monday. Today I’m writing it on Wednesday. Why? Because it’s been an editing kind of week.
When people ask questions about the writing process, they’re generally referring to the creative process—how do I go about starting a book and eventually finishing it. But as my blog readers know, that’s only the beginning of the story when it comes to getting a book printed and on the shelves, and editing is what comes between writing a book and having it ready to read.
That process is generally divided into three parts—the editorial letter which comes with my actual editor’s suggestions. Next is the copy-editor—think of your most demanding English teacher tearing you apart with her red pencil. Third comes the page proofs. When I was co-editor of our high school newspaper, we called them galleys. That’s when the material has been typeset and it’s time to make final, last-minute changes.
Last week two sets of editing showed up three days apart, with Smoke and Mirrors at editing stage two, and The Taken Ones at stage three. I’m a first-in-first-out kind of girl, so I went to work on Smoke and Mirrors, and it wasn’t exactly smooth sailing. More on why a bit later, but for the record, in 380 pages of manuscript, there were 7,315 changes. Some of those came from the copy-editor, all of them marked in red. I have to mark each one as either accepted or rejected. Some of them are changes made by me. Those come out in a gold color which aren’t exactly easy to read.
I finished the job late last night, translated the manuscript from Pages to Word, and sent it to New York. Then I went to bed. Usually when I’m done with a job like that I sleep like a baby. Last night I didn’t. According to my watch I slept for four hours and fifteen minutes. Why? Because I wasn’t happy with some of the copy-editor’s suggested changes, and I didn’t go to sleep until finally making up my mind that I’d get up in the morning, undo that set of changes, and send a revised version of the copy-edited manuscript to New York.
This is a copy of the email that accompanied the manuscript:
Last night when I finished the copyediting and sent the manuscript, I was still pretty hot under the collar about the naming thing. The copyeditor did a good job of straightening out some of the timing tangles, but she was so focused on character names that she missed a number of echoes. I think I caught more of those than she did.
When I finish a job like that, I usually sleep like a baby. Last night I didn’t. According to my phone, I slept for four hours and fifteen minutes. I tossed and turned, wrestling with the naming thing. For some of the minor characters I complied, but by the end of the manuscript I was beyond frustrated. The copy-editor’s main objection seemed to be that many of the characters’ names started with the same letter.
During the writing process, when I give characters names, I try to take into consideration who they are and what their circumstances are. In this book, David Holbrook didn’t really come into focus as a character for me until I gave him the middle name of Leon after my late nephew, David Leon Lane, who passed away from cancer twenty years ago. (See the dedication page of Smoke and Mirrors.)
The copy editor’s main complaint seemed to be that several characters’ names started with the same way, with the letter E—Ali’s mother, Edie; David’s grandmother, Edna Holbrook; and the bad guy’s wife, Eva Baker.
FYI, I grew up in a family of seven kids. There was a Janice, a Jeannie, a Judy, a Jim, and a Janie. The only time that was a problem was when our mother was mad as hell and couldn’t spit out the right name: “Ja, Je, Ju—whoever you are you know who you are!” In other words, it didn’t bother me at all. In fact, I rather liked it.
As for the book? I couldn’t very well change Edie’s name since she’s been Edie with an E from book number one. And when it came to Edna Holbrook? Gran was an Edna the moment she popped into my head. That left me with Eva Baker, an important but not major character. So I tried changing her name. I finally settled on Yvonne. It didn’t really grab me, but I thought it would work. (In doing the find and replace for Eva, I ended up with an unexpected Yvonne in the middle of unbeliEVAble.).
But the more I worked on the book, the less I liked Yvonne. That name was just a series of letters strung together, and they didn’t say anything about who the somewhat mysterious character actually was. So I took another stab at it, changing the name again, this time from Yvonne to Ida. The thing is, the character in question is a glamorous aging socialite and a former Miss America Pageant contestant. In my mind, someone named Ida is more likely to be an apron-wearing grandmother.
So finally, sometime in the wee hours of the morning, I made up my mind. “That’s it,” I told myself. “Tomorrow I’m changing Ida back to Eva.” That’s when I finally fell asleep—for a while. The problem is, I’m eighty-one years old. I can’t sleep for any length of time without getting up overnight for a pitstop. It was during pitstop number two, sitting there in solitary splendor, when I finally realized where Eva Baker came from.
My high school senior English teacher was Mrs. Medigovich—Eva Medigovich. She was tall and slender. She always wore sleek designer-style sheaths with shiny three-inch heels. She strode the halls of Bisbee High School like a fashion model on a catwalk, but she wasn’t exactly gorgeous. She had a sharp, beakish nose, a large black mole in the middle of her chin, and wore her long, black hair in a huge bun at the nape of her neck. She scared the hell out of everybody in her classes, varsity football players included. Not only was she frightening, she was mysterious. She was definitely Mrs. Medigovich, but she lived alone in a room at the YWCA and took her meals at the Copper Queen Hotel. There were unsubstantiated rumors that her husband was a gambler who lived in Reno, and she only saw him during the summers. I don’t know to this day if any of that was true.
And that’s when the light came on, not in the bathroom, but in my head. That’s where Eva Baker came from—the first and only Eva in my life, and that’s why Eva Baker has to be EVA Baker. I got up first thing this morning and changed all the Idas back to Evas. That was a fun find-and-replace operation since the words Idaho and private jets figure prominently in the story. In other words, lots of ideas were in need of removal, but I believe they’re all gone now.
I’m going to need a nap this afternoon, but I’m feeling a whole lot better about the book. And now here’s the mostly Ida-free copy of the manuscript.
JAJ
Okay, now that this week’s blog is written, it’s time for me to focus on the page/galley proofs for The Taken Ones. They’re due in New York by April 30. I should be able to make that deadline. Hopefully this one won’t be as tough.
Funny story. I have the same pit stop problem at 80
OMG – absolutely LOVE this blog. Your “battles” with your copyeditor brought back some memories with my wife. She was a copyeditor for McGraw-Hill before we met. I became the newsletter editor for my veteran organization and she would help me using her skills. I remember the rough drafts I’d get back from her with her notes and corrections. I’m betting some of those “squiggly” marks are common for copyeditors. So, again, you have taken me on a memory of her. I miss her so much.
I so enjoy your creative process of characters. Reading your blog is almost like reading your books. They take me on a journey. Thank you!
Good for you! Sorry you had a hard night, but I’m glad you stuck to your gut and changed it back. I just love hearing about the people you remember from growing up that you blend into your novels!
Another great blog. I have every one since Blessing Of The Lost Girls [my first J.A. Jance blog] in an email folder, as I have every J.A. Jance book in a plastic bin. This one again hit home. Another character’s name I can relate to although you aren’t using it [yet]. In the first Beau book there was an Arlo and I have a great-grandson Arlo. Of course there is Dianne Borison in the last Brady book, and an almost Ida [my mother’s name] in the next Ali book. Is it any wonder I love everything your write as I can relate so well to your character’s?
Blessing to you and Bill.
Love your stuborniss. It makes a great Judith Ann better in my book.
I appreciate all the work you put into your stories, they are believable because your characters are believable from the name to their actions. Thanks for not caving in. Hey is your copy editor using AI? Maybe Frigg could help out. ?
In chatting with Anthony Horowitz, I mentioned his love of alliteration. And he was happy that I picked up on it. Some readers don’t like alliteration, but I do. So my next main character that I am working on is named Cal Cunningham. Writers often know exactly what the characters’ names are. Why don’t others just let us write?
Judy you remind me of myself so much. I have a couple of books in the works, not best sellers just family stuff. I’m trying to wait until I get some of it finished before editing otherwise I’m not moving forward. Like you I wake up in the middle of the night thinking it through, making changes in my head. I admire you so much, your talent and imagination. I appreciate the way you share with your readers the process you go through and I think she’s just like me. Way to go girl, keeping thinking and writing.
AMAZING!!! You continue to keep me in awe with your very creative and strong thinking process…
Yes, congratulations for being open to reviewing those suggestions, then, standing your ground and trusting your original plans.
two thoughts. unless you are under contract, why not just send the novel to one of the many publishers who would want your work? … the criticism of too many characters with similar names is generally valid…I can’t tell you how many novels I have read recently where the characters’ names resemble each other…it can be very hard to remember who is who…this problem magnifies when the novel has many foreign characters (see the otherwise brilliant Lawrence Wright’s The Human Scale)…
By the way, AZO for those middle of the night problems.
Bless you for sticking with your guns. You have not disappointed your fans yet – and I doubt you ever will. Thank you for the fascinating insight into Mrs. Medigovich.
This post writing process is excruciating…thank God for pit stops!
Everybody in my family started with a J. Pets included. We even lived on Janet Ann Lane.
I’m sorry you had such a rough night but Hooray for you standing by your instincts. These characters are yours and as far as I’m concerned you get sole naming rights.
I wonder what the reaction to your email was?
What a fun journey to read (but not live through!) Thanks for sharing what I have to look forward to in the months after I turn my book over in August! I am forewarned!
Best of luck in next steps!
Unless one is a successful writer, like you, I don’t believe anyone can begin to imagine the hard work (and hard, concentrated thinking) it takes to write. I find it very interesting to read about your writing process, and all the time and effort that goes into it. Even as a success, you still go through an immense process of putting your thoughts and imagination into your books. I can’t imagine it getting easier, but probably harder as each new book takes form. All I can say is Thank You for sharing your stories, personal and otherwise.
WOW There’s a lot more to writing a book than “just” writing a book. Never realized all the background stuff writers went through. It’s not just coming up with a story and putting it into words. Makes a person appreciate the author a whole lot more. Love all your books. Each character has their own personality. Now I realize the hardest part of getting it ready for print. You do an amazing job.. Have done for years I just never realized the work behind getting it ready for publishing. Thank you for all the hard work that goes with the imagination of coming up with stories.
My American Lit teacher was EVA Young, although she definitely was not young in 1963. I guessed she was nearing 100 years old with her very wrinkled face and defiant gray braids encircling her head like a crown of thorns. She was very strict but quietly sympathetic towards me. Our high school was bulging with the enrollment of Baby Boomers. Her Am Lit class was held in the former faculty lounge which still had its walnut ceiling to floor paneling, Tudor style casement windows, forest green tiled fireplace topped with an elaborate brass mantel clock ticking away the hour like a slow metronome. She could have been someone’s fabled spinster great-aunt inviting us for tea. She made a point to stop in the middle of role call to ask why I was in her class. I had taken summer school every year so that I could get through the subjects that I didn’t like. That’s why I was a 15-year-old in her senior English class, seated alphabetically in the middle of the section of 18 to 19-year-old stars of the football team. She recognized me as the one who walked with the crippled girl (my older sister) to class carrying her books before dashing to my next class. I was never tardy, but always out of breath.
I thought Mrs. Marinovich’s first name was Anne. At least, that’s how I knew her. Otherwise, you described her to a T!!
Well, I thought I spelt her name as Medigovich! What the heck??
Auto-correct always knows how to spell so much better than the writer! ? So annoying!
Your relating your mother’s efforts to come up with the right kid’s name brought up memories of my childhood. My father didn’t even try to yell the right name. He simply started at the top and went down the line: SHEILA, SHERRY, SHANNON, SUSAN! I was trained early to answer to any word that begins with SH, even words that no one should ever expect to be used to call a child. My youngest sister was the only one of four to be spared the SH name.
Thank you for your hard work. I can hardly wait to meet Eva.
OMG! How infuriating it must be when someone wants to change the name of a character. What a grueling process you go throujgh to bring pleasure to so many! Do we true fans really appreciate it? Indeed we do! Please,continue doing it all your way.
I am the oldest of 10. We have different initials. My Mom still had trouble spitting out names when she was angry.
In HS our vice principle dressed like the teacher you mentioned. I think she was about 4 1/2′ tall. We were terrified of her! ??
I thoroughly enjoy your stories about your people history and who those folks were.
My father in law took us to see his family home in Newburgh New York while we were on my ship’s 10th Navy Reunion. The USS Albany.
Don was an encyclopedia of people, places and events from 60+ years before. I got much of it on my camcorder and we still enjoy pulling out the dvd’s and looking at those memories.
Thank you for your recollections and these stories about writing about these friends we cherish.
I wish I could help with your final editing – there are tricks with Word so it’s not so agonizing! But we all appreciate your hard and amazing work! Can’t wait to read the next books!
My grandmother’s name was Eva, glad you kept it! Thanks for keeping your characters as you see them!
Sounds like the initial writing is easier than what you have to do between then and the actual publication of the book. However, I do agree with the one editor–I do have trouble reading a book where the characters’ names all start with the same letter–hard to keep track of who is who.
I love your books and have them all except for the book of poems. I am really sorry but I agree with your copy editor. I hate when an author uses the same first letter for many names in the book. It really confuses me and I end up going back and forth trying to remember who is who. This breaks concentration and ruins the flo of the book. Although now I have more of an understanding of the author’s thought process I still don’t like the use of the same first letter for more than one maybe two names. May is suggest when writing a book use as many names as you want with the same letter and when the book is finally complete, then change the names. There are 26 letters in the English alphabet please don’t neglect them. Hope you catch up with your sleep.
I am so glad you “stuck to your guns”! I can’t wait to meet Eva!
Wow! I guess your persistence COULD be construed as being stubborn, but that’s a good thing! You are one tough lady.
Best to you and Bill <3
JA, it seems like you have your “hands” full. But, as always, you’ll figure this all out. I have faith in you.
As an 82 year old ROF, I know all to well about middle of the night wake ups. Cutting fluid intake an hour or so before going to bed seems to help.
Moms must be equipped with the same ability: to start calling out miscreant children’s names and still sound intimidating when they in frustration declare ‘Oh, you know who I mean’.
And we didn’t dare laugh at her stumbling over our names!