hrj

We can just assume that on any given day (and especially on weekends) I will be getting work done on the novel revisions. I'm doing about three different revision passes simultaneously depending on work mode. If I'm commuting, then I'm doing relatively straightforward read-and-fix stuff on the iPad. If I'm on the laptop but not at home, I can do more complicated search-and-replace work, especially ones that involve going back and forth between the text and my various reference tables and lists, or things that involve jumping around a lot in the text. If I'm at home, then I can work on deriving my names and technical vocabulary. It's fascinating to see how the essential story remains the same even when the details of what happens get changed. There were a couple of POV-lets early on that had turned out to be about three times longer than what ended up being the typical length. And when I went to look at them, they also had notes about problems with the POV that needed fixing. So I tried swapping out the POVs in the middle to make 6 (alternating) typical-length sections. So for a third of the affected text, I'm completely reversing which character it's filtered through. It's ... interesting. I have to accept the loss of certain details because they went on in the other character's head. But other bits now become accessible. And most of it is still there -- just with a different spin. It's also interesting to see how the characters evolved. This is an effect of my "write start to finish with no going back" principle. I'm now rewriting those "first impressions" to catch up with how they eventually revealed themselves. The lawyer/estate-manager is a good example: he's still essentially the same person, but some of his habitual mannerisms have changed, and the ways that he interacted with certain other characters shifted into a slightly different angle. (I also eventually discovered more about his personal life which, though it's entirely implicit, adds depth.)

I also started a new sewing project today: cut out the fabric and lining for another gothic fitted undergown, this time entirely in linen for when I anticipate getting dirty. (Like cooking.) I'm hoping to have it done in time for the culinary symposium, although the lacing eyelets are likely to be the most time-consuming part.

And then I BARTed over to Borderlands Books in SF for a reading by Jo Walton who I'd never previously managed to meet in person, despite us both having been active on rasfc back in the Before Times.

Finished the day off by processing some more dance music for the iPad reader to be ready for the Crosston Ball next Saturday. I'm experimenting with doing some cut-and-paste work on 2-page layouts to get them down to a single screen. It would be a different matter if I were simply singling out one line out of a 4 or 5 part arrangement, but I don't always know in advance which part I'm going to play on the harp (and for some tunes I like changing things up on the repeats) so I prefer to keep the full arrangement.

I'm probably due to write the first iPad review soon, now that I've had a chance to work through my favorite apps a bit.