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Meg Waite Clayton

Author of the international bestsellers The Postmistress of Paris, The Last Train to London, and 6 other novels

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May 17, 2010 By Meg Waite Clayton

The All-True Story of How a Novel Gets Published, Part 2: Brainstorm, and Revise, Revise, Revise!

In Part 1 of this little series, “Manuscript Puberty,” I shared the experience of sending a first draft of my new novel, The Four Ms. Bradwells, to my editor, and getting comments from her. That was December 30. 1stT4MBtoCaitlin4web I spent the next several days brainstorming in the same red journal in which I’d taken notes while talking with her. I brainstormed on New Year’s Eve, although I did take time for champagne. I brainstormed on my birthday, New Year’s Day, although we had a nice brunch, too. I worked early mornings the first few days, because my son was home from college for winter break, and I do treasure my time with my kids. And I took a little folded piece of paper and golf pencil in my pocket when I ran, and when I walked with my dog. You never know when writing thoughts will come.
I continued to journal about possibilities, but I also dove back into the manuscript a few days later, trying to strengthen the voices of the four first-person narrators, and rewriting – indeed reimagining – the ending, among other minor little things. I revised chapter one and sent it along to my editor, to make sure I was on the right track; that was Tuesday evening at 7:20 p.m. my time, 10:20 on the east coast. Forty-seven minutes later, at 11:08 p.m. New York time, I got an email that opened, “Absolutely the right direction!”
I thought: dang, she doesn’t sleep?
At one point in this stage of revisions, I told Caitlin I was going to switch from rotating first person narration to rotating third; I’d been struggling with limited success to make the voices of my four narrators distinct and had decided to dive for the easy exit. Her response: You can do that, but it won’t be as powerful a story.
My manuscript: I can do what I want with it. But how foolish would I have to be to ignore great advice from someone who wants this book to be as good as I do?
On Valentine’s Day – about seven weeks after our first conversation on the book – I sent Caitlin a new draft. It’s a sign of what a good egg she is that she didn’t decline delivery on Valentine’s Day.
More soon, to catch up to where I am in the process now. And I’ll hope to be giving a sneak peak at the cover! – Meg

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Meg Waite Clayton


Meg Waite Clayton is the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of eight novels, including the Good Morning America Buzz pick and New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice THE POSTMISTRESS OF PARIS, the National Jewish Book Award finalist THE LAST TRAIN TO LONDON, the Langum-Prize honored THE RACE FOR PARIS, and THE WEDNESDAY SISTERS, one of Entertainment Weekly’s 25 Essential Best Friend Novels of all time. Her novels have been published in 23 languages. She has also written more than 100 pieces for major newspapers, magazines, and public radio, mentors in the OpEd Project, and is a member of the National Book Critics Circle and the California bar. megwaiteclayton.com

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