How many drafts do I write?

In doing my research for how I came up with my characters (Raine, Tam, Mychael, etc.), I discovered that I went through a lot of drafts before I had a finished version of what is now Magic Lost, Trouble Found.

I have one of those big, plastic tub storage boxes for each book. This serves the dual purpose of keeping each book's notes in one place while cleverly avoiding the need to actually file the things. Tidy, yet lazy -- I like it.

At my best count, I wrote seven complete drafts of the book that became MLTF. Yep, seven. That included five drafts that I wrote on my own, a revision for Kristin (my agent) before it was sent out on submission to publishers, and then a final revision for Anne (my editor) before the book was published.

I'd had years and years to work on and polish MLTF. Something to know about signing that first book contract -- your publisher will want your next book in one year, probably less. As a result, I wrote Armed & Magical and The Trouble with Demons in one draft and a polish. That's it. That's all I had time for. When your name's on a contract, you have to learn to work fast. It's not much of a problem for me because I do my best work with a proverbial gun to my head.

After your editor gets hold of your "finished" manuscript, she (or he) will offer suggestions for further revisions. Anne's suggestions for MLTF were rather extensive, which is to be expected seeing that it was my first book. However, I got a bit of stunning news (and a pleasant surprise) when Anne accepted Armed & Magical as is, no changes. I think it took me a full day for that news to sink in. The Trouble with Demons had some minor revisions.

The thing is, each book is different. Some you write quickly in an inspired frenzy, and others can be compared to giving birth to a bowling ball -- not a pleasant experience for anyone involved.

Coming up tomorrow (and maybe Friday, too): I'll tell you how my characters came to be -- where Tam, Raine, goblins, Piaras, etc. came from. Yep, I went through my storage boxes of old notes (really old notes). For a teaser: What are now my goblins originally started out as a seafaring race with webbed feet and fingers. No, I am not kidding. And no, I have no idea what I was eating or drinking when I came up with that one.

Make it a good one,
Lisa