Questioning Your Sanity and Other Dark Secrets of Meeting Your Editing Deadline by Monica Ropal

1.   Stephen King says to “write with the door closed, and rewrite with the door open." This is sage. Especially when working with kids at home because a closed door will not keep them out, it just makes more noise when they come in and out every five minutes and will slowly drive you insane.

2.   When deep in to edits, make sure that everyone else knows that you don’t have time for hair appointments, doctor appointments, returning phone calls. Showering. This will save embarrassment later.

     3.   Keep the coffee pot on all day. Because I SAID KEEP IT ON

     4.   Have an escape plan. Keep all paths clear. To the bathroom. Because . . . see #3.

     5.   When finally breaking out of the editing cave to forage for food at the grocery, do not question lingering feelings of angst, longing, and heartbreak as you wander the aisles. These feelings are not yours, they are the feelings of your characters. No need to question your sanity, it’s just part of the process.

6.   Question your sanity.

7.   When you go to bed at night, leave your browser open. Because you might be back at one a.m. Because now you have insomnia. Awesome.

8.   Put all activities and social engagements on hold. And your gym membership. Because hahahahahaNO.

9.    Love your characters. Because it’s lonely in the editing cave.

  10.       Chocolate.

 Monica Ropal

The Body of Cooper McCay, Running Press Fall 2014

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Bio: Monica Ropal lives in friendly Minnesota with her husband and three children--to whom she lovingly refers as her three-ring circus. In addition to writing and playing ringmaster, she works part-time as a Hospice Nurse. Her contemporary YA The Body of Cooper McCay is her first novel, and will be released by Running Press in the Spring of 2015