I suck. My book sucks. Why would anyone want to read this? I don’t even want to read this. Why did I ever think this was a good idea? I may as well quit now and save agents the hassle of ignoring my query. Ever had these thoughts? That’s been the constant monologue running through …
writing / editing
Stories are Everywhere
As I left the plane behind me last night, I paused near the waiting area as an anxious family rushed forward. A caucasian couple a few years older than me, trailed by two teenagers and two little girls around six or seven years old, moved as one unit, then stopped a few feet away. What …
The Celebration Was Short-Lived
*checks calendar* It’s August 30th. Still one day left in the month and… I finished my third draft over the weekend! *dances about* I finished going through the hard copy Saturday, then plugged in all those notes on Sunday and ferried it through the intertubes to my friend and trusty beta reader. *waves* (Yes, I’m …
That’s a Lot of Paper!
Look! I finished my edits and printed out After the Fall in its entirety! Yes, there are TWO red pens waiting for me. Because I’m ahead of schedule I have a whopping NINE days to proof the hard copy and still meet my goal of finishing by September 1st.
The End is in Sight!
I may be a little premature in saying this, but I can almost see then end of this draft. I passed into the final third over the weekend and I feel like I’m finally in the home stretch. It’s definitely coming easier now that I’m back in the editing groove (funny how that works) and …
The Fixer
I spent a lot of time this weekend fixing things. My wip, my closet, my dog… as well as a couple things that I’ll get into at another time. It’s nice being able to look around after a couple days and see the results of your efforts, don’t you agree? First, my wip. Despite the …
Trash Talkin’
You think this is hard? Well no one else gives a crap about this book so if you want it finished, you have to do it. My name is Melanie, and I trash talk myself. But in my defense, it works. I was hesitant to tell you all that I’d started back with my edits. …
The Importance of Multiple Betas
I had several people read the second draft of my novel, then I put all their comments into one document, and that’s the file I’m working from now. I put an initial at the beginning of each comment so I’d know whose suggestion it was, then went on my merry way. Following Monday’s post, another …
My Style of BIC
Writers have a standard response for other writers when they whine about not getting enough done, or about how hard it is to find time, blah blah. It’s called BIC. Butt in Chair. The general rule of thumb (or the most common rule I’ve heard anyway) is that you must have BIC two hours a …
Distance
They say distance makes the heart grow fonder, but it can also make us look at things with a clearer eye. Like with writing. (Did you forget I write? Yeah, I almost did too.) I’ve been in the editing stage of my third draft since, oh… January, and while I’ve made a few half-hearted attempts …