Hey, it's Monday. Happy Monday!
So, the last week or so has been amazing. Not only has my mind been set to reeling by all the amazing stuff I continue to find out about the possibilities of self publishing, but I also finished up my second draft of "The City" (which is no longer the title, will update you with the new title soon). I'll post the updated word count and such at the bottom of this here bloggity.
Now it comes down to lots of editing. I snuck a peek of my gorgeous editor's notes page, and well, there are a lot of highlighted areas. Wow, but I think that's a good thing. I've been so attached to this book for a long (long long loonng looooonnnngg) time, and I believe a new set of eyes is going to really help me to button this thing down. (it doesn't hurt that those eyes are big, brown, and beautiful) Thanks for all your help, love. :)
Another exciting bit about all of this is that I get to dive back into Clockwork Charlie. This story has been pounding through my thoughts and dreams almost non-stop lately. I can't wait to get further into this one and see what comes out of it.
And now for updates:
First draft word count was 87,412
Second draft word count came to 86,727 (before editing)
Second draft finished! Clockwork Charlie is back into full time status :)
I think that's it.
Thanks for reading,
buh bye then
Monday, March 7, 2011
Friday, March 4, 2011
Laziest Blogger Ever
Hey folks that are kind enough to use a little bit of your free time to read my little blog here. Sorry I'm a huge slacker. I've decided to post today, and I hope to be more faithful about it in the future. Feel free to message me threateningly if I am away longer than I should be. :)
So wow, there is a lot (by a lot, I mean holy monkey buttloads) of talk about success in self publishing right now. I actually feel a little bad for some of the authors that are being used as examples out there. Amanda Hocking, for one, has been thrust to the forefront and used as banner carrier by a group of people that she doesn't necessarily agree with.
Yes, she is self published. Yes, she has become successful. No, she does not hate the traditional method, or the publishers that have for so long stood upon that method. I'm sure that she is very happy with her success, and I wish nothing but the best in her career (along with the others out there that have done well on their own). However, it is not fair for huge chunks of the writing world to use her story in a fight that she neither has nor wants any part of.
Now I'll admit, after hearing some of the stories out there self publishing has become a much more attractive option for me. It was always a fall-back, in case of emergencies idea, but honestly it seemed almost like admission of failure. However, after some studying and searching, it seems like it may be the right route to go... for some people.
Although anyone seeking that route should still edit and edit and edit, and get others to read your story before declaring it finished, it seems a quicker way to go from the finished point to the published point. And then, your career is in your hands alone. The amount of time you are willing to put into socializing your book, marketing it and getting others to know about it... well, it's all up to you.
It really is a new and exciting world we're in, but I have always been enthralled with the traditional process. Agents and publishers and deadlines and the rest that comes with it... it all seems so romantic, and if you succeed... well what a testimony you will have.
I suppose there are two points to today's blog: The first is that traditional publishers and the rest that comes with the traditional route are not evil. Yes, they may be big (or not so big in many cases), and they probably seem scary to someone that is waiting for them to critique what may be your life's work, but they are not evil. Just because things may change, and it may feel like a revolution, doesn't mean that things were wrong to start with.
Second... well, second I guess means that I have some thinking to do. There is a decision to be made here for me. Self publishing no longer seems like failure, as a matter of fact, there are a lot of benefits to that route that are attractive to me. I do still love the traditional story though, and a publisher takes a lot of the responsibility off of the author's hands.
I guess that's it for today,
thanks for reading and sticking with me even when I'm a slacker,
buh bye then
So wow, there is a lot (by a lot, I mean holy monkey buttloads) of talk about success in self publishing right now. I actually feel a little bad for some of the authors that are being used as examples out there. Amanda Hocking, for one, has been thrust to the forefront and used as banner carrier by a group of people that she doesn't necessarily agree with.
Yes, she is self published. Yes, she has become successful. No, she does not hate the traditional method, or the publishers that have for so long stood upon that method. I'm sure that she is very happy with her success, and I wish nothing but the best in her career (along with the others out there that have done well on their own). However, it is not fair for huge chunks of the writing world to use her story in a fight that she neither has nor wants any part of.
Now I'll admit, after hearing some of the stories out there self publishing has become a much more attractive option for me. It was always a fall-back, in case of emergencies idea, but honestly it seemed almost like admission of failure. However, after some studying and searching, it seems like it may be the right route to go... for some people.
Although anyone seeking that route should still edit and edit and edit, and get others to read your story before declaring it finished, it seems a quicker way to go from the finished point to the published point. And then, your career is in your hands alone. The amount of time you are willing to put into socializing your book, marketing it and getting others to know about it... well, it's all up to you.
It really is a new and exciting world we're in, but I have always been enthralled with the traditional process. Agents and publishers and deadlines and the rest that comes with it... it all seems so romantic, and if you succeed... well what a testimony you will have.
I suppose there are two points to today's blog: The first is that traditional publishers and the rest that comes with the traditional route are not evil. Yes, they may be big (or not so big in many cases), and they probably seem scary to someone that is waiting for them to critique what may be your life's work, but they are not evil. Just because things may change, and it may feel like a revolution, doesn't mean that things were wrong to start with.
Second... well, second I guess means that I have some thinking to do. There is a decision to be made here for me. Self publishing no longer seems like failure, as a matter of fact, there are a lot of benefits to that route that are attractive to me. I do still love the traditional story though, and a publisher takes a lot of the responsibility off of the author's hands.
I guess that's it for today,
thanks for reading and sticking with me even when I'm a slacker,
buh bye then
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Wednesday... ummm yeah
Hey there... you :)
I don't have a lot to write today, I've actually been fairly busy with my WIPs. Woke up this morning with lots of thoughts for Clockwork Charlie, and got some work done on it. It's still a very exciting story for me, especially after reading through it for the first time in quite a while.
With C.C. being the second novel I've worked on, I've noticed that there are lots of folks out there that only write long form stories, or only write short stories. I really enjoy both formats, and was wondering if anyone has preferences when it comes to your WIPs or even what you read...
let me know!!
I don't have a lot to write today, I've actually been fairly busy with my WIPs. Woke up this morning with lots of thoughts for Clockwork Charlie, and got some work done on it. It's still a very exciting story for me, especially after reading through it for the first time in quite a while.
With C.C. being the second novel I've worked on, I've noticed that there are lots of folks out there that only write long form stories, or only write short stories. I really enjoy both formats, and was wondering if anyone has preferences when it comes to your WIPs or even what you read...
let me know!!
Friday, January 28, 2011
Never Enough Coffee Friday
Hey, good morning... What? Anymore coffee... No I'm afraid I drank it all. Sorry 'bout that.
Some mornings it just seems like there is not enough coffee to go around. But hey, it's Friday, and that means it's time for some updates.
As I mentioned before, I have been a pretty big slacker recently and not a lot has gotten done. However, I've been working steadily this week and things have been pretty smooth and awesome, so I do have some stuff to update you on.
Sadly, Clockwork Charlie still sits in the mixer, with no new word count or changes. Don't worry, she's patient and it's probably better that she have some extra time before I put her through the things she's about to go through. Oh yes, there will be a lot of rough times for young Charlie... MWAHAHAHAHA!! (that was my evil laugh)
Changes are abounding for "The City" though. First of all, the title is almost definitely changing, though I haven't quite found the right replacement yet. Also, the city that the story is about has been given a name. Yep, I listen when my crit partners speak, and naming the city was mentioned by more than one of them.
Next, the ladies that are featured in the story are going to be more rounded. I set them up for awesomeness, and then being lost in the story of my main character, kind of left them by the wayside. Therefore- more girl butt kicking to follow. :)
Other stuff is changing, but my coffee meter is running low, so I'll just kick you some stats:
1st draft, word count up to and including Chapter 8: 58,089
2nd draft, word count up to and including Chapter 8: 56,841
This isn't a huge number change, but aside from editing, I have also been adding and changing a lot. So, there ya are :)
hope your week was great,
buh bye then
Some mornings it just seems like there is not enough coffee to go around. But hey, it's Friday, and that means it's time for some updates.
As I mentioned before, I have been a pretty big slacker recently and not a lot has gotten done. However, I've been working steadily this week and things have been pretty smooth and awesome, so I do have some stuff to update you on.
Sadly, Clockwork Charlie still sits in the mixer, with no new word count or changes. Don't worry, she's patient and it's probably better that she have some extra time before I put her through the things she's about to go through. Oh yes, there will be a lot of rough times for young Charlie... MWAHAHAHAHA!! (that was my evil laugh)
Changes are abounding for "The City" though. First of all, the title is almost definitely changing, though I haven't quite found the right replacement yet. Also, the city that the story is about has been given a name. Yep, I listen when my crit partners speak, and naming the city was mentioned by more than one of them.
Next, the ladies that are featured in the story are going to be more rounded. I set them up for awesomeness, and then being lost in the story of my main character, kind of left them by the wayside. Therefore- more girl butt kicking to follow. :)
Other stuff is changing, but my coffee meter is running low, so I'll just kick you some stats:
1st draft, word count up to and including Chapter 8: 58,089
2nd draft, word count up to and including Chapter 8: 56,841
This isn't a huge number change, but aside from editing, I have also been adding and changing a lot. So, there ya are :)
hope your week was great,
buh bye then
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Finding New Favorites or Everybody Loves Zelazny
Well good morning (or afternoon or night), nice to see you again.
I know a lot of hardcore readers. I really do. As a matter of fact, if you ask nearly anyone I am close to about their favorite book, the answer is sure to be a broken down list of genre, sub-genre, writing era, and possibly even potential for a zombie filled re-write. The point is this: when you read a lot, you are always finding new books and authors to love, love, love.
Today, I want to talk about an amazing fantasy author that I was very late in learning about. In fact, I had never even heard his name until my girlfriend loaned me a book, just after we started dating. The book was entitled, "Jack Of Shadows" and it was written by the amazing, Roger Zelazny. From the beginning of this fairly short novel, Zelazny had me hooked. His style and pace were very unique, and you can see that Neil Gaiman was influenced by his writing. Wow, what a book!
I was hooked and had to find more. Enter: The "Amber" series.
The Amber series is a collection of ten fantasy novels with a very rich story throughout. Although I have to admit that you can tell the first and second halves of the series were written with some time in between, it was still an awesome collection. Heck, I found out a few weeks ago that the series has an entire role playing system built after it.
Obviously, I missed the bus on this one. Or, I was at least late to catch the Roger Zelazny bus, but I'm glad I finally did. I recommend that everyone find a friend with a Zelazny book (there are lots) and ask to borrow it. Unfortunately, this great American fantasy writer passed away back in 1995, so there won't be any new titles to search for, but find everything you can, and give it a shot.
I recommend starting with Jack Of Shadows, it's still my favorite Zelazny book (though I still have lots of others to get through).
I think that's all for today.
Any thoughts? Ever read Roger Zelazny?
Ok then, buh bye now
Monday, January 24, 2011
E-reader vs. Paper Books
Hey there, you look great today! Have you been working out? ;)
Well here we are again. It's Monday, and I am right back on track (even if the track is very, very late). So something that has been on my mind a lot lately, as well as a big topic around the interwebs, is the battle between real-life, paper books, and e-readers. People everywhere are sharing their opinions, letting the world know that their preferred method of receiving and reading books is the one that will last for eternity.
Why?
Why does it have to be a battle? I love books. I love the smell of new books, and the smell of old books. I love the crinkling of the paper beneath my fingers, and the way the spine of a new books cracks when you open it all the way up for the first time. Hardcover or paperback, I care not. Although the only type of book I have ever gotten a signature on was a comic book, I love the fact that you can get your favorite author's autograph right on or in your book, and save it forever.
This may make you think that I am all pro-paper books. Even though I am very pro-paper books, I am in no way anti-e-reader. I think it's brilliant, and I remember how excited I was when my friend, Lucas, showed me his first e-book (this was ten years or so ago). It was "Through The Looking Glass" and it was all there. The illustrations and page numbers, and of course, the story itself, all shrunk down and kept inside of that tiny magic box.
As I stated earlier, I love books. However, books can be unwieldy at times, and who hasn't borrowed a library book that was missing a crucial page (or even torn a page themselves)? Also, for those folks with a tight budget, (cough cough, like me) buying new books can mean digging out loose change and sighing a lot.
Of course, e-readers have their weak spots as well. Like the Wicked Witch of The West, water will take those little guys out. Although buying the books to put in your e-reader can be cheaper than paper books, most e-readers are not cheap. The initial expense may be more than most folks want to pay (especially if they don't know how much they will like it).
The point of all this rambling is to say that I am on both sides. Pack your e-reader in your carry-on luggage and choose what you want to read, when you want to read it. Grab whatever paper book you are currently reading, and hop into a nice hot bath (water is not good for paper books, but an accident doesn't mean the end). The great thing about e-information is that it doesn't take up any space. You can still fill your bookshelf with paper and cardboard, even if you have a Kindle full of Harry Potter.
Any thoughts?
I need more coffee.
Ok then, buh bye now
Well here we are again. It's Monday, and I am right back on track (even if the track is very, very late). So something that has been on my mind a lot lately, as well as a big topic around the interwebs, is the battle between real-life, paper books, and e-readers. People everywhere are sharing their opinions, letting the world know that their preferred method of receiving and reading books is the one that will last for eternity.
Why?
Why does it have to be a battle? I love books. I love the smell of new books, and the smell of old books. I love the crinkling of the paper beneath my fingers, and the way the spine of a new books cracks when you open it all the way up for the first time. Hardcover or paperback, I care not. Although the only type of book I have ever gotten a signature on was a comic book, I love the fact that you can get your favorite author's autograph right on or in your book, and save it forever.
This may make you think that I am all pro-paper books. Even though I am very pro-paper books, I am in no way anti-e-reader. I think it's brilliant, and I remember how excited I was when my friend, Lucas, showed me his first e-book (this was ten years or so ago). It was "Through The Looking Glass" and it was all there. The illustrations and page numbers, and of course, the story itself, all shrunk down and kept inside of that tiny magic box.
As I stated earlier, I love books. However, books can be unwieldy at times, and who hasn't borrowed a library book that was missing a crucial page (or even torn a page themselves)? Also, for those folks with a tight budget, (cough cough, like me) buying new books can mean digging out loose change and sighing a lot.
Of course, e-readers have their weak spots as well. Like the Wicked Witch of The West, water will take those little guys out. Although buying the books to put in your e-reader can be cheaper than paper books, most e-readers are not cheap. The initial expense may be more than most folks want to pay (especially if they don't know how much they will like it).
The point of all this rambling is to say that I am on both sides. Pack your e-reader in your carry-on luggage and choose what you want to read, when you want to read it. Grab whatever paper book you are currently reading, and hop into a nice hot bath (water is not good for paper books, but an accident doesn't mean the end). The great thing about e-information is that it doesn't take up any space. You can still fill your bookshelf with paper and cardboard, even if you have a Kindle full of Harry Potter.
Any thoughts?
I need more coffee.
Ok then, buh bye now
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Wow, I'm A Slacker
Wow, it seems like yesterday that I set out to meet a blogging goal of Mon, Wed, and Fri. And yet, I haven't posted anything at all since mid-November. Hmmm, well I suppose there is some explanation necessary, though maybe not... :)
I got a new job, which has caused some of the hold up. I'm not going to go into it, but I am now writing for a living. It's a very loose translation of the dream, but it is a first step that I'm very happy with. And then, of course, we had those Holidays. Planning and family stuff, stress and finances... blah blah blah, I already said Holidays, so I'm sure you understand.
I am back now, however, ready to start right back where I left off. I haven't gotten any real work done with my writing either. It didn't really dawn on me until the other day when my amazing girlfriend looked at me curiously, and asked, "Why haven't you been writing?" It was a simple enough question, but I stammered a bit and realized that I had no real answer. I just wasn't.
Unacceptable.
It is time to get back on track. Starting Monday, I will be hopping back into a firm schedule that includes plenty of time for both work-writing, and real-writing. I am also determined to lose the Holiday weight I have gained (though it doesn't seem fair that it comes on so much faster than it goes off).
So that's it for today, I've been a slacker. Sorry if you missed me, I'll make it up to you, and to myself. :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)