Since finishing my manuscript on Monday, I haven’t been doing much of anything but reading. I haven’t been keeping up with the articles in my Google reader, and there are some good ones.
One of the ones that will be very intriguing to writers/authors contemplating self-publishing. Over at The Blood-Red Pencil Morgan Mandel created a Basic Guide to Self-Publishing (<-- the link is to day one, there is seven days worth of information). This will be a great asset to me, because I'm thinking of going that route to avoid the hoopla and craziness from having a traditional publisher. But who's to say I can't have both.
Every writer/author has his/her way of going through the motions to get their story written. Whether you’re a pantser or plotter (me personal, I’m a little bit of both) should know when your First Plot Point occurs in your story. It’s not when you think it is, at least for me it wasn’t.
So far aside from numerous poems and short stories, I have completed two manuscript. My first one I did most of in one month; the second took me a year. I have read a little bit of this and a little bit of that in order to better myself in my writing. I wish I knew the Four Things You Can Do Today to Take Your Novel to the Next Level before I had did the first. I could have saved myself time. But it takes time to learn and tweak a craft to your liking, understand, creativity, and usability. Every day is a lesson. I said all that to say that there is a part about back story that I don’t agree with, but you may agree with it and find it useful. I, on the other hand believe that back story is important in certain instances. See always tweaking to make it fit me; you should do the same.
This past week I was a lurker over at Sormag. LaShaunda had a week long online conference. Lots and lots of useful information for seasoned, newbies, and aspiring authors. Head over there she touches on every thing.
That’s all for this week. Until next time happy reading and writing.
“It’s been a long time coming, but a change is going to come, wait in through the evening tell me when will I see the sun…”
In July 2008, I started writing Crossing Over. I was trying to finish this manuscript in 31 days. It didn’t happen, but not for lack of trying.
Life happened and I put it to the side. I placed all my writing to the side.
When this year started I want to reconnect with the characters and the story, but was not inspired to do so. I had lost my muse. Then in June a passion started burning for me to write. I could see the end of the story, but the middle was still muddled in my head. I had to challenge myself again to get it done.
I set a time frame to have it finished, because I have so many stories that I want to write and I can’t move on with so many not completed. When I started this story, I didn’t know exactly how many words I would have. But when I revisited it, I choose 65,000. I came close to that number as you can see from above, but my story is done. I have tried to find more to add, but there isn’t anything else left to say. I don’t want to put unnecessary things that will make the plot veer off into something else that makes no sense to my story.
So after a long weekend of writing, I have decided to write “THE END.” I’m sending it to a choice few if they decide to read it for me and critique it. After I get the comments back I will turn it over to my editor and let her do her thing. Yes, I will be looking for a publishing company to put it out on the market.
The first few lines of this blog is one of my all time favorite songs by The Winans. It’s fits so perfectly with me completing this manuscript. I decided to share the youtube with you. It’s not a video, but it’s the song. Very inspirational none-the-less.
Here’s a few more links I found quite interesting and helpful in my writing journey.
I have heard others say their writing voice is different and unique. That’s a good thing. In my papers and essays for my college classes, I always say no one can plagiarize my work, because I use some type of satirical thought in just about all my papers. You have to have your own writing voice to stand out. Jennifer Blanchard gives ideas on ‘Developing Your Writing Voice’ on Procrastinating Writers. There is a plethora of information on this site. Like information on how to write everyday.
This next link is about writing articles for bloggers, I believe it’s important as well for writers in general. While on that site check out ‘What Makes a Good Content’.
I know I’m guilty of this, over using words. While I have taken notice to be very careful, I’m certain I still have more to stop or be mindful of using. Check out this blog on how to ‘Tighten Up Your Manuscript.’
Simply put 176 Tips for Writers, how could anyone go wrong with these tips a click away.
I made my word count before midnight. That’s awesome. I had fun today playing with my voice recorder reading my WIP and then playing it back.
I don’t want to sound cocky, but my story sounds good aloud. I truly love it. While reading it aloud and playing it back I was able to add to the beginning some more. I also caught some errors that I couldn’t see reading it off the screen or paper.
I wish I knew how to do a podcast or something to that effect here, because I would share what it sounds like. I tried to change my voice up some to distinguish between the man and the woman; I can’t really say that I did a good job at that, but I did my best.
My mother is going to Jamaica next week Thursday and I really want her to have the completed story to take on the plane with her, but I’m not sure I will be done in time for her to print it out. Then again who wants to tote around a 200+, 8.5×11 sheets of paper in their carry on trying to read a story.
A little tidbit on my character sketch. When I was doing my character sketches I was dreaming big. I thought about who I would want to play the part of my characters. For my protagonist, I felt that Sanaa Latham would be the perfect person for the part. Hey if your dreaming dream big. Put no limitations on the potential you have to succeed in life as long as it’s all legal.
Enjoy your weekend. Until next time happy writing.
My writing pattern is changing, but I’m ok with that, because I’m still writing. Last week and most of this week I wrote really good during the morning hours. Now I find I don’t write much in the morning, but about 9pm I get going.
This morning I wrote the entire ending of my WIP, and tonight I added to the area I was stuck in. While I didn’t do as much as I wanted to I am going strong and love where my characters are going.
Some changes are about to occur with some a few of my characters. Change is not always good, but that is the way of the world. Let me say I like change as long as it’s positive change. I can’t wait to see what happens for myself, because I am just as shocked as any reader will be when they finally get a chance to read this.
I hope I can get to some writing tomorrow, but I do have class tomorrow night, so I may get nothing in. However, I will try to make it up on Friday and over the weekend.
I didn’t forget to post my word count earlier. I didn’t make it to my 2000 word count by the time my two hours were up.
So I did some other things and came back to it. Then when I went back to it, I was stuck. Yup! Stuck like I was a piece of gum in hair. I knew where I want to be at the end, but I couldn’t get from where I was to where I wanted to be.
Sad I know. So when I started writing again at 9 pm I did something different. I began writing the ending of my WIP. I figured if I can write where I want to be, since I already knew that, then I would get an idea of how to get there. And I think I have it figured out now. So hopefully i comes out of my head faster in these next few days than it did today.
I have done a significant amount of writing since Friday, which was a difficult day of writing for me.
However, these characters have been going crazy in my head and they really need to come out. It’s kind of sad though because I know I’m almost finished with these people and they’ve been with me for a year.
I don’t really remember what happened to trigger this particular story, but whatever it was I’m glad it happened.
I know I read a lot, but I wonder where does all these words come from? I guess it doesn’t ever matter, but I enjoy books and words.
So I want to share a little of my writing process of my current WIP. I have been writing this story for a year. And when I started I wanted to put something special in it besides the words. I love singing and music, especially gospel music. Some thing major happened to one of my main characters while she was singing and I needed to find the perfect song to put in that scene. I could never figure it out until today, someone recommended anything from Commissioned. When I saw the album title ‘Ordinary Just Won’t Do’ I got a chill. But when I listened to ‘Running Back to You’ it was like a light coming on. I was finally able to delete (FIND A SONG TO FIT HERE Between 1980-1990 gospel), replacing it with ‘Running Back to You’.
That’s when I realized, my story is quickly coming to the end. I went back to the beginning of the story and added a new scene which I feel opens the story much better that what I originally had. No I didn’t delete what I had, I moved it down and put something more intriguing.
Tomorrow I will tackle more writing, but if some reason it gets noisy inside of my head I will beginning writing again.
Until next time happy writing, and don’t forget about the reading.
I have been consuming loads of useful writing information on line. I decided to share a little.
This evening (Saturday) my editor and good friend/writing buddy, Shon Bacon, threw out there that she was going to write for an hour and who wanted to join in. Let me tell you words were flying from at least 5 different states. We all wrote some thing, so more than others but we were inspired by each other.
So if you get stuck try a group hour writing jag (as Shon calls it) and you may surprise yourself.
If that doesn’t work you can try what published author Linda Hargrove came up with. She gives tips on ‘How to Restart A Novel’. It didn’t work for her but she wanted to put it out there for those stuck and looking for a way to begin again.
If you want to set a schedule for yourself to have your novel done by Christmas, join Dee in her challenge. Read what she has to say about ‘Dirty Blind Writing & Openings.
Lastly, author Anjuelle Floyd has a series on her blog called ‘So You Want to Write A Story’ check out all the information she shares and see if writing is really what you want to do.
I have a dear friend, that I met via the internet. She’s an author. Right now she is in a state of feeling defeated because her publishing house is not treating her the way they should. So she is contemplating doing what needs to be done to satisfy her contract and then she is done. Done with putting out books.
I’ve been trying my best to be uplifting and an encouragement to her, but honestly, I don’t know how she is really feeling except for what she tells me. See I’m a writer and she’s an author. What’s the difference? The difference is she has published works out there and people know her name. It might not be as many as she would like, but they know her name none-the-less. Me I write and outside of the fact that I do reviews, no one knows my name as an author. They just know that I’m an avid reader, that’s it.
For me the writer, I will always write. If I only have one person waiting on the edge of their seat waiting for my next offering then I’m content. But for her being an author was some thing that she really wanted now she feels washed up and out. Her only source of income right now is through her books. And though she is looking for a job, because she has a college degree, she loves coming up with story ideas. I can tell that just from talking to her a few times a week via IM and she will share information on her dissertation, or her current work in progress.
Her feeling of defeat came from the very people who were once interested in her talent. Now they have stolen her dreams and I am mad for her. See a person’s dreams or goals is all they ever have, until they come true. She’s been in this business for quite some time now and when it’s stepped on and made to seem as though it is a grain of sand, it isn’t right.
I know this writing game is brutal. I understand it’s no cake walk, but at the same time if you represent someone at least have the decency to explain the concerns and then brainstorm a way to fix it. Don’t just steal the person’s dreams. I hope things look up for her and she finds a job in the field of her study where she can live comfortably. And maybe one day she will be able to venture out on her own as so many other authors have done and put her own books out under her own label; proving those naysayers wrong.
