Have you ever had one of those days, you accomplish nothing yet planned to do everything? Yeah? Not me, sucker! No, today I wrecked what I set out to do and put the beat down on some tasks for the week. On the writing front, I finally was passed back the story I’ve been cowriting with a friend, I bought some satin for the “book cover” attempt and managed to rewrite The Journey’s second piece, Shattered Memories! On the home front I cleaned dishes, laundry and tidied the living room! On the outside the home front, I traded in some games to acquire the much sought after Zelda 3DS XL, swung by work so they could make a delivery, coached the staff in the Telco department and picked up a few new Pop! Vinyl figures! Only things I didn’t get to work on were some edits for my novel and weeding the garden! But I do have tomorrow off, so I will rock it then!
On the flip side, I’ve been watching the NaNoWriMo posts this week as the triumphant begin validating their novels and the ones who miss target are left in a crumpled shamed mess. It’s heartbreaking as some of the concepts and writing skill are definitely there, but those writers may give up because they feel as though they failed. I can only hope those people are reborn from the ashes of their 2013 NaNoWriMo attempt, only to smash 2014, or simply write for another month! Never give up, don’t let it win! Your story needs to be told, there’s an audience out there just waiting for it!
*GASP*
Okay! After all that, I am posting late to hopefully catch up on my blog posts. I hate being behind and I will get ahead. I must. Interestingly enough, The Journey hasn’t been getting anywhere near the amount of comments as other posts! Which as much as I don’t mind the break… I miss the flood of questions and comments! I’m curious to know if the writing is sound or if my style is way off base! I’m also curious if people would want to keep reading! Either way, I’ll keep writing it, as I enjoy the story thus far and the characters. Hopefully that will keep up! If you ladies and gents out there lose interest, perhaps I will too!
Today I’d also like to talk about the posts that seem like professional blog posts on “How To Write”, or “How To Get Published”. I’d like to give you all a disclaimer about this site and what I mean when I toss out suggestions. Nothing works for every single person. What works for me, may not work for others. What I suggest on here are simply more tools you can add to the old writing tool belt to hopefully keep it shiny and challenging. At no point did I ever say these are the definitives. They may work, they may not. Nothing works like your own commitment. I only say this because I watched as one of the many blogs I followed had a minor meltdown because the information that they gave was wrong. People will believe anything if it’s on the internet… and that frightens me!
So, I suppose I’ll just ask… are you ladies and gents out there quiet because it is NaNoWriMo make it or break it week? Or did everyone pick up an Xbox One or Playstation 4 and have thrown productivity to the wind? If you’d like, I am available for some guest blog posts (Because Idle Hands are the Devil’s Tools) or you can just comment on here with word counts! I’d love to know how many of you have hit that fifty thousand word mark, if you happen to have read this post, please post a comment! I promise I’ll reply!
Tomorrow I think I will try and smash out the final fifteen thousand word edit of my novel. The problem with that for me, is that concludes my novel and then it goes on to seek out publication. I won’t officially start that until January, but in the meantime I may get a professional editor to go over the story (after my partner of course) as well as look into some options for publication. As this is my first time trying to do the whole professional publication and seeking out a publisher, I am prepared for that gauntlet of rejection that awaits me. The good news is though, once it’s out there and hitting up the publishers, I can move on and work on a new story. With fourteen more ideas waiting in the shadows, I just need to choose one and I think I already have.
Also, if you’ve made it and want to gloat, toss me an email or comment and I’ll give you a callout so people can check out your blog or novel or whatever you’d like me to point them in the direction of! See you tomorrow and good luck to those squeezing in those last few words!
Whoo! I wish you luck with the edit and submission prep. Are you going the traditional route (agents, query letters and synopses oh my!) or will you stick with Lulu? If you look to enlist the aid of a professional editor, best advice is to shop around. I personally like the ones that offer free evaluations. It’s usually for the first 2500 words or so, which could translate to a whole chapter. I did this with a potential editor, and while I didn’t commit (monetary woes) I thought we had a pretty good rapport. She was reasonably priced too, though some editors will charge more if the word count is high. I submitted my epic fantasy to a vanity publisher ages ago, and they told me it’d cost 20K. How about no.
I like to think of rejections as evaluations versus ‘omg u suck, never write again.’ You pick yourself up, dust yourself off and keep going. Even best sellers got doors slammed in their faces at the start of their careers.
I’m nearing 43K. Scenes are held together by bubble gum and popsicle sticks, but I am pressing ever onward. That’s a writer’s mantra, I think. Never give up, never surrender. 🙂
I can appreciate your dedication and mindset. I feel too frightened to submit anything to a publisher for fear of the ‘omg, u suck,’ rejection.
I guess I’m at the point now where I want to know… Do I suck? After getting feedback (both positive and negative) on Circle of Vengeance, I began to feel as though the negative ones were a matter of taste not skill or quality. That was a good sign because that means my writing isn’t broken!
It takes awhile but get some unbiased views on your writing and once the positive ones start rolling in, you’ll get there! Also find a group that will give you constructive criticism and not laugh you out the door. Those people will get eaten by a karma tiger later in life, I’m sure of it.
I know this might sound like a stupid question but how did you build a fan base and people willing to read your work?
I hunted them down and got involved with theirs. I also tried a website called ReviewFuse where you review others for reviews upon your work and they can do inline comments and the such.
Don’t be afraid to search for blogs based around tags like “Writing” “Fiction” “Writing Help” “NaNoWriMo” Etc… go check out a couple of their posts and see if they sound like someone you’d be interested in sharing stories with!
Rejection is not an easy pill to swallow. I didn’t do well with my first one, but you learn to take the good with the bad. 🙂
Do you have anything published? I prefer reading things in paper copy not online but I would be interested in checking it out
I self published the first of my science fiction trilogy, The Xabeldi Chronicles, back in August. ‘Renegade’ is available for purchase through CreateSpace and Amazon. I have links for it on my blog. I’d provide them for you here, but I’m replying from the WordPress app. Thanks so much! Hope you enjoy. 🙂
Cool! Thanks
I got so caught up in replying to comments and emails that I began to comment in your conversation 😛 Oh internet, how you run me in circles!
Nothing in a hard copy yet I’m afraid. You could always print out the PDF from Lulu.com! Don’t worry, as soon as I get something published, you and everyone else will know!
It also depends on the type of rejection. If someone is truly constructive in their critique, that helps make it easier. It’s those malicious people out there who don’t care who’s on the other side.
15,000 words in one day? Are you in insane? Human?
I’m a robot sent back in time to tell you all about my adventures in the future.
First I have to figure out how to be human.
That’s hard.
I’d be happy if you just told me how to get published. And that you remember all the little ppl when you become a famous author
My plan is continue this blog even if I made millions. In fact, I would most certainly choose to work part time at the store I’m at now. Go down in hours and pay, so long as money was rolling in! I’ll keep you posted on how the publishing goes… it’s going to be a looooong journey.
But in the words of a very excitable hobbit… “I’m going on an adventure!!!”
You have been mighty productive. Rub it off on the rest of us. I have short of 4k left to write and I feel absolutely lazy. Keep up that spirit but be wary of burn outs!
I think the reason for my amped up productivity is actually these comments. I use writing now as positive reinforcement or the reward after completing all of my tasks. Because I want to get back to writing and you guys faster, I rock my tasks and then get back to it.
Today I weeded the garden, ran some errands, brought in two loads of laundry, put out two loads of laundry, put away the dishes, cleaned up a bit, planned how to make my own satin coated cover for my eventual novel (I hope) and planned a few craft ideas such as a Legend of Zelda Pedestal of Time 3DS XL charging station… complete with light up Triforce while charging.
Bam! Now I’m writing! 😀
Cheers for positive reinforcement!
I just wish food didn’t make me fat… otherwise, I would be all over that as positive reinforcement too!
You wrote? Have a pizza! *OmNomNom*
Oh so sadly true. I’d go for some snickers or maybe chocolate covered strawberries.
Luckily for you, you have us as a healthier choice.
I’m just lucky you’re all sweet enough I don’t crave chocolate or candy… but I could easily go some salty chips. Mmm… damn food distractions.
Also, why not snickers covered strawberries? @_@ Just do it!
That’s a brilliant idea. I may have to try it.
All this talk is making me want chips.
*Is already gone for chips*