A Time For Everything

Not necessarily the things that need to happen--LIKE BOOK FIVE REVISIONS--but other exciting things like...

I am learning how to create my own ebook files: PDFs, epub, and mobi files. Well, really, I know how to create them...it's more learning how to tweak all the settings and coming up with consistent formatting from book to book, so I don't have to reinvent the wheel every time I want to publish a book.

Now, PDFs are easy, so...pfft!

The other two formats I create using Scrivener, one of the writing applications I use. They're a little more time consuming what with all the tweaking, but only a couple of hours at most. As I get more proficient and get formatting templates and setting templates worked out, then it'll be a matter of minutes.

The other fun thing that happened was that I have beta readers--basically first readers who tell you if your book/plot/characters work. One of my dear friends has a vast vast online network of people and she sent out a bat signal on my behalf. Three people volunteered to read book one for me and so I sent it out to those three generous ladies yesterday afternoon.

It's a bit nerve-wracking, I must say. Despite the fact that I've written fan fiction for years and it's out there in the world, and I've rarely had negative feedback on it. Two other friends of mine have read book one and were very complimentary, as has my editor been on all the books she's read so far.

I'm creeping closer and closer to the big day. Things are falling into place slowly but surely. For the most part...

I have a self imposed deadline of the 25th to finish book five revisions. I don't think that's going to happen. I chose that day in order to give myself time to put the book away for a rest before I planned to re-read it for any last minute adjustments before sending it off to my editor. I do have the leeway to push the deadline out, so for now I'm giving myself another week. April 1st, my friends.

I really need to just set my behind in a chair and get after it...and I will.

Hope you had a lovely weekend. I sure did.

Talk to you soon!

I really was going to post about that workshop I mentioned last week, but not today.

About a month ago, I got a wild hair and decided to turn my attention back to writing with the intent to publish. Because of finances, I decided against self-pubbing for now. Editing services and cover art cost money that I can't afford right now. Plus, while I can look objectively at others' work, I can't do the same for my own. And I know there are aspects of my writing that probably need some guidance, so I decided I would submit to an e-publisher. Blah, blah, blah, a little research (and I mean a little only because I've done it all before), and I chose The Wild Rose Press as my target publisher. They accept books with as few as 7500 words. Shorter is right up my alley. And there aren't many books of that length to choose from, so perhaps I can fill that need. I hope it's there to be filled...

I dug up one of my (too) many unfinished works in progress and got to work. My target date for completing the thing and having it critique-partner/beta-reader ready was August 15th. Despite the 4th of July and my road trip to San Antonio, I'm just about ready to send it out into the world...

But am I?

Sending it to my critique partners is no big deal. They've read my work. I know them. So okay.

Posting fan fiction is not this scary. I can do that. Have done that. I still get feedback all the time even from fic I wrote and posted years and years ago. Great boost to the ego.


I read tons of stuff, e-publisher pubbed or indie pubbed and often think "I write as well as that." or "My writing is better than that."

But sending my "real" work to strangers? That prospect is a little more daunting than I anticipated. I really believe that sending my work out to non-writing readers, getting feedback from them, is an important step, and I want to develop a small group of them I can always rely on.

Anyway, there's a beta readers group at Goodreads, so I joined it and read through the listings of folks offering their services. Some are professionals, requiring payment, others are just book lovers. I contacted six people.

I figure it might take a week or two to determine if everyone is available and to come to terms. Or find someone else if too many of these people no longer beta read.That still gives me until my self-imposed deadline to finish my out loud read-throughs and search & destroy (of overused words) missions.

Keep your fingers crossed for me and I'll keep you posted!

Last week, I mentioned how I'd finally gone back and re-read one of my books. I read it and sent it to one of my CPs who also read it and made a few comments. Comments I agreed with. Comments I wanted to address. Only I'd decided to put out a call for beta readers and had already done so. So I sent off the same old, needing-work version to these readers...

Unlike critique partners, who are generally writers, beta readers can be either or both. I wanted readers only so they'd be focused on the story and not on the writing. I've had a total of six responses so far, which is awesome, but the last two ladies are on hold until after revisions.

One gal read it and sent back her thoughts within 24 hours. WOW and thanks. She had positive things to say, which was very nice indeed. She also expressed a wish that there had been more. More in general and more specifically about a certain character, as well as story for the secondary character. It just so happens that I've written that character's story, though it's not quite finished yet.I had a few questions about specific things and asked. She got back to me with those.

I've heard back from all four of the original volunteers. They all had very complimentary things to say about the book. Along with the gal above, I was able to ask one other reader some specific questions about the book and received a helpful response. Both those ladies expressed interest/willingness to re-read the first book as well as read the second book. I'm very excited about this prospect.

Monday, I talked about my writers group celebration. What I didn't mention is that I won a door prize--and the only reason I mention it now is because I won a critique from an editor at The Wild Rose Press. I get to send in the first 15 manuscript pages and up to 5 pages of synopsis. I'm very interested in what she thinks and has to say. I tried working on the synopsis yesterday, but it's kicking my butt.

In addition to all that, I finally heard back from Samhain Publishing about a Final Line Editor position. They sent the first of a two-step testing process, a partial manuscript, which I read through once last week and done what it is I'm applying to do. They require two read-throughs and so I' perform the second pass some time today. Should I pass the first test, I'll get a 12K word complete manuscript to work on next. *fingers crossed*

And if all that wasn't enough, I'm negotiating a freelance editing gig. Woot!

I'm tired just thinking about it, but looking forward to finally moving forward, both with my writing and with the editing.

If you're a writer, have you ever used beta readers? If so, how was your experience?

After seven months I finally went back and re-read my 15K word novella, A Snowball's Chance in Texas. I submitted it at the end of August and waited and waited and waited to hear back from the publisher. Finally, in November, maybe even December, I heard back from them. They didn't want it. But, sheesh, they sat on it long enough.

Even though I wrote it specifically for the particular line, I was told it didn't fit. Huh. But by that time, the holidays were upon us and while I thought I knew there was something wrong with it, that it wasn't as ready as I'd thought it was, I wasn't ready, didn't want, to go back and try to figure it out.

So what changed? I don't really know. What I do know is that because of an online class I'm taking, I've been in and out of the story that follows Snowball: Children With a Chance of Marriage. And despite my hiatus from writing, I love to write and I guess I just needed a break. I gave myself permission to take a break and I took it. And now the words, the stories, are teasing me again. Still, there's no pressure. If I want to write, I will. If I don't, I won't.

As for these two stories, well, I want them to be published together, so that means figuring out what if anything is wrong with book one and finishing book two.

To that end, I'm looking for several beta readers. I'd prefer folks who read only. I've got one offer already, so I'm looking forward to hearing what a stranger thinks of my work.

Anyway, last night, I read Snowball. And you know what, it wasn't half bad. I think there's one place I need to add a scene, but otherwise...I think it's okay. And hopefully, this beta reader will know her romance. I guess I need to figure out what I want to know from her.

My weekend was nice and relaxing, though not as productive house/yard-work wise as I would have liked, but that's okay. After last week, I really just needed to relax and regroup, which I did.

How about your weekend??