Adventures in Beta Reading: 2

Shannon T. returned his draft.  More typos Roxanne missed and a few good questions that I need to sort out.  I'm not quite sure how to solve one.  Once I mentioned it to Roxanne, she said it made her wonder, too, but not enough to mark it.  I think I'll wait to hear back from the others first.

Aunt Dale apparently doesn't understand anything that's going on in The Legacy.  There are several possible reasons: she dropped out of high school, doesn't typically read fiction, and has no interest in this type of story.  She didn't tell me though.  She talked to my MawMaw, who talked to my Mom, who told me what's going on.  I don't mind the chain of discussion.  Better that I know something rather than nothing.  I haven't called her, yet, and I really need to.  At the very least, I can get that copy back.

I confess being a little worried about Jeremy.  He was on the phone with his wife and she asked if she could be a co-writer because she has lots of ideas on how to improve The Legacy.  I said, "No."  I worked too hard on this manuscript for so many years to bring in a co-writer.  I have no problem with co-writing something me and the other person conceptualized together or if another writer asks me to join what they've begun and I like the project.  For some reason, I doubt I'm getting that manuscript back at all.

Dolus work is going well enough.  The first section is getting a heavy reedit.  I think I'm removing more work than I'm adding, but in the end I know it'll make a better story.  That's all that matters.

The End Of The World

I had a real good laugh today from the Mayan Calendar controversy.  Either the world ends, aliens return to assist us, or we will all become enlightened.  Most Mayans themselves, however, just see an old calendar focusing on planetary alignment restart at day one.

"They'll either be blow up or a bliss out."  --Prof. Tony (didn't catch his last name), NPR/Fresh Air interview

I don't remember the context, so I encourage you to find and listen to it on your own, but I do remember its awesomeness.

Adventures in Beta Reading

Got back one Beta copy of The Legacy.  Most of the comments are typos and such.  The coworker, Roxanne L., gave me an overall good review.  I found a few sentences she marked for other problems were actually caused by what the super helpful editor called "awkward syntax" in his suggestions.  I put in the changes, reprinted, and gave the result to another coworker, Shannon T.  They promised honesty.  I just hope they deliver.

I also gave a copy to my Aunt Dale and one to a guy named Jeremy who works at Books.  Jeremy promised he would be extra brutal in his comments.  I hope this is the case.

The Legacy: draft complete

I've finally put the last touches on this round with The Legacy.  I'm printing copies for Beta Readers.  For so many years, I wrote in a bubble.  Now I mention I need help with my manuscript and more than enough people are willing to give it a read and tell me what they think.

AWESOME!

Sorry, couldn't help myself.  I'm also starting on Dolus again.  The manuscript is short too many words and needs a rewrite.  It drives me a little crazy I'm not working on Stars Collide, because there's so much there, but if I will ever become a published novelist, I can't let any chance pass me by.  The Jambalaya Conference is on April 13.  I have to have at least one completed manuscript.

Onward I go.

Inspiration

Today, the creative juices are flowing.  Imagine an avalanche, but with water instead of ice.  My mind's all over the place.  I've been using a notepad to jot down little scenes for different projects.  In the end, I know it'll be worth it.  Always is.  But right now I feel a little manic with the thought jumps.

I've finished all my word count goals, even wrapping up past ones, so now I'm devoting my time to polishing The Legacy.  Except Stars Collide wants to intrude.  The number of words I'm cutting is insane.  But I need to.  I hoped to wrap it up before the next Jambalaya Conference, which I might not be able to with all it needs.  After all, I have an agent willing to give me another try.  Have to make the deadline.

My biggest problem with writing is I don't have any beta readers.  I don't even have friends and family willing to read my writing and lie to me about its condition.  Well, I have one friend who's game, but I have to send it in a format he can put on his Nook.  Of course, as I write this, I realize I could search to see if the Nook opens .pdf.  And I might be able to ask my step-mom to take a look.  She liked some of my short stories.  Guess I have to ask if she's willing to read a novel – with the promise she can't just love it.

I always write for me first.  I've daydreamed about being a published author and living off that income.  When those two clash, I was left feeling okay if I'm never published in a large market.  I have so many completed novel and short story manuscripts.  As of May 2013, I'll have four short stories in print, plus a sample chapter.  I have accomplished something.  But now, after hitting 30, I'm driven more than ever to see a novel in print.  I'm trying to dissect how I feel.  All I'm left with is "Time is running out."  There's an urgency to publish I never experienced before.  Maybe, when I turn 45 or so, if I haven't made it into the traditional publishing arena, I'll just go with self-publishing.  Maybe.

I don't know what it all means, but I'll keep writing no matter what.  Ride the waves of inspiration until they break.  And love it the entire time.

Stars Collide

I'm really trying to think of a better name for the novel.  It's taken over my writing life.  The plot line is really working and I never spend more than 24 hours mulling over a way out of a situation I put my characters in.  I've written 75,000 words since May 17 just on this one.  The words have never been easier.

The real big help comes from, believe it or not, Hurricane Isaac.  My day job's picked up some contracts and to cover them, I'm working 12 hour shifts.  All the extra time at work is giving me uninterrupted, have to do something, writing time after the yard closes.  They're willing to put me at one of the new sites for more pay per hour, but I don't want to risk missing the opportunity to work on my writing.  And writing I am!

I finally heard from the editor and his tips were spectacular.  Just don't know if I can figure out how to apply them.  For instance: some of my explanations are relayed through awkward syntax.  Well, it makes since to me and without a beta reader to point as many of them out as they can, I can't tell if I'm fixing all of the issues.

At least I've met wonderful people in the publishing industry that are willing to read my work and give me comments on how to improve my writing.

Busy, busy

Ah, well, once again it's been a while.

I have since expanded Cyborg (the unnamed manuscript in a much earlier post that was over the word limit) into a trilogy.  Taking Gini Koch's advice, I'm not working on the next two, but the first one and then leaving it alone.  It's actually annoying.  There I was, red pen in hand, cutting and reducing.  When I next paid attention to my actions, I was on the floor surrounded by the manuscript, note cards, and extra paper - making break points in the original manuscript and plotting the resulting novels.  Dolus' work count is low in relation to the genre, but I've about finished the first draft and can work on subplots from there.  The only good news is the stuff I cut out remains cut and I'm still trimming 'bad' writing.  It makes me feel like I didn't take a step back or expanded the world just to save my words.

But Dolus is on hold now as a new novel takes complete control of my imagination.  Once I put enough scenes on paper and run into a block on plot structure, I can return to the distopian based world of cybernetic government agents.  I also have to change the WIP title of Stars Collide to something more appropriate.  It's taken on a life of its own as the scenes keep coming, some faster than the time I have to write them, and the word count is soaring.  I might even finish the first draft before I can return to others.  Usually, I work on three or four at a time to keep from being board or to change it up when I hit a block.  Not this one.  I can't seem to focus on anything else.  It's nuts.

Money has since become a huge barrier.  In all areas of my life.  Now I'm looking at whether it's better to keep the low paying job that lets me write all day or move onto something with a larger paycheck and benefits, but cut my writing time by eight hours.  Follow passion or physical comfort?  Wait, not just physical comfort.  It's keeping the house I inherited.  The insurance rates are crazy because I live in a hurricane zone.  If I don't have insurance, mortgage forecloses.  But my mortgage payments for this four bedroom house are waaaaayyy less than if I had to rent a one bedroom apartment.  And not have a place to put my great grandmother's dining room set with dishes, my book collection, the office, using a laundromat to wash clothes.

This is one moment I'd just like life to smack me over the head with a clear answer.  It can be literal.  Tree limb cracks, wake up with the answer.  Anything.  As long as it doesn't kill me in the process.

2012 Jambalaya Writer's Conference

The best conference for when you're on a budget!

Once again, I learned many new ways to look at my writing.  The day started off great when I opened my goodies bag and found a copy of the 2012 Writer's Conference Anthology and found Decisions by yours truly in the contents section.

Adam Wilson, editor with Simon & Schuster, gave a talk on the editing world. He gave great advice, as well as noting that distopian (spelling?) fiction is hot right now.  That fits in with Dolus, though it's far from ready to publish.  I didn't sign up for the pitch times with him (not feeling any of my manuscripts were ready), but I approached him at the end of the panel and he told me if I met him after lunch, he'd be happy to answer specific editing questions.

Another panel focused on being psychologically correct with characters.  I didn't get much from this panel that I didn't already understand.  Example: if you're character's described as overenthusiastic, but does a lot of things indicating depression, the "mask" better be part of the story line or sacrifice the trait not integral to plot.

"Realistic Dialogue."  Lots of notes were taken, such as the halting and circular nature of natural speech, how understanding the physiological, sociological, and psychological aspects of the character can make it sound true, keep the number of participating characters low, only using descriptions that advance the plot or reveals the character, watch how much specific lingo is used, and make sure no one sounds the same.

"Breaking and Entering" covered what's needed to begin the process of submitting to agents and editors, as well as listing who does what job and how in depth a writer should research them.  Hint: Very, very, very thoroughly.

I joined the wonderful Gini Koch for her panel on "World Building vs. Info Dumping" and felt very sorry I missed her one on synopsis writing.

The meeting with Adam went great and he did his best to assist with my pacing concerns, but he pointed out that it's all relative.  He told me to send him the first 10 chapters of a novel and he'd make notes - not consider it for publication, just to help me sort it out with his opinion.  Since all editors are very busy people plus his editing experience, I am very honored and excited.  I know it might take him months to find the time, but even if it takes him a year or two, I'll remain grateful.

Afterwards, I spend time talking with Molly Bolden (Bent Pages), Heather Graham (Author), and another nice lady who's name escapes me now.  Which makes me feel bad.  We spoke mostly about books on the market and now I have new titles to add to my list of 'buy when I have money.'

The conference ends with a rooftop social.  Unfortunately, medicine kept me from enjoying the wine, but the company was great.  I met other awesome writers, got a lead on possibly joining a local critique group.  I assisted Jeanne (I know I spelled that wrong!) when she approached the agent who rejected me last year.  The agent accepted her pitch and wanted a copy of her manuscript and she wanted to thank her, but I saw her divert to the cheese and crackers on approach.  So I walked up to the agent myself, reintroduced myself (like lots of agents, she meets tons of people at conferences, so never expect them to remember you and hide your excitement when they do), waved J over, and talked a lot.  Then Gini joined us.  They kept trying to talk me into attending Heather Graham's NO conference, but with my money limitations (another story), I doubt I can make it.  During the course of conversation, I mentioned that I incorporated her comments as best as I could, put submissions on hold as I try to improve, and Adam's offer of assistance.  When the library kicked us out and the group broke up, she told me "Next time you see me at a conference, if you really think you've improved, I want you to pitch to me again and I'll give you another shot."

YES!!!

So, lots of high notes.  I recommend attending any conferences you can in your area.  And if you live near Houma, LA (or can travel there), the Jambalaya's $30 fee ($35 after deadline and at the door) is well worth it.  It covers the continental style breakfast, coffee and water all day long, lunch catered by Rouses (a local based grocery chain), and wine with cheese and crackers at the social.  With that consideration, I think all the writing stuff is free.

Guess I'm not an avid blogger!

I guess another update is in order.

The agent mentioned in my previous post decided not to accept me as an author. She listed several reasons, one being she couldn't identify with the characters. I posted the first 2,000 at www.youwriteon.com and received a lot of comments about my pacing on top of not quite believing anyone would act like the main character does in the first chapter. Maybe my desire to point out that my character is NOT normal is interfering with people identifying with her. So now the biggest issue is how do I make someone who has extra-ordinary reactions from birth into a regular person.

As far as my pacing goes, I'm at all loss. Despite all my research, I guess that's just not something I'm attuned to. Or maybe I'm off balance from the rest of the world. Either way, my attempts to rectify the problem feel more like me banging my head against a concrete wall.

For now, I've decided to continue writing for myself and give up on publication in novel format - just for now. Until I understand pacing, I may just collect a bunch of rejection letters when I could focus on original creation instead. The epiphany will hit me one day. Then I will re-edit everything so the pacing is acceptable to a mass market and try again.

On a great note, my short story Decisions has been accepted for publication in the 2011 Jubilee Anthology. Short stories is NOT an area I will be abandoning publication in because the markets seem to enjoy those. Now if I could only do a better job of matching my stories with magazines!