A Preorder and a New Project

The time has come: If It Was New York, Summer 2009 is finally available for preorder. I'm a little anxious because I submitted an incomplete manuscript to get this ball rolling, so I have about 11 days to get the last two poems polished and the back matter completed. If you join Patreon ($1 level or higher) before March 12th, you can get an ebook download before anyone else!

The book is currently available for preorder at Amazon and these online retailers. If you don't see your favorite retailer on that second link, keep checking back because new ones are still being added. The ebook and the paperback versions will go on sale March 26th.

Once those few last details are sorted and the final files are uploaded, I'm onto the new project. After a lot of debate with myself (that would have been fun to witness, I'm sure...) I decided to finally finished In Another Life. This one has been sitting around for awhile. The last time I worked on it, I decided to take the first and second books of what I thought would be a trilogy and merge them together. The third (now second) book only has two chapters written, but once I get on a roll with the revisions of the first one, who knows.

As part of my write-revise-advertise monthly schedule, In Another Life fits into the revise stage. So that means the write part is up for grabs. I've decided to concentrate on short stories since I have so many sitting around half written. I need to have more in the bank for submissions--right now there is only one short and one flash that I keep sending out.

That's the plan for March. More writing, more writing, and more writing!

Writing Off Write On

The time has come to let the dream die--Write On was not all that it was cracked up to be. I thought that I had found something that would help out with some significant gaps in my writing process, but it all ended up just being a big headache.

Write On, for those who don't know, is platform where you can upload your work-in-progress or completed project to get feedback from other members. I've tried it with two different projects and the results were less than thrilling. Is it a beta read site? Not really. Is it more of an online critique group? Not quite. Is it more like Wattpad, offering your completed work for free to build an audience? No. Definitely not.

Before publishing it last year, I put up my novel Seeing What Develops. I initially thought Write On was geared more towards the beta reading aspect of writing: users would take my almost completed project, tell me what's still not working, and I could go from there to complete a final round of revisions. While there was some interest, the comments were more of a "I like it" aspect without any suggestions. And once I put up the final chapter and marked it complete, it only received about 58 reads--and it's unclear whether those reads were counting the whole project or counting every time someone read a chapter.

So it wasn't for beta reading. This year I put up In Another Life to see if users would be more helpful earlier in the writing process. This project was two revisions in (I usually do 4+ before I think it's ready to go) and so far, I've had one helpful comment. But this time around, Write On has more options to provide information to the reader. You can choose to label your project as Drafting, Revising, or Complete. I left it on drafting for some reason. I don't know why, even though I was definitely in the revising stage.

The site isn't for early-stage critiques, either.

I guess the issue with this site is that most of the users are writers, not readers, unlike Wattpad where there's a more even mix of readers and writers. And the biggest problem with writers? We have egos when it comes to time management. Example:

"Oh, I would love for all these people to read my story. But I'm not going to bother with theirs. I don't have time to read something that isn't finished yet."

I'm not criticizing anyone--I've had these thoughts too. So if the site has something like 80% writers on it, then you're probably getting upwards of 60% with this mindset.

I don't like how the site works for my projects, but there are authors who've found success, like one author who only put up the first 5000 words of her novel, then took the critique of that and used it to build her Kindle Scout campaign (and won a contract). Let's just say that might have been my own intention, but again, it's not working for me personally. What I failed to realize from trying to mimic this situation is that she brought an audience with her. I was trying to use this resource to build one.

I haven't tried a fully formed, finished project upload to compare it to Wattpad. But I don't think I'll bother. Aside from the lack of enthusiasm I fail to generate, I also realized that my novel was 20k short of a standard-size novel, which means a massive rewrite or combining book one and book two (which I know at first draft is only 25k). Nowhere near ready for the plans I had for it.

I need to find something that's more helpful in shaping my writing to be the best it can be, which is probably building a small beta reading group just for myself. Of course I'll have to build twelve separate groups because I hate writing in just one genre, but whatever. As long as the story gets what it needs, it's worth it.

October's To-Dos and Shameless Promotions

The first full week in October and I started out kind of slow. I really needed a nap yesterday, but I persisted through sleepy eyelids to keep everything on track. My writing calendar is a more than a little full. This month I will:

• launch a book
• revise my project for Kindle Scout
• outline my 2015 NaNoWriMo project 
• write, revise and release a novella by the end of the month

I'm glad I didn't throw any short stories or poetry in there. Those projects are still waiting patiently for their turns.

I've also launched my Fiverr gig for anyone who wants a little help promoting their books. I'm running a book spotlight on Book Review Bin and I hope you find this affordable advertising within your marketing budget. I put up one of my books to provide a sample of what the spotlights will look like.

And since I'm in promo mode, don't forget that the ebook of Seeing What Develops is available for pre-order now until the 15th. The print version should be available from Amazon and Createspace by the 15th.

Onto The Next Project

Yesterday I spend some time looking at half written manuscripts and first drafts. Guess what? There was something in the pile that didn't make me reconsider my whole career as a writer. The gem I'm talking about was last year's NaNoWriMo project--the only NaNoWriMo session I have completed so far (not counting the camps or the dearly departed Script Frenzy, of course).

Before I could change my mind, I put the project on the top of my revision list. It's getting the full I-love-you-I-hate-you-I-wish-you-would-die editing and revision process, and hopefully you'll be able to read it soon. I would love to tell you what the title is, but that's one of my major hurdles on this project. There's no title. There's already half of a cover design, but still no title. Yes, if you stalk my NaNoWriMo profile page there was a tentative title, but it sucks. Big time. However, if you are itching to get your hands on something, I can slip you a short synopsis. Ready?

Lindley Neil knows nothing but her small town. When her job as a photographer's assistant takes her Los Angeles and New York, Lindley is having the time of her life. She also meets a handsome man in each city who are both falling for her. Love is in the air, but which one will she choose?

Yes, clearly the synopsis needs revamped too, but I'm working on it.

It's really nice to have clearly defined goals. I'm glad I have one to concentrate on. 

Taking on Camp like a Champ

I'm just a few hundred words from hitting 10k on my Camp NaNoWriMo project for April. Short of making a Vine doing a happy dance, I can't begin to express how thrilled I am about this. I won't just say that it is all hard work--honestly, when I get on a roll, thousands of words pour out in just an hour. There are two major factors to this new-found success at just simply writing: I'm working on a project I am absolutely passionate about, and I have a new mindset. I'm not letting negative vibes into my life anymore. There's just no room for them.

My camp project is book #2 in my trilogy series (titled For Another Day, if you were interested), but writing the first draft of it is just a very small part of all of the effort that's going into the series. I'm writing by day, revising book #1 by night. And after these revisions are done, I'm going to need some beta readers, so if you are interested let me know. I'm still wrestling with how to categorize it, but the one that fits best right now is suspense. I plan to have the revisions done by the end of the month--that would put me on a schedule of a late summer release.

Oooh.. can't you just feel the excitement in the air?!


**SHAMELESS PROMOTION TIME**

I'm still raising money for NaNoWriMo this month so that they can keep doing these great writing programs and more! Just head on over to my donation page and check it out.

Oh, and spring cleaning has arrived. So why not help me clear out my bookshelves by picking up a great book from my Half.com store?

I know you want some new reading material, and spring is a great time for haiku! Pick up your copy of Unfolding Life today--also available at Amazon.

Starting the New Year Off Right

Some days it just hits me. There are so many ideas in my brain that they can't be contained any longer. Since the 1st I have written half of a short story, a new novel outline and I'm about ready to tackle another previously planned novel outline. I also managed to squeeze in a couple hours of revision. A lot is getting done, so I'm way more optimistic about this year than I thought I would be. Write on, people. Write on.

Since this is the first post on TSW of the New Year, it's also time to do a little roundup for those who are just joining us. First, I want to let everyone know that I love connecting with other writers and creative people all over social media. I know everyone has a favorite platform, and some of you already follow me on a few of them. I don't do a whole lot of cross-posting, so if you want to follow all of my accounts, here's a rundown of where I'm at:


Twitter:
My freelance life in 140 characters.

Facebook:
As you can see, a big 2015 goal of mine is to get more Facebook likes so I can access my analytics.

Google+:
I'm here, but not every day.

 

Instagram:
I love photography. Some are weird, some are fun and some are just me. Enjoy.

Tsu:
A relatively new social media site. If you are a writer, artist or musician I definitely recommend signing up. This is a great way to gain exposure and Tsu lets you earn ad revenue share off your posts.

And I may also have a little haiku book out there you may have heard of called Unfolding Life. If you don't already have a copy, check it out.

In the coming year I hope to publish more, so stay tuned of all of that good stuff.

Go and Buy a Book

...because that's what Read Tuesday is all about! Dec. 9 celebrates writers and readers by giving plenty of discounts on ebooks and print books. If you want to see all the great deals available (including Unfolding Life *wink*) you can browse the Read Tuesday catalogs. There are different sections for Kindle deals, frees books and discount codes for print books. Most of these authors are indie authors, so go out and support them, and pick up a few gifts while you're at it.

In other writing news, I'm on schedule to finish the first draft (finally!) of In Another Life. I know I talk about this one a lot, but by the end of the week it will finally be moving on to the first round of revisions. Because I'm so pumped to publish in 2015 (this article inspired me a bit), I'm hoping I can get this one out there as soon as possible. You know why? SPOILER ALERT: It's going to be a trilogy. Stay tuned.

So what's next? Tackling the pages in the official red revision binder with my red pen. Sometimes it's fun, sometimes it's torture. We'll see how the next session goes. ;-)

Victory is Mine!! #NaNoWriMo14

Well, I did what I set out to do--I won NaNoWriMo this year! I wasn't too excited when it first happened because it was 6:30 on a Sunday morning. But I caught up to the greatness of my victory after my daily caffeine fix. I'm glad that I was able to do it, and by proving that to myself, I know that I can continue writing for the rest of my life without worrying about taking time away from the money-making process. That's because I realized that 1667 words per day can happen in just three or four 20-minute writing sessions. This does not break the time bank whatsoever. I will now hold myself accountable for at least 1500 per day from now on. No more excuses and no more guilt.

Revisions? Well... those will probably have to be long weekend projects. Once I start that, I usually can't put it down for hours. Today is the only day I'm taking off before revisions start, so I have to get organized and find the best way to do it. I'm not going to revise this year's novel because it's too short of a turnaround. I need to get some space from this project. Instead, I will revise last year's novel. I didn't finish that one in a month, but I did finish it so it will be ready for Phase Two tomorrow.

I'm also celebrating because I saved Amazon gift cards for the past few months (I somehow seem to win a lot of them online...) and was finally able to get a new Kindle Fire HD 7. It came in today, which made it seem like a prize I awarded myself for all of my efforts. I'm a happy camper all around.

A New Month, A New Set of Goals

So... about last week. It kind of sucked. More than that--it really sucked. I'll spare everyone the details, because whining does no good. So I'll just sum it up like this: I started off the week with small glimmers of hope, they were crush into oblivion, I nearly got scammed (which makes me want to never use Guru again) and to top it off, I was barefoot and stepped on a cricket. Again. Yuck... And since crickets in the house are supposed to be lucky, I think stepping on that sucker is probably like breaking a mirror.

Fortunately, there was a good part about the week. There was a good amount of work, and I was able to do more in a week than I've been able to do for most of the summer. Will it help in the long run? Maybe not, but it's always a start. And since this is the first day of a new month, I'm shifting all of those very lofty August goals into September goals. There will be much writing, revising--and if all goes well--moving.

Here's to a great September!

Still Chugging Along...

My head is filled with plans and plots and dreams and inspiration. Some have even ended up on paper. It's a writer's curse, but it's still lovely.

I'm at one of those points where I just have to stick with a project and see it to the end, rather than trying to manage two, three or more. Today I'm choosing one project to finish the first draft and one project to finish revisions. That's it--no more until they are done.

Along with all of my writing, I'm still trying to make my move. Again... there's a lot more planning going on than action. While I would just love to pack a bag and take off, I'm the type of person that has to consider every single positive and negative outcome imaginable first. This may take awhile... ;-)

All of this stalling can end with taking in a deep breath and making a decision. I will get there... even if I have to reread those self-help books I read a few months ago to get my butt in gear.

In more mundane news, my book auctions on eBay ended today. There was some interest, but no bites so I'll be relisting them tonight. I may also get a few new titles listed, but no promises on that one. If you don't want to wait around for me to list books on eBay, you can always check out what I have on Half.com if you are interested in building up your library as I downsize mine. 

Have a great week! I'm going to make sure mine will be. 

The Revision Monster is Hiding Under my Desk

This time around, Camp NaNoWriMo is going well for me. I'm still behind on my daily word count (who isn't?), but there's a clear path to winning this time. That is, if the Revision Monster would just get off my back.

I can forgive a few misspellings here and there. While the squiggly red line draws my eyes in to previous paragraphs, I can resist the urge to correct. A  misplaced comma? No sweat. That can be taken care of easily in August. It's so garishly out of place I wouldn't miss it during the first round of revision. A half written novel without a title? No problem--I'm notorious bad at getting just the right title for the novel (if I don't start out with one). But what I'm fighting this monster on now is very hard to resist.

I'm writing out of my comfort zone, so the majority of the novel takes place on a fictional island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Do you want to know what that island is called?

Yeah, me too.

And so does my Revision Monster.

I am having such as hard time resisting the urge to waste hours--maybe days--on finding just the right name for the island. It creeps up every time I open my novel to write some more. "The island need a name," that little bugger calls out to me. Every single time. I may not be able to shake it until I come up with a name. But forge through I must so that I can get 25,000 words before the end of July.

Revision Monster--you won't win this time.

Heading Back to Camp

I love that NanoWriMo holds camp twice a year--that means I get to fully immerse myself in one of my ideas for yet another month. This time, my cabin mates are all from or have been published in Luna Station Quarterly. In July I will be working on something that I have yet to attempt. I still can't really pinpoint what genre it would be. It's about a fictional island in the Pacific. Although our current world exists in this world, they know little of it.

That's very vague, I know. But until I get working on it, I'm not sure I can reveal much more.

I've also got to get back on the revision bandwagon. I really want to get last November's project to the submission phase, whether that's another self-published title or (hopefully) published through a great indie publisher that seems to fit with what I'm working on. July will be a busy month writing away.And I'm going to love it. ;-)