I just thought I should get that out there. I don’t plan to give updates here unless it’s something fabulous, but after all the build-up over the past few months I felt like I should let you know I’ve released my baby to the wild!
writing / editing
Ineffective Motivation
I’m not sure when I started doing this, but for the past year or so I’ve treated reading books as a reward. If I have a project hanging over my head that I really need to finish I won’t allow myself to start a new book until I’ve finished it. I love reading so in …
Yet Another Sign That I Truly Am a Writer
I suck. My book sucks. Why would anyone want to read this? I don’t even want to read this. Why did I ever think this was a good idea? I may as well quit now and save agents the hassle of ignoring my query. Ever had these thoughts? That’s been the constant monologue running through …
Stories are Everywhere
As I left the plane behind me last night, I paused near the waiting area as an anxious family rushed forward. A caucasian couple a few years older than me, trailed by two teenagers and two little girls around six or seven years old, moved as one unit, then stopped a few feet away. What …
The Celebration Was Short-Lived
*checks calendar* It’s August 30th. Still one day left in the month and… I finished my third draft over the weekend! *dances about* I finished going through the hard copy Saturday, then plugged in all those notes on Sunday and ferried it through the intertubes to my friend and trusty beta reader. *waves* (Yes, I’m …
That’s a Lot of Paper!
Look! I finished my edits and printed out After the Fall in its entirety! Yes, there are TWO red pens waiting for me. Because I’m ahead of schedule I have a whopping NINE days to proof the hard copy and still meet my goal of finishing by September 1st.
The End is in Sight!
I may be a little premature in saying this, but I can almost see then end of this draft. I passed into the final third over the weekend and I feel like I’m finally in the home stretch. It’s definitely coming easier now that I’m back in the editing groove (funny how that works) and …
The Fixer
I spent a lot of time this weekend fixing things. My wip, my closet, my dog… as well as a couple things that I’ll get into at another time. It’s nice being able to look around after a couple days and see the results of your efforts, don’t you agree? First, my wip. Despite the …
Trash Talkin’
You think this is hard? Well no one else gives a crap about this book so if you want it finished, you have to do it. My name is Melanie, and I trash talk myself. But in my defense, it works. I was hesitant to tell you all that I’d started back with my edits. …
The Importance of Multiple Betas
I had several people read the second draft of my novel, then I put all their comments into one document, and that’s the file I’m working from now. I put an initial at the beginning of each comment so I’d know whose suggestion it was, then went on my merry way. Following Monday’s post, another …