Rewrites… Week Three In Review

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Nina Soden

Yes, I know it is Thursday (NOT MONDAY). I get it, I am three days late on my weekly review. Although I am not big on excuses (NOT), let me just throw this out there…

2 kids in school (wake, feed, clean, teeth, school, homework, cuddle, bath, teeth, bed…)
1 full-time job (work, work, work, proposals, contracts, accounting, work, work, work…)
1 amazing husband (love, cherish, respect…)
1 lead role in a theatre production (memorization, memorization, memorization, character development, character development, character development, rehearsal, rehearsal, rehearsal…)
1 house (clean, vacuum, laundry, dishes, clean, vacuum, laundry, dishes…)

You get the picture right?

So… with that behind me I will say this; my goal for week three was to rewrite the book cover-to-cover!

Do you think I made my goal? YOU BEAT YOUR BUTT CHEEKS I DID!

That’s right, I did it, I rewrote the book cover-to-cover. I took into account all of the notes, edits, comments, and revisions my two editors put into it and I rearranged, deleted, added, and just plain improved my book. At least I think so. 🙂

Seeing as it is Thursday of week 4 I am sure you are probably wondering if I have already started my week 4 goal of rereading the book for content, timeline, and character motivation. The answer would be: yes, yes I did. Actually I kind of cheated. While I was rereading the book and all the editor’s notes in Week 1 I also took notes about timeline, content discrepancies, and character motivation. Yeah, that might have been why week one took a little longer than expected, but hey… I got the job done right?

Having already done that portion – I was able to utilize the notes I had taken during my week three goal while rewriting the book. So, in fact… although it is only week 4 right now I have begun the week 5 goal of rereading the book (AGAIN) for edits such as grammar, spelling, and word substitution (there instead of their, to vs. too, etc.).

AUTHOR DISCLAIMER: The Blood Angel Series are self-published books… I don’t promise that there are no editing errors (grammar, spelling, word substitutions [see above for description]) but I do promise to put my heart and soul into everything I write and to do my best to make my books as entertaining and exciting for my readers as I can. I don’t know if that is enough to make you want to buy my books, but I hope it is, and, if you do… I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoy writing, editing, rewriting, and reading them over and over again.

Okay, so week 4 is almost over what more is there to do in my 6 week plan to go from edits to published?

So once again here is the plan:

Week 1 – Reread the book and all editor’s notes – (YEAH, THAT DIDN”T GO AS PLANNED)
Week 2 – Outline changes, rearrange chapters (if needed) based on editor’s notes – (NOT REALLY GOING TO NEED TO OUTLINE CHANGES AND REARRANGE CHAPTERS – I WILL JUST USE THIS WEEK TO FINISH THE REREAD!)
Week 3 – Rewrite cover to cover – (YES IT WAS AMBITIOUS, BUT I DID IT AND I AM PROUD OF MYSELF FOR IT. ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING EVERYTHING I HAVE ON MY TO DO LIST RIGHT NOW.)
Week 4 – Reread the book for content, timeline, character motivation (YEAH, I KIND OF CHEATED AND TOOK CARE OF THIS DURING WEEK 1. HEE HEE HEE)
Week 5 – Reread the book for edits: grammar, spelling, etc. (WORKING ON IT NOW… WOO HOO)
Week 6 – Final changes, format, upload, and publish

Let me know how your writing goals are going…

Beginnings ~ a Blood Angel novel by Nina Soden
Coming soon to e-readers everywhere!

Rewrites… Week Two In Review

Posted on April 22, 2013 by Nina Soden

Wow, two weeks down only four to go!

As I said last week – week 1 didn’t go as well as I had hoped. I hadn’t gotten through the whole book doing the reread of the book and all editor’s notes. However, I was able to use week two to complete this task. 🙂 Woo Hoo!

My task for week two was:

Outline changes, rearrange chapters (if needed) based on editor’s notes

Well, no chapter rearranging was needed and the outlining of changes was very simple. Therefore, I spent week two completing my reread and finishing up my outline of changes still needed. I feel fairly confident that I am back on track and ready to start week three’s task of:

Cover to cover rewrite!

Yeah, that one seems even a little overwhelming to me too. I mean, it did take me two weeks (I don’t have a lot of time on my hand) to just do a reread… the idea of completing a cover to cover rewrite in just one week, yeah I’m not sure that is possible. But, who knows maybe this week the world will slow down and we will all be given 34 hours in a day instead of the usual 24. That is about what it will take for me… an additional 10 hours a day.

I don’t mean to sound so negative and really I’m not. The honest truth is this – if I don’t finish the cover to cover rewrite this week I’ll just continue with that task into week four. Do I want to fail yet again? No, but am I going to let the quality of my book suffer just so I can follow a strict 6 week plan? HELL NO! I want this book to be just as good as if not better than book one in the Blood Angel series. Come on, I am a first time author… the idea of publishing a book was thrilling, exciting, scary, and really just a dream to me. The idea of publishing my second book… WOW!

Now I should go and get started. Or, finish my day job responsibilities so that eventually I can get started on week three. Wish me luck and good luck to you and all of your dreams, goals, ambitions!

So once again here is the plan:

Week 1 – Reread the book and all editor’s notes – (YEAH, THAT DIDN”T GO AS PLANNED)
Week 2 – Outline changes, rearrange chapters (if needed) based on editor’s notes – (NOT REALLY GOING TO NEED TO OUTLINE CHANGES AND REARRANGE CHAPTERS – I WILL JUST USE THIS WEEK TO FINISH THE REREAD!)
Week 3 – Rewrite cover to cover – (YEAH, IT MIGHT BE AMBITIOUS, BUT I’LL TRY ANYWAY.)
Week 4 – Reread the book for content, timeline, character motivation
Week 5 – Reread the book for edits: grammar, spelling, etc.
Week 6 – Final changes, format, upload, and publish

Let me know how your writing goals are going…

Beginnings ~ a Blood Angel novel by Nina Soden
Coming soon to e-readers everywhere!

Rewrites… Week One In Review

Posted on April 16, 2013 by Nina Soden

OMG… REWRITE HELL IS WHERE I AM RIGHT NOW!!! Yeah, I’m not really sure that is a thing, but right about now I am looking at my 6-week deadline/goal/challenge to get my book rewrites done and the e-book on the market… HAA HAA HAA! I seriously underestimated the extent to which my life would try to jump in and screw things up!

These are just a few of the things that got in the way of me actually doing what I wanted and needed to do this week!

Okay, so here is my WEEK ONE IN REVIEW UPDATE:

Well, one week down and five to go! No, if you’re wondering, I don’t sound happy about that. Week one did not go at all like I had hoped. You see the task for week one was:

Week 1 – Reread the book and all editor’s notes

Did I complete week one’s task? NO! Am I going to give excuses and bitch and moun about why I didn’t complete my task? YOU BEAT I AM!

Well, for starters, work (my real job – and not just the fun pretending like I’m making a living as an author job) was CRAZY busy this week. I actually worked over my regular 8 hour shift EVERY DAY! Yes, and then I had theatre rehearsal Monday, Wednesday, and Sunday… not to mention there was one day when I was so sick/tired that I fell asleep on the couch sometime in the early evening and didn’t really wake up until the next morning (at some point I did wake up enough to talk to my husband, kiss the kids good night, and crawl into bed). Saturday was Up early – Cleaning – 1 Hour of Reading – Cooking Breakfast – Gymnastics – Birthday Party #1 – Cooking and Cleaning – Birthday Party #2 – Home to Bed!

So, over the course of the week I was able to put in a whooping total of 4 hours of reading in! Yup, you read that correctly – 4 HOURS! Did I finish the book? NO, I am an extremely SLOW reader – for pleasure and work! However, if I am honest with myself I am pretty impressed with the fact that I did get through 140 of the 250+ pages. So, I am over half way done, and not only did I read the first 140 pages I also was able to work through many of the editor notes (fixing issues, rewriting sentences, etc.) as I went along. So far there have been no major edits/editorial notes that will lead me to rearranging chapters (THANK YOU GOD!), and therefore I feel confident that moving into week 2 I can continue on the same path I am on now, and still end up right where I need to be for week 3!

Do I want to scream? YES

Why? Because today is the first day of week 2 and I had no time to read – none – nil – nought – zero – zilch – zip – You get the picture right? Yeah, if today is any indication as to how the rest of the week is going to be I just might be pulling my hair out by Sunday. And, trust me… my hair is my best feature – If I lose that, there will be little else to admire.

So once again here is the plan:

Week 1 – Reread the book and all editor’s notes – (YEAH, THAT DIDN”T GO AS PLANNED)
Week 2 – Outline changes, rearrange chapters (if needed) based on editor’s notes – (NOT REALLY GOING TO NEED TO OUTLINE CHANGES AND REARRANGE CHAPTERS – I WILL JUST USE THIS WEEK TO FINISH THE REREAD!)
Week 3 – Rewrite cover to cover
Week 4 – Reread the book for content, timeline, character motivation
Week 5 – Reread the book for edits: grammar, spelling, etc.
Week 6 – Final changes, format, upload, and publish

So, after week one – are you still ready to take this journey with me? Come on, it will be fun! Check in next Monday to see how wild and crazy week two gets!

Beginnings ~ a Blood Angel novel by Nina Soden
Coming soon to e-readers everywhere!

🙂

…and the rewrites begin!

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Nina Soden

Woo Hoo… So, I got the email today, TODAY! The editor has sent back my final edits, and I am not entering the process of the 6-week rewrite! In my last post I set up a rather ambitious 6 week plan to get my book rewritten and published, and I will do my best to finish in that time, without making mistakes that will cause my book to suffer.

So once again here is the plan:

Week 1 – Reread the book and all editor’s notes
Week 2 – Outline changes, rearrange chapters (if needed) based on editor’s notes
Week 3 – Rewrite cover to cover
Week 4 – Reread the book for content, timeline, character motivation
Week 5 – Reread the book for edits: grammar, spelling, etc.
Week 6 – Final changes, format, upload, and publish

Wish me luck… because you probably won’t hear from me to much other than a quick weekly update along the way to keep you posted. I plan to do a Monday morning update at the end of each week… I will share my highs and lows, my tears and my joy… you get it!

Now I’m off….

Beginnings ~ a Blood Angel novel by Nina Soden
Coming soon to e-readers everywhere!

I THINK I’M LOSING MY MIND!

Posted on April 2, 2013 by Nina Soden

I haven’t written in over six (6) months, and I think I’m losing my mind. It isn’t because of writers block, lack of ideas, or even a lack of desire. Its that I haven’t gotten my book back from the editor yet. I don’t blame her… the first or the second. Life happens and we move on.

Now, it is April 1st – the first day of the second quarter in 2013 – and I was hoping to already have BEGINNINGS – the 2nd book in The Blood Angel Series published by now, but I have yet to do the final rewrites. Oh well, life happens and we move on. I think that is going to be my new motto. lol

Well, since I don’t yet have Beginnings ready to be published I am going to do this – SET A GOAL! Yeah, I like goals, they give me something to strive for. So, this is my latest and greatest: Whenever I do get the book back from my editor… I will give myself 6 weeks to do the rewrites. It really shouldn’t take that long, but since I do work full-time (not as a writer), have two kids to take care of, and am a major character in a play right now that is still in the very busy rehearsal process… I kind of have a lot on my plate. Below is my writers plan, for whenever I get my edits back… this is just a little glimpse into my process as a writer:

Week 1 – Reread the book and all editor’s notes
Week 2 – Outline changes, rearrange chapters (if needed) based on editor’s notes
Week 3 – Rewrite cover to cover
Week 4 – Reread the book for content, timeline, character motivation
Week 5 – Reread the book for edits: grammar, spelling, etc.
Week 6 – Final changes, format, upload, and publish

To ambitious? Maybe, but I work best under pressure so I figure if I put it out there… I kind of have to try to meet the deadline. Now all I need is to get the book back from the editor so I can start the process.

Beginnings ~ a Blood Angel novel by Nina Soden
Coming soon to e-readers everywhere!

Hmmm…. what to do until then?

AWAKEN – Press Release – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Posted on March 6, 2013 by Nina Soden

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 6, 2013

AWAKEN ~ a Blood Angel novel

by Nina Soden

HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA March 5, 2013 – Awaken is set in a world very much like our own, yet Atlanta isn’t just an ordinary city and Alee Moyer isn’t just an ordinary girl. Having barely survived her childhood it will take the death of her father for the truth of her true bloodline to come out. It may mean losing her life, or at least her identity, but she cannot escape her true destiny as the first surviving Dhampir in history. Surrounded by a new world where the horror films she grew up watching have become reality and the most unlikely characters have become her lifeline, Alee will struggle to find herself and her purpose. Part horror thriller – part tender romance, Awaken will leave readers eagerly wanting more!

“From the opening scene to the final chapter, the characters in this book dive onto the page and demand your attention” Stated The Gena Monologues http://www.genamonologues.com/2012_09_01_archive.html

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Huntsville author, Nina Soden, has always been creative, in art, theatre, film – anything but singing! She earned her bachelor’s degree in Theatre and Military Science from Eastern Michigan University where she spent most of her time either on stage, rappelling down buildings, or working one of three jobs. After college she moved to Los Angeles, like so many other actors, in pursuit of her dreams. In 2008, after some major life changes, Nina self-published her first book PRIVATE WORDS UNSPOKEN, a compilation of poetry. Since then, her dreams have gotten bigger and she likes to think her storytelling ability has gotten better. She has done everything from secretarial work to business development and was even the Director of a private preschool. She has fired a M16, jumped out of a C130, and given birth – TWICE – but she always returns to her art.

Though she’ll forever be a Michigan girl at heart, she now lives in Alabama with her husband and two beautiful children. If she’s not working on her latest story, you can find her lounging with a good book, playing with her kids, or indulging in her unhealthy addiction to Starbucks coffee.

For additional information about Awaken, the debut novel in the Blood Angel series visit http://www.ninasoden.wordpress.com, or download Awaken to your kindle, Nook, iPad, or other e-reader, anywhere e-books are sold, today! ISBN: 978-1-46891-158-9

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AWAKEN ~ a Blood Angel novel – 1st Quarter Sales

Posted on December 2, 2012 by Nina Soden

As you all know, I wrote a book.

BookTango – Amazon – Barnes & Noble – Books on Board – Kobo – Sony

AWAKEN, is the first book in my Blood Angel series, and it was published on July 29th of this year, which only gave me two months to sell during my first quarter in the published world.

How did AWAKEN do?

Well, I sold some books! That’s a start. I just got my quarterly earnings report and I was so happy to see that I sold twenty-three copies in the first two months. Yeah, I know twenty-three copies isn’t going to get me on the best sellers list, but for someone who started this just for fun as a creative outlet the fact that I sold even one book made me happy.

I just wanted to say think you to the twenty-three people out there that cared enough to buy my book. I hope you enjoyed it, and that you are looking forward to book number two, BEGINNINGS!

Beginnings is currently with the editor undergoing what I hope is its final round of edits, but you never know. The plan is to have Beginnings out on the online virtual bookshelves early 2013, but stay tuned to www.ninasoden.wordpress.com for updates.

For those of you that haven’t picked up your copy yet please do. I am a firm believer in supporting the arts, artists, and anyone trying to make their place in the world. If you feel the same way, please click on one of the links below and GET YOUR COPY TODAY:

BookTango – Amazon – Barnes & Noble – Books on Board – Kobo – Sony

Follow me to learn more and find out exciting new updates as I complete BEGINNINGS book 2 of the Blood Angel series:

Blog – Twitter – Facebook

Goal… #WRITING

Posted on October 5, 2012 by Nina Soden

It’s Friday night, and while so many people are out on the town for a date-night of dinner and a movie I’m going to be home cuddling on my couch with a cozy blanket, my laptop and a glass of wine. That might not sound great to you, but to me it sounds divine!

The thing is I love date-night with my hubby, but I rarely set aside time for just me. So, with that in mind, that is exactly what I am going to do tonight. After I get the kids to sleep the television will be turned off and I will be in the zone… the WRITING ZONE! Which, brings me back to the title of this post [Goal… #WRITING] My goal for tonight’s writing session is 4 chapters in BEGINNINGS the second book in the Blood Angel series! What is the Blood Angel series you ask… VERY GOOD QUESTION. The Blood Angel series is my first YA novel series. It all started with AWAKEN, which I published at the end of July 2012 and it continues with BEGINNINGS which I hope to publish later this year, or early 2013. You can check out the Blood Angel Series Facebook Page and read all about it.

I might be able to do more, depending on how late I can get myself to stay up, but I’m trying to be realistic. I’d like to say that I am one of those authors that can pump out 5000 words a day, but unfortunately I have a full-time job, two kids, and a house to take care of. That leave little time for me to just be the author me. Its to bad someone hasn’t come along and offered to pay me to write all day – that would be great!!! Hint Hint!!! So, for now, I will be happy with the little amount of time I do get to write, and I will focus on my small successes, and tonight I am hoping for that to be 4 chapters.

Wish me luck, and enjoy your evening – no matter how you end up spending it.

Praise for AWAKEN ~ a BLOOD ANGEL novel

Posted on September 28, 2012 by Nina Soden

As you are aware… I wrote a book. Yeah, it isn’t new news but It is still pretty exciting. However, what is even more exciting is that people are reading it – AND LOVING IT!!!

But, don’t take my word for it – take theirs!

AWAKEN ~ a BLOOD ANGEL novel

REVIEW #1:

http://genamonologues.blogspot.com/2012/09/seriouslypublished-and-everything.html?zx=beb3c5914603fa86

…From the opening scene to the final chapter, the
characters in this book dive onto the page and demand your attention. Awaken’s heroine, Alee Moyer, comes into the
world under a cloud of mystery and death defying odds. By the time she realizes what questions she
must ask, she has answers that bring her questions that she can’t begin to
comprehend… [READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE]

REVIEW #2:

http://wp.me/p4rV3-1gO

…There’s vampires, witches and shape-shifters — oh my! The fun part of the story, I thought, was trying to figure out which characters were morphing into which and how the changes were going to affect their relationships with each other… [READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE]

Once you have read the reviews and are SUPER EXCITED to read the book… get your own copy at one of the following sites

BookTango – Amazon – Barnes & Noble – Books on Board – Kobo – Sony

Follow me to learn more and find out exciting new updates as I complete book 2: Blog – Twitter – Facebook

Cover Reveal – Beginnings ~ a Blood Angel novel

Posted on September 12, 2012 by Nina Soden

I am so excited to reveal the cover for BEGINNINGS the second book in my Blood Angel series, which has an expected release date of early 2013 (maybe sooner).

BEGINNINGS SYNOPSIS:

Ever since her funeral, seventeen-year-old Alee Moyer has discovered there is a whole new side to her sweet little town. In her new identity as Aleerah Wenham, she has had to learn to accept that the horror movies she grew up watching weren’t all make-believe, and that life isn’t always as simple as she might hope but can be a lot more exciting.

Theres a new boy at school that has her heart skipping a beat and questioning her feelings for her boyfriend Kyle, but is he really who he says he is or is there more to his story too?

Read the story that started it all AWAKEN by Nina Soden available now online!

Links: BookTango – Amazon – Barnes & Noble – Books on Board – Kobo – Sony

Follow me to learn more and find out exciting new updates as I complete book 2: Blog – Twitter – Facebook

Nina Soden

#TheRedheadedAuthor

Category Archives: The process

Rewrites… Week Three In Review

Rewrites… Week Two In Review

Rewrites… Week One In Review

…and the rewrites begin!

I THINK I’M LOSING MY MIND!

AWAKEN – Press Release – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AWAKEN ~ a Blood Angel novel – 1st Quarter Sales

Goal… #WRITING

Praise for AWAKEN ~ a BLOOD ANGEL novel

Cover Reveal – Beginnings ~ a Blood Angel novel

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