Tag Archives: writing

October 2015 in Review

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I have been a BAD LITTLE BLOGGER!

October came and went and we are not half way through November and I’m not really sure I’ve touched my blog. The time has just flown by and I have NOT been productive at all!!! At least not in my writing efforts. Granted I did release my latest novel on October 31st, but I have yet to start writing my next book. 😦

I guess it is time to admit my failure… So, without further ado, let us take a look at the raw data for October.

WRITING

  • Blog Posts – 4 (WHAT?!?! That is so sad… and yet, it is the 15th of November and I am posting my first post of the month. I have a feeling November will be even worse.)
  • Fiction Writing – NOTHING!!! I didn’t type a single word in October. However, I do have a reason. I am working with a local elementary school to help the 2nd graders write short stories. I’m going to be publishing a compilation of the 2nd-grade stories in a book sometime in December. So, my 2015 4th quarter is dedicated to the 100+ students and their wonderful imaginations. Their stories don’t always make sense, they don’t have clear plot lines, and they often have very random structure, but they are amazing too. I feel truly inspired by their creativity and their desire to write. Although I am editing the stories, just a little, I will not be changing their voice, their structure, or their plot lines. I want the kids to look back, years from now, and see how their minds worked at the age of 7 and 8. I plan to make the soft-cover book available on Amazon, so that each of them can take pride in their story and be proud of themselves for what they accomplished. No, its not a book for everyone, but it would make a wonderful gift for a young child who has aspirations of one day becoming an author. ‘Adventures at School ~ Stories by Kids for Kids’ Look for it on Amazon.com later this year!

BOOKS

  • Reading:
    • Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Harry Potter #1)
  • Finished:
    • QBQ! The Question Behind the Question: Practicing Personal Accountability at Work and in Life by John G. Miller

GOODREADS & AMAZON 

FANS / FOLLOWERS

THINGS TO LOOK FORWARD TO:

  • SECTOR C ~ The Hunted – Book 2 of the SECTOR C Series NOW AVAILABLE HERE!
  • YA FICTION NEWSLETTER – The 3rd installment of my quarterly newsletter all about young adult fiction will be out early January. I hope you will sign up and join the mailing list (I WILL NOT SPAM) to check it out. I will also be doing Newsletter Subscriber Giveaways occasionally so, sign up by clicking HERE .

I’ve linked to all of my social media sites throughout this post, so please help my numbers grow in August!! Friend, Like, Subscribe, and as always, please share my posts with your friends. Lastly, thank you to anyone who follows me and especially to those of you who have read through this entire post. I know it was long, but I think we all need a little accountability in our life. Putting everything out there, is how I hope to keep myself motivated to do all this marketing stuff everyone keeps telling me I need to do.

Where I Write

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I’m a new writer, or fairly new. I published my first novel in 2012, but I still feel like I’m learning everyday. By no means do I believe I know how all this “writing stuff” is done or supposed to be done, but I do know what works for me… right now anyway. What will work for me two years from now or somewhere down the road might be completely different, who knows.

So, where do I write? EVERYWHERE I CAN!

OK, let me clarify, I write – as in type my manuscripts – only three places at my desk, sitting in bed (I’ll explain below), and at a corner table at Starbucks. BUT… that isn’t where the majority of my writing process takes place. By the time I sit down at my computer, I’ve already written the next page, chapter, story, etc. My writing process starts well before my fingers tickle the keyboard.

Where it all begins…

The shower – I take long showers. Really long showers sometimes. Maybe even too long. But I always find it fascinating that I do some of my best brainstorming in the shower. It’s the only time I have where kids don’t interrupt, the tv isn’t blaring, and I can hear my own thoughts, also known as the voices in my head. Shower-time provides a quiet oasis where I can imagine my characters, the situations they can get into, and what they would do to get out of them. I’ve even gone so far as to ‘write’ out, word for word, dialog scenes. I’ll repeat the conversations over and over in my head until I can get out and type or write them down.

Running Errands – In the car, walking, in the checkout line at the grocery store. I do a lot of notetaking while I’m out running errands. Many of my notes never amount to anything, but I still write them all down because every now and then there’s a great one that I can mold into something really fun later on. I’m the girl with her phone or iPad out typing up my book title ideas, character descriptions, conversations, etc. in my “notes” app. Yup, there’s an app for that. I even carry a notebook around in my purse, just in case I get a really good idea that I need to run with right then. That way, if inspiration strikes… I can grab the bull by the horns and run with it.

Where words meet paper…

At my desk – My favorite place to write has to be my desk. I mean, isn’t that every writer’s dream? To have a desk of their own… maybe even a whole office, with a window and a great view, some art for inspiration, and a wonderful bookshelf full of their favorite authors. I have the desk, the office, poster-size images of my book covers hanging on my walls for inspiration. I even have the window. However, my  bookshelves are full of “work” stuff – not books. But, four out of five isn’t that bad. 

When do I write at my desk? That’s a great question because I can’t always do it. If the kids are awake they tend to pull me in a thousand different directions and I get way to distracted. If it’s Monday – Friday between the hours of 7:00am and 3:00pm, I’m working… from home, but still working. Therefore, writing is put on hold. That leaves evenings, when the kids are distracted with other things, very VERY early mornings, and weekends. I actually prefer the mornings. I like waking up early, sitting down with a fresh cup of coffee, and getting into the writing zone. I try to devote 30-60 minutes every morning to my writing before I start work if possible, and one weekend morning each week. I feel the most productive in the early hours while the house is still quiet and birds are chirping outside my window. I leave the blinds closed and can imagine I’m out in a cabin, secluded and surrounded by trees. The idea of nature tends to help get my creative juices flowing.  

In Bed – My second favorite place to type is my bed. I get all comfy cozy and surround myself with pillows and cuddle up with my laptop. My favorite time to do this? Late at night, after I’ve put the kids to bed, or early Saturday morning before the kids have woken up. There is just something about being so comfortable that your body is lost halfway between sleep and consciousness. It’s like your mind can slip more easily into creative thinking… kind of like day-dreaming. I come up with some of my best action scenes while I’m writing this way, but I always have to go back and re-read them when I’m more awake, because inevitably I’m so tired that the number of spelling and miss-used words increases.

Starbucks – Just a little plug for my favorite coffee shop. The Starbucks I like has a comfy chair in the back corner where I can sit, without being bothered, and just zone out and type. The aroma of coffee surrounds me and I can just give into creativity. It’s wonderful but very rare that I actually get there to write.

So, if you’re a writer, where do you write? If you’re a reader, where do you read?

Do you use Grammarly? Here are my thoughts!

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I was recently asked to give Grammarly a try.

“What’s Grammarly?” I asked.

THE ANSWER AMAZED ME!

Their website www.grammarly.com says that Grammarly is “the world’s most accurate grammar checker.” I decided that I should be the judge of that myself. The program allows you to either download or cut and paste your text into their online platform. Once the text is in the program, it scans for over 250 points of grammar. Now, I’m not going to list them all but some of the things it looks for are:

Contextual Spelling
Grammar
Punctuation
Sentence Structure
Style
Plagiarism

My Test Drive:

In order to test out “the world’s most accurate grammar checker” I decided to cut and paste, into their online platform, the latest chapter of the novel I’m writing:

The Hunted

(COMING SOON)

Just a little plug for me 🙂

WOW – OMG – SO COOL!!!

The program proceeded to mark grammar issues, words that were miss used, spelling errors, and even overused words – things that Microsoft Word doesn’t find. Things that I am sure my editor will love for me to have fixed before sending her my manuscript. Already, after only five minutes with the program, I was sold.

But wait, there’s more!

There is a FREE version!!!

Nope, that’s not all…

If you upgrade to the premium version, you can also download Grammarly to your computer and activate it in Microsoft Word. That means you don’t have to upload your manuscript to the internet or cut and paste it into the online platform. This made me feel so much safer. So, I gave it a shot.

download

Once the download was complete, I opened up my current work in progress. The 176-page document (34,632 words) only took a matter of minutes to be processed. When it was done, Grammarly had marked all of the “errors”. From the use of passive voice, squinting modifiers,  incorrect use of commas, and so much more. No, I don’t like my “errors” to be thrown in my face, but trust me I am glad that there is a tool that will allow me to catch them now – before I send the completed document to the editor. PLUS – I can now use Grammarly as I type instead of going back and trying to catch the errors after the first draft is already completed.

Grammarly

Here’s a little more information

Grammarly’s free version checks for the most frequently made writing mistakes.

  • 100 points of grammar
  • Contextual spellchecker
  • Punctuation checks
  • Works anywhere on the web. (Use the editor at Grammarly.com or use the free Chrome add-on)

Grammarly Premium eliminates both basic and advanced errors.

unnamed

  • 250+ points of grammar
  • Sentence structure
  • Style checks
  • Vocabulary enhancement
  • Plagiarism detection
  • Document type checker (business, academic, etc.)
  • Windows Microsoft Office add-in

My recommendation…

If you are a writer – GET Grammarly NOW!

Still not convinced? Check out the screenshots below to see more things you can do with Grammarly!

Use Grammarly to help edit your emails to ensure the quality of writing.
Use Grammarly to help edit your emails to ensure the quality of writing.
Choose your document type.
Choose your document type.
Choose what types of errors you want Grammarly to find.
Choose what types of errors you want Grammarly to find.

What are your thoughts? If you’ve used Grammarly or another program like it, please share your thoughts by commenting below. 

2015 – New Year’s Resolutions!

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2015

OK, let me start by saying I am excellent at making New Year’s resolutions! I should also say that I’m not very good at keeping them, at least not passed a month or two. Like most people my New Year’s resolutions are usually filled with things like exercise more, eat healthier, give up sweets, and learn to cook! Well, this year I am doing something a little different. I read an article Your TED-inspired New Year’s resolutions and it got me VERY inspired. If you haven’t read this list yet – DO IT! You can click on the article title and it will take you directly to the website. You can also review my list below… I have adapted, to fit my needs, many of the resolutions from the TEDBlog list and added a few of my own.

So, without further ado – here are my 2015 New Year’s Resolutions:

  • Make time to WRITE! 

As an aspiring author (indie-Author) making time to write shouldn’t be that hard. I mean… it is what I want to do right?! Well, in reality, I have a family and two beautiful (ENERGETIC) children, work a full-time job, participate in community theatre, and of course wear the hat of wife, mom, cook, maid, chef, and so many other parts. So, finding a few quiet minutes to relax and write isn’t always easy. BUT I WILL DO BETTER! In 2015 I am committing myself to the following:

  1. Spending 15 minutes per weekday (minimum) writing/reviewing/editing/rewriting my latest novel (whatever that might be at the time) – EXCEPT while on vacations!
  2. Publishing no less than 1 blog post per week!

  • Walk MORE, sit LESS!

I’m not much of a walker, I actually prefer to run, but this resolution is just to represent that I plan to make more of an effort to get out of my chair and be more active. Walking/Running has always been a great time for me to think through story ideas and work through writers’ block – So, this year I will use it as a preventative instead of a cure!

  • Practice gratefulness EVERY day!

To often I feel that I don’t say thank you enough, or show people how truly grateful I am. This year I plan to reach out and show my thanks more throughout the day not only for the big things in life but the little things that are all to often forgotten.

  • Practice patience EVERY day!

This is a big one for me. When I am stressed it tends to bleed over into my family life. I am promising myself, my children, and my husband that I will practice patience at home. I won’t allow my stress at work or with my writing to affect how I interact with my family.

  • Set realistic goals and allow myself time to meet them!

Like many of you I have lots of goals in life, some are realistic and others are pipe dreams. Instead of chasing the pipe dreams, this year I will focus on the realistic goals. By setting both long-term and short-term goals I hope to have a more productive and fulfilling year. I plan to post my list of goals in a separate post.

  • Allow my stress to work FOR me not AGAINST me!

When I was in college I thrived on deadlines. Even in the business world, when I was working outside of the house, I LOVED deadlines. With my current job I don’t get a lot of that. Now my work is pretty much self-motivated and self-created, except for the rare time when a proposal has to be created and turned around within days. Other than that deadlines are never very pressing. This year, by setting deadlines for my goals (to be posted later) I will allow the hustle and bustle of ‘deadline stress’ to work FOR me not AGAINST me!

  • Make time to READ!

I LOVE to read! In 2013 I read 17 books and in 2014 I read 23 books. I know that might sound like a lot to many people, but it really isn’t – not for me! This year, I will watch less television and read more. Reading sparks creativity and keeps your brain active. So, in 2015 my goal is to read 30 books. It isn’t that much higher than this year, but I’m taking baby steps.

  • Take regular breaks from the digital world!

It is my personal opinion that the digital world (cell phones, tablets, computers, laptops, video games, etc.) have taken control of to much of our time. So, I am putting time limits on myself. I use my cell phone, laptop, and iPad for work – that means while I’m working I have to be “plugged in.” However, I don’t have to be plugged in 24/7. So, I am committing to turn off all electronic devises at 5:00 every night. The only exceptions would be if I am not at home, my kids aren’t at home, or my husband isn’t home – In those cases I will keep my cell phone on so that we can stay in contact. Besides, we have a house line so if there was an emergency family can reach me there!

 

OK, there you have it – my 2015 New Year’s resolutions! What are yours? Please share them below and help to inspire those people who maybe haven’t figured out theirs yet.

New Adventure – UPDATE

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writing-center-wordlie

On September 12th I announced that I was starting a new adventure in my writing. I had begun writing a new story on September 3rd. My goal was to have the first draft completed by the end of the month (September). Well, that didn’t happen BUT I did complete the first draft by October 3rd which works for me.

 

My process has been slightly different for this book. I’m working on my document in the cloud! I feel like there should be a drum roll or something when I say that. Anyway, I have three beta-readers that always do my initial content/grammar edits and since I was working in the cloud I was able to share the document for editing purposes. I am so excited to announce that not only am I done with my first draft, but one of my editors has completed her read/review/edit/etc. and I have already incorporated her changes and made some major rewrites based on her suggestions. One beta-reader down… two to go. The document has already been shared with them and I am hoping to have their edits by the end of this month (wishful thinking? maybe).

GOAL LIST:

* Come up with a title for the story (novel)
* Get the final draft off to the editor by the end of November
* Have the cover design complete by the end of November
* Have first edit complete by December 15th
* Have final edit complete by January 15th
* Book release – END OF JANUARY

OK, my goal list might be a little ambitious, considering it is all dependent on the schedule of other people. I have no idea of my final two beta-readers will be able to finish the story by the end of this month or if my editor will be available during the month of December – holidays and all. But, if all else fails I can push everything two months and release at the end of March… worst case scenario (I hope).

 

In the meantime… I will be working on the next book! Oh, and trying to figure out the title, designing the cover, working my full-time job, and living the life of a mother, wife, etc. YES – I WEAR MANY HATS!

A New Adventure

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I am so excited to announce that I have started a

NEW ADVENTURE

adventure road sign

As many of you already know, I published the final installment of the Blood Angels Series at the end of August. But, what you don’t know is that I kicked off September by starting my new series “Title Unknown”.

I started typing the first page on Wednesday September 3rd and have, in only 10 short days, already completed the first 19 chapters. That might not be a lot for some authors, but for me that is huge. I only have a short time each day to write, about an hour, so getting through that much in such a short time is thrilling. I hope to have my first draft completed by the end of the month. After that… EDITS – REWRITES – EDITS – REWRITES – EDITS – REWRITES – etc. until the book is perfect.

I will post a blurb soon – So stay toned.

I can’t wait to share this new story with all of you. So, if you have enjoyed my other stories, are just looking for something new, or love to support indie-authors – please show your support by commenting below and sharing this news on your Facebook, twitter, Google+, and all other social media sites.

Where to “follow”, “like”, “subscribe”, and purchase the Blood Angel Series:

Why I Write!

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It is no secret that becoming a successful author, one who can quit their day job and fully support their lifestyle through their writing, is about as likely as stumbling across a big pot of gold on Saint Patrick’s Day. Okay, maybe it’s not quiet that rare, it does happen… but not very often.

write

So, why do I write? 

Believe me, it isn’t about the fame and fortune! The fame… hasn’t come. The fortune… sure, I have sold a few books. Actually, I have sold more than a few, but nowhere near the number I would need to sell in order to quit my day job. I’ve sold enough to make back the money I spent on developing and publishing my first two books… So, breaking even, is that the reason I write? NO!

No one wants to put their heart and soul into something they are passionate about just to “break even”. But, like I said for me it isn’t about the fame and fortune. For me it is about the story!

I write because I have stories that fill my head and are itching to come out. I have characters that my imagination has made up… that feel so real to me that they need to have a voice. Okay, maybe you’re thinking that right about now I sound a little crazy… maybe I do, maybe all authors are a bit crazy, but I’m not really saying that I have imaginary friends that talk to me or anything. So, don’t take it the wrong way. I’m just saying that I have, and I think many authors do, an active imagination that presents itself to me through stories. I could keep them all bottled up in my head, but how fun would that be? No much. For me the fun is putting them on paper and seeing if anyone else, no matter how many or how few, thinks they are as cool as I do. If authors didn’t write we wouldn’t have books, plays, movies, TV shows…

Have I had success? That is a hard question – first you have to understand what success really is!

suc·cess [suh k-ses]  Show IPA

noun

  1. the favorable or prosperous termination of attempts or endeavors; the accomplishment of one’s goals.
  2. the attainment of wealth, position, honors, or the like.
  3. a performance or achievement that is marked by success, as by the attainment of honors: The play was an instant success.
  4. a person or thing that has had success, as measured by attainment of goals, wealth, etc.: She was agreat success on the talk show.

Okay, so I may not have success in the financial sense, but YES I feel I have had success, and let me tell you why… (1) I have accomplished a goal of mine – PUBLISHING A BOOK… Not only one, but two – and I’m getting ready to publish number 3!!! (2) I have a few “fans” that ask me on a pretty regular basis, “when is the next book coming out?” WHAT A GREAT FEELING!!! I love the fact that there are actually people out there… not many but some… that are eagerly waiting for my next book. I’ve only published two books (I did publish a book of poetry before the two novels… but I’m not counting that) but those two books have been read and enjoyed!!! Success!!! (3) Another reason I believe I have had success… There is a girl… in Michigan… who actually wrote a BOOK REPORT for SCHOOL on Awaken, the first book in my Blood Angel Series! SUCH A COOL FEELING!!! Yup, an official school book report about my book was written, turned in, and graded! She sent me a photo (see below) and everything. It was one of my proudest moments as an author. The idea that she enjoyed it that much.

Book Report

So yeah, I might not have financial success from being a self-published author… but I still feel successful, and even if I only have a couple dozen avid readers… I will continue to write for them, and for me!

So, you know my passion and why I do it! What is your passion and why do you do it?

Rewrites… Week Five In Review

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Haven't checked out the Blood Angel series on Facebook yet? Well, you should!

Haven’t checked out the Blood Angel series on Facebook yet? Well, you should! www.facebook.com/BloodAngelSeries

Why is it that when I’m approaching a personal deadline my life gets crazy CRAZY busy?!

Tech week… performances… babysitter cancelling… work deadlines leading to me having to work LATE EVERY NIGHT… stress… StReSs… STRESS!!!

Wow… So I didn’t have much time to do anything this past week, but I did get the book uploaded to the online self-publishing software. Now I just need to make the final edits, error corrections, format adjustments, etc. and then hit send!

Okay, it feels crazy that I am this close to publishing book two. If someone would have asked me two years ago if I believed I would publish a novel I would have said, doubtful! I definitely would never have guessed that I would have two full-length novels published! But man does it feel good.

Okay so here is a recap…

  • 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. (DONE and THANKFUL FOR IT!)
  • Week 6 – Final changes, format, upload, and publish (VERY EXCITED TO SAY THAT THE BOOK HAS BEEN COMPLETELY UPLOADED AND FINAL ERRORS WILL BE WORKED ON THIS WEEK. I HAD PLANS TO HIT “SEND” AND SUBMIT IT TO THE PUBLISHER BY THURSDAY OF THIS WEEK, BUT THAT ISN”T GOING TO HAPPEN. I AM CROSSING MY FINGERS FOR SUNDAY!)

Yes, it was short but sweet… Next week my update better say “PUBLISHED”. However, I am not going to get down on myself either way… Just going to think positive!

Now, off the subject… Sunday was Mother’s Day and mine was great! My kids and husband got me the prettiest charms for my favorite bracelet and we got to go out to dinner after a day at the theatre. Spending the day on stage with my hubby and being backstage with my kids at the theatre (because the babysitter cancelled) was actually very nice. They were very well-behaved and loved by everyone.

Okay… back to work.

When you get a chance tell me how your writing is coming along. I know I talk a lot about myself here, but I really do care how my readers are doing and what you are all up to. Please share!

Rewrites… Week Four In Review

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Haven't checked out the Blood Angel series on Facebook yet? Well, you should!

Click here to check out Blood Angel Series on Facebook!

WEEK FOUR IN REVIEW…

Okay, I just need to get this off my chest for a minute. There are days, most, in which I feel that I am simply writing this blog to amuse myself, which I do by the way. Its like… emptiness out there. I put all this stuff out there into the world, but no one every comments or responds. Is it a waste of time? Should I stop? Hmmm… makes me wonder. I’m not planning to stop though because if for no other reason than to be able to look back and read about my journey, I want the blog.

So, week for has come and gone – how did I do, you ask…

Well, my goal was simple: Reread the book for content, timeline, and character motivation. Yeah, like  I said last week – I already took care of that during week one, so I skipped ahead to my week five goal of: Reread the book for edits: grammar spelling, etc. Well, that is done, and I gotta say I didn’t find to many errors. I found some and glad for it, but honestly the more you read your own writing the less you see wrong with it. I am sure the first person that buys a copy will spot a typo on page one, but like I have said a thousand times, “I am a self-published author. I don’t promise no mistakes, typos, spelling errors, and grammatical issues. All I can promise is that I will put my heart and soul into every thing I write, and I hope that you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it.”

Okay… Monday started week five, and being ahead of the game – the week six goal: Final changes, format, upload, and publish.

How do I do this? Simple, a plea to my editor for any final edits she has come up with in the weeks since giving me her last comments, then the dreaded process of transforming the book from a plain old word document to an easy to maneuver and well formatted e-book. Actually the process isn’t all the dreaded. With BookTango it is actually very simple. You just upload the document and they it points out all of your formatting errors… Makes you feel kind of stupid for making 100-200 (sometimes more) formatting errors in the first place, but they are easy to fix.

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. (DONE and THANKFUL FOR IT!)
  • Week 6 – Final changes, format, upload, and publish (VERY EXCITED TO SAY THAT BY MONDAY OF WEEK SIX THE BOOK WILL BE COMPLETELY UPLOADED AND FINAL ERRORS WILL BE WORKED ON. I PLAN TO HIT SEND TO THE PUBLISHER BY THURSDAY OF WEEK 6! THAT IS THREE DAYS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE!)

Okay, so back to my journey… I hope you are enjoying my journey and partaking in one of your own. If you are… tell me all about it!

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

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

Live your life… but indulge in the lives of others through literature.

Rewrites… Week Three In Review

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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!

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