Monday, July 25, 2011

GWESPE: Two Lessons Well Learned

The Grand Sophy 

Lesson #1:  Pick a work that you can finish quickly and will keep you actively engaged no matter what.  This way, if you have the attention span of a flea with ADHD, you are less likely to raise the white flag and move on to some other project you won't finish ;-)

Lesson #2:   To perk up flagging interest, read reference works or fiction that serves as such for your work.  This way, when you get obsessed with others' works, you can at least mollify yourself that "it's research."

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Been a while since I was checked in.  Wish I could say I was busy writing up a storm this whole time, but I wasn't.   Last week, over a period of 5 days, I read four Georgette Heyer novels (hence lesson #2).  Though I have to admit, I do pick up research by immersion.  That is, I've caught myself saying a few things that sounded positively . . . Regencyish ;-)  Better yet, I picked up a few tidbits to put into my Regency/Victorianish time-swamp of a novel.

But this is my last week of work at the college before a three-week break.  I've committed myself to getting half my writing and editing related work done during this time.

However, I don't expect to do much work on my novel this week yet, due two major changes:  we adopted a dog and we are renovating the basement's floor.  The first is problematic because we have other dogs, and this new one is a young poodle.  Which means hyper, hyper, hyper.  (Pictures coming soon, and maybe a video if I can train him to jump into my arms from the floor.) The second's problems began Friday, because everything has to be removed from the room, and as a writer, I'm not afraid to say I am terribly addicted to books.  Finally, unrelated to the above reasons .... I'm stilling reading Georgette Heyer, but at least my ardure has faded to a mere tendre for the books.

Oh, and to close up this post and just because, here is the list of my four diversions from last week:

  1. Charity Girl
  2. Lady of Quality
  3. Sylvester
  4. The Grand Sophy

Of which, the last one was the best.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Reviving The Great Writing Experiment: Self-Publishing an Ebook

Awhile back I mentioned I wanted to start an experiment on self-publishing ebooks.  Then life happened, and I didn't really work on it.  Anyway, starting a few weeks ago, I unofficially resurrected it.  Now, I want to officially do so. 

Why?  To keep me on track, focused.  To share information.  And because recently I came across someone else doing the same thing, but this person comes across as a Doubting Thomas, negative about the process, expecting the worst.  And, to be frank, that is the worst way to go about this.  After all, you don't expect the worst when you seek the commercial publishing route, so why should you with this route?  And if you do, then you shouldn't do it.  Because, as they say, you tend to get what you expect out of life.  Positive outlook is by far a greater motivator than a negative one will ever be, and I rather my work be sabotaged by positivity and hope than negativity and doubt.  So, my blogged experiment will be a positive counterpoint. 

In a later post, I'll talk about my goals, what novel I am working on for it, expected finish date, preliminary self-publishing work, practice, studies, research--whatever I think will be of help to others, and I will do my best to be positive at the same time (not easy when I am a struggling, born-again optimist).  That doesn't mean there won't be learning curves, disappointments, and hard work ahead, it just means that overall I'm going to look upon it all as a positive experience.  A positive experiment.  I hope you will do so too.

Update on Anthology Story: Knock

Awhile back I mentioned I had a story accepted for the Mother Goose is Dead: Modern Stories of Myths, Fables and Fairy Tales‏ anthology.  "Knock" is a story inspired by Franz Kafka's tale "The Knock at the Manor Gate."  It's about a world where something so simple as a rap on the wrong door could have lasting consequences.  It's an original fable, I guess you could day.

Well, there has been some recent news on the anthology.  We have a cover, as you can see.  Also, we have a new publisher, Damnation Books, which will release both print and ebook versions.  And I have signed and sent in my contracts and W9.  

Anyway, everything seems to be moving along nicely, and it all seems to be going well.  I'm looking forward to working with this publisher, and I can't wait to have a copy in my hands.  This is a great bunch, editors included, to work with.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Fanfiction Fix

On the AW forums, there is an interesting thread about writers who started out writing fanfiction first.  I'm one of them.  In fact, I still read fanfiction.  More, one of the reasons why I decided to work on my duet of novels (Letters of the Dead and Eyes of the Gods) is the fact that I'm in Surpernatural withdrawals. 

My duet is an older series that I let languish because I didn't think I could revise it to look like commercially published books.  Also, it tended to be shorter than what they published. The duet series was written during a nano session.  I'm thinking 2007, but I'm not sure.  Anyway, the first novel was written and the second half written. 

As I started re-reading and outlining and planning fixes on my duet, I realized the first novel especially reminded me of Cass and Dean interactions.  I thought cool:  motivation!  Something to help not only with my drive to publish something this year, but with my SPN fixation as well.