Tag: Revision

Weekly writing check-in: that’s fairly rough

I’m not really sure why I’m so surprised that my rough draft is so … rough.

But it is, and I am.

Okay, not too surprised. I do need to pull out an entire section (trust me, it doesn’t work) and delete an entire character (he’ll just have to wait for another book/series). I was hoping that the structure, at least, was solid, if not the prose.

Alas.

But I slept on it. In the morning, things looked brighter (as things tend to do). I have a sense of what the story and the revision need and how that will cascade into the other two novellas in Coffee & Ghosts Season Four.

Again, I’m writing at the speed of tortoise, but I’m nevertheless pleased with my progress this week.

Weekly writing check-in: plotting the plot

This week, I played around with ideas and structure for The Trouble with Necromancers (which may or may not remain as the title).

I do not want to revise (once again!) only to realize that I’m no closer to the true story.

Therefore, I’m questioning everything.

And I do mean everything. Lots of what if and do I need that and what happens when …

I hope this is it. If it isn’t? Well, then there’s a good chance this book and series weren’t meant to be. Or maybe that I need to let it compost for much, much longer than I have.

But I hope not. Let’s see what this new week brings.

Wish me luck.

Weekly writing check-in: a bump in the road

Not an actual representation of a plot bump

Hit a bit of a bump in the road–or plot as the case may be–with The Trouble with Necromancers. It seems that I have some … trouble.

So, this week, I looked at a new structure for the novel, and yes, that may take some (major) rewriting/re-drafting.

But I’m hoping this time I finally have what I need to tell this story.

However, I did manage to write a short story this week, one that was a lot of fun.

And that’s about it. It was a quiet, contemplative week, writing-wise.

Weekly writing check-in: polar vortex and editing

The only way to deal with the polar vortex

Oh, it was cold here this week. I think it got down to -29, without the windchill. And, yes, the only way to handle the polar vortex is to bundle up and nap.

In writing news this week, I have the edits back for The Trouble with Necromancers. So I’m switching gears to work on that because the changes I make in the first book will naturally spill into the second.

The changes I need to make? Ahem. I need to make sure the story in my head is actually on the page. To solve this issue, I asked myself: What if Poppy (the main character) knew something about the antagonist from the very start of the story?

The single question opened up not only this novel but the entire series. I’m so excited to dig in and make those changes. In related news, I now have a post-it note next to my computer that says:

Stop being sneaky.

Here’s the thing about getting an edit. You don’t necessarily need to take the editor’s suggestions (although you may want to). You do need to look at the issues and address them in some way. Maybe that way is not to delete or change but amplify. A good edit helps you see your blind spots.

In audio news, I think I’m a step closer to securing the narrator I want for Coffee & Ghosts. More on that when it’s official.

Weekly writing check-in: it’s cold enough to freeze all the words

It’s so very cold here, so very, very cold. And it’s going to get colder before it gets warmer.

So we’re just going to bundle up here, read and write and hope for the best.

In actual writing news, I’m making progress turning the novella into book two of the series. This isn’t a super speedy process, but it seems to be working, and I’m pleased.

I also have some samples to review for the audio version of Coffee & Ghosts, and I’m so excited. I can’t wait to get the entire series into audio format.

Weekly writing check-in: chapters and podcasts

As I mentioned last week, the draft of The Trouble with Necromancers was finished, minus giving it some chapters. I’m happy to report I have done just that and sent the manuscript off for editing.

Then I jumped right into organizing the expansion of the novella The Trouble with Doppelgangers into an actual novel. There are several threads I can weave into the narrative. I created a book map for the existing story, looked at where I could expand or add, and brainstormed three major plot threads.

In this coming week, I will tackle … well, I’m not really sure what I’ll tackle. Something related to the novel, I’m certain. It’s a check-in with a cliffhanger. You’ll have to come back next week to see what I accomplished.

Even though it’s 2019, I’m still rounding up some of my favorite things from last year. I didn’t discover podcasts last year, mind you, but I truly embraced them in 2018.

My favorite writing-related podcasts of 2018:

Weekly writing check-in: and that’s a (final for now) draft

I have a draft! Well, actually, I had one before. This is a draft that other people can read. Or will be as soon as I add in the chapter breaks.

But wait! Doesn’t it all ready have chapter breaks?

Um, no. About that …

This is an odd thing I do. I write in scenes. Once the story is done, I look at what I have and figure out where I want the chapter breaks to fall (usually on some sort of cliffhanger). So I need to do that, get the manuscript into the proper format, and send it off.

In other news, the Dating on the Dork Side promotion went very well. As a lovely bonus, author Allison Rhodes featured the book on her website, in a post that highlights what she loves about the first page or so. It’s a cool feature on her blog, and if you’re a writer, you might want to check it out.

And … Prolific Works saw fit to feature In a Manner of Speaking as well this week and created a spiffy graphic for it as well. If you haven’t grabbed your free copy yet, head on over. But I warn you: this is most likely the saddest story I’ve ever written.

 

Weekly writing check-in: third draft!

Just a quick post–and a day late–to say that I now have a third draft! I used all my free writing time this week, my blogging time, and time I’m not sure I really had to do a deep dive into the manuscript itself.

I ended up in another one of my Jo March writing tears. Although without the hat. I really need to get a hat.

More next week. I hope to recap 2018, such as it was.

Happy New Year!

Weekly writing check-in: excavating plot threads

Kitty, taking a break between reps, asks the eternal question: do you even lift?

Some progress this week. I started work on a short story. I also did some serious work on the Tea & Sorcery series. I added to my character connections chart and created a new one for plot threads. Oh, but I have a lot of plot threads. My backstory has backstory.

But it’s coming together. I discover something new each day (and that’s a lot of fun). It’s like being an archeologist on a dig, uncovering something that’s been there for ages rather than making things up in my head (although, technically, I am).

I’m pleased. I’m also relieved. There’s a reason I haven’t made a lot of progress in actual writing lately. I needed to follow all these story threads to where they begin so I can figure out how they all come together in the end.

It feels very much like a holiday gift.

Weekly writing check-in: the one with the tree

Not a lot of progress this week. I did a great deal of thinking about both the novel and how I might expand the novella, and what the best way to do that is. (Apparently, thinking is part of my writing process–I just go with it these days instead of trying to force things.)

But! The tree is up. Not only that, but the tree is up, and the cat has not scaled it (yet).

Of course, she still has time.

Not sure how much progress I’ll make next week, but we’ll see. I may surprise myself.