So. I got great feedback from beta readers on Draft. No. 5, no giant plot holes, no record scratch moments, and overall positive, if varied, feedback. I figured I’d read through it one last time and then polish it up and start querying. Then I read through it one last time. I haven’t looked at […]
…and off to beta readers. This will be the first time anyone other than my lovely spouse will lay eyes on a work almost seven years in the making. Hahahaha, hope it doesn’t suck! Shew. I spent two months reading through one more time and doing line edits, tightening things and choosing better words here,
Draft No. 5 is in the Books Read Post »
Inevitably I’ll get to a point in my story where things are boring me, the events aren’t logical in the greater context of the story, or something seemed like a good idea at the time but is no longer working (or all three!). Or I’ll be doing a read-through of my latest draft and there
Brainstorm Like No One’s Watching Read Post »
Studies show it’s true. Look, I get it. You dearly want a neat, multi-step process for getting from idea to finished novel. Maybe there are people out there who are able to go step by glorious well-defined step and end up with a work that pleases them (and, ideally, others). Most of us are not
Your Creative Process is Mostly Just A Mess Read Post »
I read books on writing in waves, gleaning what I can and moving on to get to the business of actually writing. I’ve been reading fewer of these kinds of books as of late, which I suppose is inevitable as you see the same advice and methods recycled in different ways. I’m definitely the kind
George Saunders on Presence and Revision Read Post »
So I learned something tonight with my first attempt at typecasting: I need to scan the piece in color. I had the date (August 28, 2023) and the model and year of typewriter (1949 Royal KMG) typed in red and lo and behold those did not come through with the black and white scan. I
Life has gotten in the way of finishing my latest draft, so I’m still at it. I leave you with James Ellroy answering 10 Questions for Time Magazine. All I can say as I sip my luke warm coffee is wow. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHseb8JGNyA] I first heard Ellroy speak here.
10 Questions for James Ellroy Read Post »
This video is an hour long, or roughly two and half cups of coffee, but the first three minutes is worth it alone. In the rest of the video, Stephenson talks about Anathem. If you’ve got the time, watch. It’s fascinating to see how a sci-fi author delves the modern day for material. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnq-2BJwatE] Oh
More Neal Stephenson Read Post »
I haven’t read The Passage yet, but I’ve listened to a reading of the beginning of it here. If you haven’t read it, take a listen. The Passage is at the top of my list for this fall. Author Justin Cronin touches on a number of things in this interview. Thanks to the Sci-Fi Book
Justin Cronin on vampires, spec fic, the apocalypse and Comic Con Read Post »