Writing Update

I've finished the edits on my manuscript and now it's time to move on to the galley proof to see if there's anything else that needs to be fixed before publication on Feb. 1. 

It's not a rewrite but feels like an abbreviated one. What I'll be looking for are typos, stretched-out words on a line, orphans and widows, misspellings, and anything else that appears out of kilter. 

So I'll be reading the 95k words again, possibly for the last time. I don't know about other authors, but after awhile I'm ready to move on. 

By the way, I have a title and cover for the novel, the fourth in the John Ross Boomer Lit series. I'll let you know after I finish this step.

And speaking of that, I plan to be involved in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) in November. I've participated on two previous occasions, both resulting in published novels. You might give it a shot; I find it invigorating to keep on pace to produce 50k words in 30 days.

Between going over the galley and NaNoWriMo, I'll do some research and notetaking to prepare for my next novel. I'm more of a pantser than a plotter but I do like to stay somewhat focused at the start of the writing process, then the characters take over.  

Until the next time . . .

One Step Toward Publication

My manuscript is in the hands of my editor and now I have a publication date: Feb. 1, 2021. It will be the fourth novel in the John Ross Boomer Lit series.  

I submitted the 95,000-word novel to her three times. Usually, one time is enough. The reason is I found two words used too often. She's busy with other manuscripts so perhaps it'll save her some time when she gets to mine.

One word was found on a routine Find search I do after completing a work in progress for specific words. I neglected to do it for a particular word. I don't know why the word skipped my brain. My bad. 

The second time came after I learned my original title had been used by a fellow Wings ePress author in 2019. I ran another Find on some keywords and discovered another word used excessively and needlessly in some places. 

By the way, after two days of wracking my aging boomer brain, I came up with a new title. I'll disclose it in the near future when there's a cover. 

Now there might be a few other words that fall into that category. My editor has a keen eye and will let me know. And when I receive her edited copy, I may run across some more during the editing. 

Until the next time . . .

Manuscript Finally Finished

The manuscript I have been working on for more than a year is now in the capable hands of my editor. For the next few weeks, I will take a break from the editing and rewriting that has dominated my life.

The manuscript, the fourth book in the John Ross Boomer Lit Series, is 95k words. Over the course of a year, and 10 rewrites, it doubled in size. By the way, this is my 10th novel and 14th book. I may have to go out and celebrate when it's published and the pandemic is over. 

My goal was to finish by July 31. I did submit the manuscript on that date, but I must confess, that after sleeping on it, I resubmitted it this morning with a couple additions that tied together loose ends. I promised my editor she wouldn't be hearing from me with any changes, edits, and whatevers. The next move will be hers, when she returns it with edits, suggested edits, and whatnots. 

I was hoping this novel would see the light of day by the end of this year, but that's doubtful. It's my fault for dragging my butt for a few months. I'll keep you posted when I hear something from the publisher. 

Be sure and check out the August releases from Wings ePress including a new novel, Divine Rebel, from friend Tom Wallace as well as Thomas Fenske's Penumbra, and Peggy P. Parsons's Apitcote. 

The title of my new novel? I'll let you know once I sign a contract. 

Until the next time . . .

Writing Advice: My Take on Finding Time to Write

You're not going to find anything new here about managing time so you can write. There are blogs and articles galore about how to eke out minutes or hours to work on your masterpiece.

But here's my two cents' worth on what I've learned from writing 12 books including eight novels:

• When working on a first draft, I try to write in the predawn hours (I'm an early riser), when it's dark outside and relatively quiet. I have a timer on my coffee machine so the hot brew is ready when I go to my study and sit in front of the computer.
• I don't go online. I don't need distractions. I'm here to write. I have a cell phone but I'm not glued to it (a generational thing?) but it's turned on in case of an emergency involving family and friends.
• I generally have a good idea about what I'm going to write because I close the previous day's session with a hook to pick up where I where I stopped. And I give more thought about it, probably subconsciously as well, in the interim. That includes writing notes (I don't trust my memory anymore) to keep focused.
• I usually write for a minimum of one hour but it can stretch to two or three if I'm really in a groove. There was a time, when I was a younger man, that I could write for several hours (four or more), only breaking for liquid refreshment or going to the bathroom. I find that I can accomplish a lot in one hour, leaving me somewhat mentally spent. So I like to believe that it's quality, more so than quantity time. 
• I do use a general outline at the start of a project, but it doesn't bother me to stray from those early plans. That's part of the fun of writing: learning more about your characters and where they take you. And I have a good idea how the story will end, although it may take some twists and turns getting there. That's the fun part as well.
• When I'm finished with the first draft, I sit on it for a week or so, maybe even a month or longer, before going back to it. I like to have fresh eyes when I read it again. On rewrites and revisions, I generally work in afternoons or evenings. I find that's the best time to reflect on what's been written. 
• Working on a first draft or rewrites, I know that life sometimes gets in the way of best intentions. I prioritize. Family matters most. Other daily activities such as reading and exercise are important to me as well. I can be flexible to work around those events.
• Lastly, I write every day when working on a book. If something interrupts me in the morning, then I write before going to bed. Writing begets writing.  

Do you have any secrets, rituals, and advice on finding the time to write?

Until the next time . . . 

Writing From The Past -- On Second Thought

After writing my last post about revisiting the past through photographs, friends, and travel, I was lying in bed and thinking about some incidents in my life (probably the best time for those things to happen before drifting off to sleep) and it occurred to me that one of the best ways is to look within oneself.   

While those other suggestions from Ray Bradbury are wonderful prompts for virtual time travel, layers of memories that we can unfold through thought may be the most meaningful.

For me, thinking about certain things almost brings back to life what I felt, smelled, heard, and saw on specific occasions. And the more thought I put into it, the more it unfolds in my psyche.

I suppose this could almost be a self-analysis. It can be painful, joyful or simply a 3D snapshot to observe something from the distance of time.

It’s important to write down your thoughts before they slip out of sight and out of mind. I would guess that most of us probably tend to procrastinate (and that includes yours truly), believing we can remember to do it later, but only to discover that we forgot to record what we wanted to recall from our past. I have the additional handicap of senior moments.

Don’t feel you have to write the entire episode. Jot down the highlights and review them to keep them somewhat fresh in your mind.

Any thoughts?

Until the next time…

Writing From The Past

I just finished reading Ray Bradbury's "Zen in the Art of Writing: Releasing the Creative Genius Within You," a collection of insightful essays that will surely inspire most writers to, well, write.

One of the lessons I relearned -- no apology because I'm always learning or relearning things -- is to tap into your past  to energize (or re-energize) oneself for story ideas.

For me,  looking at old photographs back to the days of my childhood is something I enjoy. Those images bring back a flood of memories from times with my parents, siblings, relatives, friends, special events, and everyday occasions.

Another way is to visit friends  from your distant past and start reminiscing about those times that have slowly begun fade. No doubt they'll say things that will rekindle your memory.

Revisiting old haunts, neighborhoods, schools, and special places can open the mind's eye to things almost forgotten. 

They key, of course, is to write those things down before they begin to fade away into the deep, dark recesses of the brain.

Writers of fiction such as such as Mark Twain, John Grisham, Charles Dickens, Ernest Hemingway and Bradbury (among countless authors) reached into their past to craft their wonderful stories. I did the same when I wrote my young-adult novel, "Shooting Star." 

It's also a valuable resource for creative nonfiction writers. One of my author friends, Georgia Green Stamper, brought back vivid memories in her "Butter in the Morning," a collection of remembrances that I'm sure her family will treasure for many years to come. It brought back some memories for me as well.

Until the next time...

Life Happens

While I believe it’s important for a writer to write every day, there are times when it’s good to take a break.

Writers need to prioritize and not let writing intrude on other matters in life. Don’t misunderstand me, I think a writer should try to set aside some time to write every day, but there are events in life that should take precedence such as important family events, personal commitments to others, and unforeseen emergencies.  

So don’t feel guilty if you don’t put pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard, on those days. Life happens.  And from those life events, you’ll have memories to mine for your writing endeavors.

Conversely, I believe it can be more harmful to be so obsessed about writing as to get so caught up in the process of producing words that a writer will intentionally miss or purposely ignore other activities that make up life. Once something happens, it's gone. Forever.

Life enriches our writing when we experience the degrees of joy and sadness, and everything else we encounter along our daily journey.

Until the next time…

Slam Dunked

I must confess that I’ve been somewhat lax in my writing the past four weeks. Blame it on basketball and the NCAA men’s tournament in particular.

   I live in Kentucky and this year the commonwealth was represented by four teams – Kentucky, Louisville, Murray State and Western Kentucky. For those of you who don’t follow the sport, the Kentucky Wildcats won their eighth national title on Monday night, defeating the Kansas Jayhawks 67-59 in New Orleans.

   I told myself that I’d stay up until halftime and then head off to bed. I’m not a night owl anymore so staying up past 10 o’clock is a big deal for me. At the half, I decided to stay up until the Wildcats went up by 20 points. The lead grew to 18 points, and as I was about to turn out the lights and turn off the TV, the Jayhawks rallied like they had in their other tourney games. They trimmed the lead to five points before Kentucky recovered in the final 90 seconds to secure a hard-earned victory.

   With the tournament over I plan to get back earnestly to my short story collection. I’ve completed eight stories so far and intend to write two more in the next two weeks. Then I’ll go back and go over all of them with rewrites, edits, and everything else involved in polishing them for publication.

    One thing I learned is that the next time I begin a writing project I’ll try to avoid doing it during the NCAA tournament.

 

 Until the next time...

The Write Components

Putting together the right words into sentences, into paragraphs, into chapters, and into a completed manuscript takes time, discipline, dedication, and commitment.

Those who have written a novel should be proud of their accomplishment. Many people have attempted that journey but only a few have reached the end.

But sometimes writer's judge their success by the number of books sold.

Some writers produce great novels that sell lots of copies. There are others who write great novels that hardly see the light of day. Then there are others who write novels (good and bad) that become bestsellers. And then there are those who write novels (good and bad) that drift off into oblivion, never to be seen or read from again.

Success should be judged by the process rather than sales because there are a lot of components in turning a novel into a product that readers want to purchase, such as promotion, marketing, and visibility. The main component is to write a good story. Everything else can sometimes be the roll of the dice.

When I complete a novel, it's mission accomplished. Everything else is icing on the cake. And I admit I don't mind the sweet icing but that's not the reason I write. Writing is my form of creative expression. 

Writers simply need to think about on the process -- the first draft, edits, rewrites, proofreading, and finally the novel -- to know they reached their goal.

Until the next time...