Willie Handler's Blog, page 16

The Do’s and Don’ts of Querying

I doubt anything induces anxiety among writers more than querying. The continuous stream of rejections chip away at one’s confidence.

On the weekend, I attend an excellent presentation by the Donaghy Literary Group on the querying process. I decided to share what I heard with others. The query letter is like a resume. You may have great work experience but if your resume is poorly drafted, you may miss out on job interviews. Similarly, weak query letters put you at a huge disadvantage.

Typically, the querying process has two components – the query letter and a synopsis. How do they differ? The best way to describe it is, the query letter shows while the synopsis tells.

Purpose of a Query Letter

to get you foot in the door
stand out over the other submissions (the average agency can receive 10,000 a year)
seduce the agent to want to read more

Components of a Query Letter

personalized salutation (show that you researched to agent)
information about your book (genre, word count, title)
hook (1-2 sentences that summarize the book)
a paragraph describing the character’s, motivation and conflict and how the conflict is resolved, but don’t give away ending (100-200 words)
a writing-related bio (optional if the author is unpublished)
close

Some Do’s and Don’ts

research agents and agencies
don’t waste your time sending mass or blind emails
don’t use alternative emails, only the ones listed in the agency’s submission guidelines
always include genre, if the agent isn’t interested in your genre then you are wasting your time querying them
be clear on the genre and don’t overwhelm with too many
it’s important to include word count, if the word count is too high or low for the genre, you will get rejected
spelling and grammar are important
agents like to see comparable titles but it shouldn’t be books older than 3-5 years
highlight only major characters in query letter
 the bio should be brief and limited to past published works, past agent representatives, writing contests, etc.
include social media
word of advice regarding social media, avoid politics and controversy, use your social medial only for writing
every agency has submission guidelines on the website, follow them closely
do not send anything not requested
do not mention money, make demands in query letter or raise anything that might turn off an agent

Some agents will ask that a synopsis be sent along with the query letter. The query letter is intended to be a hook to get an agent to want to read more. A synopsis is a story map of your manuscript.

Components of a Synopsis

premise – tell about world, setting, key characters
rising action of conflict – focus on conflict, what are the stakes and hurdles
climax – what the MC overcomes
character growth – walk through plot and how the characters change
resolution – in the synopsis you are expected to include the ending

Do’s and Don’ts

tell the story in your own voice
even if your manuscript is told in first person, the synopsis should be third person
be detailed, focus on what’s important
describe MC’s successes and failures
describe MC’s emotions and feelings
be sure to describe the MC’s growth
tell but don’t neglect your creativity
a synopsis is typically 1-3 pages or 500 words, agents do not have time to read longer ones

 

No Writing Goals Again For 2018

Every year around this time, writers ask each other what their writing goals are for the coming year. I always have the same response – I got none.

Some people think I’m just being contrary. I am sometimes, but not in this instance.

Planning doesn’t suit my personality. I never found a plan to be very helpful and a boring process. As far as I’m concerned, I know what I need to do. At some point, I may decide what I need to do should change. That could be because a new opportunity arises, a conflicting priority takes over, or I’m bored and want a change.

That doesn’t mean I don’t finish what I start. But the world around me evolves and I evolve with it. What seemed so important three months ago, doesn’t seem so important anymore. It’s also how I write. I’m a pantser and I never prepared an outline before I begin a manuscript. When I sit down at the start of a book, I know who are the protagonist, antagonist and some side characters. I also know what the story is about. Everything else is determined as a write – the cliffhangers, individual scenes, the plot arches, the ending, etc.

I used to do planning because I was required to where I worked. I just went through the motions and kept it generalized. That way when I was evaluated based on how well I did at achieving my goals, I could fudge it. Priorities change and sometimes it makes no sense to continue to try to achieve a goal. Yet, I saw some people doggedly continue working on something that no longer mattered.

So how do I know I’m a success? That’s easy. If I’m happy with my experiences, achieved results, and relationships then I’m a success. By these standards, I had a great 2017. I completed two drafts of my WIP, learned a lot more about writing and met some amazing people.

Yeah, I’m pretty happy about how things worked out. So my goals for 2018 remain unchanged  – I got none!

 

What to Ask Your Beta Readers

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I just sent out my manuscript to a number of beta readers and thought I would share some thoughts on the process.

First thing, you should be sharing a fairly polished manuscript. You want them to read it as if it’s a completed novel. While your beta readers may be fellow writers, they don’t have to be. I am using a mix of writers and non-writers. They main criteria for a beta reader is that they generally read your genre, know what they like and don’t like, and aren’t afraid to tell you what they think.

You will often get different feedback from writers and non-writers. Writers will more likely be more analytical, much like a critique partner. What you really want is your readers to give you a reaction to the story.

Many writers send out their manuscript and ask beta readers to comment. I prefer to send a list of questions to guide the readers. My list of questions might look overwhelming, but they are easy to answer in just a couple of sentence. I think it make responding easier. When I worked full time, I led a lot of stakeholder consultations. I learned that feedback was more focused and useful when I provided a list of question to stakeholders regarding a particular issue or background paper.

Here are the questions I sent out to my readers. I’ll report back at the end of January how well the process worked.

Did the story hold your interest from the very beginning? If not, why not?

 

Did the setting interest you, and did the description seem vivid and real to you despite the fact that it is a fantasy?

 

Was there a point at which you felt the story began to lag or you became less than excited about finding out what was going to happen next? Which parts, and why?

 

Were there any parts that confused you? Or even frustrated or annoyed you? Which parts, and why?

 

What parts should be elaborated or brought more to life?

 

Did you find any discrepancies, or inconsistencies in time sequences, places, character details, or other details? 

 

Did you find yourself skimming at any point? Where?

 

At any point did you not want to read on? Where?

 

Was the ending satisfying? Believable?

 

What are your favourite scenes?

 

Are there any characters you think could be made more interesting or more likeable?

 

Did you get confused about who’s who? Were there too many characters to keep track of? Too few? Any issues with names?

 

Which characters did you most connect with?

 

Which characters need more development?

 

What three words best describe the main character?

 

Does the main character surprise you? When?

 

Did the dialogue keep your interest and sound natural  Was any of it difficult to follow?

 

Was there enough conflict, tension and intrigue to keep your interest?

 

The scenes on Mars were first person but many of the other were third person. Did that impact on readability?

Twas The Night Before Christmas…On Mars

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Twas the nocturnal period before Christmas, when under the roof,

Not a creature was stirring, not even a Poof.

Hosiery was meticulously suspended by hooks on the wall,

In anticipation of visitation from St Nicholas would soon befall.

The offspring were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of bousou spread danced in their heads.

And Seepa with her dangly bracelets, Bleeker in his cap,

Had just settled their cerebrums for a long Martian nap.

When out in the laneway there arose such a cacophony of dissonance,

I tripped over the bed to see what was outside the residence.

I stumbled to the entrance though I intended to march,

Threw open the latches and stooped under the arch.

The glow from the lighting on new-fallen Red Planet dust,

Gave the lustre to objects that were being corroded by rust.

When, to my optical sensory organs should appear an apparition,

But a miniature transporter, and eight tiny Blue Martians.

With a little Red operator, so lively and thick,

I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.

As rapid as sling players his diminutive helpers they came,

And he relied on telepathy when addressing them by name!

“Now, Steeto! now, Prinko! now, Deela and Prakin!

On, Cooma! On, Breema! on, Gonomo and Ranen!

To the top of the abode! to the top of the wall!

Now scurry away! Scurry away! Scurry away all!”

As crystalline particles that before the wild dust storms fly,

When they meet with an impediment, ascending to the sky.

So up to the structure-top the miniature aides they flew,

Transporter glowing like a ngono, and St Nicholas too.

And then, I heard them above us, but how did he,

The waddling, stomping and shuffling of each little tootsie.

As I retracted my cranium, and pivoted around to see,

Through the rear passage, St Nicholas leaped towards me.

He was dressed in shimmering garments, including his feet,

And he accessorized with flashy stones so his outfit would be complete.

A bundle of gifts were carried by his Blue assistants,

And he looked like an important person, at least from a distance.

His eyes-how they twinkled! his nose non existent!

His cheeks were like roses, his nose quite insistent!

His coppery skin had so many wrinkles,

And the top of his cranium was hairless, not even sprinkles.

He clenched between his incisors what appeared to be a medical device,

From the look on his face, he must have bought it at a bargain price.

His visage was wider that it was high for a reason,

His abdominal region make think it was basketball season!

He was plump for a Martian, a jovial multigenerational gnome,

And I laughed when I saw him, he was nothing like what I knew back home!

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He transferred no thoughts, but went straight to his work,

And filled all the hosiery, then looked at me with quite a smirk.

And laying his finger in front of his face,

And giving a nod, disappeared without a trace!

He boarded his transporter, to his team gave a sign,

And away they all flew towards the next shrine.

But my mind picked up a thought, ‘ere he drove out of sight,

“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!”

Writers Need To Be Able to Deal With Rejection

Let’s face it, if you’re a writer you are going to run into rejection. Even the very best writers have incurred some form of rejection in their career. It can happen when peers critique your work, when manuscripts rejected by agents and publisher or when readers leave a bad review or comment.

Rejection hurts. It’s brutal.

It can make you want to quit writing. Toss your computer out the window. Hide under the covers while you bawl your eyes out. Use language that would make a longshoreman blush.

Or maybe accept that you might actually be able to improve on what you’ve written.

Huh?

It’s time to stop treating rejection as something bad. Treat as something positive and use it to make you a better writer. I know, it’s heresy.

People aren’t rejecting you so stop taking it personal. Maybe your work isn’t what the audience enjoys or is looking for? Maybe it still needs more editing? If someone has taken the trouble to provide you with feedback, then use it. Maybe share it with a friend to get some additional advice. If it’s a literary agent, check to see whether your manuscript fits in with their profile and look for a better fit.

Unfortunately, a lot of rejections are useless. If it’s a form letter or template response, you’re not going to learn anything from it. Maybe the rejection makes no sense. So just move on.

Sometimes feedback will be mean-spirited. Not everyone will be diplomatic. So you’re going to need a thick skin. You already know that writing is tough. Sharing what you write is even tougher. Here are a few suggestions I have to get through these rough times.

Remind yourself why you are writing and how much you love writing.
Reach out to other writers for support. Everyone has experienced what you are going through.
Consider self-publishing. I did it and it’s a great way to empower yourself. There are a lot of good stories that no one wants to take a chance on. Take on the risk.
Don’t give up.

Ray Bradbury, said this about rejection: “You have to know how to accept rejection and reject acceptance.” He knew a little bit about rejection. Bradbury was rejected over 800 times.

Writers Needs To Be Able to Deal With Rejection

Let’s face it, if you’re a writer you are going to run into rejection. Even the very best writers have incurred some form of rejection in their career. It can happen when peers critique your work, when manuscripts rejected by agents and publisher or when readers leave a bad review or comment.

Rejection hurts. It’s brutal.

It can make you want to quit writing. Toss your computer out the window. Hide under the covers while you bawl your eyes out. Use language that would make a longshoreman blush.

Or maybe accept that you might actually be able to improve on what you’ve written.

Huh?

It’s time to stop treating rejection as something bad. Treat as something positive and use it to make you a better writer. I know, it’s heresy.

People aren’t rejecting you so stop taking it personal. Maybe your work isn’t what the audience enjoys or is looking for? Maybe it still needs more editing? If someone has taken the trouble to provide you with feedback, then use it. Maybe share it with a friend to get some additional advice. If it’s a literary agent, check to see whether your manuscript fits in with their profile and look for a better fit.

Unfortunately, a lot of rejections are useless. If it’s a form letter or template response, you’re not going to learn anything from it. Maybe the rejection makes no sense. So just move on.

Sometimes feedback will be mean-spirited. Not everyone will be diplomatic. So you’re going to need a thick skin. You already know that writing is tough. Sharing what you write is even tougher. Here are a few suggestions I have to get through these rough times.

Remind yourself why you are writing and how much you love writing.
Reach out to other writers for support. Everyone has experienced what you are going through.
Consider self-publishing. I did it and it’s a great way to empower yourself. There are a lot of good stories that no one wants to take a chance on. Take on the risk.
Don’t give up.

Ray Bradbury, said this about rejection: “You have to know how to accept rejection and reject acceptance.” He knew a little bit about rejection. Bradbury was rejected over 800 times.

10 Tips for Writing Intoxicated

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All over the Internet Ernest Hemingway is attributed to have said , “Write drunk, edit sober.” That quote may not be his and maybe he never wrote drunk. Some say it’s bad advice. But if you are a writer and inclined to imbibe while writing, I’ve developed some tips that will help you along.

 

1.  No Editing

The first thing you need to remember is that you write drunk and edit sober. Don’t get cocky and decide you can edit the shit out of your manuscript drunk. You need balance in your writing. If you want to be daring then experiment with reversing the process, that is, write sober and edit drunk. But take heed to tip #10.

2. Pantsers v. Plotters

Writing drunk is appropriate for pantsers and plotters. For those who are plotters, pull out your outline and just try your best to follow it. If you can’t remember where you put your outline, then congratulations you are now a pantser! Just write whatever comes into your head. I’m sure it will work out.

3. Choose alcohol that goes with your genre

It’s all about the experiencing the moment. You don’t drink tequila shots when writing a romance novel. That’s just inviting disaster. Choose your alcohol carefully. A nice Bordeaux is well suited for romance writers. YA writers should stick to something like hard lemonade. A nice ale would go very well with a Brit mystery book. You get the picture. One word of advice. If you’re doing a 60’s counter culture period piece, maybe  booze isn’t right for you. You may need to get some weed.

4. No mixing

You know how they say drinking different types of alcohol will make you sick? Well that’s nonsense. The amount of alcohol you consume is what makes you sick. Switching drinks often leads to excessive drinking. So go ahead and mix drinks; unless you are writing and drinking. Mixing alcohol is like mixing genres. It often isn’t going to work out. Can you envision a YA erotic murder mystery set in Elizabethan England? Me neither. You’re going to have a mess. So stick to one genre and an appropriate drink.

5. Pacing is important

As most writers know pacing is a tool that controls the speed and rhythm at which a story is told and the readers are pulled through the events. If you are drinking and writing then you will need to keep in mind another form of pacing – how quickly you are drinking. Too slow a pace and you never become intoxicated. And that’s the point of drinking. Too fast of a pace and you either pass out or get sick. Neither will help you achieve your word count.

6. Choose the right snacks

You know how bars serve you salty snacks to get you to drink more? Well don’t do it while you write. Choose your snacks wisely. Stay away from chips, salted nuts and salty cheeses. You want veggies, unsalted nuts and dried fruit. Eating salty foods can throw you off your pace and end badly.

7. Location, location, location

You need to choose your location wisely. For obvious reasons, you need to have a functioning washroom close by. That means a few steps away, not take a jog down this path at night, turn left at the red fence post and behind the 4th barn is an outhouse. If you’re not writing at home, you better think about how you’re going to get home. You’re going to be hammered by the end of the writing session. So, either you can crash close by or someone is driving you home. You can drink and write but you can’t drink and drive.

8. What to do if you pass out

If you have been diligent in following the previous steps, then you shouldn’t be too concerned about passing out. But you still need to have a contingency plan. Have someone available who can save your work and secure your laptop. You don’t want to be losing your work. This applies to drinking and writing at home and outside your home.

9. What about tweeting drunk?

There will always be the temptation to get onto social media and rant about what’s wrong with the world. As alcohol washes away your inhibitions, that temptation will be greater. You can’t be tweeting about how awful your boss is, how lit agents are scum, etc. Sure you can delete your tweets when you’re sober. But if the tweets have gone viral while you sleep it off, the damage will have been done. Stay off of Twitter and just focus on writing.

10. Publish sober

Writing while intoxicated? Sure. Editing while intoxicated? Maybe. Publishing or posting while intoxicated? NOOOO! That’s why you need to stay off social media. That’s why they have a Senate in the U.S. and Canada. They are referred to chambers of  “sober second thought.” Publishing requires proper, careful consideration before finally going public.

What You Need To Do To Self-Publish

At some point last year, it became obvious to me that I wasn’t going to find a literary agent to represent my first novel THE ROAD AHEAD.

When I began writing, I swore that I would never self-publish. As reality set in, I accepted that I had only two options, set aside the manuscript or self-publish. I chose to go it alone.

I know there are a lot of first-time authors who are going through the same thing I did. So, I’m going to share with you my experience. This post isn’t guide to self-publishing. I am no expert. In fact, I think I made several mistakes along the way. I’m only sharing how I got my book out there. Thing for authors to consider once they get to this stage of the process.

At what point do I decide to self-publish?

I couldn’t find a Canadian agent that had the slightest interest in a political satire. The number of agencies in Canada is extremely small. I reviewed the preferred genres of almost all Canadian agents and no one listed humour as something they were interested in. I identified about a dozen agents that might be remotely interested. After several months they had all rejected me.

There was no chance of finding an American agent since the book was based in Canada. So, I began to warm up to the idea of self-publishing.

Determine what needs to be done

The first step was to plan out what need to be done and how much of it I was going to do myself. I don’t plan out my books but the production and marketing side was well planned. You will also need a budget. I did not make money on my first novel bu I look at it as an investment in the future.

My plan included the following steps. I decided to hire professionals to do the those tasks I felt were beyond my skill set.

Copy editing – hire someone
Cover design – hire someone
Internal layout – hire someone
Author photo – hire someone
Get ISBN numbers – me
Select a printer – me
Find a location for a book launch – me
Marketing – me
Catering – me

Copy editing

My network was still very small when I completed my first novel. I didn’t know anyone I was comfortable handing over my final manuscript for copy editing so I hired someone. For the next time, I feel there are people who will proofread for me and do a great job. If you know someone like that, you will save money. Proofreading is priced by the length of the manuscript and it cost me close to several hundred dollars.

Cover design and internal layout

I was told on a number of occasions to have a professional looking cover. You aren’t going to buy a book based on the cover but many of us are initially attracted to a book because of the cover. I could have designed my own using Canva or some graphic design software but I wanted something original. Preferably a scene from the book. I also had no experience on how to layout out a novel so I needed someone who could do that too.

I decided to hire a freelance artist to take on these tasks. I discovered that Upwork is an excellent site to hire freelancers. You register on the site, set out the specs for the work to be done, the experience you would like the freelancer to have and your budget. You need to be specific. Your ad gets posted and people who meet your criteria apply. I think I had about 16 people who met my specs. You can also search freelancers who are registered on the site and invite them to apply.

I checked out the applicants. I wanted people who had experience in book cover design. I narrowed it down to 3 people who I sent some interview questions and selected Sarah Messina,  a talented artist based in Florida. She had previously worked on about 40 book covers.

We skyped to talk about the work. I sent her 3 scenes from the book that I thought would work well for the cover. She sent me back some ideas and in a few days we had the cover. I also used Sarah to layout the book interior. The entire process probably took less than a month.

Author photo

If you plan to use a picture of yourself on your back or inside cover and for marketing, you need a high resolution photo. I have a couple of people who would have done it for me but decided to use an inexpensive portrait photographer. You will make good use of the photo so I felt it justified the expense.

ISBN

For those who have never published, each book has to have its own unique International Standard Book Number (ISBN) if you plan on selling it online or in stores. Each format (paper, digital, audio) gets a unique ISBN. In the US, ISBNs are distributed by a company called Bowker and cost money. Not so in Canada. Here, the ISBN agency is the  federal government and we get them for free. The entire process is done online. I was amazed how simple it was. Canada’s ISBN agency is friendly to self-publishers, including those using their own name as the publisher.

Selecting a printer

Once your cover and layout are complete and you have a ISBN, you are ready to print. There are many options out there. In the end I selected CreateSpace. The company is owned by Amazon. The cost to upload a book onto their system is inexpensive ($79) and once uploaded you can print hard copies and digital copies online. Some printers provide discounts for printing larger quantities. CreateSpace charges a fixed price for printing and shipping irrespective of the number of books ordered. As a self-published author, it makes more sense to order small number of books as needed.

The cost of printing is determined by the number of pages, the book size, paper quality and colours. Uploading onto Amazon from CreateSpace was simple and free. Amazon works on a print on demand basis. That means they don’t stock copies of your book and print copies when someone orders a paper copy from their site. Chapters, a Canadian bookstore chain is not quite as simple or friendly to self-published authors. They expect hard copies to be provided and stored (offsite), which means you bear additional costs.

The book launch

Finding a venue for a book launch can be a challenge. I approached restaurants and bars but they want to be guaranteed to make money, which means either your guests have to spend money on food or drinks, or you have to. I finally came across an independent bookstore who would host the launch after hours and would allow me to bring in refreshments. You can also look at community centres, libraries and other public facilities.

The bookstore handled the sales and kept a percentage. Since there was no minimum sales required, the store was taking on the risk since staff stayed late for the event. That seemed to be fair to me. The store I used is a beautiful venue with lots of wood furnishings. It was also downtown, an important consideration. The timing was at the end of the work day and traffic is horrible in Toronto. I needed a venue that was convenient to the attendees.

Marketing

You need to come up with a price for your novel (both for paper copies and ebooks). I had to set a higher initial price than I had wanted to.  Because the bookstore took 40% of sales at the book launch, my cut would have been less than $1 after the cost of printing and shipping. After the book launch, I lowered the price down to what I had originally wanted. In Canada, the market is small and you don’t write books to make money. But you don’t want to sell books at a loss either.

Once I had books and a location for my launch, I began advertising. I wasn’t a big Twitter user at the time, so I had to rely on my existing network of friends, business associates, writing colleagues, etc. I used by email contacts, LinkenIn contacts and Facebook friends. I emailed the invitations out. An alternative is a platform like Evite with an automated RSVP system. But that would have meant loading a lot of email addresses onto Evite. Instead, people emailed responses and I kept tract of them manually.

You need to provide some giveaways. I had bookmarks and business cards printed. There is no limit on what you can hand out, provided you can fit it into your budget.

Catering

You might want to provide some refreshments. I went with some veggie and cheese trays with sparking water and some inexpensive wine. Again, you decide on your budget. Count on a lot of no-shows. I had a big turnout but about 25% of those who RSVP’d did not turn up. Keep that in mind when ordering food and you’ll save some money.

Summary

This entire process took about four months to pull together. It was a lot of work but I think it was a success. One thing I discovered is marketing is time consuming and a pain. I ignored it until I decided to publish. You need to market yourself and your work well before you publish. Many people weren’t aware that I was writing until the invitation appeared in the email inbox. You need to build some buzz about your work. Social media is a very helpful tool.

I Don’t Participate in NaNoWriMo and Here’s Why

Every November, the online writing community is worked up into a frenzy about National Novel Writing Month also known as NaNoWriMo. In the weeks leading up to November, writers are frantically preparing an outline their new piece of work only breaking to tweet about their progress.

For those not familiar with NaNoWriMo, it began in 1999 as an online creative writing project. November was chosen to take advantage of the miserable weather. Participants must write a 50,000 word manuscript for a novel in thirty days. You register through a website and input your work to have your word count  verified.  Well-known authors write “pep-talks” to keep writers motivated or provide tips on dealing with writer’s block throughout the process. Local writing groups hold events to support writers. It’s a big deal.

There are about one-half million writers who participate and there is not cost. This event is strictly to encourage authors to write. Last year there were over 40,000 “winners”, which is anyone who reaches the 50,000 word mark.

NaNoWriMo focuses on the length of a work rather than the quality, encouraging writers to finish their first draft so that it can later be edited at the author’s discretion. The concept is fine for many writers. I’ve heard writers say 1,000 words of crap is better than nothing. It can always be edited.

The problem is NaNoWriMo doesn’t fit my writing process and I have no intention of adapting my writing process for one month. I’m a Pantser, which means I don’t work from an outline. My writing process is purely organic. When I begin a chapter, I know what will take place in that chapter but not beyond that point. I have ideas where the story might go but it’s constantly changing. One morning I may wake up and come  up with the idea of a new side character. That means going back in many cases and writing the character into parts of the story that has already been written.

That means my writing process is very slow. It would be rare that I would write 1,667 words in a day. I certainly couldn’t sustain that pace for 30 days. I also choose my words carefully and sometimes edit as I go, which further slows down my writing. By the time I finish my first draft (in 8 to 9 months), it is already in pretty good shape. At that point, my editing will consist of typos, a  few grammar issues, a some minor plot holes and further developing side characters.

I also don’t want to commit an entire month to writing. Like every other writer, I have family, social and work commitments and some health issues. I’m not going to push those things aside to spend an intense month just writing. Many writers do much of their writing late at night. I’m not very creative or focused in those hours. I enjoy writing and don’t want it to become a stressful part of my life.

NaNoWriMo is a wonderful concept and many writer love participating. It’s just not for me. I don’t like the idea of writing being part of a contest. It’s a creative outlet for me. I prefer to plod along. When it comes to writing I’m like Frank Sinatra, I always do it my way.

Manuscript Update

I have done an update in some time. My personal life has been quite hectic these past six weeks, which has provided me with little time for my writing. But things have slowed down enough over the past two weeks to allow me to get back to my poor neglected manuscript. No matter what goes on in your life, you eventually get drawn back to writing.

Over the past two weeks I finished off 59 pages of editing and really liking how this story is coming along. I’ve gotten lots of feedback from Twitter followers and my CP Karen on portions of the manuscript. This is rounding into a funny little novel. Barring additional distractions, I’m hoping to complete this draft around the second half of November and begin the next phase. I’ll be sending my manuscript out to beta readers for feedback and then another round of editing. Anyone interested in being a beta reader can contact me. Not sure what a beta reader is? That’s the subject of a future post.

I’m doing something a little different with this story. The main character is a chef so, I thought it would be fun to provide the recipe of every dish mentioned in the book. I’ve begun compiling recipes, which will be included in an Appendix at the back of the book.

This is going to be a busy week but hope to get another few chapters edited. I’ll keep you posted.