Daisy Whitney's Blog, page 26

The story of my calves

There is a rumor going around the Internet that "Daisy Whitney Mockingbirds" returns higher in a Google search than "Daisy Whitney Calves."

Oh wait. It's not a rumor. It's true. (Well, it was true as of Friday Nov. 20). And it's not really "going around" since I started it.

Allow me to clarify. Yes, when you Google my name my novel The Mockingbirds returns higher in the search options (the words that Google aims to autofill when you search) than calves. Actually, Daisy Whitney Mockingbirds is t...

When Worlds Collide: Marketing Your Novel with Video

I have many missions in life – one of them is to somehow, some way fuse my two worlds. Those worlds being my day job as a reporter, producer, podcaster and strategist on all things new media and my night job as a writer of novels for teens.

And I am finding ways, people!

For instance, I'm part of an online community of young adult 2010 debut authors called "The Tenners." I recently posted an entry there on how to market your novel using video. And I'll repost an edited version here so everyone ...

I am an author and a saleswoman

It still amazes me that some writers think they shouldn't dirty their hands by marketing their books. Like there is something so holy and sacrosanct about writing or any other form of creation that we shouldn't sully ourselves with the commercial business of (gasp) marketing and (egads) sales.

Let me be the first to say: I am a writer and a saleswoman and I'm not afraid to admit it. The days are long gone when writers – or artists or musicians or filmmakers – could just create and let...

Why 90% of a First Draft is Doody

The phenomenally talented author John Green has said 90% of the words in his first draft are NOT in his final draft.

Which is really a huge amount of words to delete right? I mean, that's a daunting freaking number. That's the kind of number that makes you want to curl up, suck your thumb and not write again. Because WHAT WAS THE POINT then of the first draft????

The point? Well, it's just the process.

Now, I'm not going to claim to be an expert. But this is John Green we're talking about. And ...

Why revising is like pitching to the 1927 New York Yankees

After finishing my revisions on "The Mockingbirds"  just last week,  I realized revisions for an editor are like pitching to Murderer's Row. That's the famed lineup of the 1927 New York Yankees with Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, considered by many to be one of the greatest lineups of all time.

I've revised before — for my critique partners, for my agent, even for my editor before she bought the novel. But now I am effectively revising for the reader. These revisions are to turn the book into...

A Stroke of Brilliance

As you may or may not know, I like pedicures.

As you also may or may not know, I am revising a novel.

Today the two worlds collide.

No, my main character isn't getting a pedicure. But with a little help from my Kindle, I will be proofing my revised manuscript of The Mockingbirds this afternoon while kicking back in a pedicure chair at a local nail salon.

This pleases me. This feels like the life. This is why I write. This is why I don't work for the man. So I can take my work on my Kindle and ...

Teaser Tuesday…

Tuesday seems to be the day to share snippets of your work. Last Tuesday I shared a few lines from THE MOCKINGBIRDS via Twitter. Today, I'll share a whole paragraph!

It's code – a lot of code in there – because the Mockingbirds aren't an a cappella singing group as they pretend to be. And they are most definitely not having auditions for singers. No, the Mockingbirds are something much bigger and much quieter too, and it's tryout time for them – incognito tryout time – like it is every start...

Elementary Ideas

My son's third grade teacher asked me to come talk to the class about writing, revising and where ideas come from. They're working on longer stories now as well as learning how to proofread and revise their work. Now, I've given plenty of talks to media executives, advertising folks, indie producers and so on. And as a mom and a regular fixture in my son's classroom where I volunteer a few times a month, I certainly know a thing or two about kids. Still, I want your input! What would you...

A Night With a Lover

The novelist Edith Wharton once wrote in her diary: 'What is writing a novel like?"

She answered her own question with:

-The beginning: A ride through a spring wood

-The middle: The Gobi Desert

-The end: A night with a lover

Because when you start writing a novel, everything is wonderful and fabulous and the characters are simply speaking through you. You are their vessel and the words flow.

Isn't life grand? And then, wham…You're parched, you're panting, gasping for breath. And all you want is ...

Cover Love…

So one of the coolest, gee-whizziest, pinch-me-I can't-believe-this-is-real moments on the path to being a published author is getting your cover. NO, I don't have my cover yet for THE MOCKINGBIRDS! And NO, we haven't started working on it yet. BUT my editor Nancy told me last week that she talked to a Little, Brown art director about my book and he's "super-psyched" to work on my cover! Hee hee. I'm SUPER-PSYCHED to see it!

In the meantime, I've been thinking about covers I like. And I've...