Kate Copeseeley's Blog, page 18
March 12, 2011
Revising My Life
I've been thinking a lot about second chances at this point in my life, because of this, my second pregnancy. I think about how I did things the first time around and how I did things the second time around and I think..."What do I want to do differently this time?"
Thankfully, I think most of the things I want to repeat. Most of the decisions I made as a pregnant woman, nursing mother, and now as the mother of a toddler, I'm happy with.
But I am human. There are things I wish I did differently. And it has me thinking about my life.
We don't get a lot of second tries or do overs. But tomorrow I start revising Compis and so I can't help thinking about Six Keys.
I love Six Keys. I think it's a great story (I'm biased, please forgive me.) Is there anything I would change?
Well, I've been thinking, maybe that it's the process I've been having trouble with.
Process:
1) have an idea -never a problem for a scatterbrained dreamer with her head constantly in the clouds and not on the 2 year old saying, "Mama, watch this!"
2) Write out an outline and cram a notebook full of ideas until...
3) Write out the first draft. For Six Keys it took years. This time around it took about 2 mths. Sure, I'm no Amanda Hocking. I have a full time job -running after my kidlet. 2 mths was pretty fast for me.
4)Revise
5)Print out a proof.
6)Pass it around to friends and family.
7)Take Feedback.
8)Revise again.
9)Revise again.
10)Pass around to a few people who are English freaks and like to nitpick (thanks, Mom!)
11)Revise again.
12)Release.
Is this how I want to do things this time around? I'm in the process of trying to figure it out. Thank goodness I have the opportunity to do so.There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars.
Thankfully, I think most of the things I want to repeat. Most of the decisions I made as a pregnant woman, nursing mother, and now as the mother of a toddler, I'm happy with.
But I am human. There are things I wish I did differently. And it has me thinking about my life.
We don't get a lot of second tries or do overs. But tomorrow I start revising Compis and so I can't help thinking about Six Keys.
I love Six Keys. I think it's a great story (I'm biased, please forgive me.) Is there anything I would change?
Well, I've been thinking, maybe that it's the process I've been having trouble with.
Process:
1) have an idea -never a problem for a scatterbrained dreamer with her head constantly in the clouds and not on the 2 year old saying, "Mama, watch this!"
2) Write out an outline and cram a notebook full of ideas until...
3) Write out the first draft. For Six Keys it took years. This time around it took about 2 mths. Sure, I'm no Amanda Hocking. I have a full time job -running after my kidlet. 2 mths was pretty fast for me.
4)Revise
5)Print out a proof.
6)Pass it around to friends and family.
7)Take Feedback.
8)Revise again.
9)Revise again.
10)Pass around to a few people who are English freaks and like to nitpick (thanks, Mom!)
11)Revise again.
12)Release.
Is this how I want to do things this time around? I'm in the process of trying to figure it out. Thank goodness I have the opportunity to do so.There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars.
February 16, 2011
How I Choose What I Read...
I've been a reader since I picked up Nancy Drew in the first grade. That love of reading progressed to Louisa May Alcott, Tamora Pierce, Gene Stratton Porter, etc. My mom loved older books, so I have a rather unusual education in that regard.
Still, I read everything, pretty much, that I can get my hands on. Any genre, any style, any age group. I have a particular fondness for children's and young adult books, maybe because most authors are afraid to let anything TOO bad happen in them. Or maybe because there are no boundaries in a children's story. Anything could happen.
Look at the Harry Potter books. Amazing. Whether you like the series or not, you have to agree that J.K. Rowling used her vivid imagination to the fullest when writing those books.
How do I choose what to read? Well, it used to be, before I had a two year old who runs shrieking around the library, that I would go in and browse the new books to my heart's content, in every section, including children's.
I would pick out a huge stack of books -10-15, depending on the length, and be back again in a week. I was a mass consumption lady.
These days, between writing and raising a family, my reading is much more limited and so is my browsing time. These days, I go by word of mouth.
Word of mouth is a powerful engine. Thanks to word of mouth, I discovered the Hunger Games, Terry Goodkind, Harry Potter, Katie McCallister and my favorite author of all time George R.R. Martin -followed closely by Orson Scott Card.
Even now, I'm reading Ranger's Apprentice, because my sister Hope loves them and gave them to me to try for myself.
If I like the books people suggest to me, then I pass them on to others. If I don't, I either tactfully give reasons why I don't like something or I keep it to myself.
That is why I like goodreads so much! I can find out what my friends are reading, through word of mouth, and figure out what to try for myself.
VERY COOL.
I loved that site before I was a writer and will continue to love it, even if Six Keys never sells another copy. Somehow, though, word of mouth must be in MY favor, as sales are holding steady. :)
Keep on reading your books and reviewing them, people!There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars.
Still, I read everything, pretty much, that I can get my hands on. Any genre, any style, any age group. I have a particular fondness for children's and young adult books, maybe because most authors are afraid to let anything TOO bad happen in them. Or maybe because there are no boundaries in a children's story. Anything could happen.
Look at the Harry Potter books. Amazing. Whether you like the series or not, you have to agree that J.K. Rowling used her vivid imagination to the fullest when writing those books.
How do I choose what to read? Well, it used to be, before I had a two year old who runs shrieking around the library, that I would go in and browse the new books to my heart's content, in every section, including children's.
I would pick out a huge stack of books -10-15, depending on the length, and be back again in a week. I was a mass consumption lady.
These days, between writing and raising a family, my reading is much more limited and so is my browsing time. These days, I go by word of mouth.
Word of mouth is a powerful engine. Thanks to word of mouth, I discovered the Hunger Games, Terry Goodkind, Harry Potter, Katie McCallister and my favorite author of all time George R.R. Martin -followed closely by Orson Scott Card.
Even now, I'm reading Ranger's Apprentice, because my sister Hope loves them and gave them to me to try for myself.
If I like the books people suggest to me, then I pass them on to others. If I don't, I either tactfully give reasons why I don't like something or I keep it to myself.
That is why I like goodreads so much! I can find out what my friends are reading, through word of mouth, and figure out what to try for myself.
VERY COOL.
I loved that site before I was a writer and will continue to love it, even if Six Keys never sells another copy. Somehow, though, word of mouth must be in MY favor, as sales are holding steady. :)
Keep on reading your books and reviewing them, people!There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars.
February 2, 2011
It Runs in the Family
Still moving along steadily in sales at 5 or 6 a day. Can't wait to see what the rest of the month brings.
My youngest sister is writing a book. Teen Fantasy. I've read it and aside from the normal need for editing that is present in every book, it is excellent.
Engaging characters, fascinating and contemporary setting, fast paced action.
I think the title will be Ignite, but I'm not sure. You can be sure that proud sister that I am, I will be linking every location of her book so you can all go and download it.There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars.
My youngest sister is writing a book. Teen Fantasy. I've read it and aside from the normal need for editing that is present in every book, it is excellent.
Engaging characters, fascinating and contemporary setting, fast paced action.
I think the title will be Ignite, but I'm not sure. You can be sure that proud sister that I am, I will be linking every location of her book so you can all go and download it.There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars.
January 31, 2011
My Book is Selling Like Hotcakes?!
So, a few posts ago I mentioned how I was selling one book a day. And believe me, I was happy to do so. All of a sudden, however, my book is selling, 3 or 4 or 5 or 6 (yesterday) per day.
I am flabbergasted by it. Is my book on a list somewhere that I don't know about? No one seems to be reviewing it anywhere. Yet all of a sudden, my books have taken a 4 or 5 fold leap in sales.
Where did that come from? Word of mouth? Like I said before, a list somewhere? I don't advertise, much, I don't have a big website or a review in NYtimes, but here I am, little old me, getting so many books sold a day! It's crazy.
So, I'm happy to report, that it looks like I'm halfway to my per day selling goal of 10 books per day in 6 mths.
Wow.
I am flabbergasted by it. Is my book on a list somewhere that I don't know about? No one seems to be reviewing it anywhere. Yet all of a sudden, my books have taken a 4 or 5 fold leap in sales.
Where did that come from? Word of mouth? Like I said before, a list somewhere? I don't advertise, much, I don't have a big website or a review in NYtimes, but here I am, little old me, getting so many books sold a day! It's crazy.
So, I'm happy to report, that it looks like I'm halfway to my per day selling goal of 10 books per day in 6 mths.
Wow.
There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars.
My Book is Selling Like Hotcakes?!
So, a few posts ago I mentioned how I was selling one book a day. And believe me, I was happy to do so. All of a sudden, however, my book is selling, 3 or 4 or 5 or 6 (yesterday) per day.
I am flabbergasted by it. Is my book on a list somewhere that I don't know about? No one seems to be reviewing it anywhere. Yet all of a sudden, my books have taken a 4 or 5 fold leap in sales.
Where did that come from? Word of mouth? Like I said before, a list somewhere? I don't advertise, much, I don't have a big website or a review in NYtimes, but here I am, little old me, getting so many books sold a day! It's crazy.
So, I'm happy to report, that it looks like I'm halfway to my per day selling goal of 10 books per day in 6 mths.
Wow.
I am flabbergasted by it. Is my book on a list somewhere that I don't know about? No one seems to be reviewing it anywhere. Yet all of a sudden, my books have taken a 4 or 5 fold leap in sales.
Where did that come from? Word of mouth? Like I said before, a list somewhere? I don't advertise, much, I don't have a big website or a review in NYtimes, but here I am, little old me, getting so many books sold a day! It's crazy.
So, I'm happy to report, that it looks like I'm halfway to my per day selling goal of 10 books per day in 6 mths.
Wow.
January 27, 2011
Ghosts... in my house???
I don't believe in ghosts. Never have. I believe that they are the wonderful stuff of stories and I welcome them in the books I read.
Until we moved into our new house. It's not that old, the house. It was built in 1972, doesn't seem ancient enough for ghosts, does it? We bought it from the original owners, after the death of the father.
To my knowledge, no one died in the house, either. So there should be no reason to feel haunted. And yet...
There is this hall closet door that keeps being opened. At first it was irritating. "Why is that door open again?" That kind of thing.
I've figured it was my child or my husband, and I'd close the door and carefully latch it, wiggling it to make sure it's actually shut.
Then last night, when my son was in bed I went in to the bathroom and when I came out the closet door was opened. I KNOW it was closed before. My husband hadn't moved from the couch, he was working on his laptop.
How did that door open itself up? How, how, how??? Now I admit to being extremely freaked out. All over a closet door. There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars.
Until we moved into our new house. It's not that old, the house. It was built in 1972, doesn't seem ancient enough for ghosts, does it? We bought it from the original owners, after the death of the father.
To my knowledge, no one died in the house, either. So there should be no reason to feel haunted. And yet...
There is this hall closet door that keeps being opened. At first it was irritating. "Why is that door open again?" That kind of thing.
I've figured it was my child or my husband, and I'd close the door and carefully latch it, wiggling it to make sure it's actually shut.
Then last night, when my son was in bed I went in to the bathroom and when I came out the closet door was opened. I KNOW it was closed before. My husband hadn't moved from the couch, he was working on his laptop.
How did that door open itself up? How, how, how??? Now I admit to being extremely freaked out. All over a closet door. There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars.
Solved
I think I've decided to wait and see if I get any feedback on the first draft of Compis before I run off and publish the ebook. This will give me a few weeks to do the following:
1) Finish up and polish the collection of short stories I've been working on. My plan is to sell them for dirt cheap on Kindle and maybe post a couple for free here on goodreads. Before I was a novelist, I was a short story only girl, and a let's start this book, write about 6 chapters and go on to the next thing girl. Now I am a FINISH IT girl, but I may as well get some use out of the stories I wrote along the way.
2) Get started on the next section of Compis. Even if I decide to release what I have as a book, the next part is dying to be written. Every night I lie in bed plotting where the story is going to go next. These characters are so easy to write about. It's like they're alive somewhere and their lives were recorded for me and all I have to do is put the description down on paper. What a pleasure.
3) Work on marketing Six Keys better. I am getting pretty good at it, not great, but pretty good. I need to be better. To that end, I've been researching my butt off online, figuring out what others have done to mild success. I keep telling myself, it's only been two months and I'm averaging 1 sale a day right now. That is great, and I'm very happy about it. But it's not my goal. My goal is 10 books a day by 6 mths. We'll see if I reach it. I've got one month to bump up my average by a LOT. :)
It's good to have goals.There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars.
1) Finish up and polish the collection of short stories I've been working on. My plan is to sell them for dirt cheap on Kindle and maybe post a couple for free here on goodreads. Before I was a novelist, I was a short story only girl, and a let's start this book, write about 6 chapters and go on to the next thing girl. Now I am a FINISH IT girl, but I may as well get some use out of the stories I wrote along the way.
2) Get started on the next section of Compis. Even if I decide to release what I have as a book, the next part is dying to be written. Every night I lie in bed plotting where the story is going to go next. These characters are so easy to write about. It's like they're alive somewhere and their lives were recorded for me and all I have to do is put the description down on paper. What a pleasure.
3) Work on marketing Six Keys better. I am getting pretty good at it, not great, but pretty good. I need to be better. To that end, I've been researching my butt off online, figuring out what others have done to mild success. I keep telling myself, it's only been two months and I'm averaging 1 sale a day right now. That is great, and I'm very happy about it. But it's not my goal. My goal is 10 books a day by 6 mths. We'll see if I reach it. I've got one month to bump up my average by a LOT. :)
It's good to have goals.There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars.
January 23, 2011
Dilemma
So, thanks to a comment posted by a reader, and some research, I did decide to enter my new book in the Breakthrough Novel Award that Amazon is sponsoring. Why you ask? I so decisively stated earlier that I would never enter a contest again.
I don't have a icicles chance in hell of winning it, I know that. I've looked at the other contestants from previous years. But I don't care, because all I have to do is make it to the 2nd round. If I make it to the 2nd round, I will get 2 reviews by their panel of expert. Can you imagine? Actual feedback from someone who isn't a family member or friend.
It's too tempting to pass up. But in order to do so, I had to have a product. I originally planned for this new novel to include 4 sections. The total product would be over 400 pages. I thought that would be a nice hefty size for a novel, and it would leave me with a trilogy.
If I end the new novel (which is revised up to part 2) after the first two sections, tidying it up for the contest, I have two options. I can hold onto it until I've finished the next two sections or I can release it now, at about 200 pages -it has a cover. It would also mean my trilogy would have 5 books, and the wait for each part would be a little longer, as I would have to write a new section at a time, instead of sandwiching 4 together for one big read.
I'm torn. It is my new dilemma. Which is more palatable for an ebook? 200 pages or 400 pages? I haven't read enough to have a decent opinion.
I don't have a icicles chance in hell of winning it, I know that. I've looked at the other contestants from previous years. But I don't care, because all I have to do is make it to the 2nd round. If I make it to the 2nd round, I will get 2 reviews by their panel of expert. Can you imagine? Actual feedback from someone who isn't a family member or friend.
It's too tempting to pass up. But in order to do so, I had to have a product. I originally planned for this new novel to include 4 sections. The total product would be over 400 pages. I thought that would be a nice hefty size for a novel, and it would leave me with a trilogy.
If I end the new novel (which is revised up to part 2) after the first two sections, tidying it up for the contest, I have two options. I can hold onto it until I've finished the next two sections or I can release it now, at about 200 pages -it has a cover. It would also mean my trilogy would have 5 books, and the wait for each part would be a little longer, as I would have to write a new section at a time, instead of sandwiching 4 together for one big read.
I'm torn. It is my new dilemma. Which is more palatable for an ebook? 200 pages or 400 pages? I haven't read enough to have a decent opinion.
January 4, 2011
The New Book
I'm really excited right now, my sister -my amazingly talented, graphic artist sister- came up last week and we worked on the cover of my new book, Compis. It seems like a bit too soon to do it, since I'm only about halfway done with the book. Almost exactly halfway. But it was so fun to do that I couldn't resist.
Keep your eyes peeled in the next few weeks, because I'll be posting a preview of the cover, and also releasing a few samples of the new book for early reading.
I was pretty excited to finish Six Keys, but this is the book that feels like my baby. I've poured a lot of my heart into the characters and I really like where they are going.
Keep your eyes peeled in the next few weeks, because I'll be posting a preview of the cover, and also releasing a few samples of the new book for early reading.
I was pretty excited to finish Six Keys, but this is the book that feels like my baby. I've poured a lot of my heart into the characters and I really like where they are going.
December 22, 2010
I've thrown in the Towel.
Not in life, or writing, thank goodness, although I've been nice and busy with a sick baby the past week. Sick babies are the saddest creatures in the world, with their sad eyes, and upset tummies or runny noses.
No, I've given up, instead, on Writing Contests. They are not worth the energy, it seems to me. I spend hours and hours and hours on my entry, refining and editing, only to find that the winner is some blind woman who taught herself how to spin ordinary orange wool into bread for homeless children.
Which is fine. I can lose a contest with the best of them. The frustrating part to me is not knowing how I did overall. Did I suck? Was I okay with a weak plot? Was the dialogue great, but the prose terrible? Was it the subject matter -i.e. is Fantasy a dumb subject to take up?
I've made a private resolution. No more contests without feedback. Contests are great, and motivating, but if you don't have the chance of hearing what is good and bad about your entry, I've got no interest.
Good luck to all you writers with blind weavers of bread.
No, I've given up, instead, on Writing Contests. They are not worth the energy, it seems to me. I spend hours and hours and hours on my entry, refining and editing, only to find that the winner is some blind woman who taught herself how to spin ordinary orange wool into bread for homeless children.
Which is fine. I can lose a contest with the best of them. The frustrating part to me is not knowing how I did overall. Did I suck? Was I okay with a weak plot? Was the dialogue great, but the prose terrible? Was it the subject matter -i.e. is Fantasy a dumb subject to take up?
I've made a private resolution. No more contests without feedback. Contests are great, and motivating, but if you don't have the chance of hearing what is good and bad about your entry, I've got no interest.
Good luck to all you writers with blind weavers of bread.
