Anju Gattani's Blog, page 5
August 17, 2012
Culture Compass
Hi,
So now that I'm done with the edits of Bk II... I decided to catch up with everything else on my 'To Do' list.
The first is a blog post for Aug 22. I can write about anything I want. Relief? No. Pressure. Yes! When you're swimming in an ocean, which direction do you take for land? North? East? South? West? And do you know if you'll get there - assuming you don't have a water-proof compass.
So I started with a topic that forms the backbone to both books in the 'Winds of Fire' series. Culture. One word. Two syllables. But it's packed with punch. And it's in both books.
What's so good about culture? It forms - let me stop right there. It's a post for another blog. Not this one! I'll send you the link when I'm done! :)
So now that I'm done with the edits of Bk II... I decided to catch up with everything else on my 'To Do' list.
The first is a blog post for Aug 22. I can write about anything I want. Relief? No. Pressure. Yes! When you're swimming in an ocean, which direction do you take for land? North? East? South? West? And do you know if you'll get there - assuming you don't have a water-proof compass.
So I started with a topic that forms the backbone to both books in the 'Winds of Fire' series. Culture. One word. Two syllables. But it's packed with punch. And it's in both books.
What's so good about culture? It forms - let me stop right there. It's a post for another blog. Not this one! I'll send you the link when I'm done! :)
August 16, 2012
Hats Off To Editor
Hi,
Just finished the edits on the 2nd book and am breathing a sigh of relief. Not because it's over. But because it's the best it can possibly be.
Grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, sentence construction,fact-checks... the list goes on. It was HARD work. Harder yet for my wonderful copy editor who goes beyond the words. She was able to dig deep in the story and say what caracter arcs were incomplete. What needed to be more clearly defined in simple language. What didn't make sense. What sense / sensations needed to be added to clarify the meaning.
I could have never accomplished this on my own. Yes, I created the characters, carved the stories, and lived the characters' lives. But bringing it together in clear, logical and flawless language... that takes the skill and knowledge of a highly trained eye and sharp mind.
Hats off to my editor!
She's one of a kind.
Just finished the edits on the 2nd book and am breathing a sigh of relief. Not because it's over. But because it's the best it can possibly be.
Grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, sentence construction,fact-checks... the list goes on. It was HARD work. Harder yet for my wonderful copy editor who goes beyond the words. She was able to dig deep in the story and say what caracter arcs were incomplete. What needed to be more clearly defined in simple language. What didn't make sense. What sense / sensations needed to be added to clarify the meaning.
I could have never accomplished this on my own. Yes, I created the characters, carved the stories, and lived the characters' lives. But bringing it together in clear, logical and flawless language... that takes the skill and knowledge of a highly trained eye and sharp mind.
Hats off to my editor!
She's one of a kind.
August 14, 2012
Restructure
Hi,
Have you ever been in a situation where you read the same sentence again and again... and still can't make sense of it? I have. I am in that situation.
I wrote a paragraph of description and I'm re-reading what I wrote. Then I look at the copy editor's comments and think to myself 'No wonder she didn't get what I was saying!' You see, neither do I.
I'm trying hard to figure out how to say it better, cleaner, neater and in a polished way so that the readers *gets it* with just one read.
So I'm diving back to the manuscript... after browsing, hopping on over to Twitter, FB, and other pages... to fix what needs fixing.
Wish me luck!
Have you ever been in a situation where you read the same sentence again and again... and still can't make sense of it? I have. I am in that situation.
I wrote a paragraph of description and I'm re-reading what I wrote. Then I look at the copy editor's comments and think to myself 'No wonder she didn't get what I was saying!' You see, neither do I.
I'm trying hard to figure out how to say it better, cleaner, neater and in a polished way so that the readers *gets it* with just one read.
So I'm diving back to the manuscript... after browsing, hopping on over to Twitter, FB, and other pages... to fix what needs fixing.
Wish me luck!
August 10, 2012
Multi / Cross - Cultural
Hi,
I've had some great responses on the recent blog post about defining multicultural fiction. Some suggested international, some referred to the phrase as a shelving term and someone came up with the idea of cross-cultural!
Here's the link:
http://booksbywomen.org/fitting-in-a-...
All the responses were wonderful! What really hit home were some elements of truth. A writer begins writing a story the best way he/she knows how to. What happens after are rewrites, revisions and reevaluations of the manuscript followed by queries, agents, editors - if you are lucky to get that far... and it goes on....
Multicultural is just another shelving term for bookstores and libraries to know where to shelve these books. And of course lead the buyer, in turn, there.
But characters usually tend to follow one set of cultures or two or three (if you're Eurasian I'm guessing?) and form their opinions, values and systems of belief on their experiences and understanding of the world around them.
It was one blog post. Just one. But I learned a lot in turn.
I've had some great responses on the recent blog post about defining multicultural fiction. Some suggested international, some referred to the phrase as a shelving term and someone came up with the idea of cross-cultural!
Here's the link:
http://booksbywomen.org/fitting-in-a-...
All the responses were wonderful! What really hit home were some elements of truth. A writer begins writing a story the best way he/she knows how to. What happens after are rewrites, revisions and reevaluations of the manuscript followed by queries, agents, editors - if you are lucky to get that far... and it goes on....
Multicultural is just another shelving term for bookstores and libraries to know where to shelve these books. And of course lead the buyer, in turn, there.
But characters usually tend to follow one set of cultures or two or three (if you're Eurasian I'm guessing?) and form their opinions, values and systems of belief on their experiences and understanding of the world around them.
It was one blog post. Just one. But I learned a lot in turn.
August 8, 2012
Multicultural fiction definition
Hi,
I've been thinking hard about multicultural fiction and what the term means for all us writers who bring stories from the east to the west.
It could be a story set in Afghanistan, India, China, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Singapore... the possibilites are endless. But what stays constant is that stories set in a country hold the people's opinions, beliefs, values and culture. These are a set of... not a multi variety of so then does it make sense to call it multiculture fiction?
Remember we're talking about ONE SET OF, one country's opinions, beliefs, values and culture.
Perhaps multiculture is a term suitable for a shelf only and not for a store or library? Perhaps we should find another term? What do you think? Hop on over at:
http://booksbywomen.org/fitting-in-a-...
I've been thinking hard about multicultural fiction and what the term means for all us writers who bring stories from the east to the west.
It could be a story set in Afghanistan, India, China, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Singapore... the possibilites are endless. But what stays constant is that stories set in a country hold the people's opinions, beliefs, values and culture. These are a set of... not a multi variety of so then does it make sense to call it multiculture fiction?
Remember we're talking about ONE SET OF, one country's opinions, beliefs, values and culture.
Perhaps multiculture is a term suitable for a shelf only and not for a store or library? Perhaps we should find another term? What do you think? Hop on over at:
http://booksbywomen.org/fitting-in-a-...
August 7, 2012
Attention
Hi,
Well it's been a while since I posted a blog and here's why...
I did hop on over to this 'blog' section several times last week but everytime my good intentions to post a blog hit - something came up.
The manuscript currently in edits would call. The blog tour scheduled for Sept 2012 needed my attention. My kids needed my attention and on and on and on...
But the good news is that I'm looking forward to 2 major reviews for DUTY AND DESIRE; one scheduled to come out in UK and one in India - both before the year ends. I'm also looking ahead to schedule more author events so have to work on those too.
As for the book of my heart - Bk III? That, like so much else, continues to wait. It calls for my attention but I can't be in so many places simultaneously. AND... I have to prioritize.
So back to the edits once again! And let's see who calls next!
Well it's been a while since I posted a blog and here's why...
I did hop on over to this 'blog' section several times last week but everytime my good intentions to post a blog hit - something came up.
The manuscript currently in edits would call. The blog tour scheduled for Sept 2012 needed my attention. My kids needed my attention and on and on and on...
But the good news is that I'm looking forward to 2 major reviews for DUTY AND DESIRE; one scheduled to come out in UK and one in India - both before the year ends. I'm also looking ahead to schedule more author events so have to work on those too.
As for the book of my heart - Bk III? That, like so much else, continues to wait. It calls for my attention but I can't be in so many places simultaneously. AND... I have to prioritize.
So back to the edits once again! And let's see who calls next!
July 31, 2012
Blogs
Hi,
Just when I thought I had enough trouble keeping up with social media and editing the 2nd book... a surprise comes along.
DUTY AND DESIRE is featured today on 2 blog posts and 1 online newspaper:
http://coffeetimeromance.com/CoffeeTh...
Spotlight Tuesday:
http://fullmoonbites.blogspot.com/?zx...
Readers Review
http://paper.li/bestsellers_gb/134026...
I'm giving away swag with both blog posts - so this is exciting!
So here i am trying to keep up with Tweets, the Olympics and editing. And I don't quite know what I'm doing at this moment... except blogging on Goodreads now.
Just when I thought I had enough trouble keeping up with social media and editing the 2nd book... a surprise comes along.
DUTY AND DESIRE is featured today on 2 blog posts and 1 online newspaper:
http://coffeetimeromance.com/CoffeeTh...
Spotlight Tuesday:
http://fullmoonbites.blogspot.com/?zx...
Readers Review
http://paper.li/bestsellers_gb/134026...
I'm giving away swag with both blog posts - so this is exciting!
So here i am trying to keep up with Tweets, the Olympics and editing. And I don't quite know what I'm doing at this moment... except blogging on Goodreads now.
July 26, 2012
Another excerpt
Hi,
I'm participating in a blog tour and getting to know more of what is involved in doing so. The most recent surprise is being asked to pick an 'excerpt' from DUTY AND DESIRE that can be used as a promo post.
What a difficult decision! What am I supposed to pick? Dialogue? Narration? Description? Conflict? Setting? Characterization? The list seems endless. The story is one thread with tiny junctions in between that hold it together and lots of different elements... like a cable with tiny wires running through its stream.
So I guess it's back to the book... and trying to find out what excerpt will work best for readers and intrigue their interest.
What should I go for?
I'm participating in a blog tour and getting to know more of what is involved in doing so. The most recent surprise is being asked to pick an 'excerpt' from DUTY AND DESIRE that can be used as a promo post.
What a difficult decision! What am I supposed to pick? Dialogue? Narration? Description? Conflict? Setting? Characterization? The list seems endless. The story is one thread with tiny junctions in between that hold it together and lots of different elements... like a cable with tiny wires running through its stream.
So I guess it's back to the book... and trying to find out what excerpt will work best for readers and intrigue their interest.
What should I go for?
July 24, 2012
Excerpts
Hi,
I have a blog post due for Sat, July 28... but so much has happened and stalled me over the last week that I don't know if it'll even get done.
I didn't get much editing on Bk II done because of 2 birthdays in the family. Then I'm signing up for a blog tour and that took a while to understand and figure out.
I'm thinking of an excerpt from DUTY AND DESIRE that needs to go for the post and trying to understand what readers want in short, snappy posts. Dialogue? Description? Narration? Tense conflict? Character revelation?
Hmmm... let's see. I guess I'm going to have to revert to DUTY AND DESIRE and flip through the pages and scenes once again to see what works. What do you think?
I have a blog post due for Sat, July 28... but so much has happened and stalled me over the last week that I don't know if it'll even get done.
I didn't get much editing on Bk II done because of 2 birthdays in the family. Then I'm signing up for a blog tour and that took a while to understand and figure out.
I'm thinking of an excerpt from DUTY AND DESIRE that needs to go for the post and trying to understand what readers want in short, snappy posts. Dialogue? Description? Narration? Tense conflict? Character revelation?
Hmmm... let's see. I guess I'm going to have to revert to DUTY AND DESIRE and flip through the pages and scenes once again to see what works. What do you think?
July 16, 2012
Point Of View
Hi,
So life's been extremely hectic this last month with family over from India. I was hoping to have edited at least 100 pages of the 2nd book but I'm nowhere close to that.
What I did manage to successfully do was rewrite 1 scene which had no Point Of View. After 9 years - no 10 years of professional writing, (more actually) you'd think I'd know that a POV is missing in the work! Well, obviously I didn't because I didn't think it was needed? Because I didn't realize it? Because I didn't see it? Because I was blind?
I'll just say ALL OF THE ABOVE! But when I did see what was missing, it was like an insight. Starting over.
So come tomorrow, I return to the ms. and since there's a 2nd scene which needs deep thought and extension into the whole story arc... the recent exercise might just prove its worth! But then I have to think and rethink again, right?
I can't wait to get back in! But I think I'll spend tonight getting my feet wet by just thinking about it!
So life's been extremely hectic this last month with family over from India. I was hoping to have edited at least 100 pages of the 2nd book but I'm nowhere close to that.
What I did manage to successfully do was rewrite 1 scene which had no Point Of View. After 9 years - no 10 years of professional writing, (more actually) you'd think I'd know that a POV is missing in the work! Well, obviously I didn't because I didn't think it was needed? Because I didn't realize it? Because I didn't see it? Because I was blind?
I'll just say ALL OF THE ABOVE! But when I did see what was missing, it was like an insight. Starting over.
So come tomorrow, I return to the ms. and since there's a 2nd scene which needs deep thought and extension into the whole story arc... the recent exercise might just prove its worth! But then I have to think and rethink again, right?
I can't wait to get back in! But I think I'll spend tonight getting my feet wet by just thinking about it!
