Karen GoatKeeper's Blog, page 30
October 21, 2015
Draft Excitement
Capri Capers is a complete draft. That doesn't mean it's ready for viewing only that it has a complete story in it.
A complete draft is special. Bringing it to life as a novel is exciting in many ways. The main character Harriet is becoming a good friend. Arthur is so shy around Harriet. The villains are more difficult but even they are coming to be people instead of stereotype villains.
Satisfying as doing this rewrite is, it doesn't have the excitement of creating a new draft. Rewriting a draft has constraints. The ending is known. Much of the plot line and story arc is known.
A new draft is just that: new. There are some ideas to form the story and plot lines but they are loose, easily altered. The main characters are still shadowy people waiting for a spotlight to reveal them.
November is time for to create a new draft. The idea has been percolating for a year and more. Anticipation is building. There are a few bits of research to wrap up and a week to get it done.
Until then Capri Capers will plod along.
A complete draft is special. Bringing it to life as a novel is exciting in many ways. The main character Harriet is becoming a good friend. Arthur is so shy around Harriet. The villains are more difficult but even they are coming to be people instead of stereotype villains.
Satisfying as doing this rewrite is, it doesn't have the excitement of creating a new draft. Rewriting a draft has constraints. The ending is known. Much of the plot line and story arc is known.
A new draft is just that: new. There are some ideas to form the story and plot lines but they are loose, easily altered. The main characters are still shadowy people waiting for a spotlight to reveal them.
November is time for to create a new draft. The idea has been percolating for a year and more. Anticipation is building. There are a few bits of research to wrap up and a week to get it done.
Until then Capri Capers will plod along.
October 14, 2015
Creating Characters
Capri Capers was a frantic rush draft during a November NaNo. It is almost all action.
That leaves the characters as flat two dimensional players. This is not suitable.
I know the characters. To me they have the depth and breadth a good novel character should have.
The difficulty is putting this into the novel draft. The draft seems complete so the only way is to literally take parts of it out and recreate the scenes adding dialogue and descriptions to make Harriet, Arthur, Dan and the others become the real people they really are to me.
It is slow going but worth it as I want others to know these people as I do.
That leaves the characters as flat two dimensional players. This is not suitable.
I know the characters. To me they have the depth and breadth a good novel character should have.
The difficulty is putting this into the novel draft. The draft seems complete so the only way is to literally take parts of it out and recreate the scenes adding dialogue and descriptions to make Harriet, Arthur, Dan and the others become the real people they really are to me.
It is slow going but worth it as I want others to know these people as I do.
October 7, 2015
The Strange Feeling of Being Done
The Pumpkin Project is done.
This sounds so simple. After months of work devising puzzles, editing, rewriting and more, it's over. Just. Like. That.
Surely there must be more to do. It can't be done yet.
There is this strange feeling of loss. A feeling of 'what do I do now?'
I suppose I should savor this tiny gap, this bit of vacation. It just feels so strange, as though a good friend has moved away.
Now comes time to form a new relationship. What project is next on the list?
Three come to mind.
Capri Capers awaits a major rewrite. Maybe the rewrite doesn't need to be that drastic. Perhaps I should read through the draft and find out.
November and NaNo is a few short weeks away. I have a novel idea bouncing around in my head trying to coalesce. The outline is short. Can I turn it into 50,000 words? I will try.
Science is a love of mine. How can I not do another little science book? The Water Project is in planning stages.
So much for savoring the completion of The Pumpkin Project.
This sounds so simple. After months of work devising puzzles, editing, rewriting and more, it's over. Just. Like. That.
Surely there must be more to do. It can't be done yet.
There is this strange feeling of loss. A feeling of 'what do I do now?'
I suppose I should savor this tiny gap, this bit of vacation. It just feels so strange, as though a good friend has moved away.
Now comes time to form a new relationship. What project is next on the list?
Three come to mind.
Capri Capers awaits a major rewrite. Maybe the rewrite doesn't need to be that drastic. Perhaps I should read through the draft and find out.
November and NaNo is a few short weeks away. I have a novel idea bouncing around in my head trying to coalesce. The outline is short. Can I turn it into 50,000 words? I will try.
Science is a love of mine. How can I not do another little science book? The Water Project is in planning stages.
So much for savoring the completion of The Pumpkin Project.
September 26, 2015
Giveaway or Not?
I was very happy with the results from the giveaway for "Dora's Story" and am thinking of doing one for "The Pumpkin Project" too. I don't know if I can.
"Dora's Story" was published through CreateSpace. It was easy to list on Amazon and Smashwords and Kindle. It was easy to send off cpies through CreateSpace.
"The Pumpkin Project" will be printed at home. I will have an ISBN number to list it on Amazon. It will be available as a PDF on my website but not at Smashwords.
Why the difference?
"The Pumpkin Project" is a full 8 1/2 by 11 complicated book with its many puzzles, investigations and pictures. The page format is crucial to the book and will not work well on a small screen or turned into a print-picture-print format.
My home color laser printer will produce a nice book which can be bound with a plastic binding that opens flat for easy use and solving. I can mail copies from the local post office.
The book is almost done. One more coloring page to go and then the myriad details are left to do. It should be out by the book signing in Owensville, MO, on Oct. 17.
I would want to run a giveaway the beginning of October. The clock is ticking. Decisions, decisions.
I also wonder if anyone on GR would care about a science/activity book for 10 to 14 year-olds although much of it can be done by younger children with supervision.
Decisions. Decisions. I suppose I have until Wednesday to make up my mind.
"Dora's Story" was published through CreateSpace. It was easy to list on Amazon and Smashwords and Kindle. It was easy to send off cpies through CreateSpace.
"The Pumpkin Project" will be printed at home. I will have an ISBN number to list it on Amazon. It will be available as a PDF on my website but not at Smashwords.
Why the difference?
"The Pumpkin Project" is a full 8 1/2 by 11 complicated book with its many puzzles, investigations and pictures. The page format is crucial to the book and will not work well on a small screen or turned into a print-picture-print format.
My home color laser printer will produce a nice book which can be bound with a plastic binding that opens flat for easy use and solving. I can mail copies from the local post office.
The book is almost done. One more coloring page to go and then the myriad details are left to do. It should be out by the book signing in Owensville, MO, on Oct. 17.
I would want to run a giveaway the beginning of October. The clock is ticking. Decisions, decisions.
I also wonder if anyone on GR would care about a science/activity book for 10 to 14 year-olds although much of it can be done by younger children with supervision.
Decisions. Decisions. I suppose I have until Wednesday to make up my mind.
September 16, 2015
How do you solve a maze?
There will be five mazes in the Pumpkin Project. Four are now done.
Designing a maze is challenging in some ways. It is simple to use a table, merge rows and columns then move it to paintshop to finish it off. It is also boring.
Coming up with mazes with pictures, twists and turns makes the mazes much more interesting. It makes it easier to make a mistake too. There can be only one solution. There must be a solution.
The same advice applies to designing mazes as to editing a book: have a fresh set of eyes look it over. Remember the writer or creator sees what they expect or want to see not necessarily what is there.
So the latest maze went to Sarah, my maze checker. The others have been fairly simple. This one was challenging.
Sarah starts at the finish and goes back to the starting point. She says it is easier to solve a maze this way.
When I think about it, I do several things backwards too because they seem easier that way. Yes, I've solved mazes this way too.
How do you solve a maze? What makes going backward seem easier?
I think I will go back to creating that last maze. it's easier than pondering the questions.
Designing a maze is challenging in some ways. It is simple to use a table, merge rows and columns then move it to paintshop to finish it off. It is also boring.
Coming up with mazes with pictures, twists and turns makes the mazes much more interesting. It makes it easier to make a mistake too. There can be only one solution. There must be a solution.
The same advice applies to designing mazes as to editing a book: have a fresh set of eyes look it over. Remember the writer or creator sees what they expect or want to see not necessarily what is there.
So the latest maze went to Sarah, my maze checker. The others have been fairly simple. This one was challenging.
Sarah starts at the finish and goes back to the starting point. She says it is easier to solve a maze this way.
When I think about it, I do several things backwards too because they seem easier that way. Yes, I've solved mazes this way too.
How do you solve a maze? What makes going backward seem easier?
I think I will go back to creating that last maze. it's easier than pondering the questions.
September 9, 2015
Why a Website?
My presentation on starting a website is just over a week away. I have an outline. I have a written version. I have a list of possible pictures to put a powerpoint together.
I know the people in my writers group. They are a great bunch. I know the number one question: Why should I go to all the trouble of making a website?
It's easy to list things to do to start a website: put together your plans on what the site will look like; visit sites of other authors to get ideas; home, book, bio and contact pages are a must; and keep it simple with lots of graphics.
Then you get a domain, a web host, build your site and you are on the web!
Easy to type. Easy to say. Easy to read. Lots of work. And there are those regular updates.
Which brings us back to the original question: Why should I have a website?
There is the standard response: it is expected of authors to have a website.
There is the marketing response: you need to get your books noticed and a website is a good way to do it.
Why not Facebook? Amazon author page? Smashword author page? Goodreads author page?
Most serious authors end up with all those author pages and then some. How do you coordinate all of them? How do you direct people to the ones most relevant to them?
A website.
Why have a website? It is your home base to which all the other bits and pieces connect and interact.
I know the people in my writers group. They are a great bunch. I know the number one question: Why should I go to all the trouble of making a website?
It's easy to list things to do to start a website: put together your plans on what the site will look like; visit sites of other authors to get ideas; home, book, bio and contact pages are a must; and keep it simple with lots of graphics.
Then you get a domain, a web host, build your site and you are on the web!
Easy to type. Easy to say. Easy to read. Lots of work. And there are those regular updates.
Which brings us back to the original question: Why should I have a website?
There is the standard response: it is expected of authors to have a website.
There is the marketing response: you need to get your books noticed and a website is a good way to do it.
Why not Facebook? Amazon author page? Smashword author page? Goodreads author page?
Most serious authors end up with all those author pages and then some. How do you coordinate all of them? How do you direct people to the ones most relevant to them?
A website.
Why have a website? It is your home base to which all the other bits and pieces connect and interact.
September 2, 2015
Exploring Options
My novels were entered as CreateSpace print on demand books. Even Dora's Story with a few illustrations went through easily.
It is so tempting to do the same with The Pumpkin Project. Printing it at home then getting it bound is a lot of trouble.
I know how much trouble because I have two others, Goat Games and Exploring the Ozark Hills, I do that with. So why did I choose to do it this way?
Goat Games is full of puzzles, photographs, stories, trivia and more about goats. The formatting is exact and demanding. I was afraid of trying to convert it over into a print on demand format.
Exploring the Ozark Hills is a book of nature essays and photographs. It too has some intricate formatting. I was afraid of the conversions.
There is also the matter of price. I do not want to try to sell $60 books.
The Pumpkin Project is getting close to done. I am in the "Hurry up and wait" phase as I wait for the last pictures and information from other people. That's a good excuse for my procrastination on the last four puzzles too.
Out of curiosity I ran a check through CreateSpace about The Pumpkin Project. Surprisingly my proposed price of $25 was very much in line with their estimate of $16 to print.
But there is still the formatting problem. Converting this mess to PDF will be challenging judging from past experiences. Even using page breaks is not a guarantee.
I still have a couple of weeks to think this through. My last pictures must wait until the end of September. At least I have their places ready and waiting.
There is another question to consider. I was very happy doing a give away for Dora's Story. If I print The Pumpkin Project myself, can I still do a give away?
It is so tempting to do the same with The Pumpkin Project. Printing it at home then getting it bound is a lot of trouble.
I know how much trouble because I have two others, Goat Games and Exploring the Ozark Hills, I do that with. So why did I choose to do it this way?
Goat Games is full of puzzles, photographs, stories, trivia and more about goats. The formatting is exact and demanding. I was afraid of trying to convert it over into a print on demand format.
Exploring the Ozark Hills is a book of nature essays and photographs. It too has some intricate formatting. I was afraid of the conversions.
There is also the matter of price. I do not want to try to sell $60 books.
The Pumpkin Project is getting close to done. I am in the "Hurry up and wait" phase as I wait for the last pictures and information from other people. That's a good excuse for my procrastination on the last four puzzles too.
Out of curiosity I ran a check through CreateSpace about The Pumpkin Project. Surprisingly my proposed price of $25 was very much in line with their estimate of $16 to print.
But there is still the formatting problem. Converting this mess to PDF will be challenging judging from past experiences. Even using page breaks is not a guarantee.
I still have a couple of weeks to think this through. My last pictures must wait until the end of September. At least I have their places ready and waiting.
There is another question to consider. I was very happy doing a give away for Dora's Story. If I print The Pumpkin Project myself, can I still do a give away?
August 26, 2015
Writer's Group
October is approaching at breakneck speed or so it seems to me as I frantically try to finish The Pumpkin Project. I'm down to the wire with a half dozen puzzles, solutions, last minute changes and pictures.
The last thing I need is another writing project. My writer's group thinks otherwise. We are starting a second anthology on animals for release next April.
The short story is coming along as the premise is one I worked out before in a project that didn't work. Working on this is a bit of relief making return to The Pumpkin Project possible with a refreshed attitude.
Yet, somehow I am also the one coordinating and gathering all the stories for the anthology, sending them to the editors. I guess I will get the finished ones back later. My email account is starting to get busy.
There is something on the email called folders. I've never used this feature. Perhaps it is time I learned.
Which brings me to the next writer's group project: tech trainings.
I am not that technology savvy as my recent website disaster proves. So how do I end up with this training series? Our group leader has more faith in me than I do I guess.
One thing about these trainings, they are an opportunity. The first one is on basic websites as authors really need one as a base of operations. Already I have a collaborator. Then there is all the research and mistakes I've made along the way to mine. And I get to finally do a powerpoint!
The second one is on creating links. This is something I have long wanted to learn how to do. Now I have incentive to finally learn about them and how to do them.
Maybe these are both opportunities in disguise. I do know Missouri Writers, Ink is a great writer's group for me. And especially new and aspiring authors can use a good group to smooth out some of those road hazards on the way to holding that first book.
The last thing I need is another writing project. My writer's group thinks otherwise. We are starting a second anthology on animals for release next April.
The short story is coming along as the premise is one I worked out before in a project that didn't work. Working on this is a bit of relief making return to The Pumpkin Project possible with a refreshed attitude.
Yet, somehow I am also the one coordinating and gathering all the stories for the anthology, sending them to the editors. I guess I will get the finished ones back later. My email account is starting to get busy.
There is something on the email called folders. I've never used this feature. Perhaps it is time I learned.
Which brings me to the next writer's group project: tech trainings.
I am not that technology savvy as my recent website disaster proves. So how do I end up with this training series? Our group leader has more faith in me than I do I guess.
One thing about these trainings, they are an opportunity. The first one is on basic websites as authors really need one as a base of operations. Already I have a collaborator. Then there is all the research and mistakes I've made along the way to mine. And I get to finally do a powerpoint!
The second one is on creating links. This is something I have long wanted to learn how to do. Now I have incentive to finally learn about them and how to do them.
Maybe these are both opportunities in disguise. I do know Missouri Writers, Ink is a great writer's group for me. And especially new and aspiring authors can use a good group to smooth out some of those road hazards on the way to holding that first book.
August 19, 2015
Ignorance In Action
Ignorance is not a crime in and of itself. However it can be costly.
Anymore ignorance seems touted and supported by politicians and religious groups. Media makes it look good. More and more people seem to flout being ignorant.
This can be costly to society.
Back to my problem.
My home computer is not online. Updates are not an issue.
The librarians did updates but this was not noticed.
My laptop must do updates.
But for some inexplicable reason I didn't think website updates were important.
The website disagreed. And it shut itself down.
My website is again up and running. I am thankful for that and for a web hostess who refrained from calling me an idiot at least to my face.
My computer ignorance is great. The holes are not easily noticed especially by me.
I am no longer ignorant about updates and my website. Maybe I will get it caught up in another week or so.
Anymore ignorance seems touted and supported by politicians and religious groups. Media makes it look good. More and more people seem to flout being ignorant.
This can be costly to society.
Back to my problem.
My home computer is not online. Updates are not an issue.
The librarians did updates but this was not noticed.
My laptop must do updates.
But for some inexplicable reason I didn't think website updates were important.
The website disagreed. And it shut itself down.
My website is again up and running. I am thankful for that and for a web hostess who refrained from calling me an idiot at least to my face.
My computer ignorance is great. The holes are not easily noticed especially by me.
I am no longer ignorant about updates and my website. Maybe I will get it caught up in another week or so.
August 15, 2015
Total Frustration
I've heard it said that bad luck is better than no luck at all. I question this. I hope I'm not to that point yet.
But this last week makes me wonder.
My website seems to have gone AWOL. This error message comes up saying the site can't be found.
The site did show up with Google Chrome but was blank.
I am trying to find out what happened. I do have last week's commentaries and science project if anyone wants me to email them out.
Any ideas to help me in my website quest are welcome. I have contacted my host service but haven't heard back yet.
In the meantime the Pumpkin Project continues inching along.
But this last week makes me wonder.
My website seems to have gone AWOL. This error message comes up saying the site can't be found.
The site did show up with Google Chrome but was blank.
I am trying to find out what happened. I do have last week's commentaries and science project if anyone wants me to email them out.
Any ideas to help me in my website quest are welcome. I have contacted my host service but haven't heard back yet.
In the meantime the Pumpkin Project continues inching along.
