Scrapped:
I tried to read the manuscript I was working on so I could jump back into it. That’s not going to happen. I wrote some notes for future reference in case I ever get back to that story, which I’m sure I will someday. The problem is, that story is so far out of my head that I can’t seem to jump back in. This is what comes from almost two months of not writing it. The pace and focus are beside me, so I felt it was best to scrap the book and come back to it later when I am not so distraught over being so far behind. I wonder if I am the only one who has ever felt that way? So, my latest tear-jerker that was so dear to my heart is now scrapped.
In Editing:
The self-help guide for new authors however, is complete and going through the final editing stages. We finally decided on a title, How to Survive the Writing Apocalypse: the 21st Century indie authors manual to content & mechanical editing. It may also be: How to Survive the Indie Author Apocalypse: A 21st Century guide to content & mechanics. The book was supposed to be out by early Spring on ereader, soft and hardcover, but with financial restraints and time constraints, I have chosen to print through Booktango for ereaders first. This will be a beta run to see how well the book does. If there is a desire to have to tradeback version then we will add that route next Spring and hope for a summer release.
The book covers many aspects for new indie authors as well as authors who are looking to send in queries to mainstream publishing houses. It covers point of view, head hopping, staying in character, use of bold/all capitals/and italics, period based writing, foresight, characterization, back story, branding, and much more. I wrote it with the intention of being easy to follow and understand (some books are just too wordy and difficult to follow). There is a checklist at the end along with a “Do’s & Don’ts” page. This is all the stuff I spent months researching when Iuniverse told me to drop crazy money on a book doctor and then another round of editing. That was beyond my budget, so I did all the mundane research, compiled a very comprehensive list of content & mechanical guidelines, and rewrote my book, Be Still. Since then I have shared my notes with others so they wouldn’t have to spend days researching, and finally someone asked if I would just put it in a book she could carry for reference. Clever idea. So, I did. Keep an eye out for it on ereaders.
In Creative Stages:
Since my tear jerker was scrapped, I continue writing my YA scifi book on aliens. That is more or less a side project, but my creative juices flared when I overheard a couple talking and the guy tells his girl, “You know I would die without you.” Bling!!! <–the sound of my creative lightbulb turning on. I asked myself, what if it were true? No, not like a suicide kind of thing, but more like a, “What if someone actually died without their other half. Oh man, my mind went racing, and before I knew it, I had a beginning, middle, and end. Time to write.
New Author Publishing 