Manuscript update: Wrote a first draft of my query letter in the wee hours of this morning before I dragged myself to bed. It’s not great, but a good start. A better version and the synopsis will be written next week. I just finished reading through a New Yorker feature about Neil Gaiman and was…
Read more
Manuscript update: Three fellow writers have very graciously agreed to read my latest revision, which I finished yesterday. Thank you, to them. Once they’re done, I’ll do one more read-through, going through their notes and fixing anything else I see, then I think it will be ready to send out. So next week’s goal will…
Read more
Revision update: Contrary to my lack of confidence yesterday, I buckled down and just finished my revision! Yay! Now on to beta reads. Fingers crossed. The 2010 ALSC Award winners were announced earlier this week and with them, they bring an opportunity. We all know that reading good books is one of the best ways…
Read more
Revision update: Another two chapters revised in the last two days, but I’m starting to doubt that I’ll finish by the end of the week. Maybe end of next week? For unpublished writers, facing the slush pile can seem daunting. We hear all these horror stories about manuscripts getting buried in six-foot piles of paper,…
Read more
Revision update: I didn’t work on my revision at all over the weekend, and coming back today, with just two days away from the story, I felt out of it. I must make time on the weekends from now on. I did get some good stuff done this morning, however, and I’m looking to tomorrow’s…
Read more
Revision update: Almost done! Well, I’m about three quarters through. Maybe I can be done by the end of next week. Fingers crossed. The images coming out of Haiti this past week have been sobering to say the least. Seeing the damage caused by a natural disaster like this makes us feel small and helpless.…
Read more
Revision update: Moving along smoothly. I’m about two-thirds off the way through. Still hoping to be done by the end of the month. Fingers crossed. I’ve talked about setting goals for writing a lot on this blog. But there’s more to commiting to your writing than setting goals. Procrastinating Writers has a great idea: Sign…
Read more
Revision update: It’s coming along, but I’ve slowed down a bit. There’s that old saying that when a door closes, another opens. Call me an optimist, but I believe in this. I acknowledge that the second one doesn’t always open immediately, but with some patience, a lot of hard work, dedication and, perhaps most of…
Read more
Revision update: Going well. I’ve been getting up early and doing about a chapter a day. Being the only one to know the full story of my book has been driving me crazy. I think it’s good. I’m excited about it. But there’s always that little voice in the back of head telling me that…
Read more
Revision update: Things have been going well. I’ve been steaming through the chapters, getting about six done in the past few days. It feels good. Utah Children’s Writers’ Scott Rhoades wrote a fun New Year’s blog post yesterday with some ideas to help writers in this year. I thought I’d share my favorites and add…
Read more
