Submitted... again

It's a never ending battle, the submission process. After writing another draft in record time, I submitted to another publisher whose deadline was the 14th of October.
I enjoyed the process this time and liked having a deadline to work towards. I felt a bit sad when I sent it off, I guess when you do that its no longer in your control. I hope I've done enough, and I will daydream about that e-mail that I might get from the publisher. But I know its a tough industry to crack and I'm not sure if my writing is strong enough yet.

Oh well I'm off to bed to read "A Feast for Crows" by George R. R. Martin.

5th Draft

If you can call it that. I know it's been many more then 5 but it's easier to put a number on it and keep some sort of track of the whole manuscript. I'm at 201 pages of 230 in another edit, so not long to go now and I've got until the 14th to finish and submit (self imposed deadline for a new publisher). I do have to write a synopsis, cover letter etc as well that obviously needs some time spent on it, perhaps I'll devote tomorrow night to that :)

I did want to tell you all about 1 book I've just finished reading. "First Contact" by Michael R Hicks. I'm not a big Science Fiction reader, but I loved this book. I read it on my iPhone which was a little hard because the book is so long but here is the good news, Michael has it free as an e-book on his website at the moment here is the link First Contact. So why did l love this book? There are some great characters and some fantastic imagination and lots of adventure. It is long and it is Science Fiction, the closest comparison I can come up with is "Star Wars".

Happy reading, or writing.

70 pages in...

I thought doing another draft would be hard work, but here I am 72 pages in (from 222) and I have till the 14th of October to do it. I think I will get it done, I know I will get it done and then I'll have a better quality piece of work then I have now.
On other notes I am reading a "A Feast for Crows" the forth novel in George R. R. Martins fantasy series. I read the previous three and enjoyed them, but they are a bit hard to get into as each chapter switches to different characters point of views and usually in different places. So you just get used to one character and then you have to get used to another one. I find I will only read a chapter at a time because of this. But it does transfer well to the TV series. I really enjoyed season 1 and 2 and am looking forward to season 3. I think I like the TV series better than the books.
I have a pile of books on my bedside table about 10 deep and another 10-15 downloaded onto my iPhone, so I have a lot of reading to do, but at the moment I'm writing so it means I won't get to read as much.

Rewrite

I've just become aware of another avenue for publishing my novel. So I have decided to do another draft and I have 3 weeks to do it and submit to this new publisher. I haven't heard from the old one and they said you would hear in 4 months if they want to publish your work, it's almost 4 months. But I've realized that doing a draft when you work full time (35hrs) and have a young child at home in 3 weeks might be a bit of a stretch. I also had planned on doing my tax over these next few weeks and going away for a few days. I guess it's going to be me taking the laptop everywhere I go. At least I'm writing my blog again :)
I have been reading some good books and I plan on talking about them next time...

Update

I have been slack. There are no excuses. I haven't been writing and therefor have let this blog slip. There is no news on the book. As it is my first finished manuscript I am assuming that it won't get accepted and probably never published. But in saying that having it out there lets me dream about it being published and if this particular publisher doesn't take it on then I'll send it somewhere else so I can still live the dream.
On another note I'm thinking of starting a parenting blog. I'll keep you updated :)

Submitted

I've done it—submitted my novel. Now I know most authors do not get their first novel published, so I am trying not to get too excited. But I feel free, like I've put all this time and effort into this novel, and now it's done, out of my hands.

I am going to have to start on another writing project but which one? I have an idea about an historical novel based on my family history, that I want to start. I have started another YA story based on a dream I had about an invasion in Beechworth. I've also started a dark urban fantasy novella. And I have two more books to write after this novel I've just finished—I plan on it being a trilogy.

I've just finished reading 'Darkness unbound' and 'Darkness rising' by Keri Arthur a Melbourne writer and I just love reading about all the dark creatures that live in Melbourne. In the last one I finished, they were at the Werribee Mansion, I live near Werribee Mansion and I've been there. I wonder if Keri went and had a coffee and tour one day to get that scene right.

My next book is '50 shades of grey' and it arrived today so I will let you all know how that goes.

Less than a week

The 30th of June is the deadline. I think I'll make it. Right now my brain is overrun with than/then hay/hey weather/whether peaked/peeked. The list goes on. I think I know the right word to use, but when I type my fingers don't always type the word I want them too.
Anyway there are a few other things I've been doing, entering short story competitions that sort of thing. And reading, my favorite pastime. Anyway I am procrastinating, I need to get back to writing my pitch letter and my synopsis, eek.

4th draft

4th draft done. I finished it Monday and now my hubby is proof reading for me. I think I'll do a fifth draft as well as I am unsure about one section of plot.
It is such a learning curve and I am realizing I have a really long way to go, but the best attribute a writer can have, I think, is perseverance. I think I have that. We'll see when I have a pile of rejection letters on my desk, or as the case will probably be rejection e-mails sitting in my inbox. So enough with the negativity, I have a deadline, self imposed but still... I have till the end of June (originally it was the end of July) to submit this manuscript to a specific publishing house as their cut off date for unsolicited manuscripts is the end of June, till further notice.
Exciting, scary, yes; but better then sitting on this story and letting it take up computer space.

Hunger Games again

So I've finished the last book in the Hunger Games trilogy. At the end of the first book I was a bit disappointed because they will still being ruled by the Capitol. By the end of the last book I was really disappointed (now if you haven't read the book and want to, don't read further). While the characters are alive and no longer under the Capitols rule, they are broken people. I imagined a happy ending but it was not happy. Katniss is broken—mentally confused. She chooses the boy I want her to choose but it doesn't seem like they are going to have a great life together, more like they are just trying to survive, much like they were before the war.
All that being said I think it was a good read and I think I will see the movie, just need a baby sitter...

Draft 3 is finished!

So it's done and giving myself a deadline really worked. I have finished draft 3!!! And I printed it out, it is the first time I've held a hard copy of my novel and I quite like it!!

Now begins the 4th draft, only thing is I don't expect it to be hard. I think I may even enjoy it!

3rd draft

I've been powering through my third draft. I'm up to chapter 18 out of 27. I think giving my self a deadline has really worked and I like reading my novel, I really like the story and the characters. I think I like it a bit too much, so I don't want to cut to much out of it. Which could be a bit of a problem. When I've finished this draft I am going to print it out and read it through in hard copy form and change it a bit more but then I'm going to stop and submit it and see where that goes (probably rejection town but even the most well know authors have a pile of rejection letters).

On another note I submitted a short story to another literary journal today. It's titled A breath of air and I might publish it here after I receive a response. It's good to get things out there. This means I have three short stories floating around out there in they story sphere :)

And on another note it is winter, finally and with that comes those dreaded colds and flues, muddy puddles and foot prints through the house. But it also brings that beautiful white stuff, snow! And who doesn't love snow? Well I guess a few people don't, but I'm one of the ones that do. I can't wait to go skiing this year and it is going to be so much fun with my daughter who is 3.5. She started at 1.5 but didn't do much more then shuffle around. Last year she skied down the beginner runs and the home-trails but this year she'll be old enough to go to ski school and she'll be strong enough to ski longer. The best thing is, she's excited too.

Hunger Games

So I read it. Took a couple of days, it was one of those hard to put down books, I actually spent more time at the gym just so I could read longer (I usually sit on a bike and read while pedaling).
I am not sure about going to see the movie—I don't think I would like all the violence. In you're own head you can sensor it a bit but when it's on the big screen it's in your face. It's interesting hubby said he'd probably see the movie but not read the book. I have ordered the next two in the series even though I've heard that they aren't as good as the first.
It has been well written, easy and engaging to read. I like the world the author Suzanne Collins invokes and the contrast between the districts and the Capitol. It is a young adult novel—that being said I enjoy YA novels.
So if you're looking for a book I recommend Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.
Now I have to find a new book to read, as my book shelf is full of books I've already read, I might need some help—thoughts anyone? what books are you reading at the moment?

Revision

I've had inspiration this week! I recently joined the Writers Victoria group. They send out e-mails and a six weekly magazine. I got an e-mail the other day with writing opportunities it in, competitions, magazines accepting submission etc. It had a publishing company that is accepting unsolicited manuscripts until the 31st of July. So I thought maybe I could get mine finished by then, it gives me a deadline something to work towards and that was my inspiration. I think I will get it done, but there is no guarantee that it will be accepted, far from it, I just needed the motivation to finish it instead of starting other projects (which I have been doing a lot). So I am in the third draft at chapter 10 (finished tonight) with another 17 chapters to go and then I'll look at the manuscript as a whole in paper form and see how it goes from there, with coloured pens and post it notes.

Room

I've been reading Room by Emma Donoghue for book club. It's not my choice. I got it a few days ago and am about 2/3 through it. I would never have picked it up but that's what being in a book club is good for. It's a good book. The story is told from a 5 year old boy's voice. He has been locked in a room with his 'Ma' from birth. At first I found it disturbing and didn't want to read it. I will stick it out but I have figured out something about myself. I like fantasy, post apocalyptic, urban fantasy, science fiction and any variation on these genres. And I just worked out why: stories about real life could be real—there really has been women locked up by men. I feel depressed reading this story but can't stop now; I feel like it is leaching the happiness out of my life. It's to close to real life. However fantasy is not, vampires don't exist. I'm also reading Blackwood Farm by Ann Rice. It's funny, these aristocratic Vampires throwing around flower language and emotions. It's an easy read, won't make me cry or feel sad, even if someone dies, because it is so far removed from real life. On my list of books to read is Hunger Games and I will read the book before I see the movie.

Perhaps my blog is more of a book review page?

Wouldn't it be nice...

Wouldn't it be nice if your life would move over when the writing urge hit. You could stop driving the car and write; hand the kids over to someone else and write; stop cooking dinner and write.
Yes it would be nice, but since it never happens like that we just have to write when we can. I like the mornings, but usually don't get a chance. I have the nights but am always so tired after working all day it's a struggle to switch my brain on and start chugging away.
But I also find that I go a bit insane if I don't write.
Well I'd better go and write...

Easter

Easter went by so quickly. But still I have my chocolate hangover. Well that could be because there is still so much of it in my house, when I've eaten it all then I'll be able to sober up.

I'm at a loss for books to read. I've been reading a couple by Mike Wells, that I enjoyed. I liked "wild child" and "Baby talk" freaked me out a bit. Mike's book are good as he gives away the first book so you can read it and then if you like it you buy the next ones, but if you don't like it then you don't have to buy any more, however I think most people do enjoy his faced paced stories.

I went to my book club on Tuesday night and we discussed "The little coffee shop in Kabul" which I liked and our next book is "Room" by Emma Donoghue. I have to buy it as I don't have it yet, but have 6 weeks till the next book club so plenty of time to read ir.

I am writing, I flipping between four projects at the moment, a short story, a novella, and 2 novels. Fun times really, I like the process, the thinking, the creating. But I don't like the revising, maybe I can have someone else do that for me. No I know I have to do it—I just need a different angle or a new brain to swap out while I revise. Ahhh.

Better go buy that new book.

On writing

So I read an article written by Julianna Baggott (here's the link) on her ideas about writing and what helps her. I found it really interesting. One thing she said was that she likes to swap projects and genre's. This really made sense to me. I have been spending all my time trying to focus of revising my novel and I don't want to so I end up doing nothing. But since reading this article I decided to think about some other projects that I want to work on and those thoughts led short story and I've started some research of a historical novel that I want to write.
Productive? I think so.
Thanks Julianna.
And if you haven't read her novel 'Pure' then you really should.

It's been a long time

No excuses, I've just not been in a writing mood. Writers block? I don't know. Perhaps a lack of motivation, or just working too much. I feel like I've got no time left, and I have my daughter with me every day except for 3 hours on a Monday, and sometimes I get some writing done, but not for the last few weeks. But there really is no excuse. Writing helps me deal with life. I'm sure most people have something them helps them relax or deal with stress—mine is writing.

I have been reading 'Pure' by Julianna Baggott. I brought it after a recommendation from Laini Taylor's blog. And I am loving it. It's original, different, beautifully written and disturbing in its subject matter. READ IT! The most original book I've read this year (maybe the best?).

I've also had to deal a bit with grief this week and am finding if very hard, I wish we had a better way of dealing with death, something that made it more of a celebration of a person's life and an acceptance of it as part of life.

I hope you're all reading a good book,
Tristy.

Oh I feel slack...

I haven't written in this blog for so long. I should be writing but find myself too busy. Perhaps that is just an excuse. My little girl started 3 year old kinder a couple of weeks ago, she growing up, it's wonderful to see, but a bit sad as well. Perhaps I am using her starting kinder as an excuse. I do plan on writing more, I think I need to look for some suggestions to help me better organise my time and motivate myself.
Any thoughts?

I did enter the 'Think Big' short story competition last weekend. A science fiction 1000 word story we had 72 hours to write. I found that a lot of fun.

On another note I am reading a lot, I just finished "Without warning" by John Birmingham. I really enjoyed this book, John really draws the reader in and makes the world believable. The premise is America has been wiped out by some sort of phenomenon and then deals with the aftermath and the world falls apart.
I am reading "the red tent" by Anita Diamant. It's for my book club and I wouldn't have picked it up otherwise, but I really like it. Anita's description are amazing and I am captivated by the world these women live in and the customs they follow. It really is worth a read.

Hopefully my next post has an update on my novel progress.

Chapter 2

So after all that procrastinating I finished editing chapter 2! Yay! God this is going to take a long time...
Chapter 3 here I come! (Only 25 more to go at about 10 pages each)

Apart from that I wish there was something good to watch on TV. My favorite shows are True Blood and Game of Thrones, but I don't have cable so have to wait till I can buy the episodes. Anyway who really has time to watch TV shows.

I hate revision!!!

I procrastinate, clean the house, walk around the house looking for things to do, twiddle my thumbs, pat the dogs, water the garden, wander around the garden and more before I sit down at the computer and start to work. Why? I don't know. I really hate reading some of my worse sentences and how did I think I could glue words together with a comma? Today I had half an hour and managed more than I have all week! And right now I'm procrastinating again!

I got another rejection for one of my short stories, here is what they said While we read it with interest, I’m afraid we’re going to pass on it. Nice enough words, but still a rejection. I've resubmitted it rather then leave it in the computer hard drive to take up space. Recently I read an article written by a man who is well published now (I forget his name), but he said his short story got rejected by many magazines before finally winning an award. So I guess perseverance is the key.

As I prattle on the night is running away from me, so I'd better post this and go write!!

Cheers.

Revision

What is harder, writing the original story or revising it? I think it's revision. I think my story has good bones, but its full of filler, sentences that make no sense, sentences that are ambiguous and abstract. Then the character change, but change so much the ones at the end don't seem to be like the ones at the start. It's going to be a long process but I'll stick to it. If I can't revise a story there is no point in writing them as no one else will fix them up for me.
On another note I've just read my first e-book. An author Mike Wells, has some free e-books and I downloaded one "Lust Money and Murder", I loved it and down loaded book 2 which you have to pay for but it was only 2.99 I am yet to get book 3, but I will. Here is a link to the free copy "Lust Money and Murder book 1"
Happy reading all.

Chapter 1

So I've just finished my 3rd draft of chapter 1. I've spent a fair amount of time on it and I know it'll need some more, but I think I ready to have some one else read it and give me some feedback.
I've decided I will give myself a week for each chapter, at 27 chapters that's 27 weeks, well 26 now, half a year! But with so many commitments in my life it's hard to do it faster. Maybe I'll surprise myself.

At the moment I'm reading Burned by P.C and Kristin Cast. I buy most of my books online and I like having them in paper and one of the websites I used had this book for 3.99 including postage on a daily special, so I bought it. It's interesting, very simply written, but a very complex story. It's part of a series book 7, so I've come in at that end. Not sure if I'll read any others in the series yet, but I will finish this one.
Cheers.

Draft number 3!

So now I have to do it all over again. I dread revising, I feel like it's easier to spill it all out then refine it, but I realize that it is an important part to writing. So I'm trying to think about the process differently, it's a matter of refining whats already there, which is, if you think about it, easier. This time I've decided to print each chapter and work on it as a hard copy. When I say 3'rd draft each chapter will be reviewed multiple times. For chapter 1 I did 2 revisions on the computer and then one on the hard copy I printed out. It's going to be another long process.
Better get to it.

I'm excited!

I did it, finished my second draft. Just like that, it's done. I don't know how long I've worked on it, but it's been a long time. My first draft I finished in three months, full of spelling mistakes and random bit and an awful ending that I didn't like to read—it seemed boring—so this time I rewrote the whole thing, changing the novel totally from the middle. I can't believe how long it has taken me though. I started on the redraft in  2009 and now were in January 2012. I hope that I do the next draft quicker.

I also wanted to talk about some books that I've just finished. First, Daughter of Smoke and bone by Laini Taylor http://www.lainitaylor.com/ Wow! I really enjoyed this book, even though it is a Young Adult novel. It is packed with magic, adventure, loss and love. I can't wait for the next one to come out.
Second was my book club book The making of us by Lisa Jewell. About the children of a sperm dona who find each other and themselves. It was something I wouldn't pick up on my own, but I really enjoyed it. I enjoyed the relationships that the characters developed and the ending. There were some very sad sections and I did cry, but that's good, sometimes.

I saw the new Girl with a dragon tattoo film and although I haven't seen the original I thought this one was really well done. I did try reading the first novel and found it a bit hard going, it may have also been the large pile of other books sitting on my bedside table that were more enticing. Anyway I decided to try reading the next one.

So far 2012 has been a great year!

Cheers!

I'm almost there!

Yesterday was an exciting day for me, as I sat at my computer I realized I had almost come to the end of my book. I thought maybe tonight I would finish my second draft (which has taken much longer than my first draft did). I haven't finished it, but I am so close. I need some fresh eyes so will look at it again tomorrow, and hopefully I'll be writing again tomorrow to say it's done!
It is such a long process no wonder so many people who start to write a book never finish. It's just hours at the computer and music for me.
Well I may just go and read before going to sleep. I love a night without TV, don't you?

Spiders!

I'm not sure what your thoughts are on spiders, mine—I just don't like them. We have lots of spiders in Melbourne at the moment, due to wetter then normal weather conditions. All sorts of spiders. I don't mind the orb spiders, or the little jumping spiders, even dirty long legs. I can deal with a huntsman from a distance. I hate all the others, especially the big black fat ones that are hiding in my fence next to my washing line. In fact I think they have invaded my garden and as I sit here writing this I can feel imaginary spiders crawling all over me. That may have something to do with the fact that I was just outside watering my garden in the dark, I felt something on my legs and kept moving them, thinking the mozzies were getting me, but then I looked down. Two big black hairy things one on each leg. I let our a well stoppered shriek and squirted my legs with the hose. My heart hammering in my chest I looked down at the ground and it seemed that there were spiders everywhere. I tried to water the garden form the front door step instead. Then I came inside and told my hubby, he grabbed a torch and searched the garden and found nothing, not one! I swear there were two on me. God I hate spiders.