Posted in writing, tagged e-publishing, fantasy, first drafts, Multiple Projects, rewrites, series, writing on November 23, 2016| Leave a Comment »
So, no sooner did I post that I was going to work on the rewrite of MAGE STORM while writing the first draft of BECOME
than BECOME started flowing. I’m sure that’s likely to prove temporary. Still, I’m looking forward to a long weekend of writing.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.
Posted in writing, tagged boxed sets, e-publishing, fantasy, first drafts, Multiple Projects, rewrites, series, writing on November 20, 2016| Leave a Comment »
Progress on BECOME continues to be slow.
Part of the reason for the is just real-life stuff. But part of it is the pauses while I work out exactly what has to happen in the next chapter or two. For some reason, on this story, those pauses are more frequent than usual. Maybe I’m still just trying to refocus that part of my brain from DUAL MAGICS (which is complete now) to this story.
But . . . my creativity has this odd quirk. I only really get this kind of inspiration when I’m writing. So, I’m considering pulling out something else to work on during these pauses.
MAGE STORM (probably needs a new title) is a rewrite. The story’s all there, it just needs to be rewritten. Therefore, it shouldn’t usurp that creative energy while still letting me prime the pump for the first draft of BECOME.
Worth a try, anyway. Doesn’t always work.
Posted in writing, tagged audio book, e-publishing, fantasy, first drafts, Multiple Projects, series, writing on November 6, 2016| Leave a Comment »
I’m still working on the first draft of BECOME.
But my time is being split right now as I’m also reviewing recordings (chapter by chapter) for the audio book of THE SHAMAN’S CURSE.
I love the narrator’s work on this, though it’s taking longer than either of us projected.
My process is to listen to each chapter first. And then to listen again while reading along with my copy. So it takes some time to listen to ten chapters. This is the second batch of ten chapters.
Posted in writing, tagged boxed sets, e-publishing, fantasy, Multiple Projects, sequels, series, short stories, writing on September 11, 2016| 1 Comment »
First, the print version of WAR OF MAGIC is now available. (Yes, while the kindle version is still in pre-order.)
The two versions aren’t linked yet. That’ll take a couple of days. And yes, the cover is just slightly different. That’s because there are different requirements for how close the letters can get to the edges with a print book. Usually, I can manage to make the ebook cover within those confines. Obviously, I didn’t quite make that work this time.
In other news–and possibly more exciting, the boxed set of the first three books in the DUAL MAGICS series (plus the short story “Modgud Gold”) is on sale for only $1.99 today through Tuesday. You’ll never get a better chance.
Enjoy!
Posted in writing, tagged boxed sets, e-publishing, fantasy, Multiple Projects, sequels, series, writing on August 31, 2016| Leave a Comment »
Woo!
The final file of WAR OF MAGIC has been uploaded. The print version is under review. It’s done. Well, except for some promotion, but that should be sort of ongoing. (I just forget to do it while I’m working on a new story. I need to get better about that.)
The boxed set of the first three books, DUAL MAGICS Books 1 – 3, is available for sale now.
So, now it’s finally time for me to get back to work on BECOME.
Posted in writing, tagged Cover Art, critiques, e-publishing, fantasy, first drafts, Multiple Projects, revisions, series, writing on June 26, 2016| Leave a Comment »
On several fronts.
I have the first fifteen minutes of the audio book for THE SHAMAN’S CURSE to listen to–again–and either make suggestions or approve it. It’s really good. But I want to listen again.
And, now that I have a better idea of the right story structure for this story, I’m making progress on BECOME, too. (Also, I just revamped the cover.)
Lightened it up a little. Not quite so dark and brooding. I’ve left the series title off, for now. I need to do some more thinking about that title.
I’ve also started getting critiques back on the final book of the DUAL MAGICS series, WAR OF MAGIC.
The second (partial) critique to come back is from a reader unfamiliar with the earlier books in the series. I always like to find someone who hasn’t read the prior books. Only they can tell me when I truly confuse a new reader. Of course, I hope new readers will start at the beginning. But I have no control over that, so I really need to try to make the opening chapters as non-confusing as possible. By the fourth book, reintroducing (in brief) all the characters and their relationships to one another, and a touch of the previous story (enough for going on with) without slowing the story to a complete stop is . . . well, tricky doesn’t quite cover it. Apparently, I didn’t do as good a job as I’d hoped at the start of WAR OF MAGIC.
So, plenty of things to think about.
I’m also starting to think I need to find some way to take at least a day or two off and recharge the creative well. That’s going to be even trickier to figure out, since the budget won’t get me very far right now. Thinking outside the box may provide a solution.
Posted in writing, tagged e-publishing, fantasy, first drafts, inspiration, Learning, Multiple Projects, series, Young Adult on June 22, 2016| Leave a Comment »
Well, by my carefully laid plans, I’m supposed to be working on MAGE STORM. But, now that I’ve (mostly) figured out the story structure for BECOME, it’s clear that’s the only sandbox my subconscious wants to play in right now.
I could try to flog my brain onto the planned track, but it likely wouldn’t be too successful. So, here’s to seeing what I can do with BECOME.
Flexibility. As my (dog) agility instructor used to say, “Be rigid about being flexible.”
Posted in writing, tagged characters, conflict, e-publishing, fantasy, first drafts, inspiration, Learning, Multiple Projects, series, story structure, writing on June 19, 2016| 3 Comments »
Thanks to some comments in a writer’s forum I belong to (Hatrack River Writers Workshop) about what is–and is not–a flashback and other kinds of story structures that are not linear, I think I finally have a good idea how BELONG needs to flow.
As I’ve said before, BECOME is loosely based on the Hercules myth/legend cycle–turned upside-down. What has intrigued me most about that story is that Herc, at the end, ascends and becomes a god.
Now, exciting as his story is, it’s undeniable that outside of killing monsters and similar feats, Hercules’s life was a disaster. Admittedly, Hera was responsible for most of that, but still . . . what about his life prepared him to be a god of anything (except possibly killing monsters)?
So, Become is mostly about what happens when my character, who has led a blessed and very successful life (upside-down Hercules, remember) is suddenly confronted with the first thing he can’t do easily–become a god. That’s when the story really gets moving. But there’s a lot of story before that, too. Both about the hero and about his near-twin half brother (very like Hercules) who is his sometimes ally-friend, sometimes opponent and who will be the one to try to take advantage of that failure.
I now think I know how to start the story much closer to that key event and then let the earlier story come in, hopefully organically. We’ll see how well I succeed at that.
I have a reading list of a couple of books that have done something similar to look into, too.
Of course, what I really should be working on is MAGE STORM. I guess my muse just doesn’t agree with my plans.
Posted in writing, tagged Cover Art, critiques, e-publishing, fantasy, Multiple Projects, rewrites, sequels, series, writing on May 29, 2016| 4 Comments »
WAR OF MAGIC is ready to go out to beta readers.
And now I’m trying to get back into the rewrite of MAGE STORM. I also have to come up with cover art for that very soon. I have an idea of what I want to do for the cover(s). (This will be the first in probably another four-book series.) But I’m having the usual amount of trouble finding background and foreground images.
Working on the cover may be a way to transition into the new story.
Let the cover demos commence.
Posted in writing, tagged critiques, e-publishing, fantasy, Multiple Projects, revisions, rewrites, sequels, series, writing on May 25, 2016| Leave a Comment »
Second or third pass, depending on how you count. At any rate, I’ve reached the point where continuing to fuss with the WAR OF MAGIC manuscript right now is more likely to do harm than good. Sometimes it’s important to know when to quit–at least for a while.
It’s time for it to go out to my beta readers next week.
And time for me to get back to work on the rewrite of MAGE STORM.
Meredith Mansfield, Author 