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Posts Tagged ‘revisions’

Not All Rewrites Are Equal

Posted in writing, tagged , , , , , , , , , on March 9, 2014| 2 Comments »

I’m currently involved in two different rewrites. Very different–and not just because of the stories.

DUAL MAGICS:

The two different kinds of magic–one acquired by initiation and one inherited in the blood–have always been completely separate. Until now.

Not quite epic fantasy. I’d call them sword and sorcery, but there aren’t any swords, really. Spear and sorcery?

In these, I’ve gone back to one of my very first stories. It’s actually a four-book series. I’d written the first two before getting stuck on the third. I’m a much better writer now. Part of what these stories need is craft-related. Some of it is streamlining the story, which is still basically the same. I’ve already done the rewrite on THE SHAMAN’S CURSE and I have it out to some beta readers. I’m on Chapter 5 of THE IGNORED PROPHECY, which is where I’m running into the interesting issues of starting a sequel I wrote about in my last post.

In both of these, the story has remained almost exactly the same, although in the rewrite I’ve chosen to expand some things and reduce or delete others. It’s almost more like a really deep, extensive revision than a rewrite, although scenes do have to be rewritten to fix the craft deficiencies in the original. That’s why I can work on this at the same time I’m working on my other project.

DREAMER’S ROSE:

I don’t have a good log line for this one, yet. It’s changed so significantly. Part of it explores aspects of the Hercules legend that fascinate me. (I mean, this guy never succeeded in anything in his life except killing monsters. And then he became a god. How did that work out?) Except I’ve turned the whole legend on its head.

But now that’s only the beginning of the story. The first part will stay basically the same. Again, it needs a rewrite/revision to bring it up to the current level of my writing craft. But after that, everything will be new. Completely re-imagined. Two thirds of this will truly be a first draft–and I’m almost to that part. Looking forward to it.

This one is going to provide some interesting challenges in structure. It has three main characters, but one character’s story starts several years before the other two characters are born. Right now, I’m just writing chronologically. I’ll think about whether I need to rearrange things after I’ve got the story down.

Two very different kinds of rewrites.

TheBardsGiftCoverSmall

In other news, I’ve decided to put THE BARD’S GIFT up on wattpad, one chapter a week, so you can start reading it for free. (Hint: You’ll get the story much faster if you just buy it. It’s only $2.99 on Amazon)

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IndieReCon

Posted in writing, tagged , , , , , on February 26, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Well, I’ve got this computer mostly up and functional, if not quite as updated as I’d like yet. That’s a relief.

And I finally made good on that commitment to finish the revisions to MAGIC AND POWER (now likely to be retitled GREEN MAGIC, because M & P is going to be the title of the series.) I’ve even got the revisions out to a couple of readers.

This week, I’m spending a good deal of my time over at IndieReCon. It’s a free, online conference about writing and indie publishing. I’ve already picked up a couple of ideas I’ll be trying out in the future and I hope to garner some more by the end of the conference. Hopefully, I’ll learn how to do a better job of my next launch than I did with THE BARD’S GIFT.

TheBardsGiftCoverSmall

In between events over there, I’m playing around a bit with the rewrite of THE IGNORED PROPHECY (sequel to THE SHAMAN’S CURSE). I’ll start in on DREAMER’S ROSE after the conference is over, when I can devote more concentrated attention to it.

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Computer Problems, Part 2

Posted in writing, tagged , , , , , , on February 23, 2014| 2 Comments »

Well, my last post was a little . . . optimistic.  Wanting to just soldier on and ignore the computer problem and actually being able to do it are not quite the same thing. Especially when the computer completely freezes. Just because this is the way the universe works, this happened on the same day that the plumbing completely backed up. (Picture me running to the neighbors’ to use the bathroom.) Then, I got called for jury duty. Yeah. I’m glad last week is over.

I spent two days trying to resolve the issue as a software problem–which there probably was. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the only problem. There’s also some hardware issue that has not yet been diagnosed.

So then I spent the next few days setting up my old, emergency backup computer (on which I’d had to completely reinstall windows). That’s been fun–not. One of the little catch 22 issues they get you with is that you have to have an internet connection in order to download the driver that will allow you to connect with the internet. And they don’t seem to see any problem with that. Thank heaven for friends with working computers and internet connections.

And all of this when I should have been extra busy on the internet because last week was the blog tour and giveaway for THE BARD’S GIFT.

TheBardsGiftCoverSmall

I still have a lot more work to do on this computer, but it is at least mostly functional, now. I’ve even gotten back to work on finishing up MAGIC AND POWER.

It’s good to be back. Now, on to better and happier things.

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Some Stories Grow Themselves

Posted in writing, tagged , , , , , , on February 5, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Last post, I mentioned that I’m currently working on a heavy revision of MAGIC AND POWER. It’s going well and I’m loving the changes.

This is the kind of thing that can happen when great beta readers spark ideas about what should have been in the story in the first place. Of course, if you were reading this blog this time last year, you’ll know that MAGIC AND POWER had a mind of its own and refused to do what I originally intended for it.

It was supposed to be a relatively simple story about a girl from a politically difficult background who feels she must choose between love and the work she feels called to do. Probably novella length. Then this other character popped up and forced his way into the story and suddenly I was writing my very first love triangle. It grew to about twice novella length. Like I said, mind of its own.

My wonderful beta readers pushed me to look at the story differently and shed those preconceptions I’d had for the novella. Two more things are expanding in this version. I’m significantly playing up the political intrigue and bringing it in much sooner. I actually had a couple of threads that only needed fleshing out to do a lot of this.Now they’re not just hanging out there; they’re part of the weave.

I’m also adding complications to the love triangle in the form of incompatible goals and a few annoying personality traits for all three characters. This story is going to be so great when I’m done with it.

Don’t forget THE BARD’S GIFT. I think that’s a pretty terrific story, too. And you can read it right now. Just click the pretty picture to go to Amazon of check the My Books page to find other retailers.

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2014 Projects

Posted in writing, tagged , , , , , , , , , on February 2, 2014| Leave a Comment »

THE BARD’S GIFT is out in the world.

TheBardsGiftCoverSmallThere’ll be a blog tour and giveaway in a couple of weeks. Stay tuned.

Meanwhile, I’ve started looking ahead to my 2014 projects. Actually, it’s probably wildly optimistic to call all of these 2014 projects. I don’t think there’s any chance that I’ll get to all of them this year. But here’s what’s on my list:

  1. MAGE STORM (middle grade fantasy or adventure fantasy) is in the query process.
  2. MAGIC AND POWER (young adult fantasy romance) is what I’m working on right now. It’s getting a heavy revision/partial rewrite to incorporate some more elements and more conflict. It’ll be much better on the other side. I’m getting close to half-way through.
  3. UNTITLED (young adult fantasy romance) will be a sequel to MAGIC AND POWER, sort of. It will take place in the same world, but the main characters of M&P will only be supporting characters in this one. (It’s possible that MAGIC AND POWER will become the series title and M&P will be renamed DESERT ROSE.)
  4. THE SHAMAN’S CURSE (epic fantasy or sword and sorcery) has just been turned over to beta readers.
  5. THE IGNORED PROPHECY (sequel to THE SHAMAN’S CURSE) is in the queue. Like TSC, I wrote a draft of this a few years ago, but it needs a complete rewrite, just like TSC did.)
  6. DREAMER’S ROSE (young adult fantasy) is probably next up. It’s a partial rewrite of another old story, but the other part will be brand new. I’m going to have some real challenges figuring out how to weave the three character arcs together. It’ll be interesting.
  7. WEIRD OZ is still on the list. It’s just not quite ripe. I need to do a little more development before I restart on this one.

More distantly, I have :

  1. An idea for a retelling of the Little Furball fairytale.
  2. An idea for a retelling of the Welsh story Culhwch an Olwen (a less well-known part of the King Arthur cycle)
  3. My secret history idea, which needs a lot more development.
  4. And a bright, shiny new idea that came to me a few days ago.

Yeah, I think I can keep busy for the foreseeable future.

 

 

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2014 Goals

Posted in writing, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on December 31, 2013| 3 Comments »

Posting a little early because tomorrow I expect to be watching the parade and taking down the Christmas tree.

So, now it’s time to set goals for the year ahead.

  1. Publish THE BARD’S GIFT. I’ve already got the files formatted, uploaded, and checked. All I have to do is press the button. Release date is January 30th.TheBardsGiftCoverSmall
  2. Continue to query MAGE STORM
  3. Complete, polish, and publish THE SHAMAN’S CURSE and THE IGNORED PROPHECY.
  4. Complete the revisions to MAGIC AND POWER (or whatever the final title will be) and start querying that. It’s going to be awesome when I get through with it.
  5. Write something new, hopefully Weird Oz. Maybe, if I’m very good, two new things.
  6. Continue to learn and improve. Specifically, this year, really try to find the right formula for indie book promotion. The blog tour didn’t do a lot of good. Neither have Goodreads giveaways. I’ve got a whole month to figure something out for THE BARD’S GIFT.

Happy New Year Everyone

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Last Year’s Writing Goals

Posted in writing, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on December 29, 2013| Leave a Comment »

I don’t make resolutions anymore, but I do set goals. And now it’s the time of year to look back and see how well I did. So here are my writing goals for last year and the results

  1. Prepare to query THE BARD’S GIFT. I did. I got it polished up and ready. I queried widely. And the only positive thing I got out of that was four personalized rejections variously praising my writing and the story. Rejections like that are not supposed to exist. Agents just don’t have time. I got four. If four agents took the time to do that, I can only conclude that they saw something good, but just didn’t think the story was commercial enough. THE BARD’S GIFT is now up next to be e-published, early next year.TheBardsGiftCoverSmall
  2. I also set a goal of getting my rewrite of MAGE STORM ready to query again. I met this goal, too. MAGE STORM is currently a first alternate in Pitch Wars. Wish me luck.
  3. Last year, FIRE AND EARTH was a first alternate (with a different mentor) in Pitch Wars. Ultimately, I decided to e-publish it.Fire And Earth Cover (Provisional)
  4. I set a goal to e-publish BLOOD IS THICKER and met that one.Blood Is Thicker Cover
  5. I intended to enter Writers of the Future at least once, but I didn’t. I just don’t write that much short fiction. The one I attempted this year turned into a novel.
  6. Write two first drafts. I guess I met that one, too. MAGIC AND POWER was a completely new first draft and I did a complete rewrite of THE SHAMAN’S CURSE, too.
  7. Learn and improve. Well, that’s an ongoing goal and a little too vague, really. I met it, but for next year it might be nice to specify some target areas.

Next post, I’ll start looking ahead to next year’s goals.

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Recharge

Posted in writing, tagged , , , , , on December 24, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Posting a little early because tomorrow’s Christmas.

I finished this draft of THE SHAMAN’S CURSE. It’ll need one more pass before it’s ready for beta readers, but not just yet. It should rest a bit first.

For now–and only for a couple of days–I’m taking a short break to recharge the creative batteries. I’ve been doing a little thinking about where the story goes from here. This should be the first of a four book series. I have a (very old) draft of the second book, THE IGNORED PROPHECY. It’ll serve as an outline, but will need to be basically rewritten, same as TSC.

I never got more than a few pages into the third book. That one will have a lot less sword swinging and spear wielding and more political upheaval. (It gets back to more sword swinging in book four.) I need to think out exactly how that’s going to work.

I’m also going to have to work out the bane of starting sequels (three times!) Providing enough grounding into a world and characters that have already been introduced for readers who start with a middle book without boring readers who’ve read the previous book(s). That, and giving a needed summary of what happened in the earlier book(s) without making it an infodump. Bothe are tricky to navigate.

For now, though, I’m just letting my imagination play with it.

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Getting the Flow Back

Posted in writing, tagged , , , , , , , , on December 15, 2013| 2 Comments »

And it feels good. Ever since my Weird Oz Story petered out on me, my productivity has been less than usual. Oh, I’ve kept on working, but I haven’t accomplished as much as I wanted to.

The decision to concentrate on one thing at a time (think of that) has helped. I’m making real progress on my rewrite of THE SHAMAN’S CURSE, adding depth and conflicts and all the things that will ultimately make the story even better. (Also longer, but I’m not going to worry about that.)

I also have some ideas on how to break up the log jam on Weird Oz, but I won’t tackle that until after the first of the year–probably not until after the conclusion of Pitch Wars. I’m going to have to go back and restart the story, but it won’t be the first time that’s happened.

Meantime, ‘ve put up another new chapter of BLOOD IS THICKER on wattpad, where you can read it for free.

Also, there’s only about another month to buy the Chimeria Omnibus,

http://www.dreamstime.com/-image10567743

containing both BLOOD WILL TELL and BLOOD IS THICKER, for the price of either book alone. In mid-January, the price for the Omnibus will go up.

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Things Are Moving — Slowly, but Surely

Posted in writing, tagged , , , , , , , on December 11, 2013| 2 Comments »

Well, life is still crazy. Some things are anticipated–and then there are the surprises and unexplained phenomena.

I expect to have some work to do soon on my middle grade fantasy, MAGE STORM because I made it to first alternate in one of the Pitch Wars teams. (I’m on Team Jen Downey.) Yay! So now I can stop being on pins and needles about that. Which is good, because I’m still waiting for a couple of other things, including word on THE BARD’S GIFT. The submission guidelines say twelve weeks. Twelve weeks have passed and still nothing.

Meanwhile, I’ve mostly settled down at this point to finish this pass through of THE SHAMAN’S CURSE. I’ll take the other revisions/rewrites one at a time. That way, I might actually make some progress.

Also, a post by the wonderful Susan Kaye Quinn  along with my ongoing reading of L. Frank Baum’s stories have given me an idea of how to unstick myself on my Weird Oz Story.

And one or two things are moving forward in real life, too. The pace is slow, almost glacial, but progress is being made.

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