I don’t do a whole lot of beta reading. Don’t get me wrong, I love to read. Also, when I read nowadays, it’s not without my back-brain saying things like ‘oooh, I like how they did that!’ and ‘yer, bet I could do it better’. But beta reading is different. If you enjoy it, that’s a […]
When Beta Reading Makes Your Writing *cough* Beta *cough* Read More »
I started re-editing one of my books this week. It’s a fairytale rewrite of Beauty and the Beast as a murder mystery, regency/steampunk style. I’m working on it with the view to having it published in February next year, and so far the edits have been reasonably simple to do, which means my timeline is
The Joy of Last Edits Read More »
Milestones are a big part of a writer’s life. From the first short story or novel that we finish to the first book signing or reading we give, life seems to be measured in tiny increments of success. I still remember the first novel I ever completed. It’s almost entirely rubbish and needs to be
So I’ve finished my first, (self)published ebook (gratuitous Kindle link and gratuitous Kobo link to same). There was a big sort of scuffle toward the deadline, when I seemed to be writing during every lunch break at work, then rushing home to write feverishly every evening until bedtime. After the writing there was the editing,
Getting Back Into The Swing Of Things (Or, Post-Publishing Blues) Read More »
You know what you want to write. You know where the story goes. You’ve got a handle on the dialogue, and the ending is well within grasp. And yet, the thing just doesn’t get written. Why? Well, if you’re me, it’s because you type a few words, or sentences, or paragraphs (if you’re really dedicated) and then
Butt In Chair . . . Read More »
Well, I’ve been gathering together all the paperwork for my ITIN application. For those who don’t know what an ITIN is, the acronym stands for Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, and it will mean that I only have to pay 5% tax in the US instead of 30%. A moot point, you may say, since I
So I was explaining the Really Cool Idea I had for a story structure to my writing group. “I haven’t seen anything like it before,” I said. “It just seems to fit with the story I’m trying to tell. This is how I wanna do it-” insert long-winded and overly verbose explanation with copious hand
Nothing New Under The Sun Read More »
I have a Top Three favourite authors. By necessity it is a fluid top three: how else could I fit in Diana Wynne Jones, Patricia C. Wrede, Steven Brust, Jane Austen, Terry Pratchett, Kate Stradling, Alexadre Dumas, Lloyd Alexander, Lillian Beckwith, Gail Carson Levine, Robert Louis Stevenson and so on? It crosses most genres (though you might
Favourite Authors: Patricia C. Wrede Read More »
Look, Ma! I’m makin’ a movie! Well, I’m writing a screenplay, anyway. Close enough? For those who don’t know what a screenplay is (one of the guys at my writer’s group asked me this morning); a screenplay is the bones of a movie or tv series, or sometimes even a game. It’s a script plus
Look, Ma! I’m Makin’ A Movie! Read More »
I’m a fiddler.* Even if I’ve only written a chapter of the manuscript, the next day will see me re-reading, editing, revising. Fiddling. Reworking. Obsessing. By the time I reach the midway point in a manuscript,** I will have read it in excess of 40 times. Then the MS is finished, and the fun really
Walking Home In The Fog Read More »
