Sorry For the Pause

So the last month I have spent many hours huddled under the blankets on the couch. The heater has been out, and the overdue rains finally came. The house was cold, so cold I couldn't get myself to move unless I had the prospect of leaving the house. There were some days that it was colder in the house than outside. Many evenings, watching some show with my guy, something would make me laugh...

Critiques & Process V: Beta Readers & the Small Stuff--

These are my writer friends, my beta readers. I am debating with myself when Silver Mask is done if I’m going to have 1 or 2 Beta groups. This is because there is middling stuff and grammatical stuff. Some writers I know can look chapter-by-chapter at a story and give structure, setting, and character with a closer examination than I would expect from my alpha readers. But the very last things...

Critiques and Process IV: What Do You Need in Alpha Readers?

Everyone swears that the best critiques come from other writers. For most part this is a truism, with some exceptions. To determine what you need in Alpha readers (the people who read your roughest draft) you need to determine what you are looking for, and how you work. You have to be honest with yourself about your strengths and weaknesses in writing. Then you have to know your pace and what...

Critiques & Process III: Determining Relevancy

This is the hard one for me. I obsess over the critiques that I disagree with the most until I start to think that maybe, just maybe, they were right after all. This way of thinking is likely why I have found myself embroiled in endless drafts of novels, hovering around completeness without quite passing the finish line. I have learned to work with this handicap, by addressing my own insecurities. The...

Critiques & Process II

So what are the bazillion options out there? I have received critiques via email, in person, in Google Docs. I have shared scenes on this blog and received feedback. I have posted to forums, and I have listened to critiques over the phone. Different people critique at different rates, so it’s best to know your style of writing and critiquing in order to pick the best mode of feedback. When...

Critiques & Process

Source: abundance-blog.marelisa-online.com via Drea on Pinterest The years that I have been “dry” have been the initial editing/revising years. I did not realize when I launched into this process that there is such variety in ways in which you can receive critiques. My mother had a writers’ group...

On Completing the Novel

I have written 4 novels beginning to end. 1 is shelved. 1 is undergoing a massive revision and turning into 3 novels. 2 more are collecting dust until I get to them. What happened? Between 7 and 10 years ago, I wrote 3 novels. Back to back, it took me 3 years-ish. And then I thought “I need to get the first one critiqued.” The group made me think I had left too much out. I underwent a massive...

Words & Overuse -- What’s your crutch?

Reviewing my not exactly half-finished project I realized that I overused the word “illicitly.” Of all the words to be a crutch! I have no idea why this one reared its head. However, it did. So I find myself sifting through my rough work, wracking my brain for appropriate synonyms that don’t sound too out-of-place. I have never found a word used this frequently, however from project to project...

Class in Fantasy

Source: theanachronistsjournal.blogspot.com via Drea on Pinterest If this gets a little political--forgive me. This post is part of my perspective, and you don't have to agree with me :) But even if you don't--I think this is an interesting thing to think about. We (SFF fandom at large) have discussed...

Changes in My Head

I started the rewrite of Silver Mask about a year ago. It was taking a dramatically different path than I expected. Then I stalled. Not for lack of ideas, but mostly due to life. And this stalling hasn’t been bad. I know that sounds weird, but I have mentioned the importance of prewriting in my...

Selfishness

When I first encountered advice to writers telling them they needed to be “selfish” in order to realize their projects, I understood it intrinsically. I understood that with dedication comes sacrifice. I had no problem sacrificing my High School GPA or spending 8 years in college in order to take classes outside what I needed for transfer to a university, because those classes inspired and informed...

Measures to Mature My Process

Pacing is not a good idea with roommates. I mean, I felt crazy enough when I used to live with the parents and my mom would tell me to stop because she could “feel the energy.” Lol. My guy is the only one who has encouraged it. But due to realities of our modern economy, we have had 3 roommates...

Zoning-In

Source: dreamstime.com via Drea on Pinterest So I mentioned that I “zone-in.” When I’m writing, this pattern gets down-right eccentric. I used to be completely self conscious of how my thoughts affected me. Most writers seem capable of sitting and dreaming. Quiet contemplation and organizing thoughts...

2011, Good Bye!

Frowny Face clipart from Clker.com 2011 was a bad year. I think I started 2011 saying 2010 was a bad year. Let’s suffice to say that I have spent the time since graduating college in ‘09 trying to find myself again. Who am I without school? Who am I without reliable employment? I have had trouble writing while worried about making rent and eating. So I tried to write about the stuff I was...