It's been a while since I've actually been able to do some work on the first book. All the business with the cover stuff has gotten me amped up to dive back in and get this puppy out there! Thankfully, my editor was ready to oblige by sending me the first batch of edits for the manuscript. If he's reading this...WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO MY BABY!!!???!??
Just kidding, Peter. Heh.
Seriously, I'm quite fortunate to not only have a great cover but also a great working relationship with my editor. There are some changes to be made, nips and tucks to be done, but it's all for the good of the book and it's turning out well. . .great. (Repeating word choice was one of the sticking points I need to work on)
Anyway, I'm putting that together and messing with other crap that needs to be done. The publishing date is sometime in December. Even though it's getting closer every day, it feels SO FAR away right now. I know I'll be nervous as hell when it does get out there, but at least it'll be out there and that will be great. . .no. . .good. . .ehhhh, see what editing does to me? And this is BEFORE I start getting nervous and crazy.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Monday, January 21, 2008
The cover
Finally got my first look at the cover for Book 1. The artwork is simply phenomenal. Of course, I am a little biased here because this is the cover for my book and everything, but I couldn't be happier with it. My only reservations have been with some of the copy on the front, which brings me to a subject I think is worth touching on. It's even a subject that might give other authors (or struggling writers) something to think about. That subject is compromise.
This isn't my first series, although it is the first under my real name. Therefore, I've had a good amount of experience in compromising when it comes to working on a project. My first instinct when I was approached the first time to change something like the title of my series (and it could be any writer's first impulse) was to stick to my guns and fight for what I thought fit the series the best. There's a couple things to consider here. First of all, unless you're already famous, you don't want to piss off the higher-ups who actually put your books in stores and sign future contracts. Now, don't confuse this with ass kissing. I stuck to my guns for a while, but it became obvious that the publisher REALLY wanted this new title. I backed down, gritted my teeth about it, but eventually grew to like the title. Mainly, I took a breath and realized the title was the only major thing being messed with. The story, character, and everything else was in tact. It was still my book and the title wound up being better than my original.
Now, with this series under my own name, my title is questioned again. I want to defend it, but I open my mind and my ears to listen to what my editor was thinking when he dared to mess with what I'd named my precious baby. "Fine," I said. "If you want that title, at least let me know so I can mention it in the book." Personally, I like having the title in the book somewhere. It gives the whole package a sense of completion. Anyway, I thought about how to work the title into it and quickly came up with a solution to a plot problem that I'd been trying to work out for the next few books. I compromised and actually wound up moving my own thoughts ahead.
Sure, not all writers have editors and such, but compromise is always in there. Maybe the rest of you aren't as stubborn as I am. Maybe you come up with perfect titles and all that on the first try. All I'm saying is try not to view your work as infallible. My stomach clenched the first several times I got back my manuscript and it was covered in red pencil scratchings from the editors. 9 times out of 10, those comments will make your work better. Keep this in mind when you're editing your own stuff as well. Put it away for a while so you're out of the whole "This story/book/script/whatever is the best thing I've ever done!" phase. Perhaps it is. Even so, it could still use some polish and if you don't let your guard down and be willing to compromise on a few things to make it better, it will never BE better.
Eh, I'm no teacher, but those are my thoughts. Take 'em or leave 'em. The cover looks freaking great and I'm very fortunate to have it attached to my book.
This isn't my first series, although it is the first under my real name. Therefore, I've had a good amount of experience in compromising when it comes to working on a project. My first instinct when I was approached the first time to change something like the title of my series (and it could be any writer's first impulse) was to stick to my guns and fight for what I thought fit the series the best. There's a couple things to consider here. First of all, unless you're already famous, you don't want to piss off the higher-ups who actually put your books in stores and sign future contracts. Now, don't confuse this with ass kissing. I stuck to my guns for a while, but it became obvious that the publisher REALLY wanted this new title. I backed down, gritted my teeth about it, but eventually grew to like the title. Mainly, I took a breath and realized the title was the only major thing being messed with. The story, character, and everything else was in tact. It was still my book and the title wound up being better than my original.
Now, with this series under my own name, my title is questioned again. I want to defend it, but I open my mind and my ears to listen to what my editor was thinking when he dared to mess with what I'd named my precious baby. "Fine," I said. "If you want that title, at least let me know so I can mention it in the book." Personally, I like having the title in the book somewhere. It gives the whole package a sense of completion. Anyway, I thought about how to work the title into it and quickly came up with a solution to a plot problem that I'd been trying to work out for the next few books. I compromised and actually wound up moving my own thoughts ahead.
Sure, not all writers have editors and such, but compromise is always in there. Maybe the rest of you aren't as stubborn as I am. Maybe you come up with perfect titles and all that on the first try. All I'm saying is try not to view your work as infallible. My stomach clenched the first several times I got back my manuscript and it was covered in red pencil scratchings from the editors. 9 times out of 10, those comments will make your work better. Keep this in mind when you're editing your own stuff as well. Put it away for a while so you're out of the whole "This story/book/script/whatever is the best thing I've ever done!" phase. Perhaps it is. Even so, it could still use some polish and if you don't let your guard down and be willing to compromise on a few things to make it better, it will never BE better.
Eh, I'm no teacher, but those are my thoughts. Take 'em or leave 'em. The cover looks freaking great and I'm very fortunate to have it attached to my book.
Monday, October 22, 2007
busy, busy, BUSY!!!
I haven't forgotten about this blog. Really. I've just been so busy with the manuscript that I don't want to type any more at the end of the day. I figured I'd catch up later and I suppose that'd be right about now. Book 1 is still a year away from seeing the light of day, but it's been consuming my every moment for the last several months.
Draft 1 was cool.
Draft 2 was cooler.
Draft 3 was a pain in my ass, but it was all necessary and turned out really cool.
Draft 4 was a lot of cleanup detail.
Draft 5 was mostly nip and tuck, but wound up with an entirely new prologue. I'm definitely going to use the old prologue later, like maybe in Book 2.
Ok. You get the idea. Lots of drafts. This isn't my first go-around with the whole editing thing and the process for this one is far from over. I will tell you that this is the first time I've ever enjoyed the process so much. Other books were edited because they needed to be. With this one, I feel like the fussy parent spitting on his fingers and slicking back the kid's hair before he goes out in public. (or she...I don't know. It's just an analogy). That's a pretty tired metaphor as well, but it fits. Anyway, as hard as this job can be, it's truly been great. As this book gets closer to being published, I'm anxiously awaiting every next step in a way that makes all the others pale in comparison.
I can't wait to see what my agent thinks when she reads it. What will my editor say? Will the copy editors be kind? Please Lord let them be kind. What will the cover look like? I'm VERY anxious for that one! So far, I've been really fortunate with the covers of my other books and I haven't had a really bad one yet. Let's just keep that rolling, ok?
As of right now, the manuscript is printed and waiting to be sent in. I say there's only a few more years remaining where publishers will even need a printed stack of pages. A good portion of editing is done digitally and I made a lot of the initial submissions for this project through various emails. Even though emailing would be easier and save me a whole lot of money spent on paper and ink cartridges, there's something undeniably special about seeing your book all printed up in black and white. Seeing it on the shelves is going to be surreal and I cannot wait until Fall of '08.
Draft 1 was cool.
Draft 2 was cooler.
Draft 3 was a pain in my ass, but it was all necessary and turned out really cool.
Draft 4 was a lot of cleanup detail.
Draft 5 was mostly nip and tuck, but wound up with an entirely new prologue. I'm definitely going to use the old prologue later, like maybe in Book 2.
Ok. You get the idea. Lots of drafts. This isn't my first go-around with the whole editing thing and the process for this one is far from over. I will tell you that this is the first time I've ever enjoyed the process so much. Other books were edited because they needed to be. With this one, I feel like the fussy parent spitting on his fingers and slicking back the kid's hair before he goes out in public. (or she...I don't know. It's just an analogy). That's a pretty tired metaphor as well, but it fits. Anyway, as hard as this job can be, it's truly been great. As this book gets closer to being published, I'm anxiously awaiting every next step in a way that makes all the others pale in comparison.
I can't wait to see what my agent thinks when she reads it. What will my editor say? Will the copy editors be kind? Please Lord let them be kind. What will the cover look like? I'm VERY anxious for that one! So far, I've been really fortunate with the covers of my other books and I haven't had a really bad one yet. Let's just keep that rolling, ok?
As of right now, the manuscript is printed and waiting to be sent in. I say there's only a few more years remaining where publishers will even need a printed stack of pages. A good portion of editing is done digitally and I made a lot of the initial submissions for this project through various emails. Even though emailing would be easier and save me a whole lot of money spent on paper and ink cartridges, there's something undeniably special about seeing your book all printed up in black and white. Seeing it on the shelves is going to be surreal and I cannot wait until Fall of '08.
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
The Process
Good Lordy!! Draft 1 is finished, but there's still a LOT of work that needs to be done. I'm pretty sure most of the big fixes should be done with draft 2, but a draft 3 and beyond is inevitable. Editing may be necessary...ok it IS necessary...but it's not fun. Any writers who say they love editing should...well...help me with my editing.
So maybe it's not as bad as all that, but it is grueling. Instead of forging new ground and writing new scenes and coming up with new stuff, I've got to turn around and walk back over the same road. And then...when I'm done with that...I need to walk over it again! Kind of reminds me of that George Carlin routine about golfing. I'm nowhere near good enough to write the equivalent of a hole in 1, so editing it must be. I've also noticed something. When I talk about editing, I use the ol' "..." a lot. HA! I don't need to edit this!!
Anyway, this is just a bit of steam venting before I dive in and start ripping the guts out of my 450 page plus baby and chop off scenes, story arcs and what have you like the blood-soaked dentist from Little Shop of Horrors. The good news is that I will replace those guts with cool new parts. It'll be faster. Stronger! Anyone else looking forward to that new Bionic Woman show? (transition much?) I'll give it a shot because I think a lot of folks behind the new Battlestar Galactica are behind it and they know how to update cheesy crap from the 70's. We'll see.
I am a Battlestar Galactica fan and, oddly enough, I am NOT upset about the show going off the air. I'll miss it, but as long as they're ending on the writers' terms, it should be great. They've got time to plan out a definitive ending and see it through. There's nothing worse than a great show refusing to die and just withering away into nothing. This happened to Highlander, one of the BEST shows on TV, and made for season 6 which was one of the WORST seasons ever pumped into my TV.
Ok. I've babbled about some TV stuff and written an entry on this site. There's no more putting it off. I gotta get back to editing. Hopefully it turns out ok.
So maybe it's not as bad as all that, but it is grueling. Instead of forging new ground and writing new scenes and coming up with new stuff, I've got to turn around and walk back over the same road. And then...when I'm done with that...I need to walk over it again! Kind of reminds me of that George Carlin routine about golfing. I'm nowhere near good enough to write the equivalent of a hole in 1, so editing it must be. I've also noticed something. When I talk about editing, I use the ol' "..." a lot. HA! I don't need to edit this!!
Anyway, this is just a bit of steam venting before I dive in and start ripping the guts out of my 450 page plus baby and chop off scenes, story arcs and what have you like the blood-soaked dentist from Little Shop of Horrors. The good news is that I will replace those guts with cool new parts. It'll be faster. Stronger! Anyone else looking forward to that new Bionic Woman show? (transition much?) I'll give it a shot because I think a lot of folks behind the new Battlestar Galactica are behind it and they know how to update cheesy crap from the 70's. We'll see.
I am a Battlestar Galactica fan and, oddly enough, I am NOT upset about the show going off the air. I'll miss it, but as long as they're ending on the writers' terms, it should be great. They've got time to plan out a definitive ending and see it through. There's nothing worse than a great show refusing to die and just withering away into nothing. This happened to Highlander, one of the BEST shows on TV, and made for season 6 which was one of the WORST seasons ever pumped into my TV.
Ok. I've babbled about some TV stuff and written an entry on this site. There's no more putting it off. I gotta get back to editing. Hopefully it turns out ok.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
The First Few Steps
Ok. It's fairly early in the process, but I'm chugging away at Book #1. As is the case with most writers, I already can't wait to see the final product. What will the cover look like? How will everyone like it? Who will play Cole in the movie? Maybe I'm jumping the gun a bit on that last one, but you get the point. The most positive sign for me is just how much I enjoy writing this book. Even when I'm away from my desk, I'm thinking about what to do in this one, what to do in the next ones, what to do even further down the road. There's so much room for me to play here.
But I can't get all wrapped up in that. There's work to do now and plenty of time for the rest later. My big concern is to make something people will hopefully read. Uh oh. Now I'm thinking about everything else again. Ugh. All right. Enough of this. Back to work.
But I can't get all wrapped up in that. There's work to do now and plenty of time for the rest later. My big concern is to make something people will hopefully read. Uh oh. Now I'm thinking about everything else again. Ugh. All right. Enough of this. Back to work.
Friday, May 18, 2007
Keeping it alive
I don't know if these blogs will disappear or wear out or whatever if they're not in use. I would imagine something like that would be in place, so I'm tacking on a few entries here just to keep this space alive. If I'm wrong about the whole disappearing thing, at least this gives me a chance to stretch my fingers a bit.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
See you soon
Just setting up this blog for right now. I doubt anyone will be checking in until around the Fall of '08 and even if they did, there's not a lot to say. I'll piece this together so it'll be ready when the time is right.
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