Advice from an Agent

A few weeks ago I was reading a blog post on Nathan Bransford’s blog about author websites.  He said that a googleable presence is definitely good.  And then came the question about whether or not to post excerpts from a novel you want to get published.  He didn’t have a problem as long as there was control.  As many of you know, I have posted the prologue and chapter 1 of my novel.  I have control as far as taking it off at any time.  However, I don’t have control over who reads it or what they do with it.  Therefore, (and I really hate to do this) I have made both pages password protected.  If anyone wants to be able to view them, you’ll have to contact me.  I can then send it or not.  Anyway, sorry about that, but I want to make sure I do this the right way.

Also, for any of you following them, I’ve added a few quotes on the “quotes” page, along with a new beta reader comment.

OK, OK, I love Chapter 8, and the revisions were definitely worth it.

Because I’d worked so hard on chapters 7 and 8 I was feeling a little edgy on whether or not they were good.  I mean, did I really fix the problems my betas had pointed out?  Would they still have concerns?  Trying to get a clearer answer, I sent the two chapters (fully edited) back to one of my betas and asked her to skim through and see what she thought.  It was great news.  She really liked the changes, thought the scene and characters were a lot better developed, and even pointed out a few particular details she really liked.  So now I’m happy again and confident that things are going well.

I’m sick of chapter 8!!!

I’ve decided the set-up part of writing a story is one of my weakest.  I see the connections in my head and I know they’re there, but I don’t tend to show them enough that a reader feels connected.  Anyway, I addressed this problem in the first few chapter of my re-write, and I think it was very successful.  Now I’m addressing it again in chapters 7 and 8.  The problem being:  my MC (main character) moves locaitons, meets a whole bunch of new people, and starts falling in love.  In other words, set-up.

I’ve been pouring over both of those chapters for almost a week now, and yesterday I finally finished.  I think they’re better.  In fact, I think they’re good.  I changed a lot of stuff, even how some characters act or react.  I added a whole new scene and changed 70% of what was left.

Was it worth all the work?  YES!  And now I’m ready to move forward to less intimidating sections.  Hopefully, it will go much quicker.  I don’t really have any more huge set-up sections.

Blackberry frustrations…

I have a Blackberry Pearl.  I love it.  It’s red (my favorite color), and I like the big screen, the calender, the little scrolly thingy (you know).  But now I am frustrated.  My little scrolly thingy (what is it really called?) doesn’t always work right.  It gets stuck and at any given time won’t go up or right or left…  I’m kind of getting sick of it.  So far, I’ve still been able to use it all right, but sometimes I have to let it sit for a while before I try again.

I went online and found someone who told me how to take the ball out and clean it, but it didn’t seem to work well enough.  I might just have to break down and buy a new ball or something.  Who knows?

On another note, my editing is going well, but slowly right at this moment.  The two chapters I’ve been working on are tough ones because I need to get the characterizations and world just right.  If I don’t, it’s not set up well for the rest of the book.  Anyway, I’ve done one of the chapters.  When I’m done with the next one I’ll be super excited.  After that the changes to be made are more routine, and a lot easier.

Book Reviews, 1500 hits, and a movie

I decided to start sharing my opinions on some of my latest reading adventures.  Be warned, a lot is YA fantasy or urban fantasy because that’s what I write, so I’ve been doing a lot of research into the market.  Today I’m going to start with Melissa Marr.  She has two books that have done extremely well.  The first was “Wicked Lovely.”  (Side note:  the cover is beautiful, and I have to say, isn’t that the best title ever?)  I like this book a lot.  There was just enough romance but just enough true urban fantasy.  I never want to give too much away, but it is about a girl who can see faeries and then gets caught up in their world, changing her life.  I would reccommend this book.  Ms. Marr’s second book is called “Ink Exchange”, and it just came out a few months ago.  I also liked this book but, have to admit, not as much as the first.  I’m not even exactly sure why, but it wasn’t as fulfilling at the end.  Still, if you read the first, you should read the second (some of the characters show up in both).

Now to the second part of my post title.  It took me almost two months to get to 1000 hits, and it’s only taken me a few weeks to get an additional 500.  Yea!!!  Everyone keep reading and commenting.

Finally, it has come to my attention (it’s come to almost everyone’s attention) that the sixth Harry Potter movie has been moved from November 21, 2008 to July 17, 2009.  That’s quite a delay!!  And while I was really excited about seeing it in a few months, there is one good thing to come of the move.  With a great pre-Thanksgiving spot opening up, the Twilight movie has upped its release date three weeks to take the now vacated Harry Potter spot.  So while I have to wait an additional eight months for Harry Potter, I get to see Twilight three weeks early.

Suddenly, all the editing seems worth it.

Ok, so I have another comment from a beta reader who just volunteered to read for me a few days ago and has already gone through the first five chapters (you know, the ones I’ve already edited).  I’m posting these comments because they give me a reason to continue, and they make me so excited that other people are loving my story.  I have to rely on them because there are times when I look at my writing and wonder if all of this will ever lead anywhere (you writers know — eternal self doubt).

Anyway, here it is:

“Your story had me wanting to read more and for a moment it was like I had forgotten that I was beta reading and not reading a real book.”

Another beta reader’s comments…

I have an update on my beta reader that had to stop.  She decided to take a long break, but she’s still going to beta for me!!!!  I am very excited.  Her and one other of my betas are my favorites.  They actually give me great advice.

In other news regarding betas, while I didn’t know if my first beta was going to be able to finish for me, I found another beta reader willing to fill in for her.  I sent the new beta the first five chapters, all which had been gone over by the two other betas, and then edited in detail by me.  I just got back her comments.  They are just so fabulous (at least I think so), I thought I’d post them.

“Your story is great. I do not read a lot of fantasy stuff, but am broadening my reading horizons. I enjoyed this. I think it will sell when it is done. Who ever beta’d for you before did a good job.

Your MC is believable and I root for him. You have done your job writing him well.

I would read more if you like or need future betas, even if they are rougher drafts after this one.

If you are done and ready to submit, let me know where I can buy it and when for I do want to finish the tale.”

So that just about made my day.  On to more editing…

Breaking Dawn, again.

For those of you not at all interested in this topic, sorry.  A couple of days ago I posted my initial impressions of “Breaking Dawn.”  I then went online and found that quite a few people felt the same way I did.  I also saw some discussion about how the second read is much better.  You know how when you read a book the first time you just don’t absorb it all.  Sometimes you miss little nuances that are important the second time through.  Well, I reread it (ok, I’ll admit it, I didn’t reread every word.  I skimmed some spots), and I agree.  I didn’t miss Edward the second time through.  His role in this book was still there, he was still there, he did interact with his family, it’s just not the main plot element so it’s harder to spot.

Conclusion:  Second time through, even better than the first.

I’m such a nerd…

I just wanted to point out the cute little counter thingies on the sidebar.  I know, I know, lots of people have them.  BUT, I haven’t.  I think they’re kind of nifty.  Anything that gives me a visual is fun.

Quotes, quotes, quotes…

Just FYI, I’ve added some quotes to the “Quotes” page.  I hope you all like them.

On a sadder note, one of my best beta readers just emailed me and said she has to quit because her life has gotten too hectic to keep up.  I am devastated.  She was so great and had the best advice and insight.  I don’t know what I’m going to do without her.