Raven's View

A little late with my check-in here. I was going to let it slide - once again - to Sunday, then I realized that we're done. Yay! And Boo! 

As usual, I'll look at the objectives I had for this 80 day session, and how well I did. I managed to get a lot done, but just the wrong things, so I re-adjusted priorities in the final few weeks. 

On Friday I finished my current editing pass for book #2, Return to Kirk's Landing. I still have several more passes to do through it before copy/proof editing, but this was a pass I'd been procrastinating with since January. So - definitely a milestone.

As mentioned last Sunday, the solution was just to do a blitz and put editing at the top of each day's to-do list. I know, not that complicated but this couldn't happen until I got annoyed enough with myself. I was working with a version a friend had added a lot of great comments/suggestions/text to, so now - with my high lever additions - this is already a much better story. Next I need to revisit my character arc, crank up some scenes, look at voices of main characters, use showing vs telling, etc. I have a list.

We also had out last Bards of the Byward book stall. Went well, I think. Not a lot of sales, but I had a lot of good conversations with people wanting to write and/or publish. I gave them all some good hints and links to follow up on.

Writer is a confusing label, especially for friends. You say you're a writer, so they want to know what you've written. Your writing could be via page after page, book after book of insightful journal entries, seen only by yourself - but that doesn't really cut it for them. You're not a real writer. Online blogging doesn't help, nor your local horticultural group's newsletter. Short stories published online - even sold online? Maybe. Having written a novel helps, but then they ask if it's published. If it's an online ebook, or paperback from Chapters, a bit better, but they still don't understand why they can't just walk into their local bookstore and buy it. That would make it a real book. If you've sold 500,000 copies - well then you can say that you've a real career.  Yet, even then, many will say they always wanted to write, but just never had time. Meaning that's all it takes. 

I must admit I fell into the trap too. I considered myself a writer, but not until I had actually published did I feel comfortable telling others of my chosen path, that I wasn't just retired, with a quaint hobby. Now when they ask what I do, then ask what my book is about, I give my 10 second summary. Then I tell them I have a copy with me, for only $10, including personal dedication. I'm shameless about that! 

But I miss writing. I've been mentoring others on writing, and following writing blogs and courses, and working with a local writer's group, and reading, and even sort of editing book #2. In that order. The editing is creative, but done after everything else it seems, and very slow. 

So I'm flipping the list on its head. Editing is on a blitz now, with several hours at the start of the day, then the rest of the list gets looked at. Or sometimes editing is all. I'd like to be done by the end of June and then fire it off to some Beta readers for July. It would be nice to have a month to write then - to just play with some Flash Fiction. Back to me for August, then copy/proof editing so is ready for publication by September. Because soon it will be November, and time for another NaNoWriMo - 50,000 words in 30 days. And novel #5. 

We - myself and three fellow authors - spent another day selling our books in the Byward Market. It was a nice day, lots of tourists, and modest sales. Since next weekend is Father's Day, my promo was "Buy a Tie for Dad, Get a Free Book for Mom". I sold 4 old ties, and gave away 4 books with them. My profit was enough to cover a day's parking in the Market. However, I do have four more readers, and networked with additional people about writing and publishing.