Raven's View

Just in case you need a distraction (Lord knows I don't) Goodreads has a book giveaway program. Many of these are ARC's, but you can also put already published books up. The intent is for authors to get their books out there and get some good reviews that will generate a buzz. This site has a slightly different strategy, and is worth a read. For now I've been selecting a few each day, and have won two so far. Once my editing is done I'll list my own book, Kirk's Landing.

Ah yes - editing. I've really been focusing on this. Since February my schedule has been two parts -  'editing' and 'everything else'. The latter part also included guilt over not editing. This time next week, I'll have the book out ot beta readers and my list will read 'not editing'. 

Until they send it back, at least. 

Looking forward to doing some writing maybe, via #CTC29, as well as reading down at the beach.

My editing stint feels like it will never be finished. I don't mean that search some of us do for the final 5% of perfection, I mean structural editing. Pre-copy edit, pre-proofread. I've been at this since I think February, just futzing along. I don't especially enjoy editing, and I find it even more difficult for this second book. I've read even more about editing, and have an even longer list for this book of things I need to remember to do. So, even though it was a cleaner draft than book #1, the possibilities seem infinite. It is improving as I work, but sometimes it's hard to tell. Hence my lack of motivation, as I don't even know how big the task is. I did give up in July and send it out to an alpha reader (pre-beta) which helped a bit - it's a better story now. 

I need a deadline - so, here it is. Get this out by end of August to beta readers. 

I have several fellow writers that had volunteered months ago to help, so will be contacting them first. I need some that have read the first novel, but also some that have not, to see if the second can stand on its own. If I need more volunteers I won't hesitate to ask though. I'm not looking for grammar or spelling checks in particular. I just want feedback on whether the story works, if the characters are believable, is the dialogue good, does it all flow well with the appropriate peaks and valleys. I'd hope for everything back by the end of September, so I can get it to my editor/publisher, and then publish before Christmas.

I have been making better progress on editing. I started a spreadsheet, with scene numbers down one side and a whole list of things across the top, such as summary, characters, themes, and locations. I took the list of 'extra things' I'd though to add, and either plugged them in a spot or kept them on a list by my side. Still plodding through scene by scene but I can see an end in the distance. I've been writing too. Put my library hold requests all on suspend for a month though, as they can wait.

I did another story for a writing challenge, CTC29. It's Day 11 now, and I missed the past few. I may do them later. Or not.  

Today we were to look at the wise mentor - often used via a monologue to teach the protagonist and the reader. We need to make sure they are not too perfect, too flat as a character. This challenge was to explore the mentor monologue, but add a secret that reveals some sort of weakness, a flaw. 

I used an elder from my novel, Kirk's Landing, and his student, Dave. It's about 575 words.