Joy is subtle. And, apparently, very sick of the non-stop Fifty-Shades meshiva.
Continue ReadingWell Then
I have been given a stern talking-to by friends, family and colleagues, so this is about to become a thing: More details in the coming days.
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It’s Bigger Than It Looks
Tools Developmental editing requires good decision making. What do you base those decisions on? Let’s make some tools to help inform those decisions. TOOL 1: Reminder The first weapon is a simple reminder. On the first index card, write the following: Writers write. Facebook can’t edit this book for me. The audience is watching. TOOL 2: Focus Take out another index card and prepare to write small so that everything fits on one side. In 20 words or less, describe how this story idea came to be: In 20 words or less, describe what excited you most about this idea: In 20 words or less, explain what this story is… Read More
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(This file was created to test custom chapter-header graphics with text subtitles. Custom fleurons, too, without minding about filesize.) [wpdm_package id=’1907′] [wpdm_package id=’1908′]
Continue ReadingAnother New Freebie
This file was produced to test several graphics/images/filesize issues. [wpdm_package id=’1900′] [wpdm_package id=’1901′]
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A new freebie file just went up: This file was created to test the use of custom headers WITHOUT using graphics/images. [wpdm_package id=’1890′] [wpdm_package id=’1891′]
Continue ReadingCalais County FAQ
I got three questions about this mini-series this week, so here comes an FAQ! FAQ Q. Are these books linked together? (This question is a hybrid of a lot of questions similar to: “Is Lovers Walk a continuation of Gentleman’s Privilege?”) A. Yes, these books are linked together by a single event. This mini-series follows three different couples through the same event. So the stories run concurrently, not sequentially. Q. Do these stories have to be read in order? A. Not necessarily. Q. Is this series connected to Fantasy Heights? A. Very loosely. Bet you can’t figure out how. Q. When will Regents Island be a thing? A. (guilty face)… Read More
Continue ReadingSelf-Editing Attitude-Checklist
More from the Self-Editing-For-Indies webseries… This checklist is a hybrid from two sources: A self-editing guide that never came to pass The editing checklist that spawned Monday’s More Lore post For me, getting my head in the right place to self edit has been (and apparently always will be) a major chore. This checklist is the “stern talking to” I need to hear every time. 1 ) Writing and publishing are not the same. Writing is about creating. Publishing is about making money. Writers who find the subject of money gauche, embarrassing or distasteful should not seek publication. At all. Ever. They will never achieve the satisfaction they seek. For… Read More
Continue ReadingThese Are A Thing
More cover changes coming through…
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I spent part of my Saturday helping someone prepare to “flip” the first draft of their novel. In the process, we tapped this sort of quasi-checklist I bust out when stressed a/o distracted and need to self-edit. The list got built back in my editing days as an actual process I would follow through the developmental stages all the way through to line editing. Parts of the checklist hit writer-friend right in the brainpan. She said “You should do a web series about this”, and since I had no idea what to blog about this morning, guess what? I’ll pluck one topic from the checklist and post about it. (I’m… Read More
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