What not to do....

I'm not a published author, self published or otherwise.  I do, however, believe that if I were published and had the opportunity to be reviewed by someone who reviews and recommends self published and indie books, I would be able to handle myself better than the author here, whether the review was negative or not.

http://booksandpals.blogspot.com/2011/03/greek-seaman-jacqueline-howett.html

I would have read this book.  The reviewer said it was a good story.  I like a good story.  I can get over bad grammar (because that is often how we speak these days) and sometimes I can get over poor punctuation (though I do tend to be less patient with that).  I can't get over her outburst at receiving a poor review.  Her outburst has cost her more readers than just me. 

I hope she sells some books.  I hope, first, she gets an editor.  Even if it's a friend of hers who is reading and making notes for her.  There is always room for improvement.  Mostly,  I hope she learned a lesson.  And I thank her for the one I have learned.  Take the criticism and use it to be better.  Not everyone will like what I've written.  More people won't than will, I'm willing to bet.  I hope that those people won't be bothered to read it though, or comment on it.  But if they do, I hope I'm good enough to "be a duck" and let it roll off. 

Titled

I've titled my novel.  The last 2 years I've just been calling it "Piper's Story".  Mainly because I didn't know where it was leading.  I knew the basics of my characters, but I didn't know where the story was going to go.  It's hard to title it if you don't know those details.  I don't know how all the Nano authors are able to post a title before they have posted any progress at all on their story.  I suppose if you have an outline, you have a good idea where you will end up and a title could be derived.  But I'm a pantser... I knew the basics and that was it. 

And it stressed me out to not have a name for this story.  But yesterday I came up with 2 names.  One I liked more than the other.  And with a bit of help from Allen, I shortened it a bit and have a real title! 

In Plain Sight. 

Now more editing is in order.  I'm excited about it again.  And I've jotted down notes for 2011 Nanowrimo. 

Looking forward to sharing.  Shariware, I'll be ready to share with you by my birthday!  Looking forward to a copy of yours as well.  Allen, I'll be printing In Plain Sight for you as well.  Looking forward to comments.

Similar style

I read the book that my friend thought was similar to mine.  It was right up my alley.  It was a quick read and the author has a similar writing style to me.  Though I think I tend to add more detail.  Maybe I add too much?  I did find the Chapter that my friend thought was like my first chapter.  I see why she thought that too.  But I wouldn't have picked up on that without her input.  So I don't feel like they are too similar.   I look forward to reading the next in the series, just to see where the story goes.  At the same time, I could end the series after reading the first book and never move on.  I think I look forward to it because the first chapter of the second book is included at the end of the first book.  Kind of as a hook.  I wonder if I'd be as interested in reading the next one if I hadn't already read that chapter. 

It gives me something to think about as I edit my own novel.

Out of curiosity, is anyone planning to do the April Nano event?  I'm not, because it is a script writing event and I haven't the slightest clue on how to write a script, never mind what I would write about.   But I did get a brainstorm on next years Nano while sitting in the airport.  I read a news paper report regarding Stephen King's new novel. He is writing a story that is something that I have totally considered in the past.  He will do it soo much better than I ever could have.  Check it out here.  It looks fantastic! 

I thought this was interesting.

Last weekend my friend text me that she had downloaded a book to her Kindle for only $0.99.  The first chapter in the book was similar to a chapter I wrote in the story that I have been working on.  I downloaded the book, which is one in a Trilogy and plan to read it on the airplane this weekend. 

In the meantime:  I saw that authors name on a e-newsletter that I receive once a month.  The article was all about e-books and how well they are doing.  This author made the best sellers list because she put her books on Amazon.  The fact that she is selling them from between $0.99 and $2.99 has to help.  But the article said she has sold 450,000 copies of her books that way.

I saw her name on the best sellers list as well.  It seems she is all over the place.

She is only 26 years old.  She has published 8 novels and a novella already.  And every single one of them is selling on Amazon like crazy.  One of her books has been optioned for a movie.  And, what I found the most interesting:  She is 100% self published.

I'm not here to promote an author or a book.  If you are interested in who she is, let me know, it's not a secret.  After I read her book, I might just tell you how much I like it.  But to be fair, I'll wait till I read it. 

I did it!!

I wrote the last words to my story!   There was significantly less to write than I had been dreading.  I think that was partly due to the fact that I no longer had to word pad to reach 50,000.  And I'll likely change part of it as I edit.

Which is my next step I guess.  As I read the last part, which will eventually be a Chapter, I got sucked into the story.  I had forgotten all that I had written!  So now I'm excited to do some editing, just so I can read what was written and forgotten.  I know it isn't all good stuff, but some of it sure is!  It's a story that I would read even if no one else would. 

I don't know when I'm going to get to do the editing.  I'm on the bandwagon now, but I also have a zillion other projects that have an actual deadline.  I have already scheduled a couple of weekends to work on those things.  (Quilt camp!!)  So all I have to do is schedule some more time to write.  I can do that.  Except I think that editing will take way more time than the actual writing did.   Especially the way I wrote some of this story. 

The last few pages of the novel as it stands are paragraphs that came to me as I participated in challenges or word wars.  Some of these are bits that are necessary to the story, but I didn't want to spend the time to back track and figure out where it fit.  I wrote the words and will inset and adjust them as I edit.  This is where an outline would have been useful!   Each paragraph has a note on where to insert it.  Now I just have to find that place.

I did find Allen's post on formatting the novel.  I couldn't make the margins all 1.5 inches though.  There was too much white on the page for my brain to get over.  I made the left and top margins 1.5 and the others 1.0.   If I ever decide to let an editor read it, that is something easy to adjust.  There is still plenty of space for someone to mark it up, when I decide to share it with my friends.

I didn't get it done in January, or even in February, as I had hoped.  But as of the first day of March, the story is written!   Can I read yours now Shariware??