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??

OK. So who had the idea first?

I started my story quite some time ago now.  This years Nano was intended to finish it up.  I did write my 50,000+ words in November, and I added them to the chapters that I had already done.  The first few chapters I had shared with a few of my besties.  Allen and Terri. 

This weekend Terri text me.  She said "Someone stole your book!  I just started a new book and the first chapter is almost the same as yours."  Apparently its one in a trilogy that she bought it for her Kindle for 99 cents.  It's not exactly the same story that I have.  But she said it does have some of the same elements.

I'll be downloading that book to my own Kindle this week.  I have a business trip scheduled next week and will need something to read on the plane.  I have been thinking about what to start for this trip.  I guess I know now! 

And it seems there is a market for the type of story I am writing.  Even at 99 cents.

Haven't forgotten

Oh, Nano, I haven't forgotten you.  I haven't moved on to another story.  I simply haven't made the time to sit down at the computer and plug away at the ending.  2011 has become hectic and I have not MADE the time to work on you.  Rest assured you are still on my mind. 

I'm very anxious to read ShariWares story.  That overachiever has already finished and edited it!  And she is holding it hostage to get me to finish my own story. 

My hope of getting it done in January has long past.  And my hope of getting it done in February is dwindling.  I have an out of town guest this weekend and so will not be writing.  But it is quite possible that I will be able to schedule time the last weekend of the month.  So much to do, so much to do.  (Sometimes I wonder if I really am as busy as I feel or if I am manufacturing it.  I don't seem to be accomplishing much in all this busy-ness.)

The last week of January

This is the last week of January already, and I'm not ready for the last day...  I have a lot to do this week to get my novel to it's end.  Perhaps I'll schedule a mini write in type of thing....  even if I'm the only one who can come.

I talked with shariware on Saturday night and told her that I would at least spell out where the story needs to go to end.  But with the weekend being the weekend, I didn't get to it.  I do plan to open it up tonight and figure out that next step though.  (It wasn't on the weekend, but it will still be before the last weekend of the month).  My goal for the month was not to have the draft edited, simply completed. 

We also talked about peer critiques.  We would both like to read the books that each has worked so hard on, and are open to peer reviewing them.  (I haven't heard from Allen on that, not sure he got my message). The local Nano group here is doing them and has set out rules and guidelines for doing it fairly and not getting hurt feelings over it.  I'll post their rules this week.  I'm anxious to complete my story so that I can read my writing buddies stories! 

Happy writing! 

Resolution fail?

OK.  I haven't made time to write at all this month!  I keep thinking about it and other things turn up.  The laundry needs done, the floor needs swept, kids need help with homework, booze needs drunk....  You get the picture.  No matter the excuse, I haven't started yet.  To be fair, I haven't started on ANY of my resolutions.  Not just the writing one. 

A long time ago my hubby and I made a list of chores and divided them out between the five week days.  If we do those simple chores during the week, the weekend should be free of basic household chores.  I am finding that all my weekend is spent cleaning up from the week.  I have fallen away from the chores list.  They still get done, but they get done on the weekend, when I'd rather be sewing or writing, or ANYTHING other than chores.  This week I'm trying to focus on that list again, so that I have my weekends free as I once did.  I think I won't feel so busy and bogged down if I do that and I can spend some time doing things I *want* to do, rather than things I *have* to do. 

Crossing my fingers that I can stay on target this week and can make time to write this weekend.  How is everyone else doing?

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

It's January already?!  Where did the time go?  I think I say that every month.  How can the last 30 days have passed so quickly?  Was I not paying attention?

Anyway, one of my resolutions is to finish writing my Nano.  I'm not prepared to finish and edit it in January, but I would like my characters to reach the end of the story.  If I don't, I think I owe shariware and ramblingallen coffee again. (How did you like the coffee you already won, by the way, shariware?).  While it would be nice to share some coffee with them, I think I'm ready to win one myself.  I think I might have about 20k more to write to reach the conclusion of the story.  The problem now is, I don't remember where I was when November left off.  I have to read some back story I think.  While the month of December seemed to fly by, it still feels like a long time since we finished Nano.

How about you?  Any writing resolutions for 2011?  Are you prepared to do Nano again in November?