Thursday, October 31, 2013

Happy Halloween

So I've still been editing. I wanted to try and get this first phase of it done by the end of today, but I'm still about 20 pages from reaching that goal...not bad, all things considered. And I'm REALLY feeling good about the manuscript. I had a good 50 or so pages there where I was cringing with every other paragraph, but the last 30 have been my favorite so far...and they give me that kind of hope and optimism that if I polish up the other rough spots, I'll have something I can really be proud of.

After I finish this round of editing and writing it up in the actual manuscript, I will start querying again. I don't think I'll edit it again at that point until I get an agent (I guess 'unless' is a more appropriate word, but I want to stay positive).

While I'm querying, I'm going to come up with a realistic timeline and outline of my next book (not the sequel to this one, unfortunately, but the next idea I have...since it's something I'm really excited to try and write). If I end up getting this current manuscript represented AND sold (oh my god...the amount of happiness that'd give me could probably inspire world peace), I'd go back to writing the sequels to this series. So if I want to remain optimistic, I should really aim to start this next project at the same time I start querying for agents again. I know from past experience that I absolutely need to write at least 5 days per week if I want to write the thing from start to finish, but I will have a new baby, so I don't know how realistic that will be. I just have to remember that I wrote this current manuscript while I was still in school, moving across the country, and selling our house in PA. I'll probably wait until the baby is born to start the project, even if I do get done editing this beforehand (that's unlikely though).

So to reiterate, before the end of this unlucky year I hope to finish polishing up this current manuscript...gotta stick to a schedule, but I think it's an achievable goal. Then let's hope 2014 is my lucky year. Any year without a '13' in it is okay in my book.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Trying to get back into it...


I'm really having trouble juggling my responsibilities with the amount of time I have (it feels like none). I'm in my third trimester, I'm uncomfortable and tired and excited to have this baby. We got her room together, which is exciting. J got a real toddler bed and her old bed was converted back to a crib. I washed a huge load of clothes from when J was an infant (this little girl, we'll call her A, will have enough to wear a new outfit everyday for a month with just that load of laundry). I washed the cover to my 'Brest Friend' pillow (awesome way to breastfeed a baby...just wait, you're going to hear a TON of stuff about breastfeeding soon...when I breastfed J for 14 months it was sort of an obsession for me, I'm kind of a crazy person when it comes to whether someone should breastfeed if they are able to).

Anyway...I got a little sidetracked...the reason I'm writing today (finally) is because I'm trying to make myself accountable (again) and I really want to finish editing the manuscript before the end of 2013. I hate the number 13...so it's only appropriate that I get this cleaned up and have a fresh start with it in 2014. I'm also due to have A on 1/6/14 so I know I really won't have any time to do this part of it after she's here. So one of the things I'd like to be able to focus on after she's here is working again on the query letter and getting it out to agents.

I also started using a new app to edit the pdf version of my full manuscript (after I make my notes, I'll move over to my light Asus laptop so I can work side by side with the pdf in Scrivener....Scrivener, if you could release an app for your program in the next couple of weeks, I'd be SOO grateful). The new app I'm using is Notability...which is AWESOME. My all time favorite app to date. You can add photos, pdfs, AUDIO notes, handwritten notes etc. AND it syncs between iPhone and iPad AUTOMATICALLY....it's incredible. Below is a note I made about the schedule I'd like to follow in order to get this manuscript edited and finished up.

We'll see how I do!




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad