I haven’t done a proper update since May and I’ve been making some steady progress, so here’s another list-of-things-i’ve-done. In my previous posts, I’ve mentioned that I had this week as a deadline for sending my novel off to an editor, which isn’t going to happen – but I’ve shunted it forward to the end of September and am hoping to make the new date. I’m on track for “Mid-October” at least, which is my “very latest, last resort” date.
Since Last Time
– I had a mini epiphany regarding the “show don’t tell” aspect of writing in late July, which had a big effect on the line edit. I’ve had to do a large amount of re-writing as I added some new scenes in the last draft. But it’s going smoothly now I’ve got the foundation really clear. (Also, I’m in love with the Scrivener cork-board, shown above).
– I started a Work-in-Progress journal to share my journey with Planes Shifter. I’m aiming to reach the “finished for now” point in this book by the end of October, and then it’ll become a journal for Planes Walker, which is currently only a first draft. However, I’ve learned a lot about editing throughout my five drafts of the first book, and hopefully the edits will be at least a little less traumatic for the sequel.
– I was gifted a subscription to a writing magazine for my birthday, which was a nice bonus.
– The monthly writing group had stepped up to three-weekly, which is interesting. Then we missed out August entirely. Last time we spent a lot of time talking about dating profiles, and how we almost make ourselves into different characters. Our homework was to write a “letter of complaint”.
– I ordered some business cards with my pitch on the back, ready for WFC2013.
– I’ve shared three parts of the interview with published author S. M. Boyce – Links to all four parts (last one goes up August 31st) can be found here once the final one is up.
– I’ve been beta-reading and editing other works-in-progress which has slowed the process of editing my own. I’ve been reminded of how much I love editing other people’s work (mine’s a different story, though) and I’ve had to get them done to the client’s deadlines. Now they’re over, I’m re-focusing on my own work, with the deadline of October 15th imposed on myself (giving two-weeks leeway if I should need it before the convention).
– I updated the banner of this website to include a Brahminy kite (my main character’s companion throughout the series) and my cat. Just because.
– I also moved the tabs under the banner around a little so that the Planes Series is more prominent as my main focus.
– I’m attending a Novel in a Day workshop at the beginning of October, which should hopefully clarify things in my head when I get feedback from my editor.
– I’m preparing things for the World Fantasy Convention – working out trains and places to eat and so on. I’ve been saving up money since I bought the ticket and I’m reading a book at the moment by one of the Guests of Honour.I can’t wait for the program to come out, which should happen by the end of September, so I can plan what Sorcha and I will be doing with ourselves over the four days – where we’ll be together and where we’ll split up to attend different talks.
What kind of goals and progress have you been making?