Tag: revision

The big summer project

On By MikaelaIn Writing

I took the last week off from writing, since I felt that I needed it. But now I am back, and getting ready to dive into the big project for the summer:  Combining Daughter of the Dark and its sequel into one book.

I am the first to admit that it is a bit daunting, but I also know that it will make the book much better.  I have lots of detailed feedback from Chrysoula that also helps.

What really stops me from feeling too daunted is  that once the revision is done, I am sending the draft to an editor. ( The plan is Laura Anne, but nothing is confirmed yet.)  And what I miss in this draft will be caught in the next round.

I have no idea how long time the revisions will take, since I am doing them in between copy edits and editing The Alchemist’s Apprentice.  The goal is to finish them in  mid July.  We will see if I am successful. 🙂

 

 

Scrivener and revising

On By MikaelaIn Writing

I am currently working at adding at least one new subplot to The Cauldron Bound.  I am having a great time, and the story will be *much* better. But I am once again wondering how on earth I revised before Scrivener.

I am a linear writer. I begin at the opening and then I write all the scenes I am aware of.  This leaves me with a first draft that is more or less stable.

When I began to revise ( which took a couple of years), I wrote new scenes on paper and typed them in. Then I had a period where I basically used the first draft as an outline.    Which went faster, ironically, than writing new scenes on paper and typing them in.   ( Though I am not certain if the drafts were better.)

Scrivener?

Is so much more flexible.  If I discover a plot hole  I just have to add a new text and write the new scene.  Need to add a chapter?  Just add click on add folder, and it is there.

For example, when I write new scenes, from a new POV, I prefer to create a seperate folder, write the scenes and then slot them into the proper places. Which is  the closest I come to writing out of order.  Scrivener lets me do that.  It is so easy to add new scenes. And I am planning to add a lot of them.  ( At least 10, probably closer to 15.)

Something to remember:  The first draft of the Wild Hunt? Was 22 000 words. The second was 27 000. The third draft, based on Kari’s feedback was 39 000 words.

This draft?  As of yesterday, it is at almost 21 700 words. And I am far from done yet. I am aiming to add another 5-7000 words. I have a feeling that after Kari’s feedback, not to mention *editorial* feedback, it will be at least as long as the Wild Hunt.  And to think that this was a  simple and straightforward novella. To be fair, the plot is still rather straightforward.

 

 

 

Utterly random update

On By MikaelaIn Life, musings, Writing

I went offline during easter, and revised a whopping 11 000 words.  After I got home it has been slower though. Part of it is because I’ve had health issues and part of it is because I need to recharge. ( That’s always the case for me. )   But I’m slogging along on the revisions of the Wild Hunt. I’m 2/3rds through right now, and the draft is at 33000 words.  The goal is 35 000 words.

Once these revisions are done I’m going to work on  Exile.  Actually, that isn’t true. Once I’m done, I’m going to readthrough Daughter of the Dark before sending it to the editor.  Then I’m revising Exile.

I think I’ve already mentioned that I  signed up for Publit awhile ago.  They are a Swedish distributor and one of the options they offer is a Widgetshop. Right now I’m thinking of how to best utilize their Widgetshop for promo. The reason is that I want to do somekind of free read/exclusive  for Eurocon, but I’m not sure what.  Hrm.  It is still a couple of months left.  I’m still thinking about promo in general.

I like the way Anne Bishop and Yasmine Galenorn posts stuff from their characters POV on Facebook and Tumblr. I’m thinking about doing something similar.

I’m also getting back the urge to blog about books.  Not reviews, though, but more recommending authors and reading updates.

Oh, and I’m going to London in May! Just 2 days, but I’m happy.  No firm plans, except hopefully seeing Kari and my brother.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m waiting

On By MikaelaIn Writing

Right now my life can be summed up with one word: Waiting.

I’m waiting for the editor at Carina Press who requested it last week to say yes or no on Daughter of the Dark.  ( I’m still squeeing over that. No matter how it goes, I’m extremely proud over the fact that one of the editors read my pitch during Carinapitch and liked it enough to request it.)

I’m waiting for Thirzah and Sharpie to get back with feedback on The Queen of Sind.  ( Might be next week, might be the week after that, since they have barely started reading yet.).  I’m also, sorta, waiting for Kari to get back to me on Daughter of the Dark. Since she is reading it, but I never said anything about beta reading. ( I haven’t even published my first book yet and I already have one person making grabby hands. LOL!) .

While I’m waiting, I’m rewriting A Shadow of Love, the sequel to Daughter of the Dark. I woke up cold sweating dreaming  that the editor contacts me and say ” Can you send me the sequel by tomorrow?”. And I’m like 40 pages from the end. Actually. I think I’m 25 pages from the end. I had hoped to be done by now, but plans change.

 

Busy, busy

On By MikaelaIn Writing

The rewrite of A Shadow of Love is moving along smoothly.  At the moment,  I’ve rewritten the first third of the draft, and it is much better.  What is making me continue rewriting at a rather brisk pace ( 5-9 pages per day) is that I’m reminded of how much I love this story.  Like Daughter of the Dark, it is fast paced and filled with action. The plot twists makes me happy, and what’s even better is that the rewrites are making them even better.  Which is as it should be, right?   I should finish the rewrite just in time to get the edits for Daughter of the Dark.

And after the edits are finished, I’m taking a break from this Universe.  I love it, and I definitely plan to write Cauldron 2 later this year, but since November, I’ve written one novella ( Cauldron Bound), one short story( Exile), edited Daughter of the Dark, and I’m revising A Shadow of Love.  And I’m starting having trouble feeling entusiasm about the upcoming stories I want to write in this world.  So. A break is necessary.

So what will I write instead? Most likely The Silver Hand, the Sequel to the Wild Hunt.  I have an outline, and I know the world.  Plus it will not require any revision of the previous story.

Despite this, Daughter of the Dark will be released this spring/ summer. It might be pushed back a bit, since I want to release it and  A Shadow of Love close to each other.  ( I.e.  If Daughter of the Dark is released in late May/ early June, I want to release A Shadow of Love late July/ Early August)

Edit: And there is a possibility that I’ll get even busier, cause life just gave me a pleasant surprise 🙂

 

 

Was this even revised?

On By mikaelalindIn Writing

I finished the prequel story last week, and since I don’t have the time to start writing something new, I spent Friday and Saturday writing notes about gnomes, shifters and Vampire on my tablet. It was an experiment, to see if I could actually do something writing related on a tablet without getting a headache.  Today, I decided to do something else. And, since  I’m  planning on Editing Daughter of the Dark in February, I decided to read through A Shadow of Love, the sequel.  Which turned out to be such a hot mess, that I had to ask myself if it had been revised at all. If it was revised, I did an crappy job at it.  To be fair,  the plot is rather solid.  Too bad nothing else is…

The draft is at 19000 words, and at the moment, it is more like an  very detailed outline.   That means it should be doable for me to rewrite it before I get Daughter of the Dark back from the editor.  If nothing else, it will be a challenge.  And  I like challenges.