There are times when multi-tasking just isn’t the right answer. A perfect example of this is my revision work on Mik Murdoch, Boy Superhero. I have several projects on the go; some are writing and some are editing. And then there is Mik which is forthcoming (arguably editing, but a whole lot more, too). I want Mik Murdoch to be the best it can be. I want to justify all of the work my publisher and editor are putting into the book too. Therefore, when it came time to make the suggested revisions, I put all of my other projects away, rather than try to do bits of several everyday. It was really the only way I could get into […]
Read moreCategory: Irreverent Muse
Writing Advice
For those of you who have read my blog posts in the past, you will probably notice that I rarely, if ever, give writing advice. There are a few reasons for this: the way I write and what works for me may not work for you (the actual action of writing); I know what looks right on the page. I have a pretty decent grasp of grammar and language, however, I am NOT a grammatician nor am I a professor of English to speak as an authority on sentence structure; I am not an expert on the reader’s marketplace. I have a good understanding of what is selling now (easily enough found) and I have some opinions on what might sell down-the-road, but […]
Read moreBeat but not Beaten
I have this tendency to overcommitt myself. Now, if I didn’t care about actually fulfilling my commitments, it wouldn’t be much of a problem. That is not the case, however. When I say I’m going to do something, I do it and try to do it well. That in itself is not a character flaw (as far as I know), but it does tend to wear me down over time. Take Scouts, for example. I love being a Scout leader, but about this time every year I start to get cranky. The craziness of the troop and the lost days and nights every month make me wonder if I really want to do it again next year and please, please, […]
Read moreMik Murdoch is into Final Edits
I received the last set of edits from my editor, Robert Runte, on Saturday. Robert’s comments were all very positive which was very gratifying to read. This version only has 150 required changes, most very minor. It feels great to have them now and to know that the story really doesn’t need any major work. Robert is (he says) very happy with the quality of the manuscript so that is encouraging. Now, I just have to work my way through and finish it. As in the previous version of the manuscript, we are working in Microsoft Word with Track Changes on. This is a great way to go because I can see Robert’s changes and comments and he can see […]
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