Tuesday, January 28, 2014

The waiting is the hardest part.

Well, the manuscript is still in the hands of my editor and will be at least another two weeks until it comes back.  I can't wait to read it.  Hopefully she didn't take out all my favorite parts (they probably need to go). 

The next step is finding an agent but I will stop and celebrate this monumental achievement:  I wrote a novel!

Monday, January 20, 2014

Getting into the next novel

I'm really getting into the planning of GKS2.  But it seems the more I plan, the more I see plot issues from book 1 that need to be continued or resolved in the new book.  In some ways, I think writing a completely new novel would be easier but there is still lots of adventures left for Junya and his crew.  I'm quite excited to see where they go!

Monday, January 6, 2014

The Gatekeepers Son II?

With the first book in the line-editing stage, I've begun storyboarding my next book.  I've already written 3 chapters but I don't want to repeat the mistake I made with The Gatekeepers Son, which was writing without a clear plan.  I had an outline but with this book I want to try the storyboard.  I'm a visual person and like the idea of seeing it laid out in front of me.

Friday, January 3, 2014

Thought I gave up?

I just reread the last post and had to laugh.  I didn't give up!

To get you up to date, I finished the rewrite and submitted it in early December 2012.  It came back in January 2013 with the usual message-cut another 100 pages, along with some major plot fixes.  I completed those by August but my editor couldn't get to it until October.  

When it came back, I was surprised that she didn't ask for another 100 page cut.  Instead, she had just a few plot issues that needed fixing.  The novel was the most cohesive version yet.  Inspired and happy, I attacked the rewrite.   As usual, amazing inspiration appeared just at the right time and inam so pleased with the outcome.

The final version went back to my editor in December.   The novel is done!  Line editing begins this month (January 2014) and then the next chapter begins... Getting an agent!

I'll keep you posted.