Call for Editors

Hello again, dearies.

I am wickedly interested in using Google docs to write a story, and give editors access. I have a dark, paranormal piece in mind. Would any of you lovelies be interested in participating in this adventure? You will be able to read my work for free :)

Plus, you can snigger over my first draft...

The final won't be long. It's a short piece, probably 10-20k. I hope to publish it as a single, if I feel the length warrants. (Else, I will couple it with another piece.)

It might be a fun jaunt into another author's writing style. I'm pretty sure it records everything as a presentation, so you would actually SEE how I write. Maybe? I'm not entirely up on the semantics. I spent about 7 seconds glancing over the information. I deduced this only because of Google Wave. Possibly I am wrong. Maybe it will emit a loud series of barking noises! But, I doubt it.

Regardless, if you are interested in being a part of this project (and thus thanked by name in the final version!) please submit a request to: jemedrickbooks(AT)gmail.com

You apparently are signed in by e-mail, of which I allow access. (E-mailing me will thus give me the e-mail I have to put into the system.)

Thanks :)

Sally Forth (This is a No-Tarrying Zone)

My 9-day vacation was well spent, I think, in that I released "Shackled" on all three platforms as I wished. I have even sold 2 copies :) I know at least 1 is to my friend Lauren, she was excited to read something by me... no clue who the second one was! But, it got me a rank on Amazon, which I now understand...

IS VERY EASY TO CHECK COMPULSIVELY.

Ahem.

That being said, "Shackled" is complete and it's time to move forward. I have more in mind for that world, but as I've read the story about 5 times in the past week, I need to step back from it for awhile and let the toons ferment about their business. I know where it's going, but I want to rest that part.

As you may notice by my widgets to the right, I have 3 projects I am considering next. (Stupid ideas, never seem to stop coming... not that I'd want them to. I love you, ideas! You're not stupid! Please don't abandon meeeee!)

I had 4 editors and 5 beta readers for "Shackled". I have 2 editors and 3 beta readers for my next project, whatever it may be. One of those editors may not be able to keep up - through no fault of his own, but due to my own pacing.

You see, two of those projects are me considering a foray into the land of episodic writing. I would aim to write 20k novellas (less than a month of writing, for me) so they would bang out rather quickly.

In a (rather forward-thinking, if I do say so) move by myself, I'm writing the intro to the beginning of all three, asking the opinions of my beta readers. I've already gotten opinions from various people on the "pitch" but I want an opinion on the "voice" for the stories.

The thing is, I need 2 (possibly 3) more editors and at least 1 more beta reader. (You can be both editor and beta reader - but yo' skillz bettah be AMAZING at grammar/punctuation!) I catch about 85% of my errors. But that 15% could drown me in mediocrity and plot holes, so I need good eyes.

I write fiction, exclusively. I like twists in my stories and everything to tie up neatly. I write fast and can send out as much as 3,000 words to be edited, per day. (Though usually I send around 1k, and sometimes bundle a few k together after a period of silence, and I don't usually send out large chunks more than 3 days in a row). You'll read the whole story at least twice. The first time is the rough draft, the second time is edits, and possibly a third time after that. Two of the projects, if chosen, will be episodic so I'd need a long-term person to stick through the whole thing.

Last thing: The episodic are aimed at YA, the novel at A.

Any takers? :)

Vindication for Vacation!

"Shackled" is written in the past - and by past, I don't mean past tense, I mean 14-17 hundreds (year) past. As a writer, I have to be conscious of the fact that my character, born in 1474 (or whenever) isn't going to say, "I need a Kleenex." or "I wish I had that on tape." or even, "Google it." Those things just don't fit in with the timeline of the story. Putting in an out-of-century expletive or expression makes the fantasy world you're building really crumble away.

Every last one of my beta readers has griped about when my characters say something like, "You must needs have it done!" or "He must needs listen to that advice." They tell me, "Say he must do it, or he needs listen!" Or even, "If you take the s off needs it might be okay, but I still think it's wrong..."

I have read many classical works in my time. I'm not saying my friends and beta readers (and fiance) are less well-read or up-in-the-know, but I can't explain to them that "must needs" is a correct phrase. I've been tearing my hair out trying to decide - do I change it and lose atmosphere, or keep it because I know it's correct? (even though everyone griped about it!!) Even my grammar Nazi got on my case about it. Head... plus... desk...

The whoop I let out yesterday shook the walls of my house. I was reading "The Scarlet Letter", a particular favorite of mine, when I came upon this passage:

Then touching the shoulder of a townsman who stood near to him, he addressed him in a formal and courteous manner:
"I pray you, good Sir," said he, "who is this woman?--and wherefore is she here set up to public shame?"
"You must needs be a stranger in this region, friend," answered the townsman, looking curiously at the questioner and his savage companion, "else you would surely have heard of Mistress Hester Prynne and her evil doing. (/end)

Let me gloat a little bit. Oh yeah, do the cabbage patch, swing that booty, uh, uh, uh, alright, oh yeah! (This sort of celebration doesn't transfer to text well.)

So, I am satisfied and IT WILL STAY (even though I am 95% sure some reviewer will complain about it.) But in the end, it's my story, my voice, and CORRECT!!!

I've finished 18/48 rewrites so far. If I did 8 a day starting today, I'd be done for release Wednesday. It's a tall order and I'm not going to push for time and lose quality. It's funny how doing 8 sounded so easy in my head :P Some of them I can do in about 45 minutes, but the two chapters I've done today took me a combined 3+ hours. They were important chapters written in bare bones and needed to be polished. I want my product to be the best it can be! :D

Shorty Before Bed

I would like to take a moment out of my day to point over to my sidebar there and ask you to notice #3, 5, 7 and 9 of My Pledge.

There is no new content today, as I spent my allotment of "writing time" poring over the suggestions of my editors-in-writing.

This is a very, very, very mission critical thing for any writer to do.  If you do not have at least 3 people read over your manuscript then read very carefully.

FIND THREE PEOPLE TO READ OVER YOUR MANUSCRIPT.

Someone in that group is bound to catch at least one detail you missed.  If they do, it's one less screw-up the world knows you made.

Here's to making a story all it's meant to be.  Cheers, editors!