This morning, I happened across an online group of writers who caught my attention with a particular conversation. One person asked the group about an estimate from an editor. He mentioned a dollar figure without details concerning the length of the book or the type of editing he sought. Then he asked if that […]
editing
When Everything’s Working, Including You
Last week sailed right by me without a tickler to write a new post. I didn’t realize I’d missed my schedule until yesterday. That’s what happens when you hit those rare moments when everything’s flowing, and you’re groovin’ on the vibes of inspiration. The hours flash past. Your mind is hyper-focused on what’s in front […]
Fresh Year, Fresh Approach
Don’t you just love a fresh new year? They’re full of exciting possibilities. But we sometimes fail to see that until we grab our usual work habits and writing choices, and give them a good shake. Kind of like an early spring cleaning. My year has started off with a few twists I didn’t expect. […]
Editing is Like Cleaning the Garage
As I’m writing this, my handyman is cleaning and organizing my garage. Or I should say he was because he just came to say he’s finished. And the garage looks great. He sorted everything by purpose and frequency of use. I would have had a very hard time getting this job completed so quickly. Not […]
When Detours Lead Us Home
If it seems I’m having a hard time staying focused this year, that’s because I am. While I’m not sure where the problem lies, I’ve been thoroughly frustrated with the situation. Maybe it’s because I’m working on too many things at once. I’ve mentioned that before. And yet, I’ve only wiped one project off my […]
Make Mine a Writing Holiday
I seem to be in the spirit of the long, slow weekend—already. Last night I finished my comments for a Beta read of a friend’s novel at 0230. Yes, I was supposed to be writing and posting to my own blog yesterday. But I was in the flow and wanted to get my comments to […]
Your First Draft is a Baby Step
When is your manuscript ready for publication? Oh, how I hope I did not just hear someone say as soon as you finish your first draft. That’s the first teensiest step on the way to publication. Once you complete your first draft, the real fun begins. And it continues for a while… because you wouldn’t […]
13 Blessings for Which I'm Thankful
In the United States, tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day. I’ll be gathering with my extended family to eat too much, laugh joyously, and tell tall tales. But today, I want to share with you some of the things for which I’m thankful. 1) I’m thankful for my family. Especially the ones far away, those I don’t […]
Grateful to be a Writer Today
Let’s start with the fact that I’ve been trying to write this post for the last three days. I hate to admit it, but I haven’t been feeling inspired this week. It might be a letdown of emotion from the events of the past couple of weeks, but there was nothing I really wanted to […]