Let’s actually talk about writing.
I don’t like to write with music playing, personally. I’ve always been the type who needs near silence to think and sort out the overly loud voices that are already happening in my brain. However, when I’m not writing, I am CONSTANTLY picking through song lyrics to see if any of them match the thoughts/emotions/relationships/story of any of my characters. More often than not, I have to force it to make sense, but it can still be a satisfying discovery when you hear that song that just… *chef’s kiss* fits perfectly.
If you get nothing else out of this blog, at least give my music recommendations a chance.
I promised I’d talk more about the book, didn’t I? Here goes. The steps I’ve completed so far include:
Had the idea. Crucial. Can’t skip this one.
Wrote the draft. Remind me to talk more about drafts later.
Gave the draft to my parents to read for some much needed moral support.
Gave the draft to an anonymous beta reader for some feedback. If I’m being honest, this is one of the most pivotal steps in the whole process for me. I am 100% team Write What You Love and Write For You, but there’s still such a strong tidal wave of nerves when it comes to wondering if someone else will like what you like. Especially when you pitch the thing you’re sharing as “Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman meets Monster of the Week, cozy paranormal historical.” They don’t teach you how hard sharing can be when you’re a kid.
Worked with a developmental editor. I shipped off the manuscript and had it appraised. Judged at the county fair. Graded meat. If you’re unfamiliar, a developmental editor’s job is to review all the elements of the story (plot, pacing, story structure, characters/motivations) and let the author know what’s working, what’s not, and suggestions for improvement. This process was pretty life-changing, I will admit. Not only did I learn a lot about my own ticks and habits as a writer (coughrhetoricalquestionsasfillercough), I learned what was working in my favor. I also learned about interiority, and now I’m seeing it EVERYWHERE while reading, and I love it. And I want to get better at writing it.
Cover design! Because at this point, I needed some visuals. Hours of gazing at my story-themed Pinterest boards is one thing, I wanted to have the real thing.
Rounds and rounds and rounds of revision later…
Had my mom read the new version. Which she did in less than 24 hours. Because she’s a force to be reckoned with when it comes to reading.
Copy Editing. This is where I currently am! As of a few days ago, I sent the new manuscript over to a copy editor who will begin the process later in March. “The process” being checking for spelling and grammatical errors, repetition, voice or plot inconsistencies, etc.
After that, the book will be formatted, because no one likes reading Word Documents for fun.
And after that… marketing. The most cryptic of steps for me. Because I know nothing about the process, which is why I’m sure I’ll be getting LOTS of help. But, you know what comes after this, right?
Launch Day, babyyyyyyyyy.
There! Now you are all up to speed on where this book has been and where it’s going. It’s one of those things where it feels like it’s taken a ton of time, and yet no time at all. I’ve got such a better grasp on the whole process than I did when I was starting out. And of course, I’m sure the journey is different for everyone, but this has been mine. And I’m having a good time.
As in the aforementioned pitch, categorizing this book, Book 1, TCTT, has always been tricky, since for a Western setting, it’s quite light on grit, and thus, finding appropriate music has always been a struggle. That’s why I’m happy every day I stumbled across National Park Radio, especially this song, which is so on theme, it’s crazy. Give them a listen for some Grade A Americana.
“Every day is started with a choice
To be the one who hears or be the voice”
