Monday, November 8, 2010

Mondays Theme: Writing

CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.

I did it! I made my goal for the week and have finished searching my ms. for ‘ly’ and ‘ing’ words. I sent the last 6 chapters to my editor last night. Now I will start with chapter one and implement her suggestions. I don’t have the completed manuscript from her yet, obviously, since I just sent her the last of it last night. But I am giving myself the remainder of this month and the first week of next month to finish. I am so excited.

Don’t forget my contest. Take a moment to give me your suggestions if you haven’t done so already. I will announce the winner tomorrow and keep you abreast of my continued edits.

My contest: I am adding two to three paragraphs to chapter one of my high fantasy to have a character interact with my heroine so that the reader will have a better sense of who she is. This character will only live in chapter one and can be any nationality or sex. Is a gifted pianist. Name the character, your name or a name you invent. Both first and last. Leave it in the comments through Monday Nov. 8, 2010. Prize: You will receive credit on my credit page and a voucher for a free e-book when it's published in December.

I almost forgot. I promised to answer a question last week.

Joan asked: Sounds like you've got a great plan going on. After these November revisions, will you be querying the project?

No. I have queried in the past. I have also pitched this manuscript to numerous editors and agents in person. I have had the manuscript requested and in every instance I have been told that “we love it, but it won’t fit.” The last time I had it requested I was very hopeful since I knew numerous writers in Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers had been published through this publisher. Imagine my distress when after two months I learned that they were no longer representing fantasy.

The fact is, that in today’s terrible economy, publishers are very limited in their funds. They are taking on less and less new writers. Unless you are writing a ‘hot’ topic like vampires, your chances are slim. So, encouraged by the success of numerous author friends, I am self publishing on kindle. I have read some blogs where established authors are no longer going through main stream publishers. They can control their work and make more money online. The publishing industry is changing my friends. I think this is good news for those of us who write. Still, we must maintain a professional quality. That is why I’ve hired an editor and why I paid for a professional book cover.

Thank you for your support.

Don’t forget to give your suggestions. Can you think of a name?

28 comments:

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

Best wishes for your upcoming Kindle release!

How about "Clarice Pennington"? :)

Golden Eagle said...

Good luck with your book release!

Jayne said...

Good luck with your edits! And all the best for the self-publishing - it certainly sounds like you are making a well-informed decision.

As for the pianist name, my suggestion is Amber Rai Ellison. Not sure where she came from, but boy does she know how to tinkle those ivories. :)

N. R. Williams said...

Thank you Elizabeth, Golden and Jayne for your well wishes. Golden already nominated a name, so thanks for that and now a double thanks to Elizabeth and Jayne for their additions.

List so far:
Carmen Black, Jules Southerly, Shara Hopkins, Megan O'Hagan, Ivory Dane, Natasha Thomas, Layla Nesbitt, Schmedly Nerdlinger, Rocky McToughnut, Erica Lynn, Stephanie Leigh, Ebony Baldwyn, Lin Xiao, Benjamin de Fourre, Hester Jackson, Christian Risko, Nina Gogs, Hunter Johnson, Clarice Pennington and Amber Rai Ellison.
NR

Joanne said...

I agree that with all the publishing changes, it's a great time to write. There are more and more avenues we can take our work down now. Kudos to you for your decision to publish on the Kindle, it sounds like a great journey. Keep us posted on the process, and best wishes :)

N. R. Williams said...

I will definitely keep you posted Joanne. Thank you for your well wishes and comment.
NR

Jules said...

I'm sending up editing and publishing wishes to the writer in the sky for you :)

Now the name, I thought we had to use our own but if that is not the case... I submit "Tone" just tone. They do have a musical background, right?

Oh you know what you doing :D
Jules @ Trying To Get Over The Rainbow

N. R. Williams said...

Thank you Jules, I'll add Tone to the list.

Here is my list so far:
Carmen Black, Jules Southerly, Shara Hopkins, Megan O'Hagan, Ivory Dane, Natasha Thomas, Layla Nesbitt, Schmedly Nerdlinger, Rocky McToughnut, Erica Lynn, Stephanie Leigh, Ebony Baldwyn, Lin Xiao, Benjamin de Fourre, Hester Jackson, Christian Risko, Nina Gogs, Hunter Johnson, Clarice Pennington, Amber Rai Ellison and Tone.
NR

Unknown said...

I know many that are self-publishing because of the market and I know many who do really well.

CD

Maria Zannini said...

What a neat contest. There seems to be a lot of female names on the list, so I will go for a male.

Alessandro Ricci

N. R. Williams said...

Yes Clarissa, me too. And I am so glad that today we have this option.

Thanks for dropping in today Maria and leaving a comment. I'll add your name suggestion to the list. For those coming in. Maria is having her own contest. See my side bar and check it out.

List:
Carmen Black, Jules Southerly, Shara Hopkins, Megan O'Hagan, Ivory Dane, Natasha Thomas, Layla Nesbitt, Schmedly Nerdlinger, Rocky McToughnut, Erica Lynn, Stephanie Leigh, Ebony Baldwyn, Lin Xiao, Benjamin de Fourre, Hester Jackson, Christian Risko, Nina Gogs, Hunter Johnson, Clarice Pennington, Amber Rai Ellison, Tone and Alessandro Ricci.
NR

Dr. Mohamed said...

I think "Rama Muhammad" would be great.

I'd love to read your feedback on your experience with Kindle once you get to that point. Best wishes with your work!

N. R. Williams said...

Thank you Mohamed. I am pleased to meet you and will add your suggestion to the list.

Here is my list:
Carmen Black, Jules Southerly, Shara Hopkins, Megan O'Hagan, Ivory Dane, Natasha Thomas, Layla Nesbitt, Schmedly Nerdlinger, Rocky McToughnut, Erica Lynn, Stephanie Leigh, Ebony Baldwyn, Lin Xiao, Benjamin de Fourre, Hester Jackson, Christian Risko, Nina Gogs, Hunter Johnson, Clarice Pennington, Amber Rai Ellison, Tone, Alessandro Ricci and Rama Muhammad.
NR

KK Brees said...

Tessandra LeDoux is my offering. Excited about your upcoming release, Nancy!

Southpaw said...

Good luck getting it all together. I do think the e-book is going to change everything it will be interesting to see what happens.

N. R. Williams said...

Oh that is so nice of you to say KK. I will add your choice of names to the list.

Here it is...still growing.
Carmen Black, Jules Southerly, Shara Hopkins, Megan O'Hagan, Ivory Dane, Natasha Thomas, Layla Nesbitt, Schmedly Nerdlinger, Rocky McToughnut, Erica Lynn, Stephanie Leigh, Ebony Baldwyn, Lin Xiao, Benjamin de Fourre, Hester Jackson, Christian Risko, Nina Gogs, Hunter Johnson, Clarice Pennington, Amber Rai Ellison, Tone, Alessandro Ricci, Rama Muhammad and Tessandra LeDoux.
NR

Carolyn V. said...

Good luck with your kindle release!

I can't think of any good names, but you have a ton of great ones already! Yay!

N. R. Williams said...

Thanks Carolyn. This turned out to be a great idea I think. One I will repeat in the future.
NR

Unknown said...

Have you thought of a blog that gives the reasons you chose Kindle over the other formats?

N. R. Williams said...

Kindle is number one. It is a starting point. But I don't plan to limit myself to kindle.

Thanks for asking Kay.
NR

Marieke said...

Good luck with the edits! :D

N. R. Williams said...

Thank you Marieke.
NR

WritingNut said...

Good luck with your edits and your upcoming Kindle release! :)

N. R. Williams said...

Thank you writing nut. That is a little bizarre addressing you that way. Thanks for your comment.
NR

Dominic de Mattos said...

Hi NR! I will follow your Kindle release with great interest! Incidentally, in case I forget to ask the question on the right day (!!), what criteria do you use to determine which -ing and -ly words are acceptable and which need to be changed?
:D om

N. R. Williams said...

That's a great question Dominic. The answer is your gut feeling. But I will answer in more detail next Monday.
NR

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Good luck doing it on your own! It would've been too much for me.

N. R. Williams said...

Thank you Alex.
NR