What does the editor say??

What a whirlwind weekend - and it's not even finished yet!

Yesterday was the inaugural Raindance Independent Author Book Faire at Landsdowne Mall.

The Faire itself was a bit of a disappointment.  I didn't know what to expect, but when I arrived, I found a few tables set up in one of the rotundas with no signage at all.    The rotunda is circled by booths for cell phone companies and a couple of realtors, and we were in the centre of it.  The way the mall is set up, people walk around the rotunda - around the edge, they don't cut through, so without signage, people were walking around us, not realizing what was going on in the middle.  I did manage to sell three books, which, considering there were about 6 people I spoke with over 3 hours, isn't too shabby a  percentage.  There could have been a lot, lot more had things been organized differently.  I kept having to remind myself that this was the first event of it's kind, and not judge too harshly - they'll work it out for the next one, I hope!

The star of the event though was the Blue Pencil Session I had with the Editor's Association of Canada.  This was also what caused most of my nerves.  I submitted the first three chapters of Sole a couple of weeks ago to be assessed, and was almost apoplectic thinking I was going to be judged by someone who actually KNOWS writing.  I was convinced they were to going to call me out - but what I *did* get was a pleasant surprise.

I sat in a dingy back room off the rotunda with an editor across from me.  She asked what I thought the strengths and weaknesses were of the piece.  When I answered, she agreed.  Strength was the voice of the work, and the weakness was the pacing of the first three chapters.

What happened next surprised me.  She pulled out a three page report she'd written on the chapters and we proceeded to go through and discuss some of the choices I'd made in the writing.

The critiquing I got was completely invaluable!  I made a lot of rookie mistakes - using passive voice, verbs usage, and perhaps a bit of coyness that wasn't necessary.  I was also surprised that her main critique was that I fill in too much backstory at the beginning of the work.  Huh.  Interesting!  I had no clue.

She also mentioned that with my chapter structure, I showed some of the tension, but not enough - in short, I stopped the chapters too soon.  I should have led my readers further to the edge before ending the chapters.

When I told her how I wrote the thing - for NANOWRIMO, she then understood why a lot of the issues took place.  I got a bit too flowery in places because of word count etc.

When I told her that this had only really had one edit, she was amazed. Really amazed - and that is a credit to the original draft I think, and my Da, who line edited for me before this went out.

All in all, the feedback I got will only help me make my writing better, and made the whole day and cost of the event worth while.  Having someone other than a family member or friend who loves me say I have a talent for writing is a huge boost - and one of the validations an independent author rarely gets.  I'll hold onto that dearly.

By the end of my session - and we went longer than I was due - she said that she was left wanting to know what happened...  so I gave her a book.  HA!

I'm also proud of the display I had at my table.  I used patent black leather pumps as holders for my rack cards, which I think was clever.  My jacket design was eye-catching.

(don't mind how tired I look, it's been an exceedingly busy week, with training, prepping, and stressing)

All in all, it was a good day, and I got to spend it with my Da, who was so integral to the process it would be a crime if he weren't there...

Tomorrow.

Tomorrow is the day!

RAINDANCE!!

I'll be heading to the Lansdowne Mall in Richmond relatively early - 10ish maybe?  I'll have books, heels, and rack cards at the ready!

At 12:30 I'll be meeting with an editor to go through some of my writing.  Now THIS will be interesting, and something I'm really looking forward to.  It's one thing to have people let you know that they enjoy your writing and stories - it's completely another to have a professional look over your work and give an opinion.  I'm excited but also really quite nervous.

Da is coming over from Victoria for moral support, and also, I think, because he's proud of the work he did on the book.  He should be proud!  The book looks fantastic.  I haven't seen him in a while, so it will be lovely to have a chat with him too.

I'm nervous that I'll not be received well.  I don't quite know what to expect, but I'm officially going public as a writer and it's daunting.  I'm getting better at the whole 'here's my work, welcome to my imagination' thing, I truly am - but ...  I have GOT to change that tape in my head.  I'm a writer.  I'm an author.  Full Stop.  I have to stop making excuses and just have faith in myself and my ability.  I know I'm no Kathryn Jane, and I also know I'm no Alice Munro.  Who I am is someone who writes a good, relatable story.  And that's something to be bloody proud of too!

Okay, notice what I did there?

I just turned that anxiety around.

It works.  For me, writing does that -whether it be in a physical journal, or just ramblings on a blog - it helps...

Thanks for listening - and if you find yourself with some time to spare tomorrow, come to Lansdowne Mall and see me!!

x

Heh.

Yesterday afternoon I signed up for the Raindance Independent Author Book Fair.  It's something I wanted to do - truly for the last 2 months since I found out about it.  Last night I spent the majority of the evening trying to talk myself out of it.

See, here's my dilemma.

As an independent author, I've go no one but my readers to get feedback from.  I have no way of knowing what I'm doing right or wrong.  I've sold books, which is great - no a lot, but some - but I've only had 5 reviews on amazon.  Less on goodreads.  Does this mean that the purchases were pity purchases?  Some perhaps.  Some were by my friends just to show support - some were by those who will actually read the book.  The reviews I have to believe were honest, and not just ego boosts.

As I head into this book faire, I have that crushing feeling that THIS is where I'll be found out.  I'll be laughed at, and looked at as not a real writer (which the logical side of my brain feels is tremendously ridiculous as EVERYONE there is independent - not just me...

I guess I have one giant case of the nerves!

I've got some ideas for my half of the table.  I've got some idea of a display and I'm desperate to purchase a pair of Manolos for it - even just for the display to be returned the following day...  I don't think I'm quite that desperate - I'll come up with something else clever...  perhaps a couple of drag queens standing behind me fanning me??  Handing out bon bons??

We'll see...

It was bound to happen...

I'm not sleeping much these days.  Blame a brain that won't shut down, a mattress that needs to be flipped or a needy feline, it's happening.  So once again, I found myself up before the dawn, bundled to the ears, sitting out on the deck in the bracing chill of an October morning.  It's an easy eye-opener as the espresso maker is warming up.

This morning I found myself sitting staring at The Seven Day Bad Date, and thinking it wasn't great.  Each sentence I read, each scenario that presented itself seemed contrived.  When I was working on it last week, I didn't feel that way; when I was writing it I didn't feel that way, but this morning I did.  I do.

I know I'm a new author, I know I have a unique voice in my storytelling, but what compels people to read?  To review?  What am I doing right and how do I fix this story?  Do I need to?

I flipped over to Amazon and I've got no new sales.  I flipped to goodreads and I've got no new reviews.  So is my creative voice an effective one?  Does that matter?

UGH.

I know I've got to market Sole.  I just don't know how.  It's a challenge to do anything with businesses when you work in the film industry because you are always unavailable during business hours.

All I know, and to end this rambling post, is that I have to do something differently.  I have to get involved in groups that don't rely on 9-5, I've got to move on, move up, and chalk this morning up to a bad creative moment.

Tomorrow will be better.

Hidden gem - AKA surprises to the unorganized

I am not an organized writer.  I'm not necessarily an organized person overall - except when it comes to work - then I'm ridiculously organized.  Go figure.

I am sitting here at my favourite coffee shop intending fully to delve back into the world of my next book 'The Seven Day Bad Date'. I haven't looked at it in months.  As I was scrolling through 'Pages', past work documents (all filed neatly according to show), I found a poem.  It was titled.  There was a date listed below the title, but I was too curious of the contents to make note of it.  I mean, I delve into writing poetry occasionally, but it's not something I concentrate on.  Much like my other writing endeavours, it's either there, or it isn't.  I get things out onto paper and they dissipate in my brain.  Writing is my therapy...


She was turning to stone
Evidenced on her skin
the cool, rough gray hue
long since forgotten the warmth
of a lover's touch

She was turning to stone
Tears dried and absorbed and forgotten
the resigned peace replaced with a resounding
Crack -
Fissure for breath

for now

She was turning to stone
the fluid dance of life slowing
into barely a turn
of wrist and ankle

She was turning to stone
protective cocooning of body
and mind
and heart
and

So when reading this ditty, I had to wonder... did *I* actually write this?  I have no recollection of it, although the feelings are familiar but not one's I dwell on.

I called upon my two trusted creatives-at-arms... we frequently share amongst ourselves...  projects we're working on, ideas, inspirations...  I love these two women - did one of them write it??

Nope.

It was me.

Who knew??

So a couple of points to be made here...

1)  When the feeling strikes, write it down.  Get it out of your head and down onto paper.  It might not be the best writing out there, but, as is shown clearly above, it can get rid of a demon in your head.  Obviously writing that made me feel better - or at least... lighter...

2)  Organize your stuff!  You may find little gems months after you've originally written them!  You may find an incomplete story that sparks your creativity again!  But why go through all of that?  All it takes is a folder labelled.  All it takes is a printer and a folder.  That's all...

Who wouldn't find this inspiring? (AKA: Why I'm sacrificing sleep)

Me Time

I'm exhausted.  And fulfilled.

I'm typing this on my balcony.  It's 8am.  I've been out here, coffee in hand, since 6 and I have been writing.  This doesn't happen every day when I'm in the middle of a show - most days sleep wins over everything, but today I'm really glad I got my tired ass out of bed and showered and dressed early.

My favourite time of the day is early early morning.  There's a hum that occurs over the city in the early hours that I find incredibly soothing, and whether it's that city white noise or my half-sleep state, I find my brain can go to a creative place.

I wasn't writing anything in particular - I had an indulgent, 'write whatever comes' experience, and it was lovely.  And yes, it was indulgent... and decadent, satisfying, and oh so needed!

As the city came alive, transit busses started motoring by, and construction crews started working across the road, and the sun started peeking up over the Second Narrows Bridge, my inner creative got sparked out of sleep, stretched, got to moving.  It was lovely.

My call time today isn't until 10, so I still have another hour before I have to leave for work, and I plan on making the most of it.  I can truly start the day now, having stretched my own imagination, and take on the challenges that will inevitably present themselves knowing that what really matters has been lovingly tended to and the rest is just gravy.

What's your favourite time to write?

My writing life

Have you ever had one of those days where all you want to do is write but the universe is conspiring against you?  I seem to have those days more often than not - especially when I'm working.

When I'm on a project, I work 10-15 hours a day intensively.  When I get home, the last thing I want to do is look at more words on a page or create more.  I want to sleep.

Today I woke up with story ideas roaring through my brain.  I had snippets of dialogue yelling at me as I was showering, the image of a living room came to me as I was heading down the elevator to my car.  I drove to work with lines of dialogue on the tip of my tongue - and stepped into the world of someone else's imagination - a set from someone else's imagination and am looking at script pages with someone else's words on it.

I'm feeling awfully discombobulated.

I can only hope that the words stay with me - the emotion of this new story is easily retrievable when I sit down to write again on the weekend...  5 whole days away...  :: sigh ::