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Posts Tagged ‘edits’

It’s an ‘ug’ kind of morning

Posted in A writer's life, distractions, Dragon fantasy, Dragon Wine, Editing, Edits, epic fantasy, Feeling blah, geekgirl, Publication news, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on May 2, 2017| 2 Comments »

I was bright eyed and bushy tailed yesterday.

This morning not so much.

Of course there are a number of reasons for this. Yesterday afternoon I sent off Ungiven Land (The Silverlands Book 3) for proofreading after quite a while working through the toughest edits yet. It was going to take me a lot longer but on Sunday I hit of spot of chapters that had light edits and I pushed through them and built up some momentum. That left yesterday morning to finish it off. I had some family obligations during the day, but after that I did some more tinkering and sent the book off. It’s a bloody long book at 145,000 words.

Then yesterday evening, I picked up the revision I was doing of Bloodstorm (Dragon Wine Part 4) without much recollection of how much more I had to do. Well, I was further along than I thought so I pushed through and sent that book off to the editor last night. It’s a shorter novel at just under 90,000 words. I think I have more work to do on a battle scene but the edit will help with that I think. It gives me a month to think about it and make notes. I needed to push it off my plate as I have important PhD stuff to do.

So you would think after an excellent sleep that I’d be ready to roll and full of vim and vigour. Obviously my stories are still in my head. I was thinking about both of them while driving and drove right past two turns offs to my university and didn’t realise until I made a t-junction. Oops! So I had to go to another entry and park in a different spot. Then I realised I hadn’t brushed my hair. This called for emergency coffee and I hope  it kicks in soon.

After having these deadlines I don’t think I like them. I had listed Ungiven Land for pre-order on Amazon. For some strange reason beknownst only to my back brain I put down 31 May 2017 as the delivery date. However, I had not allowed enough time for processing proofreading changes so I had to push it back by two weeks. Amazon lock you out of the file about 3-4 days before release btw. I have had now had my pre-order privileges revoked for one year because I pushed back the date. Thank god for that. I can’t be tempted to put in hard dates that give me stress. I don’t want to do that again because that deadline plus the ones I had with the editors really put the pressure on.

As I don’t have more fiction planned other than putting up books of which I have the rights back, I’m going to give deadlines a miss for a while. I have my PhD novel to think about.

Fingers crossed I get some covers this week because Shatterwing and Skywatcher are ready to go. Deathwings and Bloodstorm the next two parts of the Dragon Wine series are coming soon.

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Balancing the PhD and the fiction writing

Posted in A writer's life, academic conference, am wrinting, Annoying advice, Argenterra, Dragon fantasy, epic fantasy, phd, self publishing, tagged , , , , , , , , , on January 12, 2017| 2 Comments »

I look at myself lately and I think I’m doing a lot of fiction writing recently, or I seem to be. Fair enough I’ve just come out of a holiday break where I took two weeks off from the Phd. This week I have been head down on the Phd and I put some time in last week too. I have my big moment to prepare for-The dreaded confirmation seminar that I talked about yesterday.

So what am I doing writing fiction or appearing to write fiction?

Last year I finished drafting a trilogy. My first completed one if truth be known. Book two was mostly written so I was tidying up, revising etc. Some parts were rewritten after beta reader comments. Book three was a 50,000 word basket case so technically I did write that book like last year almost from scratch (130,000 approx.). Book two is with the editor. Book three I’m going to revise after beta reader comments (next week actually) and then put in the edit queue. Right now I’ve finished revising Dragonwine Book 3 and it’s waiting for its slot for its editor and currently I’m restructuring book 4, which required some revising, rewriting as I went. I still have a bit to do, but the restructure is complete (I cheated I put the last bit in this morning). Oh and I wrote a 50,000 word novel in November for NaNoWriMo-which needs to be revised (when?!!!).

Now I don’t want to give the impression that I’m slacking off on the PhD because I’m not. Nor do I want to give the impression that I’m some kind of writing machine. I’m not that either. While I’m not too much a stickler for routine, I have been aiming to do an hour a day while working on Dragonwine Book 4. It’s written, I’m just plaiting the narrative threads together different to how I originally drafted it. It was a draft and it’s drafty. Man I don’t think I’ve read book 4 for seven years or more. I’m also revising, polishing as I go. It will need another run through too.

I’m spending my day on the PhD writing this damn proposal and researching and running my surveys and hassling writers etc. I’ve been going home and vegging in front of Netflix for hours (the heat mainly)  and then I put my hour in on the MS before I go to bed. I’m not usually so good at doing this. I’m marking this on my calendar this year so I can gauge how consistent I am. Technically, I could put more time into writing when I get home. I don’t want to overdo it on the computer due to RSI and arthritis issues so I’m pretty good at sticking to the hour. I’ve been at the computer at Uni most of the day too.

When I’m mostly reading, I can spend more time writing fiction. Reading takes place not at the computer you see. Sometimes it happens in bed or on the deck. I usually take a day off on Friday’s to write fiction (and do housework) and that gives me a good go at things. As Matthew is busy writing at the moment I’ve also spent some weekends, say Saturday afternoon and Sunday afternoon on task. Two Dweebs in adjacent offices pounding on keyboards!

I also have a backlist of works that I can either revise, write sequels for etc. I have to prioritise! So I don’t consider them to be new writing as such.

As well as the PhD this year I want to start on Dragonwine book 5 & 6 to finish this trilogy too. I don’t even have notes for this so it will be all new work! Approximately 170,000 words I estimate. However, I also have to draft my PhD novel and that takes priority. Lucky I touch type!

I probably look like I’m doing a sweep out of my brain, getting these stories out of there and onto paper. I also see it as me refining my creative practice. Finishing a trilogy presents many challenges and each time I work on one I’m learning about my craft. I can’t write as much as I want or work on as many things as I would like while doing the PhD.  That constriction will last for about two more years, but I can manage to do some stuff, particularly if the damn thing is already drafted. I also need a part time job because I have no support for my living expenses. I’ve thought about this and writing is my part time job. I hope in 2017 it will bring in some dollars but I am hoping that I will continue to progress as a writer as well as learn more through my PhD.

What is really doing my head in is the edits. They are coming! Over 400,000 words of edits. And I’ve set myself up for four book edits in the first part of the year. That work load I will have to be careful of. Then as they are going to be self/indie published, I have the dreaded laying out to do, proofing etc, which takes time but isn’t too hard. Covers to source? Egads. 2017 is going to busy.

The message is I guess is that even an hour a day can get you somewhere.

Below are the covers for the Silverlands Trilogy. The only set of covers that I’m organized for. Damn.

three-books

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Loncon 3

Posted in General excitment, Loncon3, Science fiction conventions, Travel, United Kingdom, World Science Fiction Conventions, tagged , , , , , on September 1, 2014| Leave a Comment »

I’m sadly behind in the blogging. Sorry but it’s been a bit of a whirlwind during this trip to the UK with not much internet. The few windows of access I’ve had I’ve peppered Twitter and Facebook with photos and stuff.

I’d thought I’d back track to talk about Loncon3, my fifth worldcon. Wow. Loncon 3 was huge. That has good sides and bad sides. To accommodate so many people meant the venue was big. But it was a convention centre after all. Despite having edits I did get to a few things.

We stayed in this fab apartment in Limehouse with Kimberley Gaal and Shauna O’Meara, fellow Canberrans and CSFG people. It gave us a bit more freedom than a hotel as we had a sitting room and a washing machine and two bathrooms. Loncon 3 was about catching up with people and about getting to see famous people in panels.

I managed to catch up with old friends and meet some new ones. Glenda Larke, Karen Miller, Cat Sparks, Robert Hood, Amanda Bridgeman, Abigail Nathan, Tansy Rayner Roberts, Alisa Krasnostein, Russell B Farr, Liz Grzyb, Ben Peek, Jenny Blackford and Janeen Webb, Justin Ackroyd and a wave or two to Jonathan Strahan. The new acquaintances were entirely international Alistair Rennie (Scotland), Fabrizio Luzzatti (Italy), Teador Relijc (Malta), Gert (Netherlands) and Isabelle Varange (France). These guys were fab.

 

Robert Hood, Ben Peek, Cat Sparks and Firenze?

Robert Hood, Ben Peek, Cat Sparks and Firenze?

Me and Glenda Larke

Me and Glenda Larke

Alistair, Fabuzzio and Teodor, with Matthew

Alistair, Fabuzzio and Teodor, with Matthew

I went to a few things. Not as many as I would have liked because it was a big con and the rooms were full. I sat on the floor with Glenda Larke to hear an interview by Paul Cornell with George RR Martin and Connie Willis and that was fab. My first taste of the convention really. We went to a panel on full time writing, which was one of the best we saw. It had Scott Lynch and Juliet E McKenna, who we chatted with later. Actually Kim hijacked Juliet and took her to dinner with us. Alas, her meal didn’t arrive in time and she had to leave for a panel. The service was pretty bad at the Fox@Excel that day. Lots of people. Scott Lynch was really interesting too. The interview with Robin Hobb was very interesting. Her childhood was so interesting. In Alaska!

Scott Lynch and Matthew Farrer, Loncon3

Scott Lynch and Matthew Farrer, Loncon3

Here is one of Matthew and Juliet E McKenna and then Kimberley Gaal doing the high five.

Matthew Farrer and Juliet E McKenna

Matthew Farrer and Juliet E McKenna

Juliet E McKenna and Kimberley Gaal

Juliet E McKenna and Kimberley Gaal

I also met up with the lovely Tsana Dolichva too. She very kindly name-checked me in a panel.

There are other photos but they are on my iPad and as I’m travelling I’m not sure how to get them off. Ahah! secret missing to swap to iPAD accomplished.

I’ve now switched back to the laptop because I can’t control where the photos are going from the iPad. But here are a few more.

 

Here is Shauna on the Throne of Swords (Yes there was one in the fan lounge)

Shauna O'Meara, mother of vets, Queen of everything

Shauna O’Meara, mother of vets, Queen of everything

 

I have to put up a picture of the lovely girls, who are so good to room with and hang with.

The lovely girls, Kimberley Gaal and Shauna O'Meara

The lovely girls, Kimberley Gaal and Shauna O’Meara

 

Did I mention this thing where Kim takes her little Russell Bird and poses him with people. Well here is Russell B Farr with Russell Bird.

Russell B Farr with Russell Bird

Russell B Farr with Russell Bird

And to round things off, this is Matthew and me being very relaxed at Kensington Gardens in the Orangery.

Matthew Farrer and me

Matthew Farrer and me

So overall we love travelling around Britain and the food and the people and the accents so there will be more blogs to come. I also want to congratulate the London3 team for a brilliant job of organising the convention. The program was varied and interesting and events were well organised.

And finally from me. A photo that says everything.

Me, mother of swords, Queen of food

Me, mother of swords, Queen of food

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So it’s all happening–at once

Posted in Book cover, Book launch, Dark fantasy, Dragon Wine, Edits, Romance Writers Australia Conference, Science fiction conventions, tagged , , , , on August 5, 2014| Leave a Comment »

So there’s a lot going on. Edits! Getting ready to go away to the UK for 6 weeks. Promoting books. Doing blogs and other stuff. To tell the truth I’m a bit all over the place.

Today I saw the cover concept for Shatterwing today and it was bloody amazing. I love it. I will share when the publishers are happy with it. I must say that Momentum are taking very good care of me. I saw the maps today as well. Awesome!

It’s weird to think that my drawings of Margra are now maps, maps that are going to appear in a book that I’ve been working on for 10 years. Talk about a long time coming. I’m still wanting to pinch myself.

I was interviewed as part of the Aust Spec Fic Snapshot at Tsana’s blog.

I’ve got a couple more coming up. An in-depth one with Ian McHugh and one on Karen Miller’s blog.

I best go and think up another blog post. I’ll be at the RWA conference in Sydney this weekend and at Loncon3 the weekend after. Oh boy. I’m getting around. I’ll also be at British Fantasy Con in York in September before heading back to Canberra and where I’ll be attending Conflux 10. BTW BIG NEWS. I’ll be launching Shatterwing at Conflux and maybe Skywatcher too if it’s ready.

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