This has been a very exciting week.
On Tuesday, I finished the first draft of the third Candy’s Monster — POED. It’s my Edgar Allan Poe inspired novella. If I were to follow Stephen King’s advice in “On Writing” (a fabulous book), I’d put the manuscript aside, hide it in the bottom drawer of my desk, for about six months before embarking on the second draft, but…. There’s no way I can wait that long.
So I’ve set it aside and will not go back to POED for a couple weeks. With freelance work and other projects, I hope I’ll be sufficiently distracted to go back to POED with a fresh eye. If not — I’ll pack POED away until there’s a chill in the air and, since it’s going up to 90-something today — that’s a long way off in Monster time.
On Wednesday, my guest post revealing the back-story on Bram Stoker’s Summer Sublet appeared on the Meeka’s Mind blog. Meeka is an Australian writer posting about books and musings about writing and life in general a few times a week. She also reviews books and loved Bram. That led to her asking me to do a “behind the scenes” story of the story.
We met through a LinkedIn group and she’s been very helpful, encouraging me to reach out to the loose network of blogs and sites that support indie writers. I hope to return the favor and support the launch of her science fiction masterpiece — as soon as it’s done.
Yesterday, the MONSTER week continued with the third of three Amazon reviews for Bram — all five stars! Since the book went live on Amazon, I’ve been anxious about the response of Tango dancers. The protagonist goes to a Milonga (Tango dance) and I found describing Argentine Tango through the eyes of a non-dancer to be an interesting challenge. I hope other Tango dancers will be as pleased as yesterday’s dancer/reviewer.
Today? Will the MONSTER week continue? Absolutely.
I’ve finally figured out what do with the haunted McMansion idea a few of us were batting about on this blog last month (July 16 post). I’m ready to write, right here in the MONSTER FACTORY!
Congratulations on draft! My father, who was a screenwriter, would also say to me when I asked what he did for hours (I used not see him for days…) he said, “A writer writes.” As for Tango, there are several styles of tango the Oriello and Milango, the old style Tango, the much more passionate and wild side…much luck to you and your writing.
Thanks!
And yes there are many kinds of Argentine Tango — variations born in neighborhoods of BA during the Golden age and plenty more after that. I sometimes think there are as many Tangos as there are dancers….
Congrats on finishing that 1st draft. Honestly, I find those the hardest to write because of all that white space that needs to be filled up. It’s much easier to work with words – slicing and dicing them, cutting and pasting, deleting and adding new passages. Editing is my favorite part of the process. That and turning it in. I never quite feel done with a manuscript until it’s off into the world and living on its own. Kinda like kids, isn’t it?
Yes, facing that blank page (or blank computer screen) can be daunting! But first drafts are fun in their own way. It’s driving down strange roads without a map — even if you have an outline, because you know that a detour is completely possible in fiction. Eventually the characters take off on their own — Like children? Umm… or MONSTERS in my case. LOL….
Good gods woman! Now I know you never sleep. :p
Congratulations on finishing POED! How you can do a first draft – always hard – do your freelance work, promote Bram, keep your blog ticking, make author pages, feed the cat and do all the other things life demands is beyond me! You’re a dynamo 😀
cheers
Meeks
A dynamo? One with shopping bags under her eyes.
lmao – that’s the price superheroes pay for their powers :p
LOL!
Congratulations on finishing your first draft. I know how good that feels.
Thanks!
For me the trick is to keep myself from working on the second draft right now. I want to dig into it, but I know I need some distance/time before I can bring it to the next level.