A week to revive

Since my husband was on vacation last week, we took a trip to Gettysburg, PA. We've visited the town several times in the past, both for reenactments, and just to do the tour and take in the Civil War atmosphere. This trip we wanted to visit the new museum, but we also did another tour of the battlefield. We stopped at Little Round Top and Devil's Den and spent a night walking the sidewalks of the town and visiting a few of the shops.

Oh, and of course we had to visit our favorite ice cream shop. Love that butter pecan! Ummm!

I also took a week away from writing. And now, I'm ready to jump back in, refreshed and ready to start revising and editing my new Civil War novella, Cole's Promise.

Revision's done!

I finished up the revision for Cassidy's War and put the manuscript aside for a week before giving it a final look over. I hope I now have a stronger version of the original story that my editor and, down the line, readers will love.

I put a lot of work into this sequel to my out-of-print young adult Civil War story, Under the Guns. I loved these characters and had a great time revisiting them. Although Under the Guns is no longer available to readers, this new story can stand alone. It's set five years after the war ends.

For this week, I'm working on a few short pieces. Since it's been 5 months since my last release, I can't be a slacker. I think short stories will be a way to keep fans happy and keep those releases coming.

For any writers out there, do you like to write long or short, or do you like to mix it up?

Have to clear the decks...

I'm starting an online workshop on Monday that I hope will help me figure out the fuzzy middle of my new science fiction romance. I've decided to change the title from Jason's Honor to A Pirate's Honor. What do you think?

I still have to finish up the revision on Cassidy's War. I'm a little past the half-way point, so I've decided not to work on any new projects this month. I'll have enough on my plate.

Hopefully, I'll finish that revision and get it back to my editor before the end of the month. My goal is to start writing the SFR on June 1st as part of a summer book challenge. Don't know if I'll get the entire first draft completed by Labor Day, but I hope to have most of it in the bag.

New ideas are busting out all over!!

And I couldn't be more happy!

After putting all my other projects aside to complete the revision on my newest historical romance, following a rejection, I learned I'd made a sale of a short contemporary story to a magazine.

That was the spark that sent ideas for other stories I want to write swirling through my head. I decided I just had to spend this morning getting them down on paper. The first is a premise for another contemporary story geared to the same magazine. Then I wrote down an idea I've been toying with for a time travel novella. It would be follow-up to my time travel romance, Erin's Rebel.

Next, the science fiction romance that I'd put aside to focus on the revision. While I'm still outlining this one, I've been having a hard time coming up with the slam-bang opening I wanted. I did write a tentative one, but it just wasn't right. I've also renamed this one Jason's Honor, because the original story has changed from first conception. After writing down my new story ideas, I got an idea on how to open the sci-fi. I spent the remainder of the morning writing the first 1000 words of the new opening and I like it.

I'll post the unedited version of the first page here. Tell me if it captures your interest.

Chapter One

Sharp, blinding white-hot pain shot through Kyra Mackenzie’s skull as she made a vain effort to lift her head.

What the hell happened?

Rolling over to get a better view didn’t help. Knife-sharp pain in her shoulder jolted her from where she lay flat on the decking. The cockpit of her shuttle now twisted into an unrecognizable shape. Her pilot slumped unconscious or dead, still strapped into his seat.

She lifted herself on her good arm, dragging her frame over to him.

“Carlos?” She grasped his wrist, willing him to be alive. “Carlos!” The ensign didn’t stir, but she was able to pick up a pulse, thank God.

She shook her aching head in an effort to clear it. Her last memory was of the pirate ship, the Gracie Lind, bearing down on the shuttle, ordering them to return to their ship. She’d contacted the Darius, but before she’d gotten an answer to her hail the pirates had fired on the shuttle, sending them into a downward spiral. Despite her pilot’s best efforts, he was only able to slow their inevitable crash.

A rejection on a dark, rainy day

Just got a rejection for my latest manuscript, Cassidy's War. But you know, it's not all that bad. The editor had a lot of great things to say about the submission and only had one problem, but gave me a lot of ideas on how to fix it. And although fixing that problem will require a whole lot of rewriting, I've decided I'm going to do it.

The suggestions will make the manuscript better, so why not put a little more work into an already good manuscript to make it great!

For now, I'll put it aside until I finish up some other projects, then I'll tackle it head on. If you're serious about writing you have to learn to write and revise, revise, revise.

Revisioning

With so many new releases out in a short space of time, I've been spending a great deal of my writing time on book promotion.

But I need to take some time to actually work on writing, otherwise, I'll have nothing new to promote in the future.

I did recently submit a short story to a magazine, but now have to wait to see if they're interested. I also wrote two full-length manuscripts that I have to revise.

The first one is my first science fiction romance that I'm calling Moons of Cynara. Don't know if that title will stick, but for now, I'm going with it. I recently reread that manuscript and I do have to add at least 7000 words to get it up to my planned minumum word count of 80,000 words. So, I'm trying to see what I can add to flesh out the story. I may also change some of the basic story to enhance the original plot. I actually feel this part of the process is just as creative as writing the first draft.

I'm hoping I can complete this revision in the next couple of months, so I can get started on revising the first draft of my post Civil War romance. I haven't looked at it since I finished the draft in early September.

With two full-lengths to revise, I realize I've got my work cut out for me. For all you writers out there, what is your favorite part of working on a story? Is it the first draft, the revision or the final edit? And what part to you hate the most?

For me, I think the revision stage is my favorite, because I feel like I'm improving and enhancing my basic story.

End of the Month Already

Well, I checked out my writing goals, or should I say goal, for this month. I wanted to try to finish up the outline for my science fiction romance. But, I didn't get it done.

I don't feel bad, though, because it was other writing obligations that got in the way. And did I accomplish a lot.

I got through the galley of Erin's Rebel and found quite a few boo-boos we missed during edits, so those are now being fixed. I also got a contract for Confederate Rose and filled out all the manuscript and author forms for that.

I also completed my anthology story and submitted that. I wrote a very short Civil War Christmas story that I submitted to TWRP as a free read and I finished revisions on my newest vampire story.

So, although I didn't complete my stated goal, I accomplished a great deal writing-wise. Maybe I'll get that outline done in October.

September Goals

Haven't posted my September goals yet, mainly because I can't figure out what I want to do.

Currently I'm waiting on the galley for Erin's Rebel. When that comes in, my main goal will of course be to get that done so I can get my release date.

I'm also waiting for word on two full-length manuscripts I've submitted to The Wild Rose Press.

Meanwhile, I'm waiting for critiques from my group on the last chapters of my anthology story and I'm purposely waiting before I start revisions to the first draft of my new vampire story.

A lot of waiting!

So, the only project I'm not stuck waiting on right now is the outline for my new science fiction romance. For now, my goal will be to complete the outline by the end of this month, if nothing more urgent comes in.

August Is Over Already?

I can't believe this month is over.

Time to see how I did with my August goals.

1) Finish revisions on outline of Sweet Redemption and write first draft.

Since SR is a short story of about 70 pages, I was able to get this one in. I just wrote the ending of the first draft on Wednesday. Now, I'll let the story sit for a little while.

2) Go over anthology story again.

I did a final revision and edit of my anthology story and now my critique partners are going over it.

3) Complete proofread of Cassidy's War.

This is my full-length young adult that was formerly published as Under the Guns. I finished the proofread and got a request for the full. Now, I'm waiting to hear back on it.

So, I think I deserve a few days of R and R. But I did do some updating on my website. If you'd like to see the results click the link: http://susanmacatee.com/News.html

August Goals

Finally figured out my August goals.

First and foremost, I have to complete final edits for Erin's Rebel, but I'm almost finished. So, here they are:

1) Finish revisions on the outline for my new vampire story, Sweet Redemption and write the first draft.
Since this is a short story I should have no trouble completing the first draft by month's end.

2) Go over my anthology story, Angel of My Dreams, again.
I already did one revision, so will mostly be doing final edits.


3) Complete proofread of Cassidy's War.
The editor is reading the first three chapters, and I'm almost finished proofreading the remainder of the manuscript.


So, I think I should be able to complete these goals by the end of the month, especially if my home typing business continues in a lull. Frees up that much more time for writing.

My Goals for July

I checked over the goals I'd set for July and have gotten them all done early.

1) Revise anthology story.
Done.

2) Proofread Confederate Rose.
Done.

3) Complete self-edits for Cassidy's War.
Done and I've sent the query and synopsis to The Wild Rose Press, gotten a request for the opening chapters and sent them out.

So, next up I'll be listing my goals for August.

My July Goals

It's getting more complicated. I have so many projects in the works, I've decided to concentrate on a few this month.

1) Revise my anthology story. This is the one I've titled Angel of My Dreams. It's a Civil War ghost story.

I finished the first draft mid-June and decided to take a break away from it before I start revisions. It shouldn't be too hard because I used an outline and it's a short story. So, I'm going to get the revisions finished by the end of the month.

2) Proofread Confederate Rose.
I actually started on this, but ended up doing more editing. I really want to get this story done and send out a query. I already have a synopsis written, since I'd been entering it in contests that required one.

So, I want to get the proofreading and query written by month's end.

3) Complete edits for Cassidy's War.
This is my young adult out-of-print book formerly called Under the Guns. I decided to re-title it before approaching another publisher. I'm about halfway through edits and am really getting caught up in the story. I haven't read it in a long time.

I want to get the book completely self-edited by month's end.

So, there are my writing goals for July.

No Blog Ideas

I know I should be posting a new blog about now, but can't seem to come up with any ideas.

I guess I've been too intensly involved in my characters' lives to come up for air. I did finish my revision for Katie Rose, one of my April goals. I'll put Katie and company aside for a few weeks before I start final line edits.

I'm also deeply into my outline for my new vampire story. I even came up with a title, Sweet Redemption.

Right now my brain's so fuzzed, I can't think of anything beyond my works in progress.

Signing off for now.

Distractions, Distractions ...

Now that I have to spend more time on promo, because I've finally got something new to promote, I have to spend more time online than ever before. And that leads to lots of distractions that can easily waste my writing time.

The biggest is email. I'm now a member of 5 large email loops that I try to keep up with as much as I can, but just reading all the posts could take me a day and a half.

My strategy to deal with this is to take turns paying visits to the major promo loops I've joined. Sometimes it's hard to keep all of them straight. I've decided not to start actively promoting on the new loops until I actually have something available to buy. It's too easy to forget that great excerpt after a few days, if you can't buy or put in on a wish list immediately.

Also, I'm trying to keep up the social aspect of replying to others on my loops, but it gets harder every day.

I try to stay offline until late in the morning, when I'll take a quick peek at my email, then stay off for the entire afternoon, coming back on after dinner.

So far, it seems to be working and I'm able to get some writing and edits done each day.

How does everyone else deal with promo and email eating into writing time?

Making Time for a New Project

Since I have to get edits done on my contracted book and I also want to finish the revisions on Katie Rose, I've been having a hard time figuring out how to fit my newer projects into an already busy week.

My solution was to make time on the weekend and work exclusively on the outline for my new, short vampire story. After splitting my writing time this week on edits for Erin's Rebel and revisions for Katie Rose, I spent my whole morning today working on my new outline and doing some needed research for that story.

The result was a needed break from editing and revising already written projects and focusing on something brand new. It really frees up my mind and I'll feel fresher on Monday when I get back to those edits.

How do all of you manage working on multiple projects?

End of the Month Already?

I just realized it's the end of March. Time to recheck those March goals.

I wasn't sure how much I would actually accomplish this month, since my second set of edits came in for Erin's Rebel. I'd decided when they came in, I'd clear the decks of my other projects.

And I'm not complaining. I've waited a long time to get something new published, so it feels good to have a contracted book. I figure when these edits are complete, I'll have four works in progress to get back to.

And, looking over my goals for the month, I actually didn't do so bad.
1) Enter Katie Rose in the Romance Through the Ages Contest.
Done

2) Make a clean printout of Katie Rose so I can start revisions.
Did this too, and am nearly at the end. I do have to insert a few scenes and just have to figure out where they'll fit best in the story.

3) Work out the outline for a new short vampire story.
I started on this, but had to put it aside. I do hope to spend a little time on it this weekend, though.

So, surprisingly, I got more accomplished than I thought.
Next, I'll come up with some April goals, keeping those ER edits in mind.

Stuck in Edit Mode

Besides working through edits on my contracted story, I've been revising my new Civil War romance, Katie Rose, all week.

I turned in my first edits of Erin's Rebel last Friday and while waiting for my editor to send the next set, I thought I'd get as far with the KR revisions as I can. I've gone through roughly 100 pages of revisions over the week, and I'd already polished up the opening chapters for a couple of contests, so I don't have that much more to revise.

Maybe I can actually get the revision done before the edits for the other manuscript come in.

If not, I'll at least have a big head start.