The bit about the author

The bit about the author

I always try and read the info about the author at the end of a kindle book. I'm not sure that I like the impersonal 'the author has blah blah.
Today I read about Pauline M Ross.  It was personal and fun and enjoyable and left me thinking that I know her a little.

So I will change whatever it was I wrote at the end of my story and try to be more me so that readers can understand where I am in life and the world.

What do you like to read about the author?

What NaNoWriMo taught me..so far.

Thanks NaNoWriMo

It was perhaps a coincidence but I had an idea for a character and the desire to write her story just before November last year .
I saw that NaNo was starting and I set out on the adventure for the first time.

I wrote- and wrote.
No plot and no ending, I listened to my character and wrote.

No stopping to correct grammar, punctuation, spelling, just words as they poured from my soul.
I didn't even bother with chapters and I wrote over 50,000 words in the month and continued through December until the first draft was complete.
I did not always write in order, just wrote a scene as it came to me and then slotted it in. Left red writing when a scene became slow or sticky and then revisited it another day after leaving it in the background of my mind to grow.

The story now rests, brewing and maturing.
I am looking forward to reading The Finder and beginning the editing process.

I had read many times that the first draft should just be written, but I didn't think I could do it, leave a page covered in blue and red squiggles? Ahhh panic....

But I can and I did and I think it is a great way to get a flowing story.

And it was great FUN :)

I'll let you know more when I begin the edit.

Take the time to...

Taking the time to get it right is something I have learnt, I can't believe that the first book I self published had a spelling mistake on the back cover!!
Not there now.

Take the time to put the first draft to one side and let it mature before launching into edit mode.Giving your brain some space  means that you read it with a fresh approach and can find those plot hiccups and character anomalies.

Take the time to edit and edit and find all those mistakes can be frustratingly slow...but worth it.

Take the time to find someone else to nitpick- no arguments with their comments, just look again and decide whether things need to be changed. I've learnt loads doing this for other people as well as having people do it for me.

Take the time to read the book out loud, however much of a sore throat it gives you!

Take the time to refine any illustrations, fiddle with them in pen and colour and in drawing programmes. be brave with contrast and be aware that scanning a picture can dull the colours.

Take the time to get that cover just right, post it onto author and reader hat sites- remember you won't please everyone.

Take the time to upload it correctly to which ever system you use to self publish- re check and re check.

Your readers will appreciate you taking your time.

:)

I am a bad blogger.

I am not a good blogger. I will strive to do better.

I have finished the first draft of The Finder and am now leaving it to stew while I work on the second book in the DragonZ Freedom series . I have decided to change the name of the series and get rid of the Z in the titles, as I don't think it works well in the search engines. It will be The Return trilogy with books Dragon Eye, Dragon Soul and Dragon Heart.I will be re launching the series and the first book with a new cover and a new edit in March and the second will follow shortly after.


I have learnt so much since beginning this journey of self publication and have more learning to do.
I will try and share some learning in between work, writing, editing and illustrating - oh and family and life!

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