Chick Lit Goddess

...because every author wants to feel like a goddess!

Editing

Fun Friday

9 Comments

I know that I haven’t been writing my usual “Fun Friday” blogs, but I have to share this with you, only because I consider writing and editing FUN!

Two days ago I went to the library to work on finishing up my editing to turn in to my editor.  I literally sat there and started at my computer and didn’t do a darn thing the whole hour and a half that I was there.  I left the library on the verge of tears, feeling very overwhelmed and unaccomplished.  It wasn’t a good day.

Today I woke up and was ready to tackle what I needed to get done — finish the edits and turn them in!  I arrived at the library and began to work.  After about two hours, I needed a break and pulled myself away from my computer and picked up a book that was sitting on the shelf staring right at me.  It’s called Seven Pleasures: Essays on Ordinary Happiness by Willard Spiegelman.  There are seven chapters which are titled the following: Reading, Walking, Looking, Dancing, Listening, Swimming and Writing.  I read the chapter on writing and I was truly inspired to continue working to make my dreams come true, especially thanks to the following quotes:

Revision is another word for patience

Whom do you dream of when you write?  To whom are you speaking?  Who is your “you?”

“Only armatures say that they write for their own amusement.  Writing is not an amusing occupation.  It is a combination of ditch-digging, mountain-climbing, treadmill and childbirth.” Edna Ferber

Like virtue, writing must ultimately be its own reward.

A writer must only sit and begin.

What is written without effort is read without pleasure.

We must accept our false starts and our full wastebaskets as the conditions for our modest successes.

The writer’s satisfaction comes not from without but from within.

Writing is easy: All you do is sit staring at a blank sheet of paper until drops of blood form on your forehead.

I hope these quotes inspire you as much as they for me.  I have been lost and feeling a little tired, but after reading the wonderful chapter by Spiegelman, I am fired up and recharged!  I can’t wait to see what next week holds for me on this journey of being a writer!

It’s Fun Friday

6 Comments

Instead of my typical Fun Friday blog I’ve decided to write about something that is fun to me — writing my second book!

Since I’ve been editing and am feeling comfortable with the work I’m doing, I decided that it’s time to pick up with the characters in my second book, Somewhere Down In Texas.  Earlier this week I read through what I had written in December and was pleasantly surprised that there were only a few changes that I wanted to make.  Once I got to a point where I could begin writing again I felt rejuvenated and refreshed.  It was a new beginning, and my characters are coming alive and the storyline is coming together beautifully!

Since writing my first book I’ve learned a lot about writing, the (sometimes) grueling process of sitting at the computer and forming words into sentences, but of all the things I’ve learned, I’ve learned the most about myself and who I am.  I am a writer and there’s nothing that I’d rather be.

Adding Spark To Your Writing and/or Editing?

4 Comments

First of all, I apologize to all my faithful subscribers for not posting in quite a long time — I’ve been on vacation, reading for my reviews and editing my own book…oh, and I started another class at Gotham Writers’ Workshop, my last to receive my Fiction Certificate.

For my GWW assignment this week, it was challenging enough to where I was way out of my genre, yet not way too off to where it wasn’t enjoyable.  The piece I wrote wasn’t really dark, but more grey.  After I wrote the piece I read it over and over, not believing that I had written something that was so mysterious and showing, with a rare amount of telling — if any at all, like the assignment I was given.  I found this inspiring!  My passion for writing came more alive, though it never really left, it was just on hiatus.

With  these wonderful and creative assignments, it has taught me to open my mind to another kind of writing, not just the happy-go-lucky stuff that I normally write.  While I wasn’t quite sure about this class being the right time for me, I can see now that I was clearly wrong.  It’s motivated me to be a better writer and editor.  You might question the word “editor,” but since I’m in the process of editing, I think that it might be a great idea to incorporate new ideas with what I have already written.

I highly advise anyone who is in a slump with their writing to give taking a writing class a try.  It can definitely be the spark  that you need.

Writing While On The Road

2 Comments

So, this weekend, I’m going on a road trip with my mom and brother, and will leaving my brother and dad behind.  While we’re in the car, making the four-hour drive to Houston, I plan on working on editing the second round of the first thirteen pages that my editor sent me this week.  Now, my brother is a very talkative person and so is my mother, but I’m one who loves to dive myself into my work and shut out the rest of the world.  I am hoping to be finished with the edits by the time we arrive, but if I don’t, then I know that during spending time with family, editing will be on my mind and just maybe, I’ll slip in some work time before I go to bed.  Wish me luck this weekend!

How do you write when you’re on the road?

Draft #2

3 Comments

When I started editing, I never knew how difficult the editing process was going to be.  It’s not knowing how to edit, but it’s more of how to keep it all organized with all the edits, without losing my mind.  I’ve saved so many documents and changes, I find myself clicking “save” every five minutes!  (Crazy, I know).  Since I have a wonderful editor, I am thankful for her help when she sends work back to me to edit, but after I get it, I’m overwhelmed, but only at first.

I do have Scrivener, which I love  (Thank you, Wade), so this helps me a lot with keeping it all together, but I have the feeling that I’m not doing things right.  Do you ever feel that way?

So, this I ask you, how do you go about actually doing the work and keeping it all organized?

Savory Saturday

2 Comments

This this my 100th blog, and in honor of that, I want to announce that I’ll be doing something new every Saturday.  It’s called “Savory Saturday” (my husband came up with the title), and I’ll be writing about food!  As an ex-culinary student, it’s easy to see that writing and cooking are very similar — writing and editing to create a wonderful book vs. using the perfect amount of ingredients, which creates an amazing meal.

My first blog about will be posted later tonight!  I’ll be writing about what my husband is currently making, two Tapas (one is tuna and goat cheese empanadillas and the other is duck foie with jamon iberico) and for the main course, we’re having Spanish Style Chicken with Saffron Rice.

Stay tuned for the first “Savory Saturday” post!

Emailing Your Editor

2 Comments

Tonight I emailed my wonderful editor my 12 pages!  It was the first time that I had returned anything to her, and I feel good about the work that I replied back to her with.  It’s times like these that I love, being in contact with someone who can help you get to the destination you want, the published book.  There was also this part of me that was as nervous as hell, and found it hard to write the last sentence, telling her how I hope she likes what I’ve done.  Why was I so nervous?  I have no clue, but think that it could have also been exciting energy what was pouring out of my hands, as I typed.  I was also trying to be professional, maybe a little too professional, but I think is very important in business.

Now, tell me about your editor experiences, as I could use the advice.