zOMG busy!

I've been so preoccupied going over edits and restarting Yamini's story that I didn't realize how long it has been since I've posted! My agent list is just about compiled, but after going over the manuscript with Sam I realize I still have quite a bit of revising to do, and that the query-perfecting and agent-spamming is still a little ways off. Nevertheless, I refuse to be discouraged. I've gotten this far, and I find myself still more than motivated to carry on.

Yamini's story, Of Shadow and Dissonance, is coming along nicely. With the confidence of having one novel under my belt already, I am sure that this next book won't take near as long to complete. Rather than give myself a nine-year deadline, I will aim to be done with the first draft come Christmas. Hey, it's a realistic goal, and that's a fairly trying goal for someone like me! *blushes* If I can manage to stay focused like I was with the last chapter of OAaE, I should be able to meet it...or possibly finish ahead of schedule! The revising should be a bit easier this go around also. Especially since I won't be trying to polish year-old writing, and I've learned a lot from going over edits this past week and a half.

That said, here's to editing. And to Yamini!

Anxiety and Reader Finish Lines

I am pleased that a few of my readers have already finished their first read throughs! (And I say first only because they've mentioned going through it again, not as an assumtion. That'd be silly!) I have yet to sit down and discuss the story at length with any of them, but I am hoping to get a few critiques and Q&A starting with the end of this week. Even if it takes me bribing people out of the house with coffee, I will siphon their thoughts one way or another! Ahem. Anyway, I am still every bit as excited about the progress everyone else is making. People stop in and say that they've been reading my book, even if they aren't close to halfway finished, and it makes me smile to know that my words are being read--and enjoyed. It's like...that first house party. You know there's a potential for mess...but you revel in the fact that others are sharing your space, your world, with you. This story is like, my universe, my escape from reality, and it finally is housing other live people exploring its mysteries and characters. My readers are, in effect, making my parallel world more alive to me. For that, I can not express enough gratitude and joy.

At the same time, I am still heavily researching the industry and agents...a task that is taking longer than I anticipated. I figure, if I'm going to put the time and effort into this, I might as well make sure I do it correctly from the beginning. The first book I bought on agents (I have my eye on two others) has quite a few useful articles about the industry in the beginning. I haven't even reached the listings pages yet. Nevertheless, I feel like I'm learning a lot all over again. What to do. What not to do. How to do both. Learning fills me with confidence, so naturally the more, the better. Just have to keep moving forward so I can progress to the query writing. And the rejection letters! <3

Or hopefully...an acceptance letter.

Full Novel on Scribd

I've decided to make the entire manuscript available to read online @ http://www.scribd.com/doc/16868862/Of-Avatars-and-Elementals. I have, however, disabled the download option, as everyone in my circle has already been notified and sent a copy of the PDF and I don't want copies of the file to spread TOO far to people I don't know. (Call me paranoid or protective, I don't mind.) Anyhow, I figured having the story accessible online would make it easier for friends and acquaintances to get others interested in the story, and if they deem it a worthy read they can come to me directly.

Naturally, it will not be left up forever. I've set a tentative expiration date of one month, though that may be extended (or shortened!) depending on the responses I receive from queried agents (really need to get the ball rolling on that). Something tells me they wouldn't be crazy about the idea of a novel they're aiming to represent being available for widespread download!

In the meantime, I am researching (for the third or fourth time) the industry, mechanics, protocol and etiquette for agents, editors and publishers. There's so much to learn and take in. And perfect. My query letter (and possibly synopsis, I've learned) will have to be just as polished and intriguing as the novel itself if I'm ever to gain anyone's attention. Or representation. At this point, I'd like to think I possess the skill level to do these things with a bit of practice. All that is left is hoping that the market is open to what I've written, and that an agent will believe in it as much as I do.

Two Heads (or ten...or twenty...)

Definitely better than one.

As readers make their way through OAaE, I begin to realize the advantage of having so many eyes on the text aside from the feedback I receive. I've been buried so deep in this manuscript for so long that even the faintest mistakes elude me. It's almost as if I'm immune to typos, no matter how many times I go over the piece, because my mind knows how it is supposed to read and so my eyes skip over errors as easily as they overlook imperfections in the mirror. Thankfully I have enough people streaming me corrections to be made, both large and small, which I will "patch" in once more people have reached the end of the novel.