My Writing Plan: Week of May 19
I did it! I got A Cat For Troy finished! Well, it still has to go through beta reading and revisions, but it’s written! Yay ‘n stuff!
We’re on countdown for a response from the agent who asked for the full manuscript of SwanSong…. she said 4-6 weeks, and it was 4 weeks yesterday, so I’m now going to officially be a nervous wreck! The really weird thing? I get all tense when I go to check my email… and then I’m relieved when there’s no email from her! I think it’s because as long as there’s no reply, I still have hope. I think being mentally and emotionally prepared for a rejection has crossed that line into assuming a rejection.
So that’s where we are for now. As a reminder, if you’re interested in being a beta reader, I’ve got my process outlined on my Beta Reading Team webpage, along with synopses of the manuscripts currently in beta reading, which right now is only A Gift of Jacinth and Castles in the Sand, and now I’ve added A Cat For Troy!
Manuscript Status:
- Finished Manuscripts, professional copy editing done:
- WISHES IN A BOTTLE, 1st book of Wishes & Dreams 3-book series*
- SWANSONG; 1st book of Sons of the Desert 4-book series*
- Finished Manuscripts, waiting on copy editing:
- In Beta Reading:
- A GIFT OF JACINTH, 2nd book of Wishes & Dreams
- A CAT FOR TROY, 3rd book of Wishes & Dreams
- CASTLES IN THE SAND; 2nd book of Sons of the Desert*
- Finished Manuscripts, major revisions in progress prior to 2nd round of beta reading:
- WHEN DARKNESS FALLS*
- In-Progress Manuscripts:
- MICHAEL’S QUEST, 3rd book of Sons of the Desert
Submissions Status:
- Currently outstanding:
- Full manuscript of SwanSong requested by a Literary Agent
- Literary Agent queries for Wishes in a Bottle
- Literary Agent partial for A Gift of Jacinth
Synopsis, Blurb & Pitch: All finished manuscripts have these, except as noted below:
- Blurb/1-paragraph summation for query letter (Needed: A CAT FOR TROY)
- 2-page synopsis (Needed: A CAT FOR TROY, WHEN DARKNESS FALLS)
- 5-10 page synopsis (Needed: A CAT FOR TROY)
- 1-sentence pitch for agent submissions who require this
- 280-character pitch for Twitter pitch events
THE WRITING PLAN: (not in any particular order except as indicated)
- A GIFT OF JACINTH
- Do revisions as needed, as feedback comes in from beta readers
- CASTLES IN THE SAND
- Do revisions as needed, as feedback comes in from beta readers
- CAT FOR TROY:
- Do a complete read-through, beginning to end; make quick corrections, notate larger revisions needed
- Tackle the larger revisions
- Get to beta readers, and do revisions as needed, as feedback comes in from beta readers
- WHEN DARKNESS FALLS:
- Characterization expansion on some of the major secondary characters, particularly Damien’s Commander, Aleksei (due to the screams of “more!” from my beta readers, and his (Damien’s) demon half-sister Kayja (ditto screams) as well as Maxim, the High Magi. Plus just a little more on some of the Viziers of Sultana’s Court, to kind of punctuate their roles. Also Gabrielle and Antonio.
- Go through beta reader feedback for the more extensive issues/fixes that I’d set aside until November was over.
- Work on my new FlickR album that I put together just for fun 🙂
- Go to My RWA and print out the schedule of events for the conference, and get a binder started to take with me
- Check on the date they’ll announce the participants and rooms for the Speed Pitch event, then calendar that (Done)
- Start working up a list of questions for the Industry Marketplace event
- Print out workshop schedules, and identify those I want to be sure to attend (Done)
- Order Allie McCormack business cards to take to the Conference
- Start working on the June newsletter (Priority)