Edits Suck

Authors suffer for their work. Yes, I said suffer.

Edits suck. If you are a new writer, you must go into edits expecting your story--yeah, the one you think is damn near perfect?--Well, it's going to be chewed up, torn apart and then put back together again. And just when you think it's over, there is round two...and three...and who knows how many more. All I know from experience is just when you think it's over, it's not. Sound negative? Nope. There is a reason I'm telling you this. If you haven't gone through it, then I'm preparing you. If you have...I see you nodding. Grin.

Guess what? Your book isn't going to be perfect until you go through editing. (Not to mention everything else  involved in the publishing process.)

Be ready for it.

 Be receptive, yet keep your writer's voice. If there is something you don't understand, ask. Don't take edits personally. If there is something you really believe shouldn't be changed, explain where you are coming from. Don't just dig in your heels and say no. There's no guarantee they will agree with you, so be ready for that too.

Most of all, (and I know this is hard) try to remember that you all want the same thing. A fantastic book.

Yes, edits suck, but they're well worth the hair pulling, discouraging feelings and re-writing. Why? Because after you go through the intense process, your book is better for it. To top it off,  you leave a stronger and more experienced writer. 

You also leave with the hope that maybe, just maybe, edits won't suck so much next time. 

Anyone have anything to add?

I'm a Writer Dammit!

Oh yeah, it took way too long, but I now realize that not everyone understands me--or why I find it necessary to write a list of how my mind works.

Just the same...take a look and tell me if you understand/relate to any of the things below. I'd love to see if anyone out there is as crazy as this author. Grin.

1. My fingers are at home on the keyboard of my laptop. Some of the letters are worn off of the keys. I write for hours on end. 
2. I don't even know that hours have passed. I've intended to do "a few edits" or "reread a chapter" and find out that the night turned to day and I forgot to go to bed. I'm not kidding. 
3. I write so long, I end up with a numb butt. When I stand,  knees crack, and I have to stretch a moment in order to stand like a woman my age instead of a stooped old lady. At that moment, I realize I have to pee--desperately. 
4. It may have been the medication, but after surgery I scribbled down notes about how I felt so I could write believably about pain.
5.  I've stood in snow so long I was just shy of freezing. Why? I had to write about it in a scene and I wanted my reader to feel it too. I know, weird right?
6. My characters become real. No, I mean it. Don't commit me. 
7. Every single aspect of day to day life is a seed for a new story, be it a snippet of conversation, a look or even a smell. 
8. Without my daily outlet of creating, there's no telling what could happen, so I don't try to find out. I have to write...then again, if I didn't, I'd have a clean house, laundry would be caught up, the butt-indent on my couch would disappear, and I'd probably eat more. 
9. When I sleep, I sometimes dream about my characters. Many great ideas come from those dreams.
10. Sometimes my  "author world" is a bit lonely. Now, don't get me wrong. I'm surrounded by people who love and support me. They congratulate me with a "Oh that's so nice!" with each contract. But they do not really understand the pure bliss of completing a book, or the joy of knowing I made a reader laugh, cry, or simply release a happy sigh. They do not understand the pain of edits, or the reason why just any picture will not do for cover art,or even why I write. All in all, I am a misunderstood creature. 
11. I am perfectly happy being different.

I'm a writer, dammit. And I certainly don't expect anyone to understand me. (Unless, of course, you're a writer too.)

(You are welcome to add to the list of crazies in the comment section! )

Photo courtesy of Dreamstime.com

This interviewer is insane--in a good way

C.E. Hart.
You may have heard of her. She does book reviews, blogs, and interviews people in the writing world. Not your run-of-the-mill interviews either. They are witty and entertaining. C.E. assures guests on her blog feel welcome--and, as she did me--surprises us with her wit.

Now, most writer's are a bit loony, (oh stop looking so shocked. You know it's true!) Ms. Hart hones in to that kooky quality in all of us, and then tickles it until we spill our deepest secrets about our writing, and in the process, makes everyone want to know more. Thus, the readers buy more, and everyone is happy. Looks like this woman is gonna be rising quick.

She writes sweet romances too. Be on the lookout for her work. (Piper's Passion Cookies buy link is here on my blog.)

All in all, C.E. Hart rocks. Someday I might even interview her! Oh to be so lucky. Sigh.

Take a look at her blog. You'll love her too.
 http://cehart.blogspot.com/


P.S. (Talking about lucky--I was interviewed by this woman. Grin.)

Reality? What’s That?

   I write in chaos. The phone rings, kids shout, someone belches the ABC’s, my laptop catches fire, but I am unaware of it all, because I am writing. Okay, so I made up that thing about my laptop, but it got your attention, right?

     That is what writing is about, getting your attention—and keeping it. I must have the same kind of focus to do that. I delve so deeply into my story that you I no longer hear what is going on around me. Yeah, most call that losing touch with reality, but I see it differently. I block out the world long enough to allow an idea to unfold and create a new reality.

     My latest release, Basket of Hope, should be unbelievable due to witches, warlocks and the magical world they live in—but it morphed into plausible while I wrote. Why? Because of the emotions from my characters Kara and Machias. The magic became secondary once I grew to care what would happen to them.  These two characters grabbed my attention, and I watched them fight for what they wanted.  Some call that crazy talk, but. I’m wagering every writer relates. At least I hope they do. (Anyone from Battysville General need not comment.)

     How do you feel about this subject? Do writers really need to delve into the depths of the worlds they create for their characters? Is it necessary to shut out reality for a little while so the author can spark the imagination of their readers?  Chime in and let me know what YOU think. 


I guest blogged this 8/15/11 on another blog..

Hook Up a Trailer and GO!

      I took a scenic route on my road to publication and watched a few book trailers to give my frayed mind a break. It inspired me to make one of my own. Lordy, what a long detour that turned out to be. I figured I could just whip one up like a batch of Sunday waffles at a roadside café, but creating a book trailer is no easy task for an amateur like me. Though I only hold a learner’s permit in this field, I’m imparting what I gleaned through trial and error, so it’ll be a little smoother for anyone embarking on this road.

            First, watch a slew of trailers. There's many on YouTube.  Note what you like: Style of script, dialogue, effects, transitions, music, etc. Next, jot down your dialogue; a visual book blurb so to say. The whole reason for a trailer is to pique interest. Rocking graphics, cool music and neat pictures are fantastic, but if you falter on the dialogue, no one will want to read the book.  Just like a blurb, you want to give just enough information about the story.

            If you don’t have a movie maker on your computer, there are free choices to download. Windows movie maker live is my favorite. I find it easy to use.

            Next, assure your pictures are royalty free. The best site I found is Dreamstime.com. Be sure to give them credit on your video. Where you choose to place a book cover is up to you. I usually place it in the first frame, then again at the end, before credits. Don't forget to supply purchasing links in the end credits.  

            I like the effect of dialogue on the picture, but everyone has their own style. Photo duration varies due to amount of dialogue—but I suggest 5 to 8 seconds per photo. Don’t put too much dialogue on a frame—you don’t want your reader rushing through it.

            After you have the pictures and dialogue in order, add background music.  Incomptec.com, a site by Kevin MacLeod, offers many styles and only asks you mention him in credits. He sorts choices by style, mood and tempo and downloads are free.

            Have a few trusted individuals view your finished product before posting it—the feedback is invaluable, as they will be able to tell you of any problems. My greatest flaw is time limits on the frame.  I know what it says, so I don't realize how long others need to read it. 

            There are defaults built in to most video makers—duration fades, and fitting the video time to music, so as a beginner, you may wish to use these. Spread a project over a week or so.  Why do I suggest this? Well, your other choice is to follow my initial path--the one I followed out of ignorance.  I basically chained myself to the computer for so long my butt went numb and my eyesight began to blur.  I finished my book trailer in a day, but with a price.    When I stood, I looked like a question mark, much to my family’s amusement. My three-minute video required at least ten hours of work, not the hour or two I thought it would take. 

            Book trailers are a great marketing tool. Posting on social networks, blogs and YouTube are just a few places to post.  I’ve created three book trailers, and learn more with each one. Hopefully, these hints encourage you to hook up a book trailer to your laptop and journey through your next writing journey—without the wrong turns. Working together to create something worth watching is what I hope to accomplish here—I’m just getting the film rolling. (pun intended)

            I’d love to hear from others on this subject. I'm SURE someone knows more about this than I do. Even one helpful hint helps a newbie. The old saying, ‘What goes around comes around’, holds true. Besides, it feels good to help a fellow writer.

All my best to each of you,

J.M. Powers

Author Note: Though I mention several sites, I’m in no way trying to “sell” you on them. I’m merely sharing ones I found useful.

Basket of Hope book trailer

Hey all... what do you think of this book trailer? All comments and suggestions welcome! (and preorders are welcome too.)

Newest Cover Art for Basket Of Hope

After working with my cover artist, Victoria Miller, we made Basket of Hope look a little more "paranormal." It's amazing how a little bit of color and cool smoke will change a cover. Which do YOU like better?
Contest to win a free copy is coming soon. Follow this blog to stay updated!
Release date is July 22. Click here to preorder.

Cover Art~Basket of Hope~Breathless Press Publishing

The happiness of seeing my first cover (Stellar Surprise) still brings a smile even though that was over a year ago. Apparently that joy never dims with subsequent covers because I did a happy dance upon receiving this one the other day: 

Victoria Miller is the cover artist. She certainly worked her magic with this cover, which is quite fitting really, because there is a lot of mystical stuff going on between the pages. 

Victoria and I worked closely, but this woman took my suggestions and brought the characters from my mind's eye to a fantastic cover.

I bow down to her." Ah! Queen Victoria, you rule the world of cover art!"  (Okay, so she said I didn't have to bow unless I wanted to, but this artist rocks!)

In my opinion, cover art is a close second to signing a publishing contract. Please share what your top three joys are about writing. I'd LOVE to hear about them.

All my best to each of you,

J.M. Powers 

Rearview Mirror

Before I continue blogging about my road to publication, I want to thank Marla Miller for inviting me to guest blog on her site. Marla has a successful presence on the internet and the way she shares it with fellow writers is wonderful.

I always use the analogy of driving in this road to publication, but what should I do when my car stalls? That is where I am right now—with one of my books anyway.

Deep into content edits, a problematic issue came up. It was in the first paragraph and the vein of it continued through the whole chapter. I kept trying to “fix” it, but it was like going around a traffic circle without an exit.

Eventually, I thought of a remedy, and promptly sent it to my publisher. Within moments, my phone rang. My heart shot into overdrive upon hearing her voice.  My first thought was, what have I done wrong?

Other than panicking like a motorist with flashing blue lights in the rearview mirror, I did nothing wrong. My publisher didn’t issue a ticket, but she made it clear that my simple remedy would not work. Frustration set in, and no matter what I said, it came back to the same roadblock.  (Before you ask, not many publishers discuss things over the phones, so don’t expect that. Lucky for me, mine is very involved with her authors.)  After I hung up, I did exactly what she told me not to do—racked my brain for days, refusing to “leave it alone for now.” I thought up all kinds of scenarios, idling in the same spot until I ran out of gas. It was a useless venture. For some unknown reason, I thought edits would go smoothly and quickly. They don’t, so refrain from making the same assumption.  Rest assured, problems will resolve with patience and perseverance. I see that now.

 Remember this while going through the tedious editing process: Listen to the editor, even when you’re tempted to do a u-turn instead of moving on. Learning from my fender bender is invaluable—and really, the only thing I can offer you at this point. That’s the main reason I write this blog. I’m inviting every writer to merge into my lane—letting them in (so to speak) on a few things I’ve learned.

Now, I know I’m not on this road alone because I can see major traffic in the writing world and I’d love to hear from others’ publishing experiences. Please leave a comment and tell me about your writing travels and mishaps. 

My best to you all,

J.M. Powers

Yeah, a funny thing happened on the way to Edit Land...

Just when I think I have a little ME time to work on edits ….

Each of my kids needs me to take them somewhere.

Dear hubby finally decides to tend the honey-do list.

I can’t concentrate with all the noise he’s creating.

The chimney has to be removed NOW?

Sigh! I have a flat tire.

This acrostic shows what most people outside the writing community think of edits--they don’t think of them at all.

My convertible isn’t in shape to transport on this writer’s journey with a flat. So, I open the trunk, shove aside the folder of edits and pull out a tire iron, (refraining from using it for anything other than its intended purpose.)

Though I prefer the world to revolve around me, I can‘t hog the fast lane, or road-rage others just because I have edits. Therefore, I fix the flat and park far away from the chimney. Next I load the kids into hubby’s old truck, and do taxi duty. Upon returning home, I help my husband break apart the chimney.

Busting a chimney is fun, by the way, and spending time with the man I love is a bonus. The flat ended up as a blessing in disguise. It made me realize how important it is to take a detour once in awhile. Destroy stress, and bind with loved ones because life goes on, edits or not. Though my first thought was to attack something other than the chimney, I ended up laughing about the situation. Laughter is just what I needed--that and a hug from a very sooty man.

Well, my dear reader, my tire is changed now and I’m heading back to edit land. To be truthful, I can’t stand this part of the journey, but like changing a tire, it is necessary. If you stay on this road with me, I promise to drive carefully, dodging unnecessary commas and excessive adjectives whenever possible. The ride may be bumpy at times, but it will end at the big town of Perfection, Publication and Party time. At that juncture in the road, I’ll send each of my followers an invitation to the party--and a chance to win a free copy of my books.


Author Note: Thank you to Marla Miller for having me as her guest blogger @ www.marlamiller.com