Now that May is here, it's hit me that I've got to get things together for the blog tour for the second novel in the Elemental Royals Trilogy. And that means finalizing schedules and all of that fun stuff.
I like doing blog tours. I get to talk to a bunch of different people who love books as much as I do. The blog tours not only give me a chance to talk to people and make connections, it also allows me to get my name out there in a way that makes it easier for me to get books sold. Selling books is good, but making connections is better.
The worst part about doing a blog tour isn't writing the guest posts or putting the content together. The worst part is all about the scheduling. It's about getting the schedule done, making sure I've got everything organized and ready to go. It's about the thousand emails and the dates and times and deadlines.
And on top of scheduling for the blog tour, I' also working to schedule for the blogs. I've got to schedule posts, write them, and put together the upcoming list of books and things that go on the review blog. That's the part about the review blog that I hate the most. It's just putting the schedule together. I love writing the posts and reading the books. I just don't like having to spend twenty minutes going through the list of books that I have to read and put them on my schedule.
So, in short, I have to say that scheduling sucks.
A lot.
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
What to do with My Vacation
So my vacation officially starts today. I have roughly a week and a half off before I go back to work, and I'm trying to figure out exactly what to do with my days off.
Obviously, I'm going to try to get some writing done. I would love to have the first draft of the last Elemental Royals novel finished by the time my next novel comes out in September. So that means I'm going to be working on it as much as possible. I'm not writing quite as fast at the moment because I'm on a new computer that doesn't have iTunes on it, so I don't have my writing playlists. Perhaps I should put everything on my iPod and keep it with me. That would most certainly help me write a little faster.
Of course I have the book review blog that I have to worry about as well. I've got books to read and blog posts to write for that. So I'm going to spend a little bit of my time reading so that I can get the reviews put together. I'm in to the books that have been sent to me by authors at this point, so I have to get them read and put up. It's going to be an interesting couple weeks as I get through those.
And then I have this blog to keep up with. I've got to put together blog posts for it and all of that good stuff. Sometimes I don't see how people write a blog every day. It's hard to come up with topics for every single day. I fear that I'm running out of ideas.
Lastly, I've got to work on the blog tour for the second Elemental Royals novel. I'm finalizing some dates for blog stops and things like that. And I've got to write the guest posts and put together the graphics as well. I like doing blog posts and things like that. Putting things together isn't always the most fun. But I'm going to spend part of my vacation finishing up the blog tour.
Oh dear, and then I'll start planning for the blog tour for the first novel in the Off World series.
Maybe vacation isn't going to be as relaxing as I thought.
Obviously, I'm going to try to get some writing done. I would love to have the first draft of the last Elemental Royals novel finished by the time my next novel comes out in September. So that means I'm going to be working on it as much as possible. I'm not writing quite as fast at the moment because I'm on a new computer that doesn't have iTunes on it, so I don't have my writing playlists. Perhaps I should put everything on my iPod and keep it with me. That would most certainly help me write a little faster.
Of course I have the book review blog that I have to worry about as well. I've got books to read and blog posts to write for that. So I'm going to spend a little bit of my time reading so that I can get the reviews put together. I'm in to the books that have been sent to me by authors at this point, so I have to get them read and put up. It's going to be an interesting couple weeks as I get through those.
And then I have this blog to keep up with. I've got to put together blog posts for it and all of that good stuff. Sometimes I don't see how people write a blog every day. It's hard to come up with topics for every single day. I fear that I'm running out of ideas.
Lastly, I've got to work on the blog tour for the second Elemental Royals novel. I'm finalizing some dates for blog stops and things like that. And I've got to write the guest posts and put together the graphics as well. I like doing blog posts and things like that. Putting things together isn't always the most fun. But I'm going to spend part of my vacation finishing up the blog tour.
Oh dear, and then I'll start planning for the blog tour for the first novel in the Off World series.
Maybe vacation isn't going to be as relaxing as I thought.
Monday, May 5, 2014
Pulling Out the Old Novels
As I talked about yesterday, I'm nearing the end of the Elemental Royals trilogy. One of the things I have to do now is look to my next series and my next project.
Although I've started a new series and will release the first novel in that series in September, I also want to look forward to some of the other things that I'll be working on. I always have to be far enough ahead that I can figure out what I'm going to work on next.
I suppose I like to be scheduled and planned and thinking ahead.
So one thing I'm going to do is pull out some of my old novels. The ones that are finished and the ones that aren't. But that's still given me a lot of material to work with.
I'm thinking of going back to the very first novel that I finished. It might need a lot of work, but it's something for me to start with. And it gives me more material to send out to agents.
And since the novels have had a lot of time between when I started them and when I'm going back to look at them, I'll have a set of fresh eyes to start on it again. And that might be a wonderful thing for me to do.
Practice makes perfect, right?
Although I've started a new series and will release the first novel in that series in September, I also want to look forward to some of the other things that I'll be working on. I always have to be far enough ahead that I can figure out what I'm going to work on next.
I suppose I like to be scheduled and planned and thinking ahead.
So one thing I'm going to do is pull out some of my old novels. The ones that are finished and the ones that aren't. But that's still given me a lot of material to work with.
I'm thinking of going back to the very first novel that I finished. It might need a lot of work, but it's something for me to start with. And it gives me more material to send out to agents.
And since the novels have had a lot of time between when I started them and when I'm going back to look at them, I'll have a set of fresh eyes to start on it again. And that might be a wonderful thing for me to do.
Practice makes perfect, right?
Sunday, May 4, 2014
Planning a New Series
It seems like I always have ideas running through my head. Sometimes things just pile up in my head and I have a hard time keeping up with everything that I want to do.
Especially when it comes to writing. I almost always have a new idea for a new story or series rattling around in my brain.
As I'm drawing to an end of the Elemental Royals series, I'm working to plan another new series or two. I know that it's kind of odd to work on a new series before I've even finished the very first one that I'm working on. But I can't help the fact that I've got all of these thoughts rushing through my head. And I like the planning stage of putting together novels or a new series.
Right now, I'm looking through the planning of the Off World series. And I'm also looking back at other novels that I've worked on but perhaps never finished. I'm planning on going back to some of those and reworking them to make them ready for publication.
There are at least three series and a stand alone novel that I'm looking at writing. Once I finish with the Elemental Royals series, I'm going to focus on the Off World series. At the same time, I'm going to get some work done on The Chosen Chronicles, a series I started years ago. I also want to work on another trilogy or two. And I have a fallen angel novel that I've been wanting to write for a long time.
I have so many half finished files and novels on my computer that it isn't funny. If I was able to, I'd have one novel after another that I could work on for months. I could probably spend the next six months writing novels that I've started but never finished.
And that would be a wonderful thing!
Especially when it comes to writing. I almost always have a new idea for a new story or series rattling around in my brain.
As I'm drawing to an end of the Elemental Royals series, I'm working to plan another new series or two. I know that it's kind of odd to work on a new series before I've even finished the very first one that I'm working on. But I can't help the fact that I've got all of these thoughts rushing through my head. And I like the planning stage of putting together novels or a new series.
Right now, I'm looking through the planning of the Off World series. And I'm also looking back at other novels that I've worked on but perhaps never finished. I'm planning on going back to some of those and reworking them to make them ready for publication.
There are at least three series and a stand alone novel that I'm looking at writing. Once I finish with the Elemental Royals series, I'm going to focus on the Off World series. At the same time, I'm going to get some work done on The Chosen Chronicles, a series I started years ago. I also want to work on another trilogy or two. And I have a fallen angel novel that I've been wanting to write for a long time.
I have so many half finished files and novels on my computer that it isn't funny. If I was able to, I'd have one novel after another that I could work on for months. I could probably spend the next six months writing novels that I've started but never finished.
And that would be a wonderful thing!
Saturday, May 3, 2014
The Characters I Wish I Could Write
Since I've started watching Game of Thrones (I know, it seems like a lot of stuff comes back to Game of Thrones right now), I've been thinking about the kind of characters I'm seeing on the show. And I've been thinking about the kind of characters that I write.
The more I watch, and the deeper into the plot and the relationships between the characters that I see, I start to wonder if I could write better characters. I've been looking at the different types of characters that there are in my books and wondering if there are better ways to write them, or if there were more characteristics that I could give them to make them more realistic. Because the characters I've been watching in the show and reading in other books, I've been taking a closer look at the characters that I write.
Honestly, I thought I could write a pretty good character. I thought I was pretty good at descriptions and behaviors and dialogue. What more could I do to make the characters more rounded or more realistic? And how can I learn to write more or better characters altogether?
It's hard for me to do something more than what I do, because I'm not entirely sure how. But I wish I could write better villains or better leading characters. I already do character maps and self-interviews and backstories. I honestly don't know how to write a better character.
And then I start to think that maybe my characters are exactly the way they're supposed to be. I might be writing sword and sorcery and fantasy, but that doesn't mean that it has to be on the epic scale of the Game of Thrones books. And I can have a good character without them having to be an incestuous queen with a whiny son and a philandering husband. But it would be quite cool if I had a character that interesting.
But there's one thing that I can say--I can write a damn strong female character.
Who knows? Maybe I already do.
The more I watch, and the deeper into the plot and the relationships between the characters that I see, I start to wonder if I could write better characters. I've been looking at the different types of characters that there are in my books and wondering if there are better ways to write them, or if there were more characteristics that I could give them to make them more realistic. Because the characters I've been watching in the show and reading in other books, I've been taking a closer look at the characters that I write.
Honestly, I thought I could write a pretty good character. I thought I was pretty good at descriptions and behaviors and dialogue. What more could I do to make the characters more rounded or more realistic? And how can I learn to write more or better characters altogether?
It's hard for me to do something more than what I do, because I'm not entirely sure how. But I wish I could write better villains or better leading characters. I already do character maps and self-interviews and backstories. I honestly don't know how to write a better character.
And then I start to think that maybe my characters are exactly the way they're supposed to be. I might be writing sword and sorcery and fantasy, but that doesn't mean that it has to be on the epic scale of the Game of Thrones books. And I can have a good character without them having to be an incestuous queen with a whiny son and a philandering husband. But it would be quite cool if I had a character that interesting.
But there's one thing that I can say--I can write a damn strong female character.
Who knows? Maybe I already do.
Friday, May 2, 2014
The TV Shows I Wish I'd Watched
Since I'm late to the game getting into Game of Thrones, I've been thinking back on some of the other shows that have been out that I wish I'd actually sat down to watch. And the more I think, the more I've realized I'm really picky about the shows that I watch.
And I missed a lot of good ones.
Looking back on it, I've come up with a top ten list of the shows that I wish I'd started with from the beginning.
At least I can say that I finally broke down and saw Frozen. Which was absolutely worth it!
And I missed a lot of good ones.
Looking back on it, I've come up with a top ten list of the shows that I wish I'd started with from the beginning.
- Game of Thrones
- Agents of Shield
- Reign
- Arrow
- Married to Medicine
- The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills
- Devious Maids
- Dance Moms
- The Test
- The Cleveland Show
At least I can say that I finally broke down and saw Frozen. Which was absolutely worth it!
Thursday, May 1, 2014
Vacation is Coming
It kind of makes me laugh to say it like that, especially since I'm watching Game of Thrones now and the Starks are always saying, "Winter is coming." Maybe that's why I wrote it that way. And that's perfectly okay. It's a symbol of my dorkiness.
As the end of the semester winds down, I'll be going out on my vacation for a week before the summer session begins. I get a week off, and I'm sitting here thinking about how I'm supposed to occupy my time during those long days. It's going to be one of those very long weeks, just because I'm going to have entire days were I won't have anything to do. Maybe I'll get a lot of reading and writing done!
Having a week off is something that I'm not used to lately. With my multiple jobs and my days of working with other companies and church, time off is something that I don't normally get to deal with. And when I do get it, I don't know what to do with myself. So sitting here facing down a week of no work... I don't know how to begin planning what I'm going to do.
I suppose I should get some reading done. As I sit here and look at my reading list, I figure that a week off would let me read several different books over the course of the week. And I can really give my Kindle a workout by reading a bunch of those extra books I've got. I've got so many authors who have been incredibly patient with me waiting for their reviews. And I have to get to them just like I promised.
But of course I can't spend the whole week just reading. Now that I'll have a lot of time on my hands, I could actually buckle down and finish writing the new Elemental Royals book. I haven't had a whole lot of time to write lately, and I'd love to be able to sit down at my desk and get some real, hard-core writing done. I might even have the first draft finished by the end of the summer!
And another thing I should probably do over vacation is amp up my agent search. One of my resolutions is to have an agent by the end of the year. And that isn't going to happen if I don't get on the ball and send out more queries to more agents. It isn't like my writing is so great that they're going to come knocking on my door just because. Although that would be amazing.
So maybe my days won't be so empty of stuff to do. I might actually get some things done!
As the end of the semester winds down, I'll be going out on my vacation for a week before the summer session begins. I get a week off, and I'm sitting here thinking about how I'm supposed to occupy my time during those long days. It's going to be one of those very long weeks, just because I'm going to have entire days were I won't have anything to do. Maybe I'll get a lot of reading and writing done!
Having a week off is something that I'm not used to lately. With my multiple jobs and my days of working with other companies and church, time off is something that I don't normally get to deal with. And when I do get it, I don't know what to do with myself. So sitting here facing down a week of no work... I don't know how to begin planning what I'm going to do.
I suppose I should get some reading done. As I sit here and look at my reading list, I figure that a week off would let me read several different books over the course of the week. And I can really give my Kindle a workout by reading a bunch of those extra books I've got. I've got so many authors who have been incredibly patient with me waiting for their reviews. And I have to get to them just like I promised.
But of course I can't spend the whole week just reading. Now that I'll have a lot of time on my hands, I could actually buckle down and finish writing the new Elemental Royals book. I haven't had a whole lot of time to write lately, and I'd love to be able to sit down at my desk and get some real, hard-core writing done. I might even have the first draft finished by the end of the summer!
And another thing I should probably do over vacation is amp up my agent search. One of my resolutions is to have an agent by the end of the year. And that isn't going to happen if I don't get on the ball and send out more queries to more agents. It isn't like my writing is so great that they're going to come knocking on my door just because. Although that would be amazing.
So maybe my days won't be so empty of stuff to do. I might actually get some things done!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)