Exhaustion

As much as I talk about the rush I get from writing, some days I'm just tired. Tired from the job that pays the bills. I do love my other job, not as much as I love writing, but love it none the less. However, it sucks up a lot of time and energy. Some days I come home and just want to go to sleep and ignore the world.

I had a couple of hours to write and I found my self re-reading what I had already written and correcting that. I was able to clarify some things and add on information that needed to be in the book, but no new progress. I still have at least half of book two to write. I was wanting to have it mostly completed by the end of the month and I'm not sure that will happen now. I have no firm time frame that it has to be done, no deadlines waiting. I guess that is a good thing, less stress involved in the process.

I have also started to wonder if I should just combine all the books, into one longer book (maybe with some editing down), instead of 3 books on the shorter side. Just something that I've started to think about. I guess we will have to see how things pan out.

Getting more anxious about this friday (getting the first book back from the editor) or, since she is mailing it to me, when I will actually get to see it and talk with her about the changes. I don't wait well, so I'm concerned I will crawl out of my skin in the mean time (figuratively of course). Also starting to wonder about the job of shopping for a publisher.

I have several people on Twitter that I follow that talk about self-publishing. That sounds dandy and all, because then it defiantly gets published, but then I am responsible for my own publicity. I don't know how to do publicity. I know how to do my job (medical field) and how to write. If I knew how to do publicity, I would be a publicist. I want someone else to do that so that I can do my job.

I don't want to be famous, rich would be nice, but I know that likelihood that that will happen is slim to none. I would love to make enough money to cover the editing costs and any other costs that I have accrued so far, and would love to make enough to buy myself a cup of coffee at Starbucks. A victory cup of coffee.  I actually don't want any attention, just to hear the people are enjoying reading my blog and my books. That is why I write under a pen name. People paying too much attention to me could cause problems at my job and upset my 'quiet' family life. I guess it comes with the territory. If you get one, it is a package deal, and you get it all. Oh well. I am putting the chart miles ahead of the horse.

ONE STEP AT A TIME!!!!

Working

Spending time with a glass of White Lies and becoming engrossed with Ella and Jude. Their relationship seems to take on a life of their own. No tunes right now because the TV is on, we'll see how much I actually get written. However, I was able to close myself into a library "quiet" room tonight and finished the two half finished chapters. WOOHOO!

Maybe book 2 will be complete by the time I get the corrections for book 1. Wouldn't that be great. Then I could just trade them back and forth with the editor.

Moving along

I'm glad I had some quality time to spend with the book today. I have 4 completed chapters and 2 partial chapters (so 6 more or less). We'll see how much time this next week I have to devote to it. In two weeks, I will have a week to spend a much time on it as I want, but by then I may be engrossed in edits from the 1st book.

It's almost a rush when a chapter goes the way I had envisioned. I love doing this.

Soundtrack in my head

So people ask what influenced the books. That is easy. I was sick with a really bad cold (that actually eventually turned into pneumonia), had been working 55-60 hour work weeks, had been attacked at work and had gone out drinking with some of the guys from work = nightmares. So parts of the first and second book were a sequence of dreams in January of 2012 (more the first than the second). Now I am filling in the wonderful story of Ella, Jude and Naomi.

While writing, I have problems with distractions. Which unfortunately means that I can't watch my favorite shows or movies while writing. I get lost in their plots instead of my own. BUT, I love listening to music while I write and think of what is coming next. So here is book 2's soundtrack at the current time.

1. Somebody that I use to know - Gotye (the cover is also good)
2. We are young - FUN
3. Shake it out & Heavy in your arms - Florence and the Machine
4. Breathe me - Sia
5. Leave the memories alone - Fuel
6. Hey ya - Obadiah Parker
7. I need a hero - Andrew Spencer
8. LA song - Christian Kane
9. Hurt - Jonny Cash
10. Adele's entire 21
11. My entire DMB collection (which is extensive)
12. Of Monsters and Men entire My head is an animal

There are more but these are the ones that get played A LOT.

Movement

I love it when I start writing and it just pours out. I could probably keep writing through the night but then I wouldn't be able to function tomorrow. I have to be able to do my other jobs/responsibilities. I think book 2 is coming along. I was able to edit what I have and get another 2 chapters in. Three full chapters and about 7,500 words (exactly where is should be).

Not so surprisingly, my editor is fine and everything is just as it should be. Can't wait to see where all of this goes.

Learn from my mistakes

So...in this process, to protect myself (so I thought), I had a lawyer adjust my contract with my editor. Friends and family backed my decision to do so. We talked about what I wanted and what needed to be changed in it if there would be a grievance filed.

What I thought it would do: Keep my work my work and make the process easier.

What it did: Kept my work my work, made me feel stupid and made things a pain.

***Note to self: Your editor is a great editor, who has been in the field much longer than you have. When she suggests something - DO IT! When she says "that's abnormal in a contract" - There is a reason.

Note to other authors in their first editing process: Get to know your editor, get recommendations from other authors for good editors and communicate with your editor.

I'll be surprised after I have the edits back on book 1 if she'll want to continue to work with me :(  I guess only time will tell.

Waiting

I will be getting the edited version of my manuscript back on Friday and I haven't been this nervous in a while. I hope the editor will be truthful with her feelings and not say she likes it just to have my business.  There is nothing like continuing my own negative self-talk about my writing. SIGH! It only really matter what I think about the books, and I like what I've written so far. I just hope that I can take the constructive criticism well.

This weekend is going to be solid time to spend on book 2 and the week after to work on the newly edited book 1. I'll keep everyone posted on the updates from the upcoming week on book 2 and I'm sure you will all hear about the continued editing process of book 1.