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NaNoWriMo – And We’re Off!
It’s all go for NaNo!
I’m off to a shaky start with the big event! So far I’ve managed to crank out 2,150 words. I had hoped to get a lot more done today but I’ve been a tad pre-occupied with editing my long-term writing project, The Range.
My plan for NaNo 2012 is to make a good start on a follow-up to The Range, with a novel called The Survivors. Not entirely set on the title yet, but I like the idea of it starting with a “The…” something something. Talk about excited! I’ve got grand plans for my story. Lots of twists and turns, interesting characters, thumping action and some quality heart stopping moments.
I’ve been thinking a lot about publishing. The Range is currently in its sixth edit and is considerably more polished than the cringing first draft. In the last year or two I’ve learnt a lot about the publishing game, from the traditional route to indie publishing on Amazon Kindle for example. I’ve read how self published authors have been approached by publishing houses only to reject them.
Seems crazy, right?
Well, not when you read that some authors are able to take more profit from eBooks than what traditional publishers can offer. Not to mention the author seems to have more control over their work. Personally I prefer to see my book in an actual book shop. However I’m not ruling out putting my novel out there in eBook format, although I’m still some way off that stage yet.
I’ve read plenty of novels by amateur writers, some good, some bad. And the bad ones really do suck. It seems that poor quality writing, editing, etc by a few amateur writers is giving indie publishers a bit of a bad reputation.
Or am I wrong?
What do you think, dear blog reader?
Just because you can publish an eBook, doesn’t necessarily mean you have the ability to be a good writer. Does it?
I want my novel to be as near perfect as possible. That means checking and re-checking things like spelling, punctuation, grammar and everything else. I want a reader to enjoy what I’ve written without a silly mistake bringing them out of the story. If that means taking time to get the smallest detail right, then fine, I’m good with that.
Despite those doubts it’s an exciting prospect to know I can publish my novel in a relatively simple method. And I like the idea of being in control. I hope that doesn’t make me seem naive. I understand that as an indie author I’d have to know about marketing, accounts, finance, sales…er, and probably lots more stuff that a publishing house does for an author.
Hmmm, but NaNo first!
I’ll continue to edit The Range this month, splitting my time between editing that and working on The Survivors. Hopefully I’m not setting myself too big a challenge. It took me a long time to get into editing mode so I don’t want to lose that momentum, yet at the same time I’m bursting with ideas for The Survivors.
It’ll all work out fine in the end!
Although having said that my 2011 NaNo novel, Shadowrealm Stalkers, is as yet unfinished at around 80,000 words. I feel kinda guilty for not finishing it. But I will. I have an idea for a three-part story that I kick around at the back of my head now and then. I’ll return to that world when I’ve finished this collection, The Range, The Survivors and for a third in the series (maybe baby) The Retreat. That story is not much more than a few basic ideas, plot twists etc.
All in good time!
For now I’m happy to have made a start on The Survivors.
And to all you fellow Wrimo’s out there…
Good luck and happy adventures in your Imaginationland!
The Hunger Games – Don’t bash it until you understand it.
I’ve held off writing a post about The Hunger Games for a good reason, which I’ll get to in a moment, but it was Limebirdmike from Lime Bird Writers with his naive and irritating article Young Adult fiction and “The Hunger Games” – did I miss something? that prompted me to write this.
I’d seen The Hunger Games in book shops but never took much notice of it. The cover didn’t inspire me enough I guess, and yes, I’m well aware of the saying but we all do it so let’s move on.
It wasn’t until the movie came out that I took an interest, and as yet I still haven’t seen it.
Books first. Movie second.
That’s the rule I prefer to live by whenever possible.
I finished Mockingjay last week and felt inspired to write about it within minutes of turning the last page. Problem was I didn’t really know what to say that hasn’t already been said.
Popular stories generate lots of comments, reviews, analysis, comparison to the movie version and so on. And my two cents worth would seem nothing more than another fan-boy raving about the heroic Katniss, the awesome visuals of the games, the characters, the action, the suspense, thrills, spills, romance, death, gore and everything in between.
And so, because of the overly dramatic review by Limebirdmike, I offer a counter argument, do it please ya, dear blog reader.
