Now What?

I hope you’ve been vaccinated for spontaneous combustion. I know, it’s a controversial topic. We each need to decide what’s right for our own bodies. I just wanted to prepare you so that you would be informed about the risks associated with continuing to read this blog post.

 **CAUTION**

I finished the first draft of RISE OF THE SEER.

Are you still with me? Good! If I happened to lose you, take heart and remember, “They’re doing remarkable things with globule research these days.”

I thought I would let you in on how this process works for me as an indie author. The very next step for me in RISE is to do…nothing. This is actually a very important step. Between December to February I’ve spewed out 49,728 words for this story. I have lived with, talked to, and dreamt about these characters intimately for the past two months. We need a break. I’m quite caught up in their world and need to clear my head so that I will be able to view it accurately as a reader. So is RISE just sitting on a shelf? Nope.

It’s now in the hands of my favorite Beta Reader. He will go through this draft and mark it up. So much red ink! This process is both a relief and a test. It’s a relief to finally share this story with a fellow reader and see if it came together or not. I haven’t been able to share key details or plot points with anyone, so it will be nice to have an outside opinion. The testing part is that when you’ve been working on something for over a year and a half, it can be challenging to not take things personally when something just doesn’t work. There is nothing in this draft that can’t be cut if it’s what works best for the story as a whole. It’s not personal. And, repeat…

The next part will look something like this:

-My Beta Reader and I will edit this first draft.

-Rewrite.

-Send out the second draft to another round of readers.

-Rewrite.

-Have the third draft professionally edited.

-Rewrite.

-When I feel like my novel is in a place where I can finally abandon it, I’ll start the actual publishing process.

In the meantime, curious to see what it looks like when you’ve dedicated an entire week solely to finishing writing your book? I know, it seems like the charmed life of an author would be all glitz and glamour. Really though, it's a lot of work at the expense of sacrificing time in some other area. Just like everything else. Revel in my splendor, fellow readers, and see for your own eyes what a REALLY good writing week looks like around here. 

I thought the sepia tone would make the pile of clean laundry seem more whimsical. 

The people I live with need food. I like for them to live, so I agree with this system.

Lest you think I subject my fellow housemates to my slovenly ways, I assure you that order has once again been restored. Clean dishes and counter tops abound, as do folded laundered items. Until the next frenzy to finish a project hits us...
Now, for the love of dish soap and dryer sheets, please buy the book. :)