24Q2: Derecho Storms and Writing Processes
Hey Y’all!
Of course, the minute I tell y'all about my granddaughter's bad haircut, I wind up with one of my own!
I don't know why I procrastinate on scheduling a haircut, but it happens time and time again. I'll put it off until my hair is driving me crazy, then wind up at the stylist as a walk in, which means I get whomever's available. Most days, that's fine. But sometimes… you wind up with someone who doesn't have much experience with fine, wavy hair. I figure it's the price I pay for not diligently scheduling the haircut with my usual stylist. <grin>
Derecho Storms
This May we learned what a derecho storm was. I'd never heard this term before, but am now well acquainted with it. Derecho (pronounced "deh-REY-cho") is a Spanish word meaning straight ahead and is used to describe a powerful storm that moves in a straight path for 400+ miles (~650+ kilometers), at least 60 miles (~100 km) wide, maintains wind gusts of 58 mph (93 km/h) with several distinct 75+ mph (121+ km/h) wind gusts.
All that to say, we had severe wind damage in Houston when this storm blew in from the west and kept on trucking all the way to Florida.
We were pretty lucky. We lost a grill, had to re-stake our yearling red oak tree, and had some minor roof damage, but our brand new fence held up and our house stayed dry. (Woo hoo!) Our biggest issue was no electricity for five days (in 90°F heat!). I never realized how stressful it was living out of a suitcase while trying to maintain normal activities. I think it's the relative chaos combined with the unknown that really gets to you in those kinds of situations.
But we managed through and we're doing okay.
Things I’m Working On
Book Coach
When we last talked, I was about to start working with my book coach. Y'all! Instead of me telling you how great this experience has been, let me drop some numbers on you. I hadn't touched Code Block (the next installment in the Women of Caprock series) since November 2023. Since I started working with Anne, I have written 21,505 words in my manuscript and over 5,500 words in my supporting documents (character development, planning notes, etc.). The train is rolling on this one! I can't believe I waited so long.
If you're wondering how she helps me, the biggest support I get from her is brainstorming ideas and general enthusiasm for the story. Because of my technical writing background, I tend to underwrite, so my first drafts are mostly dialogue with some blocking of scenes. She helps me tease out setting details and character emotions, which adds depth to what I've got on the page. And helps spin off ideas of what's going to happen next in the story.
Typically, I send her what I've written three days before our meeting, then during the meeting we'll discuss different scenes. She'll tell me things like, "I like how she said [this]. Do you think you could show that in a separate scene where we see examples of that behavior?" And then the ideas just come. I take tons of notes during our meetings, then make a checklist afterward so I can incorporate those ideas into my draft.
My biggest gain from working with a book coach is excitement about my story again. Her enthusiasm for my characters and what they're going through fuels my own. I'm hoping to complete the first draft by the end of July.
Note: If you're considering hiring a book coach, I recommend meeting them first to make sure you're compatible and have the same expectations. Different coaches have different focuses. It's important to make sure you're both on the same page.
Large Print Edition
This spring, I took a class from the wonderful Erin Wright on publishing Large Print editions of your book. I've started working on the large print edition of Left Turn and am planning to publish it later this year. It requires formatting changes and a new cover, so I'm getting those things lined out before uploading it to distributors. (I'm pretty psyched about this one and eager to learn the process, so I can include it as part of future releases.)
Writing Process
I think the most amazing thing I've learned this year is that I am still figuring out what my writing process is. You'd think having written and published a book already, I'd understand how I write. But here's the thing I've realized: Alex and Finley's story fermented in my head for SIX YEARS before I wrote it. When I finally sat down to write it, the words poured out of me, the concept fully formed.
With book two (I'm discovering), the story isn't all there. I've a vague notion of what's going to happen, who's involved, and what kind of trouble they're going to get into. And, while I know my characters, I'm having to tease out the story little by little as I write. I'm truly understanding what it means to be a discovery writer with this book. Who knew a project manager could actually write by the seat of her pants?
Publishing News
Book Awards (and Editorial Reviews)
Here's a myth I learned about book awards: Not all book awards (or editorial reviews) require you to apply BEFORE publication. That's right. Many awards and review services welcome submissions for already published books. I discovered this at the Women in Publishing (WIP) Summit when chatting with Hannah Jacobson, founder of Book Award Pro, a service that finds awards and review services relative to your book. (This is not an affiliate link. I just like the service.)
With Book Award Pro's help, I matched to several review services and submitted Left Turn for an editorial review from Literary Titan. When they returned a 5-star review, I was thrilled. And because they liked the book so much, they gave it their Literary Titan Gold Book Award. Talk about a feel-good moment! (To read the author interview they did following the review and award, click here.)
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
The controversy over the use of AI continues and doesn't seem to be abating anytime soon. Here's a random question that occurred to me. Has anyone given any thought to how quickly the major technology players rolled out their version of AI on their platform after ChatGPT became so popular?
I have. With some amateur programming skills under my belt, let me tell you, that kind of development doesn't happen overnight. What I don't see anyone asking is this: How long have they been using AI "under the covers" without our knowledge, and now that the public is embracing AI, felt safe to roll out their "new" AI technology?
Note: I am a self-acknowledged conspiracy theorist, so… take it with a grain of salt. <grin>
Latest Articles on Writing
Because I’ve been so focused on writing the next book, I have spent little time on blog posts. But the one article I produced this quarter is a doozy.
How to Analyze Amazon Ads Targeting in Excel (for Authors). A detailed, step-by-step tutorial on how to export your targeting data from the Amazon Ads dashboard into Excel, then set up a pivot table to analyze what's working and what's not.
What’s On Your Mind?
I love hearing interesting stories from creators about their work. And as a process minded person, I find it even more fascinating to learn how different authors approach writing and what their tips/tricks are to produce their finished piece of work.
What's something that surprised you about your favorite author or creator and/or their process? (Or something fun about your own process?)
Let me know in the comments or reply via email and I'll share in the next newsletter. (I default towards anonymity on responses, but am happy to use your name if you prefer. Just let me know when you reply.)
Until next time, butts in chair and ink to paper!
Lancy