All posts by NewEngland_Muse

I'm a traditionally and self published author. I write in the genre of children and YA at the moment but working my way up to adults. I'm a sports loving, photo taking gal who loves to sing/dance to my own enjoyment. I love to laugh even at myself. I am also owned by 8 birds and 2 hamsters, and yes they know it. :)
Author, Publishing, Revisions

Final Revisions

2 Comments

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This week my publisher sent me a review copy of my book. My job is to review and approve it. Once I do that it is off to the printers! I am so close to having this dream become a reality. It has involved a lot of work and time to get to this point. There has been ups and downs with this particular MS but it has been worth it. I am hoping, and feel free to cross your fingers for me, I find nothing out of whack that will delay the process. But I did have to go in the oh my gosh don’t screw this up mode. It is only natural, I feel, to have a little bit of anxiety.

I had a few goals when I started this project a few years ago.

-To get a book traditional published

-Hold in my hands a copy of a book I wrote

-For me to see it on a shelf in a bookstore

Each step of the way will be surreal as it occurs. I am still in lala land when I sit down and truly think about how far this book and I have come from the very first draft. It is not just my book it is my baby. One that has seen a lot of changes and has weathered them all. There has been a lot of obstacles that have tried to deter me. That’s what happens when we want something badly. It is not sweet if it was easy. So I am reading the book while trying to contain my giddiness knowing that in a few short weeks two of my goals will be accomplished.

The work doesn’t stop there. It be nice if it did so I could start on my next project. What comes next is letting the world know about Jasper and his adventures with his friend Charlie. Hopefully they will enjoy it as much as I had writing it.

Uncategorized

Revision: How Much is Too Much?

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How attached are you to your MS? While waiting for my book to come out, I submitted a second MS to my publisher. I wanted to see if she would pick it up. She really liked it but wanted me to make it fictional. The premises of my MS, “Squirrel Mafia” is my year-long war with the squirrels in my backyard. The book is 100 percent true.

When she told me she wanted it I took a step back. It would mean a major rewrite if not me totally starting from scratch. I did like the idea for I could envision where I would take it. But I love this MS a lot. I love it so much that I turned that down and decided to keep it as it is. Yes I could have had a potential book being published. Now a days who am I to turn that down? But I did not want to take away from the vision of this book I wanted the world to know how truly evil squirrels are. I should know. I been observing them for a while now.

So again I ask how attached are you to your MS? Would you have broken down and rewrote your MS or not? I can imagine there are authors out there who do make the change that is asked of them to get their book published. I don’t mind slight revisions but when it is no longer what you had in mind then I have to say no.

Will this hurt me in the long run I don’t know. I been submitting “Squirrel Mafia” actively since August. But I am now done. I have had some nibbles and am hoping someone goes for a second bite. Just this week I had one publishing house ask for a formal TOC and a cover letter with my marketing plan for the MS.

I believe in this MS. Even if it means I end up self publishing it. I don’t want to change it so much that it is a shadow of what it once was. For me that would be worse than it not being published at all.

Author, Book Reviewer

Book Reviewer and Author

5 Comments

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I been a book reviewer for Booksneeze since 2010. Since then I have recently joined Crazy for Books as one of their reviewers. Along the way word has gotten out and now author will contact me if I would review their books. I always give them the link to how I go about reviewing novels. I don’t stray from the rules for after this length of time this is what works for me. Even though I don’t get paid I take this job very seriously.

As an author reviewing books has been a bonus for me. I get to read different genres apart from the one I write in or read as well. It helps me to be more careful and to take my time in not rushing through a submission. Any review I put up there will affect the person who wrote the book. So hence the time I take in reading each book to the end. I also will always find something positive to say about the book. Especially in the ones that is truly not well written or got me sleeping midway. I see no point in bashing the writer from start to finish. There is always a gem in each book I read always.

It is not always easy for no matter how you try to do a good job there will be those who are not happy with you. I reviewed one book and rated it a four. The author said to me well if that is all you are going to give me I will take it. I have had another author tell me AFTER I read the book if I can’t give it more than a three to not bother reviewing it. That was how I was going to rate it , a three. After those two incidents I came up with my “rules” in how I review a book and I don’t stray from that ever.

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This helps me be a better critiquer for my writing groups. It has shown me to not rush through a piece, to say something constructive and positive about the novel. All this helps me with my own writing and others I edit. It is hard when I edit or critique someone I personally know for it is only natural to want to say something nice and rate them a five-star. But that is not doing them any favor at all. If one is polite and point the good and bad I think job well done. That is what every author should hope for. Someone who doesn’t gush over stories, unless of course it is awesome, just due to familiarity with the reviewer.

I just hope when it is time for people to review my own book they follow a similar way of doing it like I do.