All you writer types out there, I have a question:
Do you use a program for editing, like Scrivener, SmartEdit Writer, or Ulysses? If so what is your preference and why?
My writing is interesting and fun, but there are things I’ve heard of with these types of programs that I am curious about and wonder if they do give your documents-novels-short stories-blog posts the finished professional editing touch?
So gentle readers any comments?
Cheers!
-N
I finally finished the first draft of my new book, the working title is “The Holder of My Flame.” What a great feeling, so fulfilling and exciting. There it is, my newest baby. I just printed it out and will now start on red pencil edits, and fleshing out some scenes, as Kevin Johns says, without filler or fluff.
I am in that place where all I can think of are these characters. They are becoming more real to me all the time, the sound of their voices, the way they walk, their hand gestures and facial expressions – the total look they have. Now I will sit down with my notes, writing and grammar helps and look at each chapter to make sure these people are staying true to the personality I have in mind for each of them as they tell the story for me.
Near the end of the book is an intense, powerful scene, pivotal to bringing important people together, redeeming some and revealing others. It was hard to write, so much so I had to stop for a break before I plunged in and banged it out. The scene was painful and emotional. My heart broke for one of my characters as they endured physically and emotionally.
A biggie, I have to double check my historical data to make sure the places and time these fictional humans are inhabiting is accurate. Yay-history research! (History nerd here)
I know other writers become attached to characters they write about, and I am no exception. There always seems to be that one character who is so fun to write for and who makes me wish they were real so we could be friends, or not. Ha ha!
So now on to the next step.
Cheers!
-N
I’m sitting here in my writing cave excited about progress I’ve made. I’ve submitted as short story to a literary magazine with the hope it will be accepted for publication. The Green Bag is a story about sisters. I know about sisters considering I have two of them. The relationship of sisters is unique, often hilarious, flowing with secrets and can be volatile. The unbreakable attachment is almost always there if they’ve grown up together.
My story is told in flashbacks, of the life history of two very different, yet close sisters. I have mirrored this journey in my own relationship with my sisters. Though the situations aren’t the same as my own, it is fiction after all, the way these two women interact is acutely familiar.
Also…I am almost completely set up to self-publish my first novel Blame it on Whiskey. The story is written, the final draft is ready and now the cover art is the only part left. Once that is ready I can download the whole thing to Amazon for Kindle. It is a bit nerve wracking yet so thrilling to think the reading public is going to meet these people, these fictional human characters, whom I know so well.
Updates to come.
Cheers!
-N
