That would be Missing In Action, and the reason is also what is behind my exciting news. A friend, who is also an avid reader and a respected author and reviewer of fiction has accepted my request to read my manuscript. I’ve asked her to give me a no-holds-barred opinion on whether or not my novel needs a professional editor. Yes, I know how many authors and editors insist that every novel MUST HAVE an editor, but seriously… My novel is 750 pages long. I’m looking at paying more money than I can probably ever hope to get back. So this is my last-ditch attempt to really see what’s up with my grammar.
So why have I not been around? I’m concentrating on getting this baby as good as it’s going to get before I give it up. And then, it’s either going to an editor or not because come hell or high water, it’s getting published this year. Why is it going to be published this year? Because I told my muse in a letter that it would. And that’s what it all comes down to.
Not that I’m delusional enough to believe that even on the off-chance he read my letter he would remember it ten minutes later, let alone remember I’m writing a character with his sense of fashion, his stage presence and his face, he’s damned well going to (potentially if it gets to him) receive a copy of my novel in the mail, complete with his name in the acknowledgements! So there! (Disclaimer: The preceding run-on sentence is not, by any stretch of the imagination, an example of the grammar in my novel.)
Anyway, that’s what I’ve been doing and what I’ll be doing for the next week or so. But I haven’t forgotten about you! I realize I’m terribly behind in my reading and replying to comments. I’ll be going back a couple of weeks to get to them, so if you get a reply to a comment you’ve forgotten you left, don’t be surprised. In the meantime I’m going to try to post every day on my fiction blog, plus blog about my trip to Japan here, and, (of course) keep up the weekly prompts. In other words, I won’t be as busy as I was last month. 🙄
Wish me luck. 😀
February 5, 2016 at 6:48 am
Good luck! And congratulations.
LikeLike
February 5, 2016 at 7:26 am
Thank you, Deb! 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 3, 2016 at 3:46 am
Good luck with all that.
Who’s the bloke with the terrible haircut?
LikeLike
February 3, 2016 at 8:22 pm
Thank you, Dale. 😀
The guy with the fabulous (what are you talking about?) haircut is my muse. ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 4, 2016 at 2:45 am
That’s not very specific.
LikeLike
February 4, 2016 at 2:48 am
Should I know him then, or were you inspired by the coiffure of a random stranger?
LikeLike
February 4, 2016 at 7:42 am
Well yeah… He’s the same one I always post pictures of, and that I’ve been twice to Japan to see… Sakurai Atsushi. He’s been through possibly as many phases (and looks) as Bowie went through.
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 4, 2016 at 7:44 am
Ah, the Buck Tick guy.
LikeLike
February 4, 2016 at 7:45 am
Yep. (Yay! You remembered the band’s name! 😀 )
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 4, 2016 at 7:47 am
If you’d mentioned his name in your post, I would have remembered him. One floppy fringe is pretty much the same as another to me, so I never would have recognised him from a photo anyway.
LikeLike
February 4, 2016 at 7:50 am
Ah, okay.
LikeLike
February 2, 2016 at 7:14 pm
Woo hoo! Wishing you all the best with all your writing/publishing ventures!
LikeLike
February 3, 2016 at 8:19 pm
Thank you, Joanne! 😀
LikeLike
February 2, 2016 at 6:40 pm
I wish you all the luck in the world!!
LikeLike
February 3, 2016 at 8:17 pm
Thanks, Willow!! 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 2, 2016 at 1:55 pm
Wow congratulations!!!! You’re writing is fantastic!
LikeLike
February 3, 2016 at 8:16 pm
Thank you, Laura. 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 3, 2016 at 8:21 pm
🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 2, 2016 at 12:10 pm
Congratulations on finishing your novel! I hope your friend can help you with suggestions. I know editing can be expensive, especially if you want the editor to do a full job-sentence structure, word choices, spelling, and grammar corrections- but it is necessary if you want to avoid these mistakes. If I can help in any way, I would be happy to, and we could arrive at a cost that would not be crippling for you. I have edited several books that have been published.
LikeLike
February 3, 2016 at 8:15 pm
Thank you very much, Patricia. 🙂 It would be interesting to see how I’ve done so far at the very least. I’ll certainly consider your kind offer after I’ve finished the edit I’m working on and my friend has read through it. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 2, 2016 at 11:18 am
All those pages, all those words! I am in awe. So, too, I hope is your muse, and a publisher! You could do a “go fund me” for editing money. People have done them for stranger and less worthy (in my mind) projects.
Yeah Linda! Good luck. I’ll send good thoughts your way.
LikeLike
February 3, 2016 at 12:08 pm
Thanks very much, my dear. 🙂 It’s a hard decision these days, whether to submit to a traditional publisher and wait (forever) and get only a small cut of the profits if it’s accepted, or go it alone, now, get all the profits but do all the work for a smaller distribution. I need all the good thoughts I can get in other words! 😀 Thanks again!
LikeLike
February 4, 2016 at 11:39 pm
Will continue those thoughts.
Only folks I know who published books recently did so as e-books, alone or with an e-book publisher. There are pluses and minuses there too.
LikeLike
February 5, 2016 at 7:17 am
Yep. E-book publishers don’t care as much about word count. No paper equals no overhead.
LikeLike
February 2, 2016 at 11:06 am
Yes Linda… The best of luck to you. Fingers X’d 🙂
LikeLike
February 3, 2016 at 12:04 pm
Thank you, Damon! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 2, 2016 at 8:25 am
Yep go getting girl!
LikeLike
February 3, 2016 at 12:02 pm
Thanks, Geoff! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 2, 2016 at 3:53 am
Good luck with your novel. I’m also working on finishing touches to mine at the moment… with a view to self publishing.
LikeLike
February 3, 2016 at 12:01 pm
Thank you, Marje. 🙂 Good luck to you too!
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 4, 2016 at 3:20 am
Thank you. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 2, 2016 at 3:25 am
I really hope that all works out well for you!! Your in thoughts!
LikeLike
February 3, 2016 at 12:00 pm
Thank you! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 2, 2016 at 2:03 am
And why would I ever give you grief over MIA time spent on Life, when you have been so gracious (sans forewarning missives) of my own MIA time?
You Go, Girl! (or whatever current, trending phrase conveys the thought of “YES! Happy for You! It’ll be fine! Go For It!”) hopes and wishes I hold for you reading this post! 🙂
LikeLike
February 3, 2016 at 11:23 am
Thank you, TamrahJo! 😀 Life really does get in the way of blogging sometimes, doesn’t it? 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 2, 2016 at 12:52 am
Congratulations Linda 🙂 I hope this converts into some super jazzy news!
LikeLike
February 3, 2016 at 11:15 am
Thanks, Praj! 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 1, 2016 at 11:11 pm
I hope things do go well with your novel Linda. I know the thought of the costs of editing are daunting.
Thank you for all you did last month. I also plan to go back through, on the rules page where all the Just Jot It January posts are in one place, and just read and read and read. I can’t imagine all you had to keep up with, but you brought the whole thing to life and I needed that.
I will still be here for SoCS every week.
LikeLike
February 1, 2016 at 11:18 pm
Wonderful – I’ll look forward to your SoCS posts. 🙂 So glad JusJoJan was a positive experience for you! You’re very welcome, and thank YOU, Kerry! 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 1, 2016 at 11:11 pm
Linda, congrats on hitting 750 K. I hope you find a good editor. It may be worth the expense– the editor may pare down your novel a little, and eliminate stuff that makes the readers’ teeth itch (collectively).
I don’t suppose you outline?
I can help with a nice letter to the Muse. 😉
“Dear Muse:
The previously mentioned novel which features you so vividly in all but name (though my disclaimer says that all the characters are fictional and bear no resemblance to anyone, living or dead. My lawyer makes me say that) is, unfortunately, going through some massive revisions due to the fact that this humble writer must use an editor. And you see, because this first work is a tome of 750 pages–all about you!–I wanted to let you know that this was a minor speed bump in the progress. Please note that since editors charge by the word, and there’s 250,000 words (that’s a quarter million, Muse, all about you…), it might turn out to be a bit pricey to get it edited.
I was hoping, then, Muse, that you might kindly drop me a check for $500 so we can get on with this thing. After all, you want to see this published as bad as I do, do you not? If you want to make that check for a larger amount, I will graciously dedicate the book to you. Send two checks, I’ll dedicate it twice. Three checks, three dedications.
So you see, Muse, I think we can get this done with your careful help. I know your heart is in it, and certainly mine is, and together, we can make beautiful music.
Very truly yours,
Treasured Writer
PS: If not a check, can you send a lock of hair or a fingernail?”
LikeLike
February 1, 2016 at 11:16 pm
Hahahaha! Love it! I’ll certainly take the cheque part into consideration. 😀 Though I have to say, I started with 214K words and pared it down to 167K, so I’m pretty sure I’ve already got most of the itchy bits out. 😉 Thanks very much for the laugh, Matt! 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 2, 2016 at 1:24 am
167 k is much more digestible than 214… though I think I saw a very informative post somewhere way back in the mists of time about the number of words some novels have. Ah! Here it is: http://www.betterstorytelling.net/thebasics/storylength.html
The Hobbit weighs in at 95K, Fellowship at 177K, etc. His point in the article is that the first novel is typically shorter (under 100K) and then when the author is established, their second and third or fourth novel might be longer. J.K. Rowling started with <100K books for the first 3, then doubled her word count for the last 4… so those are better deals for the amount of words vs. price per book. Caveat: This is a post that seems more aimed at trad. publishing, though it may be fully applicable to indy.
Which means that it might be possible to take your one book and split it in half and make two books. The math works out pretty well – 83500 words per book or so, and then you have something for marketing purposes – an entry novel – which you can discount to gain readership, then you have a second product that you offer the first two chapters at the end of your first book for free, and they can buy that one for $4.99. Or £4.99. Cheque… you're in GB? Right, then.
Let's say you sell it as a 167k novel. It's your first, so you'll probably not be able to sell it much above $1.99. Say you want to sell it for $5.00, but you know in your heart it's worth $25 a copy, but your last name isn't King and you want people to buy your book and read the thing so you can get some reviews. So it sells at $1.99.
So the gist of it is that you may be able to divide the thing in two… and you can charge cheap for no. 1, your hook, and then they'll buy #2 and it'll work out to be the price you wanted to charge for the 167 k book, but couldn't because it's your first book and people are really picky about paying full price for a first book. So you sell book #1 for $1.99, and hook them into your second book, which is selling for $4.99. That's legit, because they know you as an author now and trust you. You get paid $8.00 (less the skim for Amazon) per pair of books sold rather than $1.99. If they only buy the first and not the second, you still make $1.99, which is what you were selling the entire thing for anyway before I started hitting you with this crazy "make two books!" idea.
At least, that's the psychology of it all.
And, perhaps, the book is simply not able to be separated into two parts. You'd have to make too many changes, incorporate the three acts into two books (six acts) and reconfigure the character arcs, and so on.
I hope this gives you something to work with.
LikeLike
February 3, 2016 at 11:14 am
Thanks for this, Matt. Okay, where do I start? 😛
I do have a natural break about a third of the way through my novel, but splitting it there makes the story weaker, I think. I asked my beta readers if they thought I should split it and they all said no… but then they’re potential buyers, right? 😉
Your math and your psychology are sound though. When I have my friend read it, I’ll put the question to her also, and see what she says.
Oh, and I’m in Canada. 🙂
LikeLike
February 1, 2016 at 11:02 pm
Break a keyboard (or pen or leg), Linda – I know your book will be a hit.
LikeLike
February 1, 2016 at 11:09 pm
Haha! I’d better not break my keyboard at this point! 😛
Thanks very much for your support, CM. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 1, 2016 at 10:52 pm
Congrats and Good luck, Linda…. wow, that’s a lot of words.. like a seriously lot! The most I’ve ever written at once is just shy of 45k.. I am so impressed Linda. Wow.. okay, I’d better go before I wow you to death!
LikeLike
February 1, 2016 at 11:08 pm
Haha! Thanks, Lori. 🙂 I’m good with 50 words or 150K words. Anything in between is iffy. 😉 😛
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 1, 2016 at 11:16 pm
*laughs* You are welcome, Linda… I do well with no more than 3000 ha! I wrote those near 45k for the A-to-Z challenge last year, otherwise I would never have come even close.
LikeLike
February 1, 2016 at 11:20 pm
A-Z is a great exercise, isn’t it? In 2014 I came out of it with a novella, which I also hope to publish soon. 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 1, 2016 at 11:25 pm
It really is.. especially for fiction writers and poets. Eventually I hope to clean up the story I wrote.. I think there are at least 60k words in it to become a novella. Good luck with getting that one published too, Linda 🙂
LikeLike
February 1, 2016 at 11:31 pm
60K’s a novel. In fact, according to NaNoWriMo, you only need 50K. So there you go! 😀
Thanks again, Lori! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 1, 2016 at 11:43 pm
Aha! then I may one day be a novelist *w00t* Anytime, Linda 🙂
LikeLike
February 1, 2016 at 11:44 pm
You’re only 5,000 words away already! 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 1, 2016 at 11:53 pm
Yep… and all of that needs to be some hard science… which means research… uggs. ha!
LikeLike
February 1, 2016 at 10:47 pm
All my good luck are belong to you and Dagmaru! 😀
LikeLike
February 1, 2016 at 11:05 pm
Thank you, Joey! 🙂 Dagmaru appreciates it, and so does I! 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 1, 2016 at 10:21 pm
Good Luck, Linda! 🙂
LikeLike
February 1, 2016 at 10:33 pm
Thanks, KG! 🙂
LikeLike
February 1, 2016 at 9:46 pm
Good luck on being less busy! But wow, 750 pages. That’s pretty impressive. Hope your muse gets it and reads it 🙂
LikeLike
February 1, 2016 at 9:50 pm
Thanks, Jay! 🙂 I hope so too!
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 1, 2016 at 9:32 pm
Good luck! If they don’t find your manuscript awesome, well they are blind…stupid or perhaps both?! 😉
LikeLike
February 1, 2016 at 9:42 pm
Haha! Thanks for the vote of confidence, Vic. 🙂 And the good wishes too!
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 1, 2016 at 9:22 pm
Good luck. I am faced with the same problem, long novels but not enough money for a professional editor.
LikeLike
February 1, 2016 at 9:41 pm
It’s a really tough choice, isn’t it? Thanks very much, Craig. I wish you luck as well. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 1, 2016 at 9:21 pm
Such exciting news! Wishing you much luck! 🙂
LikeLike
February 1, 2016 at 9:40 pm
Thank you, Barbara! 🙂
LikeLike
February 1, 2016 at 9:20 pm
Much luck offered. One day, I will send Min Ho the Shinee Love story I wrote for him. Maybe we can both do it at the same time -and wish each other luck!
http://www.fiddledeedeebooks.wordpress.com
LikeLike
February 1, 2016 at 9:40 pm
Indeed! I’ll look forward to it, Dee. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 1, 2016 at 9:14 pm
Congrats!!!! I look forward to the final product.
LikeLike
February 1, 2016 at 9:39 pm
Thanks, Pamela! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 1, 2016 at 9:11 pm
Good luck. While I have always wanted to write a book, I seriously doubt I have the ability to do so. Authors, all authors, are my idols.
LikeLike
February 1, 2016 at 9:13 pm
Thank you so much. 🙂 It’s been a seriously long road, but this year, I’m determined.
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 1, 2016 at 9:09 pm
Break a leg
LikeLike
February 1, 2016 at 9:10 pm
Thanks, John! I’ll take that in the spirit in which it’s intended, but if I end up in a cast, I’m looking at you. hehe
LikeLiked by 2 people
February 2, 2016 at 9:22 am
Ha ha ha.
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 1, 2016 at 9:09 pm
Oh how exciting – congrats on this next step!
LikeLike
February 1, 2016 at 9:09 pm
Thank you! 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people