Wednesday, February 20, 2019

Update.and Hints . .


 I should be getting our tax information together but instead I'm proofreading and tweaking that first (unpublished) Elizabeth Goodweather novel. I've decided  to venture into self-publishing with this orphan before doing Birdie's stories, as I want to add a few more tales before I self-publish them.



And the Civil War novel? After my agent dropped out of the hunt, I spent much of January researching small presses and submitting the novel. This entailed all sorts of hoop-jumping -- constructing a query letter, writing synopses (not easy at any time but a real bitch when your novel has one storyline and five protagonists,) producing a marketing plan (most publishers  don't ask for this up front but some do,) and formatting my manuscript to various fiddly specifications -- header/no header, page numbers top right, page numbers bottom center, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.


It was wearisome but I learned a lot. In the classes I teach, I've always felt inadequate when it came to answering questions about seeking publication without an agent and about self-publishing. I know more now about the former and will soon know more about the latter.


And, AND . . . I think that soon I will have good news for those of you who've been waiting patiently for my Civil War novel. I can't say more at the moment but hold that thought. . .


8 comments:

Anvilcloud said...

Progress then.

Misty Barnes said...

I'm so glad to hear your Civil War story has a happy ending soon. I can't wait to read it!!

KarenB said...

Keeping my fingers crossed for you - not to mention your eager readers!

Nan Emanuel said...

So glad to hear we'll be enjoying more of your storytelling in the (hopefully) near future. Your perseverance will surely bring good things.

Lise said...

Fingers crossed and hopeful!

Sandra Parshall said...

Eagerly awaiting good news!

Jime said...

I know you will have success because you are a wonderful writer. Your story telling is second to none

Anonymous said...

Waiting with baited breath because you have your hooks in me!
Deana the queena