Category: Writing Work

It’s Been A Few Years…

I may make this quick. I don’t know. At this moment, I’m going through perimenopause at age 46 and will be going to the doctor soon for tests. It sucks, but it’s life as a woman.

In other news, on the writing front, I finished my fifth manuscript. It’s been tough finishing it after my cat died last autumn and the year before that my brother was murdered in August. Yeah, you read that right. It’s been a tough few years. BTW, I’m typing this entry right on my page. I would usually type it on a separate file. Sorry I’m all over the place on this entry. I’m just being real. I haven’t updated this blog in maybe 3 years? All that time I have been writing my author textbook for all my books I plan to write and writing the fifth manuscript and many short stories and studying the craft from the books I have bought over the years.

About the newest novel…it’s an Adult Portal High Fantasy trilogy. It is a complete rewrite from the first original back from 1996 when I was sixteen. I’ve edited the manuscript into a Draft 2 and gave it to a friend to beta read. Then once I go through the edits she may find, I will be querying to agents. This has been a long, long passion of mine like any writer, but this is extra special because now, in my mindset as an adult who has gone through enough of life, I know what to write about more seriously. The studying I have had to do to write better than I did in 2009 and having that book published in 2015 has taught me SO MUCH! You have no idea. I have even rewritten that book, too. It’s far better. That duology is on the back burning for now, but it is prepped for further work.

The most fearful part now, is all that god damn Anthropic AI shit! Like, what the fuck?! I’ve been watching what the Author Guild has been doing to combat Anthropic at every turn. Because of this AI slop, inshitifcation of art, that dictators, oligarchs and Nazis hate about civilization is the art that comes out of it no matter if it comes from painting, sculpture, music, acting, plays and novels and non-fiction. Without art in all its human made forms, there is no civilization. Without thinking to create said art from human minds, tears, hands and our souls, there is no civilization. That’s what these dictator assholes want to do-destroy civilization from the inside out.

While all of this goes out quietly or loudly, in front of us or inside the electronic; internet infostructure of civilization, I must not stop working on my magnum opus. For my novel and other authors who are just as stressed and scared, we must not give up on our souls. The time is now to pump out the art that makes us human and alive.

I hate it more with this AI nightmare is that we must prove what we write is real. These ‘AI detectors‘ are TRAINED on AI programing DUH!…that means they don’t fucking work! DUH!! So, if any editor, agent or publisher reads this entry, know that if you use AI on my manuscripts, I will come knocking at your door with every single printed draft, old and new manuscripts, short stories and poetry, logbooks and cataloging of my work for you to read through. AI can’t catalog the blood, sweat, tears and soulful energy that is put into the work of art. I have 30 years of work cataloged and if you fucking DARE to call my manuscripts AI, you won’t have me as a client. Let that sink in for all authors who are just as fuming pissed off at this shitstorm these techno-oligarchs have caused.

Oh and don’t get me fucking STARTED about Anthropic, ISBNdb with their ‘Project Panama’ to scan old books, chopping off the spines, scanning them and tossing them like dead bodies! FUCK YOU MOTHER FUCKERS STRAIGHT TO HELL!! Fahrenheit 451 novel was a warning, not a playbook! Oh oh, and you know, if the worlds dictionaries were scanned through, it would still spill out AI SLOP YOU FUCKING IDIOTS!!!

Creation comes from hardship, experience, love, life through the minds, eyes, hands, blood, tears and the power of the soul of every living human being! That’s the law of nature! FUCK YOUR AI programing straight to HELL!!

Now, back to my work. To any author or writer, singer or any artist that read this-get back to work, but please take your breaks when needed. Don’t allow yourself to give in to despair. Keep writing. Keep painting. Keep reading real books!

Don’t give up! I won’t either!

Bite Size Project Process

To consume a book to the eyes through the brain, to read the words on the page, they are broken up into chapter sections.

To write the book, it is broken down even further for easy study for said project. I’ve discovered over the last eight years that I may have overdone the ‘broken down projects’ by creating too many. Yet, each side study project of these manuscripts is vital for me to fully understand the story. So, I can find scene sections that need to be reworked or completely removed. To understand the world in which I’ve created to the deepest depths of its culture. If I can’t understand the Geraci family or the world of Mythia, then how can any reader understand it?

The problem is, each time I study the material, I make a WHOLE new file for said study time. I just realized how many odd study files I’ve created for myself to over analyze. It’s the bane of a type A personality, I’d say.

There’s the typical, or I hope typical, Author Bible that houses the following:

  • Character Profiles – Personality Traits, Backstory Histories, Family and Character dynamic interactions, Character Plot Arcs, Character Photos and Character Artwork
  • World Building – Culture, History, Flora/Fauna, Governmental Laws, Historical Events, Important Character Figures, Foods, Monuments, Natural Landmarks, Geography, Astronomy
  • Sciences – Hair Colors, Eye Colors, Height, Family Genetics, Evolutionary Changes, Diet, Birth Rates, Psychological Changes
  • Gods and Religion – Ceremonial Practices, Deity Histories, Religious Practices, Sacred Locations, Temples, Holy Books, Artifacts/Relics, Magic System
  • Plot – One Liners, Premise, Blurb, Synopsis 1 page, Synopsis 2 pages, Synopsis 3 pages, Scene Blurbs, Story Outline, Query Letter
  • Story Timeline – History Timeline, Character Timeline, Critical Story Events Timeline
  • Journal Cataloging – Calander, Hours Worked, Word Counts Made, Odd Notes, Rewriting Story Notes, Story Notes in Craniological Story Order Re-Journaled for easy access.

But then, I will take one of these above files, say for example Religious Practices, the whole breakdown of the Noukadian Temple Priesthood from its critical events for the story, down to when and how the Temple was built. I’ll go back to this file and add more to it that I spotted in my Story Outline.

Then this leads to going through the Story Outline again to discover a chapter needs to be reworked or removed completely. Then, I come across a story analysis excises that makes me break down the chapters into their proper story beats (learning not all Story Beats will be used, that’s normal and okay). Which further helps me find mistakes in chapters that have yet to be fully written. Furthermore, makes me go back to the Author Bible to revise an area to make sure it is correct and can be followed. If there is one element from the Author Bible that effects the Story Outline to be misaligned, then I cannot effectively write the story as it deserves to be told.

Yes, this means the odd project break downs keep happening. The Story Beat breakdown is what I’m working on as of last night. Because of this question check list, it helped me find a chapter/character development that is misplaced in the timeline of the story. Each piece I work connects the story’s progress to be that much better.

This whole process may look like it’s taking too long, but in the long run it is vitally helpful to create a better story. In the end, I hope this story is free of scene, character, plot issues. I know no book is perfect, but Quality Control is desperately needed in all new books as they come into the world by their creative authors. If we don’t do the work, then who will if they aren’t there to help us make better products that people love to consume and hopefully read and read again for years to come.

Writing a novel or a non-fiction takes time. These are processes that should never be rushed. The dedication and love for detail will pay off in the end for the author, editors, publisher and finally, the audience, the reader. The readers deserve quality and that’s why I do these multiple mini analysis breakdown projects. I do the hardest work for the future of my readers because I believe in this book, and you deserve the best I can give.

Writing & Editing Work List

This list of writing work that needs to be done may look like a hell of a lot, but I assure you it has more to do with ‘fill in notes that are missing’ and create the first draft of book 3, more than anything else. What is highlighted is the most important that are the bigger pieces of this extensive work list.

In other news of my writing, trying to get published life, my office has been 90% set up completely. Got a used laser ink jet printer from my boyfriend’s sister for Christmas. It’s a scanner, too. Nicest printer I’ve ever had and works like a dream. Since the printer is so large, we had to rearrange my desk set up to the other wall and the computer tower on my left. This new set up gives me more floor space, too. Oh, and a three-shelf mini bookcase for my art supplies and a lamp. The corner between my writing desk and art draft table is a chair to sit comfy for reading. I like how it all looks. And finally got a cork board for notes and mood board. Got it from my boyfriend’s sister. I swear I owe her in the future. I plan to pay her back for all she’s done for both of us.

Have no idea how to recreate this outline using WordPress. So, a screenshot (Taken Feb. 3, 2023) should do the trick.

Well, that’s pretty much all. If you want to follow me for writing work postings of my journal log, you can find me on Facebook. Take care.