C.S. Larkin

I grew up checking books out at our local library. When I became an adult, the local library was one of the first places I visited whenever I moved to a new community. Although, once I acquired my Kindle, the trips to the physical library became less, my reading didn’t slow down. In fact, I still check out books from the library, only now it’s virtual.

So, what a pleasant surprise to discover, via C.S. Larkin and her guest, Porter Anderson, the exciting new program, Self-e.

From Library Journal and BiblioBoard, Self-e is a platform where independent authors can get their ebooks into the American Library system. Wow! You can read about it and even upload your e-book here at @ Live Write Thrive Introducing Authors’ New, Free Entry into Libraries: Self-e.

And while you’re there, submit to the Library Journal’s 2015 Self-Published eBook Awards. $4000 in winnings. The deadline is midnight August 31, 2015.

As always, I’d love to hear your comments. Talk to me. Tell me your story. And as always, you can follow me on Facebook at SheilaMGood and Twitter @cofcmom.

Photo Courtesy ofhttp://www.google.com/info.agmednet.com

I started writing my first novel, several years ago. Since then, I’ve revised, cut, changed the timeline, and rethought some of the characters in my current work in progress (WIP).

Am I going about the process the right way? Perhaps and perhaps not, opinions differ.

Janice Hardy at Fiction University (a favorite of mine) has a thought-provoking post on this today, “Onward…No? Write to the End or Go Back and Edit.” The reasons, she suggests, writers get into the revision and edit mode include:

The first chapter isn’t where the story starts.
The story just isn’t working.
You’ve decided the story you’re writing, isn’t the real story.
The character you thought was the protagonist isn’t.
Or, you’ve studied the craft, learned a few techniques, and want to fix your mistakes.

As part panster and part planner, I’ve experienced all of the above. I do study the craft; I read and sometimes make revisions and edits. I hope my novel will be better for it.

At any rate and well past 30,000 words, I’m too far to stop now. I plan to see this first draft to fruition.

Want more information on writing a novel, check out these resources:

Janice Hardy’s, Planning Your Novel: Ideas and Structure

Larry Brooks, Story Engineering @ Storyfix.com

C.S. Larkin’s, The 12 Key Pillars of Novel Construction: Your Blueprint for Building a Strong Story

or James Scott Bell’s, Super Structure: The Key to Unleashing the Power of Story