Well guys, I finally sent my manuscript to press. Almost made a terrible mistake in not writing a true marketing slant on the back matter.  The back matter (back cover) is the second marketing document for your book, the front cover being the first. What I wrote was good and actually clever. But clever is not going to sell books with all of the competition out there. Clever has to be on point. The back matter gets the book opened and then you have another chance to sell the book to the readers through the table of contents and the introduction.

So be looking out for the book: Love Better!

The joy of books

This video brought me joy. I know if you love books it will do the same for you.

Back Up your work!

Hey guys the other day someone stole my purse. The worst news is that my novel was loaded on a jump drive that was in there. I thought I had backed it up on another jump drive but turns out, I didn't transfer all of the files. So as a result I had all the chapters' titles and notes but none of the content. Fortunately however, being a writer from ole skool, I printed the most of the book because I read better when it's in print as opposed to on the screen. Yea!

Someone tells me to back up all your document on http://www.google.docs/. So I've been doing that and it's really good. I also suggest print things out and putting them in a safety box somewhere where you will remember where they are. Maybe even give a copy to a trusted friend or your mother. You know mothers tend to keep things safe for you. Whatever way you choose, back up your documents is the word for today.

New Book

Yea!!! My book is finally coming out at the end of this year! It has been a long time birthing this baby. But here it comes. So I hope you, whoever you are are listening? We are going to par-ty. To God Be All The Praise!!!

Trucking Along

It's June and I'm working on the second draft of my novel,"Fire Sisters". Hooray! Truth be known it's much hard work. The first draft is romantic. You have to tell the story quickly. It doesn't matter if you don't know what comes next or if the thing you've written doesn't make a lot of sense right then, JUST KEEP WRITING. The more you write, the more you learn.  But this second draft is where you have to make sense.  I found so many inconsistencies like in one chapter a character has long hair and a beard. Then I found I had described that same character later as clean shaven. Of course he could've shaved after, but that's not what happened.

It helps also if you can read what you have written out loud after a week or two of writing and rest. Rest? Yes. You want to put the writing away for a short spell so when you return to read it, you will read with a clean sense of understanding- like any other reader. This prevents your natural editor from kicking in and righting the wrongs and supplying information as you read.  My children bought a Kindle reader as a present for Mother's Day and I was able to upload my entire novel in progress on it.  So it reads to me. I get to hear my words as I had written them, faux pas and all.   Its great work if you truly love the writing process. Theme for today: Keep Writing!

Celebration is in Order

I have just celebrated completing the first draft of my first novel.  After attempting to write this novel or almost twenty years, I'm ecstatic about my progress.  Don't get me wrong the novel is far from finished.  I have two more rewrites at the least before I can turn it loose to publishers. But I am shopping for publishers now, am activity I couldn't seriously think about before.

Why am I blogging about this? Because I want everybody to think about celebrating every successful step in their journey to God's purpose in them. We had a blast together. But besides having a good time together, this event also made a statement to the world that I am a writer. It is the gift God gave me.  It is part of the work He began in me. According to the Word of God He will complete it.  Somewhere in between those failures, God gave me understanding to continue.

This event not only blessed me in seeing others happy for my success but it gave others encouragement to go forward and never look back. If I could do it after such a long time of misses, anybody can. To God be the glory!

I'm Still Here!

It's been a while since I've posted on this blog but nothing has changed.  I'm still a writer.  Lately I've been searching for ways to earn extra income.  Well.. let's just say income. We haven't gotten to the extra part yet.  LOL.  I stumbled onto a site called Suite101.com. It seems as if this site is open to writers like myself who needs to write, but not too sure of the article thing. It provides a little training and coaching to bring those articles up to par and ready to make money.  Granted it's commission but like anything else, if you work hard it will pay off.  So like it is said, nothing ventured nothing gained, I am venturing into the Suite 101.
On another writing note, my novel is almost completed. I have been following a novel writing guide whose focus is to get readers to write their novels in thirty days.  Well after several attempts, and many fits and falls, I'm almost there. In short the novel is about three African American ladies who are trying to keep their jobs in a corporate high tech day care center but stumbles head first into ministries that will change their lives forever.

So don't give up.