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Welcome to this week's Novel Support Group (NSG). Anyone can join. If you're new, tell us a bit about who you are and what project you are working on. Feel free to update the NSG Work in Progress thread with your current projects. Although we can report on any number of things, here is a list of suggestions (suggestions welcomed).


What were your goals last week and did you accomplish them?
Describe what you worked on.
Set goals for next week.
Did you learn something during this week?

Here is a list of things that you can do each week as we work on our novels (suggestions welcomed).


Writing on a novel
Characterization
World Building
Relevant research

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As for me.

Last Week's Goals:

Well, it's really two weeks ago, but who's counting.

FIRE AND EARTH (formerly known as SEVEN STARS): Continue promoting.
Eh. Not really.

BLOOD IS THICKER: Prepare the combined edition I want for launch (BLOOD WILL TELL and BLOOD IS THICKER for the price of one.)
Yes. All set to go on Smashwords, which now has a pre-release option. I haven't done the Amazon version yet.

THE BARD'S GIFT: Send out the last four queries.
Yes.

MAGE STORM: Revise query in preparation for WriteOnCon.
Yes. I probably should post the revision in F & F.

MAGIC AND POWER: Rest.
Ha! Easy one.

THE SHAMAN'S CURSE: Through Chapter 42. (This version's going to have a lot of chapters.)
I don't know where I was as of last Friday, but I'm on chapter 59 now. Only five chapters to go.

WEIRD OZ STORY: Write what flows. Don't force it.
Nothing flowed.

OTHER:
Update my blog twice a week.
Yes.

Next Week's Goals:

FIRE AND EARTH (formerly known as SEVEN STARS):
Nothing for now. But hey, my first boo-reviewer review (five stars) comes out today. Check out Clean Romance Reviews a little later in the day.

BLOOD IS THICKER:
Contact potential reviewers. Let's make a goal of contacting 10 potential reviewers.

THE BARD'S GIFT: Rethink. I got absolutely no interest in this--but I got half a dozen complimentary personalized rejections. This makes me think it's not the writing; it's the setting. So, I can rewrite it as a straight up second-world fantasy, bypass agents and try a publishing house or two, or just e-publish it.

MAGE STORM:
Send out three queries.

MAGIC AND POWER:
Look it over one more time before sending it to beta readers.

THE SHAMAN'S CURSE:
Finish draft version of rewrite.

WEIRD OZ STORY:
Write what flows. Don't force it.

OTHER:
Update my blog twice a week.
 

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Posted by arriki (Member # 3079) on :
 
I just finished going through chapters 1-7 of my husband's notes on my manuscript. Pretty mild.

I'm also sweating out variations of my opening page. Basically, they fall into two "openings." One builds up to a high point. The other starts pretty much "at" the high point.

I went to the local library and checked out a bunch of outer space novels recently written. Boy! Was that a depressing lot. Don't any fans like to read about outer space and alien worlds anymore? On the other hand, I found most of the current crop rather dismal reading. Maybe it's me. But --
**I am ever so much better than these are!** Yeah, right. It is time to start thinking (entertaining the thought) about who and how to start offering the novel around to.

It seems as if all the publishing houses are closed to new manuscripts and all(?), half(?), a lot(?) of the "agents" are scam artists.

I paid to attend Lone Star Con, but I'm regretting having spent the money. I also signed up for the con's writers workshop. I dutifully sent in the sample of my manuscript as it was -- what? a month ago? I have improved it ever so much since then. I'm embarrassed to think of calling the old version, mine. Anybody else shuddering at the thought, too?
 

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Posted by Meredith (Member # 8368) on :
 

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Originally posted by arriki:

It seems as if all the publishing houses are closed to new manuscripts and all(?), half(?), a lot(?) of the "agents" are scam artists.

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Not all publishing houses are closed to submissions. Tor and Baen for two accept unsolicited submissions. The big problem with submitting direct to publishers is that you can only submit to one at a time and they can take months to get back to you.

Also, not all agents are scam artists. Use Preditors and Editors to separate the good from the bad.

And congratulations on being ready to start submitting. That's a big (and sometimes slightly scary) step.
 

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Posted by arriki (Member # 3079) on :
 
Have any tips or names to submit "to" at Tor or Baen? You can email me privately.

[ August 24, 2013, 08:44 PM: Message edited by: arriki ]
 

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Posted by Meredith (Member # 8368) on :
 

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Originally posted by arriki:
Have any tips or names to submit "to" at Tor or Baen? You can email me privately.

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