I’ve been editing my novel lately. I took a part-time summer job which allows me to work on my novel, or any other writing I have. I’ve been joking that it may be the most I ever get paid for my creative writing.
The Forest Horses
I recently finished The Forest Horses, by Saskatchewan author Byrna Barclay. Barclay is a well-established author, and tends to mention my neighbourhood (Livelong, Saskatchewan), which is part of the attraction for me. But she is also a tremendous writer.
The Forest Horses was published in 2010. For some reason, it didn’t receive a lot of media attention, which is a shame. I can’t quite figure out why it was overlooked, especially since it won the John V. Hicks Award before it was published. However, it is well worth a read.
Going indie?
Last Saturday I attended the “Get Publishing” conference in Edmonton. The conference is geared towards writers who, of course, want to publish. Much of the conference focused on self-publishing versus traditional publishers.
Are you a natural novel or short story writer?
I’m listening to an interview with Annabel Lyon, author of The Golden Mean. Annabel mentions that she considers herself more of a natural short story writer, rather than a novelist. She compares it to running – either you’re a natural sprinter or marathon runner.
What do you think? Do you have a strong preference for one or the other?
You can listen to the interview on CKUA’s Bookmark page.
Thoughts on handling bad reviews
You may have heard of writer Jacqueline Howett’s big blow-up over a negative review. You may have even read the comment thread and laughed your arse off (seriously, you must read it). Judging by the excerpts and Jacqueline’s comments,Big Al seemed very restrained and diplomatic in his review.
Thinking about characters and negative space
I like to cross-country ski in the winter. I usually go three or four times a week, when I have time. I figure that since it’s usually winter in Saskatchewan, I might as well enjoy it.
How do people end up in jail?
Through each revision of this novel, I’ve been trying to make things more and more realistic. The plot revolves around a murder, so I’ve been doing a bit of research into our legal system out here and trying to figure out how exactly the police would have investigated a murder in rural Sask. in 2002.
What’s on Darby’s Playlist
Last week I mentioned that I like to listen to specific songs to get me into the right kind of mood while editing. My friend JQ sent me a link to literary mixtapes (check out Alice’s playlist). JQ also mentioned that one of her literary friends creates playlists for all her major characters.
I thought this was a really cool form of character development. It works especially well for my main character, Darby, because she’s a musician. So I spent a little while putting together a playlist for Darby – check it out on Grooveshark.
The Obsession Continues
In my last post, I mentioned that I was meeting with my editor to discuss what needs to be done next. Since then, I’ve met with my editor, and we had a very good discussion about revisions. This week, I’m back in the editing groove.
Project update…
Well, I have been neglecting this blog very badly for the last few months, and am sorry to those of you who follow it regularly.
An editor has been looking at my manuscript, so I haven’t been doing much with my novel. In fact, I’ve hardly even been thinking about my novel lately. To be honest, it was a nice break.
