Ok...ok...so I know I'm a genius, so I knew I'd figure this whole blogging thing out eventually! Be sure to check out our new page added just for links to all things Cynthia and Gail!
It's on the side...to the right. And it provides access to Gail's free story on friedfiction.com, Arrows of Dispair (be sure to go and read/review!!) as well as links to where you can buy our books. Now, granted, for some reason the links themselves aren't working. BUT if you copy and paste them into your address bar, you should be just fine.
Fingers crossed, this genius of the technological realm will manage to fix those links!!
XOXO
Cyn
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Monday, February 22, 2010
This Ain' t Your Average Box of Wheaties....
I know...I know...its almost been a month since we've posted last! Wow, February flies by fast, doesn't it?? BUT such a delay does not come without giving me a fabulous idea for this post: how professional should you be as a writer?
Aw..come on, Cyn...I can hear you asking me now...Really? You mean to tell me that you just don't sit down and type out brilliance?? There's actual work involved??
The answer to this question is so simple, it hurts. Yes. Yes there is.
So just how professional do writers have to be? While granted, I see writing as moments of bliss as I create worlds at my fingertips, there is a TON of work involved. Research (always fun when you go to Barnes and Noble to pick up a copy of the Necronamecon!) plays a huge part, as does searching out publishers and planning. As a writer, it is up to you to decide what worlds you want to create, but when those worlds come together, how do you make them real, and most importantly, where are they going to be published all play a crucial role in making the difference between a dabbler (those who write for themselves) and a published writer.
Hence, the reason why this post has been so delayed. We've been working on a combination of things. Promotion for Balefire by writing shorts and submitting them to anthologies/websites. Searching through countless anthologies and polishing up older pieces to send in with the hopes of furthering the name Cynthia Gael. Planning, and plotting, Bloodstone until we've hammered out a brief outline and a starting date to begin writing (March 13). Finally, but just as important, going out to meet with fans at the Local Authors Showcase 2010 held at a local library here in SC.
Just as with anything important, writers must maintain a professional attitude. You can't type out three pages a day and call it quits until tomorrow. You can't sit back and pray to whatever God motivates your existance that your brillance will be recognized and suddenly, you're rich and famous. It takes more than a box of Wheaties to make your work come alive, and recognized - I know. I'm still doing it myself.
Writing is a lot of hard work, that's true. But if its your passion, if its your life, every moment is totally worth it....
Aw..come on, Cyn...I can hear you asking me now...Really? You mean to tell me that you just don't sit down and type out brilliance?? There's actual work involved??
The answer to this question is so simple, it hurts. Yes. Yes there is.
So just how professional do writers have to be? While granted, I see writing as moments of bliss as I create worlds at my fingertips, there is a TON of work involved. Research (always fun when you go to Barnes and Noble to pick up a copy of the Necronamecon!) plays a huge part, as does searching out publishers and planning. As a writer, it is up to you to decide what worlds you want to create, but when those worlds come together, how do you make them real, and most importantly, where are they going to be published all play a crucial role in making the difference between a dabbler (those who write for themselves) and a published writer.
Hence, the reason why this post has been so delayed. We've been working on a combination of things. Promotion for Balefire by writing shorts and submitting them to anthologies/websites. Searching through countless anthologies and polishing up older pieces to send in with the hopes of furthering the name Cynthia Gael. Planning, and plotting, Bloodstone until we've hammered out a brief outline and a starting date to begin writing (March 13). Finally, but just as important, going out to meet with fans at the Local Authors Showcase 2010 held at a local library here in SC.
Just as with anything important, writers must maintain a professional attitude. You can't type out three pages a day and call it quits until tomorrow. You can't sit back and pray to whatever God motivates your existance that your brillance will be recognized and suddenly, you're rich and famous. It takes more than a box of Wheaties to make your work come alive, and recognized - I know. I'm still doing it myself.
Writing is a lot of hard work, that's true. But if its your passion, if its your life, every moment is totally worth it....
Sunday, February 7, 2010
To Expand or Not Expand, That Is the Question
Is your manuscript polished? Ready to shine before the world in all its glory? Check it again. I know! You’ve heard it before, but really, its perfect! Right? Maybe. Or maybe not.
Right now, Balefire and Moonstone is going through the extensive process of (you guessed it!) expansion. It sounds like it would be a ton of work, and really, who says that 57,000 words isn’t enough? But to be honest, this expansion is a lot of fun. No, really. I’m not just saying that to make myself feel better.
When you’re expanding your manuscript, you already know your world. You know what has happened, and you know your babies. What you don’t know is what scenes to expand, right? Well, maybe you do. Was there a section that you felt needed more padding? More detail that you didn’t add before?
With our expansion, we began with the goal to expand Moonstone up another 10,000 to 20,000 words. We’d already talked about what was needed. What we wanted to do. So we started there. It was like revisiting an old friend that you’re giving a makeover to.
Then what happened was this: new scenes came to mind. And they work wonderfully in with what we’ve already written. Thus far, we’ve achieved our partial goal, reaching 66,000 words total for Moonstone. But we have more to write before its expansion is done. No biggie. We know what we’re going to do. Where we’re going. We just needed the push to do it.
Here are a few things to remember when you are thinking about expanding your existing manuscript:
1) Were there any scenes that you had questions about before, or that your readers had questions about, that need further information for clarification?
2) What’s your current word count? Would an expansion be beneficial?
3) What reasons do you have for wanting to expand your work? Is it a requirement for your agent? Do you feel like its unfinished without these final words?
4) And finally, what do you want to accomplish? What’s your roadmap going to look like when its finished?
5) Do you know where you’re going?
XOXO,
Cyn
Right now, Balefire and Moonstone is going through the extensive process of (you guessed it!) expansion. It sounds like it would be a ton of work, and really, who says that 57,000 words isn’t enough? But to be honest, this expansion is a lot of fun. No, really. I’m not just saying that to make myself feel better.
When you’re expanding your manuscript, you already know your world. You know what has happened, and you know your babies. What you don’t know is what scenes to expand, right? Well, maybe you do. Was there a section that you felt needed more padding? More detail that you didn’t add before?
With our expansion, we began with the goal to expand Moonstone up another 10,000 to 20,000 words. We’d already talked about what was needed. What we wanted to do. So we started there. It was like revisiting an old friend that you’re giving a makeover to.
Then what happened was this: new scenes came to mind. And they work wonderfully in with what we’ve already written. Thus far, we’ve achieved our partial goal, reaching 66,000 words total for Moonstone. But we have more to write before its expansion is done. No biggie. We know what we’re going to do. Where we’re going. We just needed the push to do it.
Here are a few things to remember when you are thinking about expanding your existing manuscript:
1) Were there any scenes that you had questions about before, or that your readers had questions about, that need further information for clarification?
2) What’s your current word count? Would an expansion be beneficial?
3) What reasons do you have for wanting to expand your work? Is it a requirement for your agent? Do you feel like its unfinished without these final words?
4) And finally, what do you want to accomplish? What’s your roadmap going to look like when its finished?
5) Do you know where you’re going?
XOXO,
Cyn
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