cornerofmadness

As I ramp up for Nano I realize, I’m not ramping up. I’m not really doing much of anything other than sitting around in a gray fog. I don’t want to be in this fog but I am. I think part of it is I’m so overwhelmed with this new class, I can’t see up. Part of it is this new medication makes me so sick and drained I can’t even stay awake some days.

That is the negative.

Here is the positive. I love the characters in my nano. Yes I’m cheating a bit. I’m using something I’ve been noodling with (and not counting that first 10K). I think out of all the ones I’ve written this one has the greatest potential for sales as it’s close to contemporary but has paranormal elements, so to keep ME interested. It’s set locally. You’ve met the characters already and I’ve borrowed a page from silvrethorn and did a Tarot reading to help shore up the plot. The strange thing is the cards lined up with what I had already planned to write. Naturally I have no outline because I’m a hard core pantser.

the Tarot reading and more right here

And OH, a student gave me the BEST idea on how to torture Brendan with something I didn't know existed until this friday. I'm staying mum about it because I hope it'll be a big reveal in the novel itself (PM me if you're curious and don't mind a spoiler).

Another positive, I have a great local group. Yes they might be far from me distance wise but we mostly get along very well and help each other.

But the other thing circulating around in my head along with the nano thoughts is how hard it is to find a good beta. Oh you can find beta sites but generally from what I’ve seen is authors putting up their stuff and no one commenting. Right now I’m staring at Blood Red Roulette thinking it needs one more set of eyes on it, not so much to beta - evil_little_dog has done the heavy lifting on that, but to read over just for flow and to be sure things are in the right order (as I moved things around a ton) and to see if a few highlighted areas are needed or not. But even that is hard to do so in the end, probably in December I’ll send it in as is (I did want it in by the end of this month but while I had the edits, I failed to use them, points to that class and cleaning house for mom.)

I’ve read several articles lately saying to get a good beta you need to be one. Sounds advice really. I used to beta for ELD a lot but lately I’ve failed to beta what I’ve been given. I owe tinhutlady & mamculuna but I don’t even know where I put the damn files at this point. Part of it is time and part of it is failing memory, not sure if that’s due to age, medication, depression or just that I have too many plates spinning and if it’s not flashing at me, I don’t remember it.

So, since I got a Christmas gift today, it seems only right that I make a New Year’s resolution too. I am going to be a better beta. I’m definitely interested in trading stories for editing (well not in November of course). If you’re interested let me know.


And in spite of me being in my unheated office in an empty building (well one of the math teachers and chem prof is here too) on a Sunday let me offer you up a full course serving of links.

From various sources:
editing software

how to use a professional review

what stranger things taught me about storytelling

And from Betty - small town world building useful for my nano

Beating writer’s block

Designing your fantasy empire (might have shared before)

Preventing a formulaic story


peanut Butter + chocolate = better writing

technically a Christian fic site but these tips are good for all

the dos and donts of twitter for authors

waking up early to write (okay this advice for me earns a GFY response but some of you like to be up in the morning)

surviving the storm

And who is doing Nano this year? Give me a shout.