It’s been a little while now since my last update so when I got done with my to-do list today, I decided to drop a line.
So last time we talked, I was trucking away at The Devil You Know. I sent the first 5 chapters (Doesn’t sound like much but that’s over 10,000 words) to a group of writer friends for some feedback. And feedback I did get!
Luckily, none of the feedback was “ummm, please just stop.” Everyone was digging the idea behind the book but I needed some polishing.
One of the big reader questions was regarding the back story of a pair of the characters and answering that question lead me to Burning.
Burning is my prequel! The events that I needed to describe took place before chapter 1 in the book. After panicking over “how the HELL and I supposed to cram this into the book without it being forced?”, I tossed some ideas back and forth with Ginny and decided that the best way to approach my little plot hole was to write a prequel – something stand alone, something short, something to draw the reader in and want to know more!
A little over a week ago, I finished Burning and started the edits on it. After combing over it a bazillion times, I was finally to the point where I wasn’t seeing necessary changes anymore and needed a fresh set of eyes. I sent it off to three good friends who are all writers that I have a lot of respect for and asked them top be gentle.
One of them described it as “6000 awesome words”. Lol
And I got some good suggestions from the other two. No major changes and a big step up from the feedback I got on the first few chapters of The Devil You Know. The suggested touch ups were just that. No major rewrites, just touch ups. So, now I am into editing for round two. However, the changes were so minor that I am not in a state of utter dread. It’s a lot easier to fix something that’s already written than to have to insert and entirely new body of work.
As I get closer to Burning being finished product, I realized that one day I am going to be on the other side of the emails. I will be the one sending out review requests and I will be the one getting requests on my website… MY WEBSITE!!! I HAVE NO WEBSITE!!!! Enter panic mode.
This past weekend while editing Burning, I realized that I once I am done all the editing and polishing and buffing – I am going to actually publish this. And nothing drives me more crazy than trying to track down an indie author’s contact info when they have no website. Last night, I started building.
Click the banner to see the site!
It’s still very much under construction but it’s getting there.
With that, I will leave you all with a sneak peek at the cover of Burning, the prequel to the Demon Legacy series! Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now get back to writing!
LOL!! I will, I will!
Great header and the cover is amazing! May I ask who did it? It’s a perfect cover for Burning. Looking forward to reading the final edited version. It’s a captivating story with wonderful characters.
Thanks Alpha! Actually, I did the cover. This morning. lol I already knew what I wanted. It was just a matter of getting ti put together. However, Kittrose is being commissioned for the cover to The Devil You Know. 🙂
Awesome! Hmmmm…..wonder if I can get ARCs of these??? 😉
[…] Jena’s Adventures in Writing a Novel: Part IV […]
Good for you! So much work! Wowzahs!
Yes arc’s over this way please 🙂
I can’t wait to read it! I also agree with Ginny…write, and Heather…ARC please! 😉 Love the cover as well. You’re going places Gregoire! Keep up the great work!