editing process – Sydney Aaliyah Michelle

Insecure Writer’s Support Group – Ups and Downs

Published on October 2, 2013 by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle24 Comments

I can’t believe it’s already October. Where has this year gone? Before I get into my insecurities for this month, I wanted to give a shout out and congrats to our fearless IWSG leader, Alex Cavanaugh. If you haven’t read his Cassa series cumulating with CassaStorm, which was released last month, you are missing out.

Thanks to the #IWSG co-hosts this months, Julie Luek, Rachna Chabria, Beverly Fox, and Ilima Todd! Please be sure to thank them for their time and effort to make all IWSG members feel welcome.

#IWSG – The ups and downs are inevitable in this journey. It is like life I guess, some days the words are flowing, the goals are being met, your on top of things. Other times, you can’t help but be overwhelmed by the weight of it all.

September was a particularly unstable month for me. Here are some of the highlights:

I started the month on a four day solo writing retreat to The Hill Country near Lake Travis (North of Austin, Tx). – UP

The hotel I stayed at was a hole. – DOWN

I found an amazing spot to gets some work done and finished edits on my WIP. – UP

I sent my WIP out to some amazing people who agreed to beta read it for me. – UP

I started my own read through and found so many grammar issues, I recalled it from all the beta’s. – DOWN

I thought I had found a new critique group with two ladies who write in my genre. – UP and super excited to have some feedback from fans and writers of NA.

After emailing them my WIP, they decided I wasn’t right for their group after all. – WAY DOWN and a little defeated.

I submitted my query letter to Unicorn Bell Query Workshop and received the most amazing feedback and suggestions and from that I created a query letter that I am so proud of. – WAY UP and renewed my faith in this amazing writing community.

I pitched my story during #PitMad and got two partials and a full request, one from my dream agent. – UP

I sent a query letter to another dream agent and got a partial request based on just the query letter. – WAY UP

I am still editing my WIP because every time I read through it I find something that needs to be improved. – UP & DOWN

How do you deal with the ups and downs of being a writer?

My Weekly Update – Edits, Please.

Published on March 3, 2013March 2, 2013 by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle9 Comments

I’m a Minnion

Thanks to Nicole from The Madlab Post for choosing me to be one of her minions.

I am on a staff with Sheila Siler, Tami Van Zalez and M.J. Joachim. A talented, smart and fun group to be a part of and we will do Nicole proud.

Have you signed up for the A to Z Challenge? For more information, read this.

Still trying to figure out a theme, read this.

Third Week Of Edits

In order to stay up to date on my edits, I have a number of accountabilities (that’s a word) in place.

the writers dojo – As a part of NiNoReMo group, I have set a goal to edit 12 chapters in the month of March. Ali cross and the rest of the group are super supportive and I don’t want to let them down.
Beta readers – I am sending chapters to my beta readers as soon as I finish editing them and it’s a good sign when my beta’s are calling me to send more chapters. They are breathless with anticipation (anyone know where that quote comes from?). And, one of my beta’s said, I can’t wait to see if the main characters get together, but she picked the wrong two main characters, so she is going to be in for a surprise. That’s what I hope every reading my book when they read it. I suck them in and then turn the tables on it. hahahahaha(evil laugh).
DFW Writer’s Conference – I want my beta’s to finish reading so I can have all edits done and ready to go for the conference in May. All those agents out there are just waiting to read my manuscript. 😉

Do you work better when you’re held accountable or are you one of those internally motivated people (~~hate envy~~ proud of those people)?

Post to Ponder – Edit Edition

Chapter Edits – A Quick Overview by Raewyn Hewitt – If you’re new to editing and not sure where to start, follow these steps. It will get you far.

Four Situations When We Should Tell Rather than Show by Marcy Kennedy – I know this sounds blasphemous, but read it. It makes so much sense.

Close Edits: What I Look Out For by Tara Tyler – Great list of edits to look for.

My Favorite Blog of the Week

Rejection Love Letters – John Tompkins is a writer who has turn rejection into triumph. Ok, maybe not triumph, but he certainly has the right attitude. I have been LOL’ing over his sight all week. He turns his rejection letters into love letter.

New Followers

Next Week’s Schedule

Tuesday – Tattoo Tuesday – calling all tattoo’ed writers

Wednesday – SQM Silver Lining Playbook

Friday – The Only Exception Blog Tour

Sunday – My Weekly Update

My Weekly Update – Books and Beginnings

Published on September 9, 2012 by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle10 Comments

Books

I read a book last week. I know what you saying. “Sydney, you are a writer, your supposed to be reading books.” Let me clarify. I read a real book, last week. No. That’s not the right word. I read a physical book last week.

It had paper, a soft cover on the front and the back and I never had to recharge it. I read it in bed and didn’t have to worry about breaking my nose. Am I the only one this has happened to? (Imagine lying in bed holding your iPad/Kindle over your head and you loose your grip and from that distance it landing smack dab on your face) I can’t be the only one and it hurts. I read in the tub and didn’t have to worry about dropping my life in the bathtub and loosing all my information. And, I read on the train and didn’t have to worry about the shady guy eyeing my most prized possession and think, that could easily belong to me. (Just kidding, there are no shady people on the Hong Kong train).

Regardless, it was quite a thrill. I didn’t tap it, flick it or swipe it and accidentally turn to many pages. I read a page and manually turned to the next page. I used an old receipt as a bookmark and there was no question whether I was in the right place. I spilled some coffee on it and still kept on ready. It was so much fun.

I haven’t read a real book in about 6 months. Don’t get me wrong, I love my iPad with it’s iBook and Kindle app. But, really there is nothing like reading a real book.

What do you prefer? Your Kindle or the real deal.

Beginnings

Spring is considered the season of new beginnings, but it appears the end of summer is inspiring me and others to begin new stuff as well.

I began to edit my June novel and at this point it is a lot of work. But, I found these articles very helpful in getting my head organized to tackle this new writing task.

How to Use Brainstorming to Edit from Ava at Writability

What is It Like to Read a First Draft? from Becca at Inspiration for Creation

Roxie’s Blog is beginning a series on effective editing on September 14th. She will feature a weekly post on her editing process. I can’t wait. Her post are informative and always funny.

Sevestian Winters began a new blog: The Homeless Gazillionaire. It you haven’t read it, I would suggest you do. It is fascinating and sad and inspiring and heartbreaking and life altering all at the same time.

AM has returned to My Weekly Update. I am sure he is thrilled. But, this is legitimate. His site had a new beginning last week; a new look and a new focus and I think it is pretty cool. I also wanted to help him introduce a new feature; Wired Writers Wednesday, for all those coffee drinking writers out there. I was inspired to take this lovely photo:

New Follower – they began following me this week (it works).

Baz McAlister

Tyson Carter at Head in a Vice – Movie Review Site

Meghan Elisabeth at Book Nerd

Patrick Latter at Canadian Hiking Photography

Miranda Hardy – Future New York Times Bestseller! – I love that.

Next Weeks Schedule

Monday – What’s Your Chocolate Bloghop

Tuesday – Tattoo Tuesday

Friday – Sydney Quotes the Movies – The Bourne Legacy

Sunday – My Weekly Update