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On June 16th, the Many Shades blog will be closed.
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Showing posts with label edits. Show all posts
Showing posts with label edits. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

My Achey-Breaky Back


Yeah, I know, that does sounds ominous and I suppose it is. But as I got up today, I felt the right side of my back tweak for lack of a better word. My 17 yo heard me as well since the only reason I was awake at this god-forsaken hour (5 am) was to get him up for soccer practice. I must have moaned or something because he was immediately at my side with a “You okay, Mom? You seem to be in pain.”

As I slid to the side of the bed and try to sit up, all I could think is 'What the heck did I do?' I just looked at him and replied, “It would seem that way, wouldn’t it?” One good thing I found was the more I moved, the better it felt. So I have two days to go through before my regularly scheduled chiropractic appointment and my therapeutic massage. Right.

For years, people thought I was crazy because I am religious about those appointments. I was religious about them before they became a fad and the reason why is because they keep one healthy and moving and pain free. Matter of fact, this is the first time in about five years I’ve even had back problems at all and if my memory serves me correctly, it is basically the same thing except on the opposite side.

At that time, I slept wrong. Somehow I scrunched myself up in such a manner that I had the whole left side of my back spasming. This time, I know it is a combination of sleeping on a crappy bed at my Dad’s house , traveling in the car for long hours and more than likely, little to no exercise because my butt has been planted in this chair since I got home as I’m on an editing and writing jag not to mention deadlines.

And I know better. I thought I’d have time and I wouldn’t get nailed until the day before my appointment. But I was wrong as I felt this back ache slowly come on during this past week. If I’d have taken all those little aches and pains I’d felt earlier in the week seriously, I would have realized I need to do more walking, stretch every day and get another chiropractic appointment in this week. Dummy me. This is almost the same things as last time as I waited until it was too late and then had to have a series of appointments before I was fixed.

I’ve learned my lesson, or should have as I just dialed my doctor hoping to get in today. LOL!

This whole thing brings up the thought of manuscript health. In May, when I knew I was going on vacation, I realized I wouldn’t be close to my critique partners or anyone who’d really be able to give me good feedback on my work, I went out to look for something that could. And just like expected I was pretty internet deprived. I even blogged about it at the time as I had found the fantastic AutoCrit program. Since then, I have grown to love the program because it is so much like my crit partners and a few of my editors. I am really pleased with the program and while it will never replace the real people in my life, it will give them the occasional run for their money.

Imagine my surprise when I get home I find an email from the owner of the company, Nina Davies, in my inbox. She wrote me about what I had said in this blog at the end of May. She was so pleased and grateful for my blog that as a result, today I am giving away a free Platinum Membership to one lucky author. This is a $77 value and is good for a full year of services. If you have never seen this program in action, go check out the free trial as it will be well worth your time.

So far, I have run about 200,000 of my written words through the process. One such book is the very first book I ever wrote. I want it to see the light of day BUT realize Midnight Run needs work. Lots of work. LOL!. The first round is a chapter by chapter edit. Next time I run the 72K book through, it will be the whole thing and believe me when I say, the program will look at the pacing, redundancies and more. I wholeheartedly support this program as it has helped me to become a better writer overall.

My August giveaway is still underway. One lucky winner will be chosen at the end of the month to receive a basket full of goodies including an iPod. And this prize just keeps getting better and better. The basket I purchased is a handmade version I picked up at the Idaho Falls Farmer’s Market. It is deep and the colors matched what I saw as the perfect giveaway. This person will be so happy with this I just can’t wait to give it away!

As always, all you need to do is to comment here and be entered for my drawings. The winner of the copy of AutoCrit will be announced here next week as I want to give everyone the chance to be in the drawing which means I’ll pick a winner at 12:01 am next Wednesday. At the same time, you will be entered in the August End-of-Summer giveaway.

Hope you all have a great week. Until next time...

Lynn

Sunday, October 12, 2008

The Edits Are Coming! The Edits Are Coming!

I have been hard at work on the edits for my October release, so you will have to excuse me if I ramble and make no sense. No sleep tends to do that to people. Me especially! Let me tell you, Red Bull and coffee have been my best friends this weekend.Still, I am happy because there are many an aspiring writer who would love to have to this problem.
Everyone in the family is avoiding me and the dark cloud of grumpiness that always comes when I am working under a deadline. The dog hides out in the yard, the kids go to a friend's house, and the ugly cat retreats to the closet. As soon as they all see me pull on my "editing" sweat pants and t-shirt, they all abandon ship. My husband on the other hand, get an evil glint in his eye. He knows that I will be so lost in my computer he will have the television to himself and he can watch all the Ultimate Fighting that he wants. I hate the sport whereas he loves it with a passion. I'm sorry, I just don't get it. To me it looks like two guys rolling around with blood covering them. It reminds me a bit of the Roman Gladiator battles and sadly, there is no Russell Crowe. Believe me, I looked.

So, I ignore him and continue to battle my edits, cringing at some of the stupid and obvious mistakes I make. In my Archangel Series, one of the Lehor brother's name is Mael. For two paragraphs in Hell's Angel I call him, "Meal". My editor, J, just loved that one. I wonder if I am the only author that makes such stupid errors. Surely not?

To make things even worse, the weather outside is beautiful. It would be so nice to go to the cider mill and get a caramel apple and hot cider. I ask myself is it worth it?

I answer my own question immediately. Yes, it is worth it. I am an author, not just in my job description, but in my heart. I write because I can't imagine not writing. It is who I am, what defines me. To give this up would be giving up a piece of me. I love it all, even the edits. Nothing fires my blood up more than to have to work under a tight deadline. I love the challenge of having to complete something with the clock ticking. Call me crazy, call me stupid, call me certifiable.

Me, I'll call myself a writer.
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