Keep a diary and one day it’ll keep you
—Mae West
I have survived my first round of edits and have returned them to my editor last night. I'm feeling very lucky: it's been a VERY light edit, as these things go. Like other editors, Elizabeth Coldwell's work has focussed on a few main things that have taught me something about my own writing. She has highlighted a few redundant words that I (apparently!) have a propensity towards. And like any good editor, she has picked up remaining spellos and some inconsistencies. It...
Read on
The GO button has been pushed! All systems go for kicking off the editing and production process, which is likely to commence in May of this year. Hurrah!
The estimated date for release is also a lot earlier than I expected:11 October 2021.
Having received my contract of offer for Something Else, I renewed my membership with The Australian Society of Authors and asked if they would assist me with a legal review. They have done a thorough review and raised some interesting points which I will see if can get addressed. A great resource for Australian writers - also very helpful for pointing out any potential differences between Australian and US publishing matters.
Wow, I'm one step closer to my dream of getting published.Today I received an email from NineStar Press saying they loved Something Else and they would be thrilled to publish it. I am quite beside myself.
And while authors (particularly emerging writers) are expected to do most of their own promotional work these days, there would have been a LOT more work for me self-publishing as an ebook. Having the support of a publisher behind you, however small, is such a...
Read on
And so more time has passed and I find myself having a well-earned rest in the middle of COVID. What a good opportunity to get back to this novel and do something with it, once and for all. The strategy I decided on was this: incorporate all the feedback from the assessment and start submitting to agents and publishers. If nothing comes of this, I will self-publish as an ebook. I have been very lucky in that some friends who were going away for a break allowed me to...
Read on
Earning money in a 'real' job really does get in the way of writing :-(
After having addressed more than half of the MS issues raised by the assessment, I lost my way with some of the tougher ones and then I started another contract of work...So, in order to try and fire up my enthusiasm again, I started putting some sample chapters (since removed) on literotica.com to see what sort of interest there might be. I was pleasantly surprised. There were a few tedious...
I am feeling blessed. I have been very lucky to have Nicola O'Shea fit me into her very busy work schedule in order to assess my MS for Something Else. The assessment was completed in record time and I'm very pleased with the quality of the feedback.
In terms of the many writing courses I've done, ultimately, the most intensive learning I've had was once I applied by posterior to the seat. As a result, professional feedback on my own novel has been some of the best...
Alicia has consulted from her company efolio since 2000. She is available for teaching and speaking engagements.
