Changing Tides (and Facing Revisions)

My critique group reviewed my new middle grade novel a couple of weeks ago. I was thrilled to get good reviews. Of course, this doesn't mean it's ready to send out. I have lots of work to do! I've been with The Wild Writers (http://www.thewildwriters.com/) for a year now, so there were no surprises as I sat on the hot seat. These folks are incredible, and they don't mince words, and they don't let me get away with sloppy writing or cutting corners. Some of the biggies I'm facing are: delay the second major turning point; the middle sags - give the protagonist a larger purpose and make her more active; revise the ending. Then, of course, there are smaller suggestions that only mean reconstructing and/or rearranging whole chapters. But hard as it is to face the major revisions, I know the group is right, and I've made the plunge. Getting started was hard, but I'm already feeling good about the changes, and each morning, I look forward to working on it.

I'd played around with titles for the book, and after some group discussion, one title was suggested that everyone liked and that fit the story well. I've titled the book "Changing Tides." I hope to have the next draft completed before the Pikes Peak Writers Conference in April where I plan to pitch it to an agent. Keeping my fingers crossed for good tides!

Hopping on the E-train

The e-buzz about e-books has everyone in the writing world scrambling to understand it and its implications for the future of writing and publishing. Our critique group is no exception, and we've been having a number of discussions about where the e-book train is heading. I'm finding it both exciting and daunting as I try to wrap my mind about what it all means. For example, what role do agents and publishers play in this evolving e-book market? How does it effect book reviews? Will the move to e-books effect the quality of books available to readers? Will "e-sales" become the index for labeling novels as "satisfactory" or "good" or "excellent"? Along with many fellow readers, I resisted the move away from the traditional hardcover books which for years has been synonymous with rainy days and crackling fires, but the e-book movement is gaining momentum, and I finally broke down and bought my Kindle. While my heart still fights for the old way of doing business, I'm glad that our group is taking the initiative to stay abreast of the e-book whirlwind and evaluate the impications for us as writers. Change often comes like a speeding locomotive, and if you don't hop on, you'll be waving goodbye from the tracks.