Manuscript Therapy

Life stress has been kicking my butt lately, so I took a break and gathered all my chapters together in manuscript form. Note: that's form, not format. I run hard copies and save unto discs all my chapters as I create them. I took the hard copies, punch holes in them, and placed them into a large binder. I have five chapters left to get into it and it looks nice.

My husband called this an irritant because I only have a small hand 3-hole puncher at home. It threatened to give me blisters and drive hubby nuts with the noise.

But I call it therapy. My book is one thing in life I can control... one thing I can accomplish... one thing that goes as planned, even when the characters turn surprises on me. That just makes it so much better.

I'm about a week away from putting TKQ aside and working on the synopsis, which is half done, and outline for PLS. I don't usually work with outlines, because they change as I write anyway. But I'm doing one for show - if I find an agent before PLS is finished my presentation package will show how serious I am about it. It's captivated me for over five years now, I know I'm serious... now I just need to show it.

I'm also thinking of getting to work on the synopsis and outline of Oriel's book before the end of the year too. Might as well have a lot to show!

Good places to check out: Joe Konrath http://jakonrath.blogspot.com/ is going into detail about his marketing experience and thoughts. Well worth the reading. I'm pretty sure I won't be as vibrant of a salesperson as he is ... maybe more along the lines of Lee Goldberg, who his taking Joe's approach on his level. http://leegoldberg.typepad.com/

And I can feel for S.L. Viehl's position. http://pbackwriter.blogspot.com/ I can tell from seeing similar situations through others, family and friends and aquaintenances, that she's done all she could for her son. I pray that she stays strong through the bashings from other people that she doesn't deserve and that she is strong in facing her own feelings of guilt that she shouldn't have, but a mother in this position cannot avoid feeling. And I pray for the victims, who need closure and strength to put this tragedy behind them.