DE-BULKING IS DONE!

I finally finished the reshaping of my novel. I started out with 145 000 words and I am proud to say that I brought it down to 106 000 words.

I had to end the novel at a very earlier stage but seeing that it is the first book of a planned series, I guess it is ok. There will just be a lot more editing for the second book, seeing that the book will continue where the first one ended.

I kept the first one light and it only has romantic elements, where the second one is more of a love story. So I am not sure if I can classify something as a paranormal romance novel if it only has romantic elements. But I will figure that out.

I am not sure what my New approach is for my blog. Everyone is either spicing up or changing their blogs. I am aiming to get a few more followers on my blog this year. But first I have to think of ways to make my blog interesting or worth reading. I don't think my blog is very good and my small following, I think, is kind of proof of that.

So if the posts are a bit dreary, don't worry I am thinking of ways to make it better.

FIRST CHAPTER

Here is my first chapter of my first novel Immortal: New Beginning. It is the novel I have spent most of last year editing. I am still not completely happy with it but I thought I will put myself out there and hear what you all have to say.

Please, be nice. I hope you enjoy. Sorry about the weird formatting.

Chapter 1
I spent 23 years…searching. That’s how long I have been alive. Never really knowing what it is I am looking for—just trying to fill the empty hole on the inside of me which felt as if it was getting bigger as I got older. It feels as if something or someone is missing. And it didn’t help that I was dumped on an orphanages doorstep when I was only 3 month’s old either.
I was walking to work this morning. It was my way to de-stress before a hard day of work.
Oak Tree city was just like any other city—lots of skyscrapers and no sign of green foliage anywhere, along with millions of people rushing to get to work on time.
I reached my office building a lot faster than I wanted. On my way to my office I walked past my boss, Anna. She pretended not to see me and I was rather happy about it.
My mood changed as soon as I walked into my office.
I noticed that there were close to 50 files that needed to be organized and the information needed to be updated. But as usual, everything was shuffled together. Someone’s idea of a practical joke. But I wasn’t laughing.
Sometimes I felt capable of terrible things like I could commit murder. Not that I ever would.
As I was reaching for the first file I heard the clicking of high heels coming my way. I knew exactly who it was. Only one person could sound as uncoordinated as her. Petra!
‘’Think happy thoughts’’ I told myself.
I had to psyche myself up to talk to her. My job was tolerable, but the people around me made me feel like an undercover serial killer.
Petra always has a smug smile on her face which already ticks me off. She always pops into my office without knocking and then there’s the meaning less conversations.
Suddenly my office door yanks open and I knew who it was. The office troll Petra, right on time like I thought.
She had the smug smile I despised spread across her ridiculously over made-up face.
Then she spoke, her voice sounding even more annoying and arrogant than her face ‘’Anna needs those 50 files before 16:00 today’’.
I felt like screaming, ‘’I quit bitch!’’. But I had to fight especially hard to restrain myself today and I needed the money. Besides this was a good job. Another good job like this might be hard to come by if not impossible.
“I will have them by then’’ I spoke as calm as I could muster for the moment.
She was glaring at me now, keeping that smug grin on her face and pissing me of by the second.
‘’Have them ready by 15:00 instead. You know if you quit you can daydream everyday on your own time’’ she said in that smug arrogant tone she always had to her voice.
“Slap her Claire!” that’s what the little voice in my head said.
“Maybe tomorrow’’ I spoke through my teeth, answering both the voice in my head and Petra at the same time.
‘’Did you hear? I might get promoted’’ she said smiling
‘’Hah’’ I replied not interested in this conversation in the least.
I felt like stapling her mouth shut with my stapler.
Out of nowhere the smell of cotton candy filled my office. I closed my eyes and took in the smell. I suddenly felt calm, not agitated at all. The scent was sweet but still sort of masculine smelling. My mind felt as if it was standing still as if I couldn’t think at all.
I opened my eyes to find Petra staring at me totally bewildered. Why wasn’t she appreciating the smell the way I was?
‘’Do you smell that? It’s…’’ I stopped short of speaking any further.
“There is nothing to smell except the smell of pen ink. You are so odd. Sometimes you give me the creeps you psycho’’ she responded storming out of my office.
I just sat there smiling, taking in the wonderful aroma. She seemed unsettled by my reaction. Maybe I should creep her out more often.
I stood up trying to find out where the scent was coming from but as quickly as it appeared it disappeared.
When the scent was gone I could focus again. I could let my mind kick start.
I immediately went to work.
* * *
I put the files on Anna’s desk at 14:40.
As I was leaving her office the smell hit me again. It wasn’t as assaulting and aggressive on my senses as the first time I smelled it, yet still absurdly appealing.
The smell was coming from the reception area. I walked over to the reception area, but nobody besides our surly receptionist was there and I knew instantly she wasn’t the source.
I walked back to my office feeling like I was losing my mind. Nobody seemed to be bothered by the smell except for me.
‘’Pull yourself together Claire. You can’t become crazy now. Not yet’’ I told myself.
It was finally 17:00. It was time to go home!
I couldn’t help but smile as I left. I had 2 days of rest. No work, no wonderful but strange scents driving me crazy—just relaxation. It was weekend!

NEW YEARS RESOLUTION

The 1st of January has come and gone. My personal deadline of 31 December 2010 (for my editing deadline) has also past and no, I did not finish. But we are heading full swing into a new year.

I spent most of my day sleeping and watching movies like Ghostbusters and Cry baby with my family and just enjoying a good laugh with my loved ones. Usually we make a big affair about going into the new year but not this year.

I was so relaxed that I didn't make a single new years resolution. All of my family members named at least one. My only answer, when they prompted me, was that I was not going to make any new years resolutions. Instead I was going to take each day as it came. I have made lists of goals and dreams my whole life and in truth, I am done making lists of which I only achieve one or maybe even two of those items on my lists.

This year I am not making any plans or writing down any dreams or goals. This year I will try my hardest instead to make them a reality. To live for the here and now or simply to just live! I know what I want and I know who I am. I might not know what my future or tomorrow holds and I might not know exactly how I might make my dreams a reality yet but I am not worried about it. I have noticed that in my case...things have a odd way of working out. Not in the manner in which I wanted or hoped but I get steered in a good direction regardless.

I hope all of you had a wonderful day and that the year holds nothing but wonderful things for you.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! I hope 2011 brings you all nothing but good-luck and that all your wishes do come true!

Just finished ending the old year and welcoming a new year with my wonderful family. I have truly been blessed in 2010 and I can only hope to have at least a tiny bit of it's blessings in 2011.

May your year ahead be blessed!

WHY WON'T THE WORDS STOP TAUNTING ME?

Christmas 2010 is now in the past and I am becoming restless once more. Why? Well as you know I have taken on the mighty task of de-bulking my manuscript. I had told myself that I wish to complete all editing of my first novel before 2011 but I fear I will not be making that a reality.

I need to get rid of 40 000 words to make it a reasonable 100 000 words. I was told this is the maximum word count for first time authors. Anything more and agents don't want to touch it, out of fear that it is over written and too much editing needs to be done.

I finished editing my printed out pages and of course I wouldn't know the final word count until I made the actual changes in my Microsoft word program. I am more than halfway on the Microsoft word program and I have only reduced the mighty 144 224 word count by 4773 words. Bringing me to 139 451.

I still have half a manuscript to go but I doubt I have eliminated enough scenes and chapters.

What was my approach? Well I printed out the actual manuscript. Read through it with my red pen and orange highlighter in hand and started crossing out scenes, words and even chapters I felt could be parted with. I thought I got rid of quite a lot of things but now I fear it was still not enough.

Will I make my personal deadline of finishing my editing before 1 January 2011? I doubt it but maybe I will pull an all nighter and surprise myself.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! I HOPE YOU HAVE A BLESSED DAY. ENJOY!

I SURVIVED!

I attended a workshop today that was hosted by the wonderful Literary Agent Louise Fury of the Laura Perkins Literary Agency. She was absolutely brilliant. She was friendly and she answered every ones questions even though at times she was bombarded by multiple questions at the same time. One thing is clear, there is a lot of aspiring writers in South Africa.

OK, so let me tell you more. There were about 30 attendees and we each got an opportunity to introduce ourselves. My brother and I sat at the back of the room, which meant we would be last to speak. Big Mistake! I had to listen to all the achievements and published authors histories and after a while I felt like a complete fake between all these experts. So finally when they got to me I was so overwhelmed and nervous that I started rambling and I started talking so fast that I still can't remember what I said. I just remember my brother turning all the shades of red possible. All he said is that ''you just embarrassed yourself''. But I don't worry about it. I know no one there will remember me because I was the least qualified to be a writer and the most inexperienced as well. I had nothing to offer a fellow writer in terms of help with their career.

Nobody was rude or anything but I just felt out of my league. Nobody said anything to me that was discouraging but I couldn't relate to anybody. They seemed so far ahead of me in this crazy world of writing that to this moment I am still struggling to decipher exactly what I was doing there or what happened. Don't worry I remembered enough that I can share what I learned with all of you.

So here goes:

Query letters should be professional and should not contain too much personal information.

In you first paragraph: mention why you are querying the agent, give the title and genre of your novel as well as the word count.

In the second paragraph: say what your book is about.

Third paragraph: a little information as to why you are the writer to write this book.


Manuscript formatting:

Always double space your work.

Use a header that contains your name and that of your book as well as some form of contact detail. Also remember to add page numbers to each page.

Use a Times New Roman font 12 Or Ariel 11.

One inch margins should be used on every page.

Maximum word count for first time writers is 100 000 words.


About writing in general:

If you want to be published in America you definitely need a agent.

Do your research about your genre. Educate yourself about the form of publishing you are seeking and the agent and publishers who deal with your genre.

Always share your knowledge with fellow writers because that is how the writing world works. You help someone today and tomorrow perhaps someone can help you. Louise called this networking and said that it is essential for any writers success.

You should have a critique partner that knows what they are talking about and participate in writing groups and public readings if you can. You need to get your work out there. Be part of an online community.

E-book publishing is very big at the moment.

Oh and another writer can steal your idea but they won't write it the same way you would. So he/she might steal your idea about vampires but only you will write it the way you would because every writers voice and style and even interpretation is different. (I am still paranoid though).

So that is all I remember for the moment, sorry. Most of our sessions turned into Question and answer sessions. Everybody was so hungry for information. You can't really blame us. A opportunity like today happens very rarely in South Africa.

Here is what I learned today: Know who you are as a writer. Know exactly what you are writing in the sense of genre. Be comfortable with who you are as a writer and your style of writing. Most importantly, know why you are doing what you are doing. Is it because you love it or is it because you just want to be rich or do you just want to be published? If you want to be rich choose another profession because becoming a published writer will take many years. And even if you are published it doesn't mean you will ever be rich or make enough money to survive on your earnings.

I learned a lot today and at least now I know how far I still have to go. I am barely just beginning. I am in fact an amateur and I am not ashamed of it because I have already grown a lot since starting this blog and who knows what my writing will be like in a few more months or even years?

So today all my fellow writers, lets believe in ourselves and our dreams, no matter how unrealistic they are. Because we first have to believe in ourselves before others can.

PS. Keep an eye out for my first chapter. I am strongly considering sharing it on my blog.