Day 193

Spoiler Alert! May contain planning-stage plot/character details or other spoilers!

03 May 2017

I’ve written on this subject ad nauseam, which by the way is totally spelled differently than I assumed, but anyways, wow is it hard to sit down and write. Or do anything related to the actual writing of a story, such as plotting, reviewing edits, typing, deleting etc. Writing is hard, you guys. (Inspired by Narbonic: Director’s Cut, which I have been devotedly reading instead of rewriting.)

Yes, I know this journal is 98% about procrastination. Deal with it. Also, if anyone’s actually read all the entries so far, you need to get a life harder than I do. Hah!

So. Back on subject. I can’t remember if I’ve written on the subject before, but when it comes to indie-producing a book and finances, there’s a whole range of options. A lot of folks will decry DIY approaches to editing and cover design, but then point you in the direction of fivrr or whatever that site is with rock bottom freelance prices. I figured my own efforts were at least as good as dirt-cheap outsourcing and went the high road with cover art and editorial freelancers who charge on the higher end of the spectrum. Now, as much as my Jewish/Scottish/German/poorfolks genetics wail at me to find a better deal, I do think it’s worthwhile funding the industry of folks with talent, skill and hard work who want to put out good books, plus the part of me with a background in business and marketing figures there’s some fraction of a possibility that investment in producing a book the right way may pay off down the line. Anything else is basically a vanity project, whatever else folks tell you. But lately I’ve been more active in the Facebook ecosystem of indie author groups and exposed to a wider range of freelancers, some of whom offer fairly decent services for a significant chunk less than I’m spending, and that was getting me down for sure. That and the fact that the US dollar keeps climbing against Canadian, so I’m paying 25%+ more than list prices on everything - terrifying! Anyways. This round of editing really brought home to me the value of having top notch team members. None of this is magic, kids. Except for all of it. And therein lies the rub, as far more articulate peeps have said before me. Which is an exceedingly strange phrase, but anyways. Getting words on paper is hard work. Editorial reports are awkward documents pointing out the issues you already knew were there but were hoping were invisible to everyone but you. Cover artists need you to think through everything before they can produce anything worthwhile. But they add something more than the sum of the parts going in - skill, experience, inspiration that you just don’t have, and can’t afford to acquire.

All that to say, one of the first comments on this last editorial report really struck a chord and made me glad I chose the editor I did, because as soon as I read it, I was like: of course. Of course that’s the obvious solution to so many (seemingly huge) issues. Of course that needs to happen. Of course Ravel is actively at work against Cole from the beginning and throughout. Why have an antagonist who doesn’t make things harder for the protagonist and give her things to push against? Oh, right. Because I suck at villains and he’s also a sort of love interest, and boosting his role is gonna force me to admit that this is probably destined to be a paranormal romance, which I feel super awkward about writing, but it still is and there’s no way around that.

So here’s what I’ve got to navigate - and double time, ‘cause I’ve got less than a month until line edits and my freelancing work is a nightmare at the moment. Ravel knows more than Cole realizes, from (before) the start. He’s the one working behind the scenes to force her along, though there are some other, lesser tormentors as red herrings into the mix. In particular, Cole has to trust him earlier so he can be gas lighting her throughout her time in Freedom, actively trying to dismiss and suppress her fears, concerns, her understanding of her own power so she doesn’t realize how she’s connected to the dreams.

Why and how is he doing this? Meh. I haven’t really found out yet either. Wish me luck!

Wednesday

Start Time: 2 pm

Location: Abbotsford; home; couch

Drinking: Cabernet Sauvignon

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