Progress Report

[One of my illustrations]

I'm now done with my part of the illustrations.  My illustrator is almost halfway done with the second-to-last of the sets of illustrations.  My later ones plus hers make me want to revisit my early ones with my improved skills. 

[Editing: Source]

I'm right now skimming through the last 3 books in the series, preparatory to sending them to my beta reader.  She's already gone through the first five and has sent feedback.  That was one major concern.  I now have her feedback, some feedback from a few other beta readers on early books, and an editor's feedback.  I'm still hoping for more. 

[Source]

As soon as that's done, I will enter everything I have into Scrivener and will look at them holistically, comparing them to the hero's journey, story grid, and other story formatting guidelines.  Once all of this is done, I'll be ready to submit it to my publisher.  I feel closer all the time.  I'm hoping to get it all published by early summer. 

Almost Done Illustrating

[My illustration from Arachnageddon, book 7]

I have finished the sketches for the last round of illustrations I'll be doing for my chapter book series, Doomimals.  Because my nephew's wife has illustrated the first two and has started work on book 3 then will finish up with book 4, I needed to do the rest.  I started at the other end and have illustrated them starting with the bonus book then moving on to 9, 8, 7, etc.  I'm now working on book 5, which means I'm almost done with my part of the illustrations.  They lack the sparkle hers have because I don't have near the experience that she does with digital art, but they have a certain charm.  I'm overall pleased with them. 

[Revision; source]

I have been assembling techniques from webinars I'll use to attack the revision step once I'm done with illustrations.  My nephew helped me figure out how to transfer all the background and world-building information plus all the drafts into Scrivener.  That will help me assess them and compare scenes.  I'm also researching the Story Grid, which will, paired with the traditional story structure, help me turn my rough drafts into polished drafts.  I also have feedback from an editor on the first book, feedback from experienced writers on first through third books, and a reader busily reading through those books and the rest in order to give me feedback.  I'm also hoping to get some help from my nephew whose specialty is structuring stories.  I'm shooting to be ready to publish by summer.  

[A scene from a Just Us Chickens bonus book.]

My boy is, meanwhile, busily churning out the rest of his first ten books plus some bonus books, so not long after my books have been published, the spin-off series of Just us Chickens (about a superheroic group of chickens) will be ready to go.  In the meantime, he'll tack a few chickens books onto Doomimals to introduce you, the reader, to his series.  Both series, plus the sneak peek at his other series about a globetrotting, superpowered snake, Key Lime Python, are hilarious and can be enjoyed by readers of all ages.  We're inching closer to introducing you into the Doomimals Extended Universe.  

Illustrations

[Illustration for book 2 by Ghostelle.]

Those two weeks came and went, and I have made some progress but not as much as I'd hope.  As an update for my Doomimals chapter book series, I've been working hard at illustrating the last several, while my illustrator is working at the first few.  I'm hoping to get done with my part of the illustrations within the next two weeks.  

 

[Illustration from the Just Us Chickens book]

I also have some readers and enough knowledge to get going with Scrivener.  As soon as I have finished my illustrations, I'm going full bore with writing. I'm almost done editing my boy's Just Us Chickens and Key Lime Python books.  I'm shooting to be done revising, editing, and just all around ready to get it published for you by late spring/early summer.  

Two Weeks

[source]

It's amazing how time can fill up, even when one thinks it's wide open.  I've been working on editing my boy's chicken books and am close to done with them.  However, I haven't had a lot of time for other writing tasks because my two day jobs seem to eat all the time that being a mom doesn't.  My illustrator's tablet is still down for the count, so I guess I'll be cramming my two-week holiday full of drawing, revising, editing, and just trying to do all those things I haven't had time for recently. 

[source]

Tomorrow, my nephew will come over and help me work out Scrivener, so I can launch into an overhaul of all 10 of my books at once.  I also have some feedback from beta readers and editors to work on.  I'm not sure how I'll cram it all in two weeks, but I'm going to do my best.  We're not likely to do very many things over the holidays, so here goes nothing.  I'm still wanting to bring you those awesome books my boy and I have been working on in the near future. 

Beta Readers and Roadblocks

[source]

There's good news and bad news.  The good news is I'm about to have a break in my work schedule due to the holidays, so I will have serious time to work on my books.  Most days, I only get some editing done on my boy's books at the end of a day filled with hours of other work.  It would be so nice to do this full time.  Also, I finally have found some readers for my books, so I've at least had most of the first half of my series read by someone else and have had feedback given.  Two of them are willing to tackle more. 

[source]

The bad news is my illustrator has had serious technical difficulties and may not be able to proceed much further with illustrating.  She was all but done with the second book.  This leaves 8 books to illustrate and 9/10 needing serious revision (the first one is mostly done with revision, though it still needs some).  But I have time for a while to knock out illustrations, figure out Scrivener in order to work over the whole set, and have been told by a handful of readers that they've really liked what they've read.  This all gives me hope that in the next month, I can really accomplish a lot, possibly get this first set ready to go.  Here's hoping. 

The Newest Plan

[source]

My days have opened up a bit with some cancellations on my schedule.  I'm still not where I need to be with my books, but I have a plan.  My nephew has been helping me see the importance of the 12-point structure story, basically a codification of the hero's journey used by writers and movie makers everywhere.  There are 12 story beats most stories need to hit. 

[source]

Also, I went to Authorcon recently, where I heard a writer describe the dramatic structure it takes to make a satisfying structure (described in my Writer's Reflections).  It occurred to me that if I hit most of those beats in the 12-point structure, one per chapter, and make sure to reshape the stories according to dramatic structure, my stories will be more readable and engaging.  In order to be able to see them all at once and make the structural change, I need to figure out Scrivener.  It also makes the most sense to illustrate them myself to save money. 

So, now, I have a plan.  I just have to make it happen.  I hope to make a lot of progress now I have more time. 

Awards and Delays

[First illustration for Misadventures of the Just Us Chickens.]

My son and cowriter of Doomimals: Extended books (pseudonym: Ax the Narrator) started writing his books when he was 13, earlier this year.  He began with short stores and then started writing novels like they were short stories, one small mini adventure at a time.  I helped him polish the first of these novels, The Misadventures of the Justice Chickens, and then he submitted it to the children's book writing category of the League of Utah Writers' annual contest.  When I first entered several years ago, I got a few prizes, first and second place.  But I was an adult, not 13, and already had a degree in English.  Ever since, I've felt lucky to get an honorable mention, as I did this year for my essay and the last two weeks of my nephews' mom's life, "Battered Wings."  This is a competitive contest, with lots of entries, most of them written by adults, some with degrees like me.

[2nd place!]

I say this to help you understand why it was so amazing that my boy's first novel achieved second place in this children's book writing contest.  It's a very good book.  Instead of heavy critiquing, the judge recommended a few line edits and begged that we find a way to let him/her know when it's published, so he/she can buy a copy.  That's downright high praise for the book written by a 13-year-old.  I want to get this series (and mine) out to you, but life has gotten complicated and busy.  I still need to finish polishing and illustrating my books, so they're all ready for you.  The first three books in the Just Us Chickens series will appear as bonus material at the end of my first collection, and then my books will appear as bonus material at the end of his.  It may be we'll be publishing both sets at roughly the same time at this rate.  I'll keep you posted.