I know it’s been super quiet on the blog. But there’s finally a bit of news!
This July, I am taking the virtual Breakout Novel Intensive. It has been very helpful so far. I’m gaining new insights for what will hopefully be the final round of edits before querying agents.
One of the faculty members started his one on one with me by saying, “I had so much fun reading yours!”
He said I’m on the right path, and what needs to be addressed is usually the last pieces writers get. He also gave me actionable steps for the edits. That makes all this work worthwhile.
I have three more one on ones and am looking forward to more insights. It is a lonely path, sometimes. There’s a lot of information to parse through. What to keep? What to toss?
If you’re a writer on the fence about the Breakout Novel Intensive, I can say that if you want to do a deep dive, it’s a great workshop. I am looking at my own manuscript with new eyes and have some new snippets to add after the exercises.
I promised some statistics…
11 years since deciding to take my writing waaaaaayyyyy more seriously
5 writers’ workshops (Taos Toolbox, Viable Paradise, two rounds at Futurescapes, Breakout Novel Intensive)
1 MFA program
Countless hours of writing and editing
So if anyone ever says an author was an “overnight” success, it was a long night! It’s not the easiest road, but the idea of taking people places they could otherwise never go, having them consider other points of view, those are what makes this journey worth it.
Writing Mercenary 