Taking a break, but for a good cause

So the rewrites of my current project are under way. They are going well, so well in fact, that I don't have time to spare to the blog for the time being. I will be back when I'm back. (Not setting a deadline right now), but I hope to be back sooner rather than later.

Everyone have some great writing related fun while I'm gone, and maybe I'll come back with some fresh ideas on revisions, and some good news from my blogging friends.

The busy schedule of a writer

This week has been hectic as I've been trying to work through my Beta feedback. I've had to adjust my schedule to get up earlier and stay up later to get time to fit writing around the life of my summer-enjoying kids.

It's going pretty well, but I'm starting to get exhausted being up late and getting less than 6 hours of sleep a night. Now I'm not complaining, because when I get that time with my WiP it is peaceful, and I accomplish a lot. About two chapters a day at this rate. I should be done with the notes from my Beta's by the middle of the month, which gives me another chance to polish and get it ready for a Fall query.

What is one thing that you have had to sacrifice during your writing journey? I've read a lot of people neglect cleaning, or do less things with the kids (Having 3 kids makes this nearly impossible)?

I give up sleep and hope that its worth it in the long haul.

Receiving feedback

I have recently received feedback and I did the normal stuff, I read it, let it sink in then put it aside until I'm ready to actually do the edits.

This allows me two things, it allows me to get perspective away from the immediate emotion of receiving the feedback. It also allows me to think about the advice for a while and decide what is useful and what isn't.

I have done this with most of my feedback for my life and it has worked out. My current project is still in a very early draft so the comments such as grammar and sentence structure is helpful because I know it's needed, but having examples pointed out help a lot. The one good thing is that my plot, which is what I was worried about, is still solid and works.

So what are your techniques for handling feedback from your readers?

WiP Update

So after getting my feedback from beta readers, I get to start the next draft of my book. So far most of the comments have been some technical issues that I will work out easily, but the ones about plot and characters will take time. So as I usually do, I will start with the technical issues that I missed and I have a Twenty five chapter book, so my goal is to be done with my next draft by the end of August.

Anyone have any suggestions on how to review my beta feedback and use it for my book? What seems to be the major hiccup in your first drafts?

Review - "Divergent" by Veronica Roth

This was one of my birthday present this year and I'm excited that my friends picked it up for me. I thought that the characters were completely awesome, even the bad ones. I really liked the pacing and felt that the present tense of the story helped add to the characters feelings of being different in a place that is completely like how she grew up.

I finished the book in a week which is about average, but wished that I could have spent more time in the world. I did read that there is a sequel in the works, which is awesome and I can't wait.

Since this is one of the most popular books going on right now, I think I read it was number 7 on the NYT Bestseller list, what did you think of it?

Football's back

For those of you that have been following me since last year, you understand how much I love the game of football. Now that it's back with a shortened offseason, my heads on a swivel looking for all the news that I cna find. So I have been busy trying to keep track of my team.

All I can hope for is that my Carolina Panthers can do a lot better than last year. Sorry, but I'm excited for this and I know that this isn't writing related. I'm just excited.

"Captain America" - Review

My wife and I wanted to complete the Avenger stories before the next movie comes out next year and saw the last of the origin stories, "Captain America" this weekend.

Now this movie is a bit different from the others as it is set in the 40's during World War 2, which makes Captain America the oldest hero in the Avengers. This movie didn't take itself too seriously, and I think that worked in its behalf. The characters were well done, especially the never give up attitude of Captain America.

The special effects of the movie were good, especially how they made the actor Chris Evans, who played the Captain, puny in size before his transformation. It was well done and I wouldn't have known anything if I didn't hear how they did it before the movie.

Now the plot was a bit up and down in terms of how things flowed. I didn't really care for his little show stuff that they had him doing before he got into the war, but once that passed it was a pretty good action flick.

Overall, for those of you that are comic book fans, this is a must see. For those that have no real idea who the Captain is, then might want to rent. 4/5