Tag: writing

Growing as a Writer: An Interesting Observation on First Drafts

Ron Delaney Jr3 Comments

I believe with all my heart the most important thing about writing a novel is completing the first draft.

It’s just math. It doesn’t matter how great or original your idea is. A great, original idea != a book. It doesn’t matter how long your outline is. An outline != a book. You have to complete that first draft. A first draft is a book, albeit (for many of us) a bad book-but a book nonetheless. Or manuscript, if you prefer. Then you do a ton of editing to make it a good book, or even a great book. If you’d like to see it spelled out, here are some formulas (to keep the whole math theme going):

 

no first draft = no book

first draft = book

(first draft + editing) = second draft = better book

(second draft + A LOT of editing) = next draft = good book

 

Simple? Good. But that brings me to a unexpected problem…

Continue reading “Growing as a Writer: An Interesting Observation on First Drafts” →

Are There People in My Universe?

Ron Delaney JrLeave a comment

I’ve been so busy editing over the last however-many-months, I haven’t posted anything besides a few book reviews, a note on querying (which was mostly for my own benefit), and the weekly Friday Morning FYIs. So here’s a short (<900 words) thingy I banged-out, oh, probably a year ago. I wrote it one day when a strange, naggy little idea way-too-small for a novel broke through the topsoil in my mind, and watered itself.

Enjoy!

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Aaaaaaaaaand ‘Send’: The Courage to Query

Ron Delaney JrLeave a comment

WARNING – hastily-written, unnecessarily-long, thought-streamy post ahead.

 

So I’ve started querying for my 57,000 word high-concept Middle Grade Contemporary Fantasy (whew) novel. If you’ve never written a book, you couldn’t know what an emotional rollercoaster it is from start to finish, including the part where you pitch it to publishing professionals. Let me explain.

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Friday Morning FYI – 2/20/2015

Ron Delaney JrLeave a comment

Welcome to your Friday Morning FYI, my chance to share observations/wisdom/rants in short, easily consumed form.

This week’s FYI is inspired by distrac – Ooo, shiny!

Always be on the look-out for inspiration, but finish what you’re working on before starting something new. If you don’t, you’ll just end up with an impressive pile of unfinished stuff that no one will care about.

 

Thanks for reading,

{RDj}

Friday Morning FYI – 2/13/2015

Ron Delaney JrLeave a comment

Welcome to your Friday Morning FYI (Oops, almost forgot! edition), my chance to share observations/wisdom/rants in short, easily consumed form.

This week’s FYI is inspired by how I’m about to finish my final round of edits before I start querying:

Yes, hard work pays-off. Putting in long hours pays-off. Commitment pays-off. HOW it pays-off, though, is up in the air. At the very least, you’ll know you did your best.

 

Thanks for reading,

{RDj}