Happy New Year! I hope you had a joyful holiday season, and that 2025 is off to a great start for you.
Like everybody else, I’m slogging through the post-holiday challenge of getting back to a normal routine, while trying to make personal improvements. My resolution this year is to improve my writing by focusing on reaching readers where they’re at. I looked back at my book reviews, and noticed that the reviews from Broken Time, while good, reflect a common theme of being too “science heavy” and not developing the personal relationships to some readers’ satisfaction. This was a difficult book to write because tacking quantum entanglement and theoretical physics required a lot of research, and I struggled with how much I needed to put in the manuscript to keep the balance of “escape from reality” and “suspension of disbelief.” Certainly, it is a heavy book, and some people like that. Others, not so much. I believe I did a better job of balancing the science and social aspects in Singularity (based on reviews), but it’s definitely an area of focus for me in my writing.
I also had to activate the writer “thick skin” to give my current pending work an honest evaluation. If you recall, I wrote a long story in September titled “A Day Like This,” and intended to publish it as a light hearted women’s fiction mystery. There’s just one problem: I’m a scifi writer, not a women’s fiction writer. While my books do feature strong female protagonists and are to encourage women to try “something different,” this piece just isn’t strong enough to enter the market. I love the story and gave it my best, but frankly it’s not good enough to publish. So back to the fiction journal it goes. It’s a fun story, but in light of my “reaching readers” resolution, this piece is not one that would move me toward that goal.
Disappointing, but it happens. This admission does give me a sense of direction and I have ideas forming about a novel that includes “mirror life.” Want to know more? It’s in the “News of the Weird” section of my January newsletter, which is coming out soon. You can also get a free copy of Broken Time and, in exchange for emailing me a link or screenshot of a review on Amazon or Goodreads, I'll gift you a copy of Singularity or The Sentience Series. Review and Choose. You can't lose. Get in early on these promotions by signing up for the newsletter on the Home page.
Reviews are critical so writers can make sure that we’re meeting you where you’re at. These books are your story too, and I want you to benefit from them. I humbly ask you to help me move toward this goal by letting me know how I can improve in future writing projects.
That’s all today. Take care, and have a great rest of the week.
Bye!
Like everybody else, I’m slogging through the post-holiday challenge of getting back to a normal routine, while trying to make personal improvements. My resolution this year is to improve my writing by focusing on reaching readers where they’re at. I looked back at my book reviews, and noticed that the reviews from Broken Time, while good, reflect a common theme of being too “science heavy” and not developing the personal relationships to some readers’ satisfaction. This was a difficult book to write because tacking quantum entanglement and theoretical physics required a lot of research, and I struggled with how much I needed to put in the manuscript to keep the balance of “escape from reality” and “suspension of disbelief.” Certainly, it is a heavy book, and some people like that. Others, not so much. I believe I did a better job of balancing the science and social aspects in Singularity (based on reviews), but it’s definitely an area of focus for me in my writing.
I also had to activate the writer “thick skin” to give my current pending work an honest evaluation. If you recall, I wrote a long story in September titled “A Day Like This,” and intended to publish it as a light hearted women’s fiction mystery. There’s just one problem: I’m a scifi writer, not a women’s fiction writer. While my books do feature strong female protagonists and are to encourage women to try “something different,” this piece just isn’t strong enough to enter the market. I love the story and gave it my best, but frankly it’s not good enough to publish. So back to the fiction journal it goes. It’s a fun story, but in light of my “reaching readers” resolution, this piece is not one that would move me toward that goal.
Disappointing, but it happens. This admission does give me a sense of direction and I have ideas forming about a novel that includes “mirror life.” Want to know more? It’s in the “News of the Weird” section of my January newsletter, which is coming out soon. You can also get a free copy of Broken Time and, in exchange for emailing me a link or screenshot of a review on Amazon or Goodreads, I'll gift you a copy of Singularity or The Sentience Series. Review and Choose. You can't lose. Get in early on these promotions by signing up for the newsletter on the Home page.
Reviews are critical so writers can make sure that we’re meeting you where you’re at. These books are your story too, and I want you to benefit from them. I humbly ask you to help me move toward this goal by letting me know how I can improve in future writing projects.
That’s all today. Take care, and have a great rest of the week.
Bye!
RSS Feed