Pre-Memorial Day Literary Plans Check-in: What books are perched on the edge of your nightstand, ready for summer reading, and/or what do you plan to do this summer to advance yourself in the world of writing?
Summer is a time we get fewer comments–although hey, on this rainy day in Anchorage, it’s feeling more spring than summer.
I’ll go first.
In the marketing area, I’m learning how to make a book trailer (of sorts) for a novel-in-progress. If I can do it, absolutely anyone can. I was told this should take only a few hours. To be honest, it’s taken me closer to twenty so far, but that includes learning for the very first time how to use my daughter’s laptop camera, realizing my own ancient laptop comes with Microsoft Movie Maker and figuring out how the program works, futzing with lost or corrupted files, locating public domain images, trying to do my hair on two days only to manage to get a few seconds of acceptable footage on the day when I didn’t neaten my hair, running to Best Buy for a $30 microphone, and so on. My first attempt is here at youtube– it’s draft only. Really! I plan to re-do it with cleaner audio and some other changes, but I appreciate people’s comments even at this stage. (It will be used on a USA Projects fundraising website, paired with lots of other bio info, a clearer fundraising pitch, and more.) Have I mentioned I don’t enjoy being on the small screen? Groan. But we all have to push ourselves in new directions, don’t we?
In the writing skills area, I’ve just ordered several new books on TV writing and I’m plunging into a summer and fall of writing some TV pilot scripts. More on that later.
In the ongoing creative project area, I can’t wait to keep working on my current novel–set aside at the moment while I clear the decks of other long-term freelancing projects. I look forward to the day I can spend mornings getting into the head of a new character. But that pleasure will have to be earned.
In the discipline area– always one of my biggest– I’m trying to waste less time so I get some of that freelancing out of the way!
In the reading area I’m a little stuck, having read a bunch of great books this spring but feeling some kind of book craving I haven’t been able to fill. Nonfiction has been satisfying me lately, but fiction hasn’t. But I’ll keep looking.
What are you doing or plan to be doing? Conferences, classes, books to read, grants to research, agents to contact, pagecounts to satisfy? Let us know. And even if you plan only to take it easy, have a great summer.
Riveting – and very professional!
Andromeda,
Wow–You've already got me hooked on The Expert. I'd never heard of Dr. Watson and what you present (so clearly and succinctly) in the video fascinates and frightens me–especially that line "chances are, your parents or grandparents were products of his influence." Once you clean it up, maybe shorten it by about 30 sec, and add background music, you'll have a killer video.
As for my summer projects….Where to begin? I need to write some guest blogs and respond to email interviews in preparation for the September release of my debut novel ("Fobbit"). At the same time, I'm cleaning up the final draft of Novel #2 and just starting out in the very, very early stages of Novel #3. And I haven't even mentioned the half-finished short stories, the daily blogging (The Quivering Pen), and writers conferences which populate my to-do list.
Somehow, I'll manage to sneak in some reading–so many good books crowding the top of my To-Be-Read pile I don't even know where to begin.
I might need a summer cruise to Alaska just to relax. 🙂
Hi Andromeda,
I like the video! It could be polished a bit, but I think you have all the elements you need there. Is there a time limit? You could probably drop some time if needed.
I just quit my day job, so I have lots of plans for the summer: polishing and submitting my earlier novel, researching and starting on my new novel, critiquing with colleagues, learning more about social media, attending the Kachemak Bay Writers' Conference, and blogging at my website (www.lynnlovegreen.com, sorry for the shameless promotion!). We'll see how much I accomplish as we get into the summer.
Can't wait for Fobbit, David; and congrats on quitting the day job, Lynn! Good summer writing to you both.
My attempt at a trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qt0pG9Xoe8s