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| I loved this the first time I saw it on DA. |
Today, everything ground to a screeching halt. Our anniversay plans, everything. Yes, today was our wedding anniversay. Twenty-three years. Not bad, when everyone in the family bet it wouldn't last six months. LOL! What do they know. Instead of celebrating, hubby and I spent most of the day at the hospital, in the ER. He developed some pretty severe and scary symptoms last night, so we were off to the hospital this morning. He has prostatitis and a severe urinary tract infection. Hopefully, the antibiotics will do their magic and he'll be fine in a few days.
Tomorrow, I plan to get back on track with the manuscript. When I checked email tonight, I had yet another reminder that I need to get this book finished and out there. A reader and a couple of fellow western romance authors were saying that very thing on one of the Amazon forums. They wish I'd write faster because they want to read the next book!
This brings me to a bit of a pickle, a problem that's been floating around in the back of my mind for quite some time. Even when I do have this book finished to my satisfaction, there's NO WAY I would ever publish it without putting it through some kind of an editing process. I'm a decent editor and my writing is pretty clean, if I do say so myself, but no one can edit her own work and catch all the typos, logic errors, etc. etc. that are found in any newly finished manuscript. No one. I'm going to need help. Dear hubby has offered to read for me, which is fine because there are some things he can catch. But when it comes right down to it, he doesn't know squat about craft of writing.
I need a crit partner. Or a group. But I have no idea how I'm going to get hooked up again. Over the past four years, I've drifted away from all my old crit pals. It's going to be difficult because a critiquing partnership is almost like a marriage. There are trust issues, and there are skill level issues, and then there are familiarity with the western genre and its tropes issues, and so on and so forth. Ack! Trying to critique with someone new would be almost like going out on a blind date. Actually, when I think about it, the best crit partner I ever had was a blind date. A mutual acquaintance hooked us up and we clicked immediately. But how often does that happen?
So... tell me, please. How did you find your crit partner or group?
Devon
Hey, Happy Anniversary! I'm sorry hubby is having problems. Not the way anybody wants to spend a special day.
ReplyDeleteI'm so tickled you're writing a second book! Congrats! You know if you ever need a reader give me a holler. I'm not the best technically, but hopefully I can help you out some.
Crit partners that last are pretty hard to find. Outside lives interfere, and things kind of fall by the wayside. You just have to find somebody to click with.
Hey, JM! Good to see you. Thanks for the anniversary wishes. Hubby's still not good. In fact, he's already gone to bed. For the past two evenings, he's developed a fever.
ReplyDeleteYes! Not only do I have a second book in progress, but a third and fourth are partially finished as well.
Thanks for the offer of help! Yes, a reader would be good. Used to have a couple of great crit partners, but things changed. Time always seems to be an issue with everyone.
When I get this baby finished, I'll send it your way for a read. Will ask first to see if you're still up for it. :o)
Thanks again! And thanks for stopping by!
I'm sorry about hubby. If he's like mine, every little splinter needs full hovering-wife care. A fever is certainly nothing to be messed with though. I hope he gets better soon.
ReplyDeleteI'm impressed. You've really been writing! Ship it to me when you get it done!
Ha! You wouldn't be so impressed if you knew how long I've had these things on the back burner.
ReplyDeleteI'll send it along when I'm finished. Thanks again! :o)