Critique Partners

 So this is fun! I joined SEVERAL groups on Facebook about writing/authors and fantasy and beta readers/critique partners, and have agreed to basically manuscript-swap with three other authors who I do not know. I have had folks I don't know read my work in the previous beta reading rounds, but never critique partners.

It is exciting to have my final draft be read by other writers as critique partners -- which are different than beta readers, given the fact that they are writers as well and look at text and story-telling completely differently. Nicole with Candy Store Stories did SO WELL at TEARING APART my book that it made it so much better. We'll see what these guys say.

This being the case though... it's probably not my final draft anymore. Yar! Oh well. I still have until May to wait and hear back from the rest of the agents I queried anyway, so what better way to pass the time than perfect my manuscript even more while helping others do the same?

All while still working on Book Two, of course. Which is coming along nicely. And about which I am very excited.


Originally, I intended to write a QUINT! FIVE books. This was before I even finished the first draft of the story about TEN YEARS AGO, when the story was UTTERLY different than it is now. Same characters, same bottom-line premise, but COMPLETELY different. It has definitely grown up to say the least. I also ended the very first draft -- which is basically an entirely different book -- on a hard cliff-hanger because I had no idea how to finish the book -- which is exactly what "They" say not to do. Again, this was ten years ago, and the book is no longer like this and is much more different and refined. But looking back, it's amusing to see what I did and what my plan was versus what it has become.

So originally, I thought I'd do a quint. I still have the plot structures written up somewhere online, either Dropbox or Drive, so I could find them if I ever wanted to. But THEN, as I really started to perfect the story, I decided on a single book with series potential. Then, once I started writing it, I realized my style of writing, and the story I am telling, can NOT fit within one small book. So, okay. Duology. Two books. That's cool, right? Not one book, not the classic trilogy, not a big long epic saga that can sway folks from reading it if they don't want to invest 10 books' worth of their time...

But then I finished Conduit of Fire, and was like... crap. I don't even think I can do a duology. It's going to have to be a trilogy.

BUT! Now that I've plotted the entirety of Book Two and have been actively working on it, I am pleased to say that I JUST MIGHT be able to do a duology. Which would be fabulous. Maybe two books, then a prequel (already have an idea for one), then some other books either 1) same universe, as Brandon Sanderson does, or 2) an entire different story.

It's exciting, but I ain't there yet, so hold your horses. I've been with these same characters for a decade now, and I love them. I'm not ready to leave them yet, so... Anyway.


I'm obviously on a high about the critique partners. I just finished editing some chapters for one author, waiting to get some chapters from other authors... It's going to be a fun, wild ride.

I have no real details other than this. I just still have a lot of adrenaline running through me and I needed to get it out. I couldn't write today because I was too excited about all of this (ironic, huh?), plus I had to clean the mess out of my house and it took my usual writing spot, but I have the entire day tomorrow to dedicate to writing and critique-partnering, and it's exciting.

I'll make sure to give you some hints at Liren on the next post. Just had to dump, and where better than here?

Huzzah for progress!

xo,

Jess


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