I decided I’ll add to this piece until after the holiday season is over, and then post it. It’s the least I can do for myself.

I’ve written the equivalent of eight books. I read constantly. I’m developing killer editing skills. My head aches because of the above, but I’m not complaining. I have to do more. I have to bleed words. *G*

I’m trying to get into a space, a mind set, a habit where each new day is as productive as the last. Even if one day is worth five hundred new words on a project, or two thousand new words. (Let me stray a moment to say that I spent the last two years trying to learn all I can about editing for fiction, proper grammar and punctuation, the impact of the sentence, only to learn the rules vary depending on what I’m saying, and how I want to say it. The rules also have exceptions I should be using where appropriate. No one single book lists both the rules and the exceptions, all of it, all at the same time. So, I’ve been working out of four different books. I’m 98.9% sure that what I’m doing, now, is as correct as possible. I’m a semi-closed punctuation kind of guy.) Today I’m shooting for a thousand new words, but I want the new words to work.

I’m about to send out another agent query, sure that my full query is mistake free. I found several things that I corrected. I’m not going to rush through this process, though I feel like I should push the agent list hard, and then push harder. My instincts say to do that, but this time they’re wrong.

I need to take my time and only show my best work. The new economy needs to be considered. Agents will still sell new novelists to established publishers, but not as often. I have to stand above everyone else. There are agents I’m querying know I’m one to watch, but I have to give them something they can stand behind and sell. It all comes down to me. I’m not a one hit wonder, but I can’t break into the business with what I have (so far). I have to give them something that puckers their butts. This will be my third query out, making the rounds. Three more books will be queried after this one, with two more finished books getting the editorial asses wiped and powdered, pinned up in proper nappies.

I just read Nora Roberts, writing as J. D. Robb. I found the first chapter (and the rest of the book) riddled in mistakes I certainly couldn’t get away with, but these were not typos, as more mistakes of omission. Words left out of the prose, which would have cleared a few things up for me as I worked each disjointed paragraph. The characters, the feel for them, all seemed to bleed together. Two dimensional. I’m also reading Michael Connelly, who makes each character stand out as an individual. His prose is easy, relaxed, thought out. He sits down and sweats blood over his prose, and I see it. Easy, relaxed, thought-out prose is a lot of hard work.