New Book Available!!

Finally! After too many revisions to count, very little sleep, more rewriting, proofing and more proofing, THE ATA BITA PIE CAFE is now available on Amazon Books under Bonnie Drury! I'm so excited. This is the story of the three women who work at the cafe, and learn that love is sometimes better the second time around. As each character's secrets come to light, their bond helps to heal yesterday's heartache.

Do We Really Care About the Sacrifices our Service Men & Women Make?

My Marine son and his wife adopted a little boy from the Marshall Islands. They found out that they can't obtain a visa for Danny to even visit the U.S. for two years! Scott has served in the USMC for 20 years! We give illegals in this country housing, 100% medical, transportation, education, food stamps, and cash. What is wrong with this picture? Don't we care about our own, who sacrifice daily? There has to be something we can do to protect and honor our own, especially our servicemen and women.

Life's Little Adjustments

After querying five agents, I realized I have no patience. Two didn't respond, and three turned me down. I know that the author who wrote "The Help" had 60 rejections from agents, but I need to get going on my next book. That's what is fun for me, to keep writing. SO, I'm working with CreateSpace to publish THE ATA BITA PIE CAFE. This is the story of three friends who work at the cafe. They all learn that love is sometimes better the second time around. Their friendships carry them through grief, heartache, and finally, joy. The book should be available on Amazon.com under Bonnie Drury, in a few weeks. I'll keep you posted. Have a great day!

Writing Through Your Troubles

I've mentioned journaling before, but more and more, I realize how important it is. If you're a writer, it's a must to keep track of ideas, dialogue overheard, scenes, titles, anything that pops into your head about one of your writing projects. If you aren't a writer, but just have a particular problem that won't let go, write it all down, leaving out nothing. Remember that no one but you will read it, so you can be completely free and honest.
It might be a letter to a friend, relative, or even a politician, anyone who has you stirred up inside. Once you've written it all out, the burden is lightened, and you can move on.

A Little Word; A Big Problem

As I mentioned in earlier posts, I've done a LOT of rewrite on THE ATA
BITA PIE CAFE, but something was still bothering me. I couldn't quite put my finger on why the book wasn't reading as smoothly as I'd like. Reading aloud always gives you this wake-up call. Finally, I realized that too often, I'd used the word "had" or "had to", rather than keeping the writing in the present tense. When I did a Search, there were nearly 500 "had's" in the novel. Yikes! I read through again, restructuring sentences and deleting, until the writing became much smoother. Like my dad said, "You're making sure the reader doesn't have to work so hard." He got it; it just took me a little longer.

How to Make Your Dreams Come True

"Turn up for work. Discipline allows creative freedom." Jeannette Winterson

or...as Nora Roberts would say, "Get off your duff and do it!"

Life's Little Adjustments

The above title is where/how this blog started. Maybe I should return to that concept, though writing is a big part of my life and feeling of contentment.
That is an area, though, where adjustments have to be made. With a tenfold increase in the competition, I had to decide whether I loved the writing as an end to itself. The answer is a resounding YES! I love imagining the settings, creating each character and his/her background, plotting the story, and how the characters will interact. I guess that's what we all have to decide when we choose how to spend our time. If we never received a dime for our efforts, is it still worthwhile?

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Who Sets Your Priorities?

Let's go with the premise that we have only one life to live. Do you let others make their priorities yours? It took me a LONG time to learn that if I can't decide what's important to me, then I'm not really living. I'm existing in someone else's life and dreams. Mine get lost in the dust. You have a right to say no, and you have a right to say "this is how I'm going to spend my time, thank you very much." Then, when the day is done, you'll have no regrets.

New York or CreateSpace?

I'm at a crossroads. Do I take the couple of years to query agents and editors, or do I take an hour and publish on CreateSpace? Still thinking...
All the social media has to be connected, website, Facebook, Twitter, Blog.
New content should be posted often. When does the writer have time to write?
So many questions to ask yourself when you're at this point. There isn't a wrong answer.

Choices and Trade-Offs

My parents just celebrated their 70th anniversary. My husband and I just celebrated our 46th. Staying married is not easy. I once wrote an article about Choices and Trade-Offs in relationships. We each make choices about what we can and cannot tolerate, and with those choices come trade-offs, something that we feel is worthwhile. I'm being vague, but each person who has been in a long-term relationship knows what I'm talking about.

Question

How many of you writers who are self-published enjoy the promotion side of this business? Do you have any tips?

http://bonnibooks.net

On With the New!

Instead of waiting around to see what an agent thinks of my book, I started a new one yesterday. The research part is always fun, and I was able to write the synopsis, so I pretty much know what's going to happen in the book. Of course, there are always surprises, and that's the best thing about creating. I hope all you creative people out there are taking time for creativity. It enriches your life, as you already know.

Revisions Ad Nauseum

Remember when I said it takes at least several times through a novel, to accomplish a good revision? How about twenty-five times?! I'm still not finished. When I write the first draft, I apparently don't notice the weather, or time passing, so these elements were not part of that rough manuscript. I knew I'd have to add description, the five senses, and more emotional words and phrases, but something as simple as time did not cross my mind. That means I need to be a better re-writer than writer. It also means that it's not over 'til it's over. Anything less than as-perfect-as-you-can-make-it, the story isn't yet complete. Time consuming? Yes. Worth it? A resounding yes!

Moving Forward

It's a good thing to keep moving forward with our hopes and dreams. My latest
book is done, and now it's time for the query process, agents rather than publishers at this point. Queries are not easy. First, you explain why you chose that particular agency, then follow with a blurb about your book, with a good hook, and the last paragraph should tell about your writing and/or life experience. Why should the agent represent you? It took me quite awhile to hone this letter. I'll let you know what the results are, if any. Once queries are sent out (multiple is ok, but not multiple proposals, if requested by several agents), it's time to begin the next book.

A Moment in Time

As you can see, I'm taking a break from my blog, for a good reason. Our Marine son, Scott, is in the country. We hadn't seen him in two years, so we're enjoying every minute. I'll get back to posting soon, but hang in there, friends. This year is going so fast! Make it count.

The REST of the Finish Line

The manuscript may be finished, but now it's time to write the blurb, synopsis, and query letter. Short, but not so easy. Try condensing an 80,000 word book into one page, and you'll see what I mean. You can do it, though, with practice. Just keep thinking about what characters and conflict are the most compelling, and write your hook. The synopsis has to include most of the plot lines and resolution. How can you convince an agent or a publisher to look at your book? There are many websites with help in these areas; do your homework before you submit. Good luck!

Advice from "No Limits But the Sky"

Cherish your yesterdays,
dream your tomorrows,
but live your todays.

A New Book

"The future opens up before you like a new book...
waiting for you to commit to its pages
the story only you can write."    Unknown

Challenges

"It is in meeting the small challenges of daily living that we prepare ourselves for the great challenges of life."   Unknown

Nearing the Finish Line

Hello Readers:
   I'm reading my latest novel aloud, before starting the final read-through. During the final reading, I'll be looking for scenes that need more natural body language, better descriptions, and the five senses. Most of the earlier read-throughs have dealt with plot lines and character development, and the timeline mine field. Now, do I go through the ordeal of submitting to NY publishers, or use CreateSpace to self-publish?Amber Quill is an excellent ePublisher, with quality paperbacks, and timely royalties. And they returned my rights, at my request, which I thought was very professional. What to do? I'll let you know.

How are you doing on writing your three pages per day? Are you stopping when you know what will happen next? Don't rewrite while you're in the creative process of getting the story down. Don't worry about leaving a scene out if it's not playing like a video in your head. Type "add scene about _____ here." Make notes all over the margins. Keep writing. I'm still revising my latest book, and it's almost there. I'll know it's done when I can read it all the way through, with very minor changes, and I feel happy with the world I've created. Most of all, enjoy.

Writing Process

I'm still working on revisions. In order to get a better feeling of setting as a character, I researched small CA towns, and came up with a composite of three. I want Hannigan's Cove to feel as real as the town you live in.
I'm working on action tags, description, and the five senses. I realize that some plot additions are necessary. For most writers, the process of creating is not a one-time through, but a "layering" of the different elements that make a good story. Don't feel like your first draft has to be perfect. It won't be, unless you're a genius beyond anything that's been seen in the literary world to date. Enjoy each step.

Life's Little Adjustments

When I first started this blog, it was about "Life's Little Adjustments." When something happens to someone we love, our creativity takes a dive. Since we can't worry constantly, we have to find a way to keep this person in our heart and prayers, and still function ourselves. I'm rewriting my latest book, and trying to learn all about marketing. This will keep me going while my loved one mends.

50th High School Reunion

My 50th high school reunion is coming up. I'll continue this blog in case old friends try to get in touch. Speaking of old friends, we were going to talk about characters again. Characters are the main reason readers like to read. When I'm writing, those people are real. They're going about their daily lives, just like the rest of us, and I need to finish their story so they can find true happiness. That's the way you have to think about the characters in your story. The writer has to know way more about the people who populate his/her books than is revealed to the reader. Know your characters before you begin.

In a Galaxy Far Far Away

Okay, we've finished with the Revision tips, but I have no feedback whether these tips are helping anyone, or going into outer space. Anyone out there? Anyone?

The Final Five Tips on Revision

16.    Cut every nonessential dialogue tag.
17.    Eliminate everything you're not sure of.
18.    READ THE DRAFT ALOUD and listen for awkward and repetitious words, faulty rhythm.
19.    Proofread for clarity, consistency, grammar, punctuation, economy.
20.    You owe it to your characters to do justice to their lives.

Five More Revision Tips!

11.    Challenge the last paragraph. Does it leave the reader satisfied?
12.    Challenge every line that you love. Too much telling and not enough showing?
13.    Do you really need those exclamation points? The dialogue should be emphasis enough.
14.    Rethink underlined and italicized words. They should stand on their own.
15.    Be alert for every cliched word or phrase, every overused or unnecessary modifier.

Hope these help. The last five will be published soon! (Yes, I needed that exclamation point)

More Tips on Revision

A sunny day! I've done my first rewrite, and finished the last chapter. Now, the next time through, I'll concentrate solely on the five senses. Here're the next five tips in doing your revisions:

6.   Don't generalize...BE SPECIFIC! Choose the right words.
7.   Challenge every adverb (they take away from the verb. Choose the best ONE word.
8.   Challenge every adjective. Is it redundant?
9.   Replace passive voice verbs with active ones that are immediate, clear, and vigorous.
10. Challenge the first paragraph. Does your book start with action? The day that was different?

More to come...

Shifting Gears

Yes, I know I said we'd come back to Character Creation. Instead, I started on the Revision steps, because I was having trouble with the last chapter. This tells you that there's no right or wrong way. The writing process is an individual thing. That's why you can take suggestions from other writers that seem to fit your muse, and you can reject those that do not. No guilt. Use whatever fits the way you work. And yes, we'll get back to character creation after all the Revision tips are posted.

Revisions: What to Remember

How's the New Year going? I'm posting steps to a good revision process. Here are the first five:

1) Use as many of the five senses as you can in EVERY scene.
2) Don't let your description bring your narrative to a halt.
3) Along the same lines, don't spend too much time describing nonessential
     surroundings.
4) Description should add to the story.
5) Don't squander the reader's attention by focusing on an inconsequential action.

When doing the revisions on your book, you may have to go back through a dozen times, or more. It's easier to take one or two things you want to change or add during each time through, rather than going through once, and trying to remember twenty things you may need to address.

Sneaking up on Writers' Block

I'm almost done with the rough draft of my new novel. However, I'm having trouble concentrating on that last chapter. I know what I want to happen, and how it will end, but couldn't put it down on paper. It's important to keep that creative process going, so I decided to begin my revisions with Chapter One instead. That way, I can become immersed in the story as I go along, and sneak up on that last chapter. If you find yourself faced with a creative block, come at it from another direction until you break free. Once, in a very traumatic time in our family's life, I couldn't write at all. I felt lost without that creativity as part of my day. I decided to create a comic strip, based on our pet dachshund, Scooter. I had to study all kinds of drawing books, practice for hours, and then to write down the ideas that would fill a comic strip for a year before I could begin the actual strip. In the end, I realized I didn't really want to meet the deadlines of a strip, but by then, I was able to go back to writing books. Where there's a will, there's a way.

How to Face the New Year

Hello Friends. There are lots of changes coming in our economy, society, and world as a whole. Don't be afraid. The only constant is change. Maybe these changes, though they'll be difficult, will be the only way America can learn to become hard-working, honest, and strong again. Perhaps we will have to start over, in a way, as a nation, and maybe that's not a bad thing. By counting our blessings daily, we can face and survive any challenges that lie ahead. There's a bigger picture that we may not see yet. What's really important to you? That's the thing to concentrate on, whether it's job, family, friends, etc. Let your optimism soar!