​When I started writing years ago, I was a ‘pantser’ all the way. I would sit down whenever the mood struck me and type until I could write no more. Who needs an outline? I would scoff to myself. Certainly not me!
 
Then I sent my initial manuscript to an editor friend of mine who kindly told me that what I had written was full of great ideas but was ultimately a mess.
 
I read back over her comments and realized, with a heavy heart, that she wasn’t wrong. Manuscript No. 1 was full of plot holes, entire chapters that served no purpose, and side characters who did nothing for the narrative. 
 
So I became a planner and a planner I have remained. 
 
(Note: I’m not knocking pantsers here. Y’all do you. I’m a firm believer that there’s no one right way to write and if your process works for you, you should stick with that!)
 
When I started working on Book Two at the beginning of this year, I began with an outline. Though it’s changed a bit as I’ve written, it’s really helped keep me on track in terms of what needs to happen when in the manuscript.
 
And then I realized yesterday that it’s going to be August on Sunday. When did that happen?!
 
So, I sat down last night and matched my outline to my calendar. I now have a better idea of what it’s going to take for me to get Book Two’s initial draft done by the end of 2021. Fingers crossed I’ll be able to stick with my plan!
 
A Thing I Enjoyed This Week
 
I got a massive library haul this past Monday and picked The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa as the first to read. What a fantastic choice! If this book isn’t on your TBR, you should add it. The tone is gloomy and foreboding, but the prose is so excellent you won’t be able to put it down. Highly recommend!

Latest book haul. 

What are friends for? 

​I really enjoy is beta reading. Feedback from my betas for Gathering of the Four was essential for getting that book out into the world, so now I offer to beta read when I can as a way to pay it forward. It also helps develop mutually beneficial relationships, which are key in the writing community. 
 
I think there’s a bit of an art to being a successful beta—and giving feedback in general. 
 
Here are a few things I keep in mind whenever I beta.
 
Do:

• Read as though you picked this book up in a bookstore
• Give feedback in a constructive way by making suggestions (eg: “This paragraph might read better if you…”)
• Let the author know what they’re doing well in addition to what they could improve
• Make sure your feedback is honest but kind (eg: “This just isn’t working in my opinion. I think you might want to eliminate this because…”)
• Think about how you’d react if you were given the feedback you’re giving 
• If the MS is a DNF, explain why in the kindest way possible that could still help the writer move forward 

 
Don’t

• Be harsh for the sake of being harsh
• Tell the author their writing is terrible
• Tell the author you could write their story better than they could (Yes, I had someone say this to me once)

 
I also tend to make comments about spelling errors that Word or other writing software might not catch. Additionally, I note if something makes me uncomfortable and do my best to explain why. 
 
I’m currently beta reading two manuscripts, so I’m not open for beta reading at the moment. But if you follow me on social, you’ll know when I’m available—trust me! 
 
A Thing I Enjoyed This Week
 
For some, this might sound odd, but I was able to meet my exercise goals this week. I managed to get not one, not two, not three, but four runs in! I’m really proud of myself! So, the Thing I Enjoyed This Week is, well, me. 
 
Have a fantastic weekend, Serrulata Stories pals!

​This week I’ve felt really…off. I woke up on Monday thinking I would seize the week. I’m normally very good at setting goals, even if they’re ambitious, and achieving them. When I was making my list this time, though, something just wasn’t right. 
 
A gray cloud seemingly hung over me as I worked through Monday. I did my best to ignore it, but looking back, I’m pretty sure someone, somewhere was trying to tell me something. 
 
Then, on Monday night, our internet crapped out. (Past experience made me groan out loud. Verizon is not the…easiest company to deal with.)
 
I don’t want to turn this into a complaint session, so I will just say that Tuesday was not a great day. By the time the sun set, I felt overwhelmed, frustrated, and out of control. 
 
I looked at my list of goals and sighed. No way was I mentally ready to tackle what I had set out to! Then I felt like even more of a failure!
 
But what if you don’t do everything. What if you only do one thing?
 
The idea came to me as I was lying down Tuesday night, preparing to toss and turn instead of rest. 
 
What if…
 
On Wednesday, I began the day by tossing aside my old to-do list and starting fresh—with just one item. I figured if I could get just that one thing done, I would be ok. 
 
And, pals, I did it! I did the one thing!
 
And accomplishing that one thing gave me the mental space to do another thing, and still another. No, I did not do All Of The Things I set out to try and accomplish on Monday, but I ended Wednesday without the unbearable weight of disappointment on my shoulders. I wound up approaching Thursday in a similar fashion and ended the week feeling relatively successful.
 
You’d think I’d be better at this mental health stuff by now, seeing as how I’ve wrestled with anxiety and insomnia for most of my adult life. I’m never going to “get better” but keeping an open mind has helped me, even if it’s just to realize that sometimes I’m only going to be able to achieve something very small.
 
Like this blog post, for example!
 
A Thing I Enjoyed This Week
 
This past Wednesday gave us the season finale of Loki. Enough said!
 
See you here next week, pals!

Flowers for your enjoyment. 

Reviews are really important to indie authors! I cannot stress this enough!
 
I’ve been on the hunt for reviews for my book since I released it back in April and it’s been difficult to say the least. I got very frustrated this past spring and for the time being have given up on reaching out to book bloggers. It took up a lot of time and the return on investment just wasn’t worth it.
 
Currently, I’m choosing to concentrate on launching my romance novella (which is so close to being done) and writing Book Two of my series. 
 
I also have a goal to write more reviews for other indies. Can’t hurt to put out those good vibes into the universe, right? I’ve always posted on Goodreads but honestly, I don’t get much interaction there so I’m planning to post on Twitter too, if I really like a book.
 
Goals! It’s great to have them!
 
A Thing I Enjoyed This Week
 
I wrote an intense battle in Book Two during my last writing session. I’m a writer who likes to match the music I listen to with the vibe of my scenes, and The Comet Is Coming set the perfect tone. I know music is very personal, but a friend recommended them to me last year and I pull up their music when I need to really concentrate. If you’re into jazz, you might want to check them out!
 
This post was short this week, but I’m happy to be back here blogging. Please enjoy the bloom below – this is Serrulata Stories, after all. (Look for more bloom pictures in future posts!)
 
Have a great week! 

Springtime blooms. (Photo by me.)