Goodbye 2012

helllooooo 2013…

I am not going to be sad to see this year disappear into the dust.

It has been one of the hardest years of my life, in terms of work, (both for myself and Paul) my home life (a result of work) and my koi. 😦

Too many ups and downs for my liking and I can only hope that this next year has a more positive and happy outcome.

I can say that 2012, has been more positive for my writing. That has taken a much better turn. So I have one thing I am pleased about.

Best Friends, Irobe and working on my Sci Fi TV series and novel for The Secret King.

So, without any hesitation I bid 2012 goodbye. See you on the other side. 🙂

May you all have a wonderful evening with family or friends, stay safe and enjoy.

Dawn x x

Looks good in print :)

Wow, so this has taken me most of the day. But, finished printing about 30mins ago.

Twenty Nine Chapters, and 500 (double spaced pages) and 80,429 words.

Of course, it will change in the next few months, more than likely a lot. But, this is the first copy. And it looks awesome 🙂

Here’s a picture….

2012-12-30 18.18.00

🙂

Have a fab evening all.

Dawn x

Print out day!!!

So yeah, I’ve edited as much as I can. I think its time to print it, a viable first draft.

I’ve a few crits in on the first few chapters, so they’ll be altering in the next few weeks and I’ll decide what and where it needs to go (bar the bin) lol….

So, wish me luck, 🙂

It makes it feel so much more real when you actually have it in print.

Here goes… I’ll post a picture later.

————

In other news, been out to the ponds today, clean and refresh the water. 2 toads and one frog in the big pond.

My Shiro Utsuri male is looking better, not as pink, so I am thinking that it was a drastic drop in water quality (rain) that made him pink up.

Babies are fine, some of them look stunning. I can’t wait till spring as we’re going to catch them, take pictures and see which to keep and not. I know I’ve promised 10 to a local charity, but they’re twice the size now, so I might only part with a few. That will be up to him.

We’ve got lots to do when the weather warms up. Get the backi shower running on the main pond and then also sort out all the stupid pipes and wires. Too many jobs, but no fish till we straighten this all out. And I make sure there are no parasites about.

Spring is always the worst time of year for them, they don’t like the cold weather, neither do my I 😦 its miserable.

Catch you later…

Dawn x x

Professional etiquette :)

So I wanted to post a little about the above.

I know I am a writer. I’ve had some very good successes this last year. Which I’ve been very pleased with.

But I’ve found that even these successes come with a different tag.

I’ve always been a reader. I used to get request after request to look over people’s work. Which I did, and yes, it took up a lot of my time.

In any sense time is money. This last year, I haven’t had as much time at all. With writing for Best Friends, and then having very sick fish.

So my time has been even more important to me.

I’ve had two very different experiences today. (Bar the hangover)

The first, I was contacted by a random person… I’d never had a message an email or even a chat with. Directing me to a website and his script.

I’m still a nice person, I like to help others. So, I went over for a nosey.

It was an instant put off. The website okayish, but the work, not so good. I like to think I am nice most of the time. But this guy had a price tag on his script of 1 million dollars. For a 32 page script. I couldn’t help but point out that his price tag was the very top end of the pay scale for any writer (even an established one)

He quickly retracted the 1 mill and asked for 200k.

Yikes, not any sort of way to conduct business.

So the second encounter was a slightly different shock.

Again contacted by someone I’d never met, wrote too or spoken too.

The difference was he ‘actually’ asked did I have time to talk.

That one tiny question made all the difference. : )

I do believe in some professional etiquette, I’d never dream of asking a pro writer or producer to look over my work without building a relationship first. Better to be asked to submit work, than to hound someone that you don’t know and put them off for life.

The article ‘no I won’t read your f’in script’ is one of the most truthful pieces written. See Casey’s message below for the link… Thanks Casey. 🙂

What do you think?

Dawn

Think I am learning :)

It has been a couple of days since I’ve posted. But, I’ve been editing my novel. Which has been a big job. Don’t get me wrong, I loved writing it. I want to get on with the next one. This comes first.

I edited the first nine chapters and sent them off for a few bits of feedback.

I’ve got the first Chapter back from a lovely lady. And to be honest, it wasn’t so bad. I think I’ve been improving over the years.

Then again, my writing partner, also contacted me saying he’s read it and will message me over it in the new year… that’s when I go eeeek. I’m scared now.

However, I found a program which helps with your editing and is separate from Word and its spelling/grammar check, that’s been interesting.

I think at least the text now is a lot cleaner, shouldn’t be many spelling errors, I just need to wait and see what else I need to work on.

My first critter said that I need to put in some internal monologue, because the characters are written in ‘cinema scope’ no surprise there I’ve been a script writer for the last 10 years. Hard habits to break… so those bits I can put in.

Waiting patiently to see what everyone else things, or does it need to go in the bin. 😦

No, think positive.

Heading off the night. 🙂

D x