We've all had it -- the dream we're hoping to fulfill.
That sits.
And sits.
And sits.
Years go by while we walk by and shine that little dream and imagine it breaking free.
My little dream is finding its wings, one day at a time, inch by painful inch. Today, that means I'm about a week away from finishing the rewrite of IMMORTAL the book. (First penned in 2004.)
 |
| (Not a true representation of the cover) |
Which means I'm looking for potential beta readers (in about 2 weeks to a month).
What is a beta reader?
When a book is fully drafted, the author puts it in front of other eyes. The first reader is:
The Alpha Reader -- a trusted reader who helps iron out major plot/character issues.
Followed by:
Beta readers -- a small group who shares their reading experience with the author, often helping iron out minor inconsistencies or weaknesses in the writing.
The working blurb:
Rage. Isolation. Thirst…
For 300 years, an immortal cursed to live on blood has traversed the earth—hunted by a single family sworn to destroy him.
England 1792.
When the present-day hunter, Phineas, injures him, Lucas vanishes into the night. Weakened and desperate, he stumbles into his neighbor’s ball and meets Justine. His silent heart beats for the first time in centuries. If he is capable of love, is he capable of redemption? And will Justine’s uncle, Phineas, end him before he can discover?
Welcome to our IWSG buddies! Huge thanks to our hosts, Victoria Marie Lees, Sarah Foster, Natalie Aguirre, and C. Lee McKenzie!
June 3 question - Do most of your story ideas come from one place (the news, dreams, etc.) or do they hit from all over the place?
But.
We grow, right? These days, story ideas/components come from everywhere, but my subconscious usually forms them as I write without conscious effort. It's helpful that way.
What about you? Where do you get ideas? Have you ever beta read for someone? Do you like getting in on the ground floor and giving your ideas?
That's cool you are almost done with the rewrite. How far that story has come!
ReplyDeleteYou're not kidding! And now how much I have to cull it back after full exploring every aspect...
DeleteCongrats on almost finishing your rewrite. I can't remember my dreams, so I can't get ideas from them like you.
ReplyDeleteYeah, insomnia put a damper on that for a long time. I only remember them if I write them as soon as I wake.
DeleteAll my ideas come from dreams.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the rewrite. Aren't those fun?
*high five* Birds of a feather, eh?
DeleteI do like a rewrite more than a first draft. =)
That is amazing. I have never written a story from dreams. I am one of those people who never gets dreams. I read the plot of the book---WOW. Right now, I'm beta reading a book and it's my first time... All the best on the book!
ReplyDeleteI'm wishing you the best with your first forey into beta reading! It's a joy and a struggle. =)
DeleteI love how you get ideas. That is fascinating. I am jealous.
ReplyDeleteHaha! It also requires good and regular sleep -- which is near impossible to achieve.
DeleteDon't you love when a backburner book finally comes to fruition! Immortal sounds fantastic.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Melissa. Yes, it's a beautiful day when we get to unearth one of these waiting beauties.
DeleteI am an amazing Beta reader as I worked on almost all of bigger YA, dystopian and fantasy titles from previous 20 years, but I am extremely cruel and will make you cry LOL Plus I do not, sadly, have time as I am translating a new dystopian hit which has like 700 pages! It is terribly written, by the way, you can see they did not have me as a Beta reader/murderer LOL
ReplyDeleteYou wouldn't make me cry. I've had to suffer through my husband's beta reading. LOL. I think there comes a point as an author where you see feedback differently -- as an incentive to improve rather than a personal attack. If we can't get to that place, we have no right to be in the business. AND I'd rather hear something in the beta phase than the published-review phase.
DeleteWishing you sanity on that beheamoth!
Congrats on being so close to almost finishing that rewrite! Well done! :)
ReplyDeleteAll these congrats feel premature. Maybe I should come back and read them in a week. Haha!
DeleteThat's awesome that you are almost finished rewriting Immortal. I didn't know it was also a book.
ReplyDeleteBecause writerly minds can never leave an idea alone, eh? Easiest book I ever wrote -- since it was so well outlined. LOL.
DeleteGreat news about your newest book. I'd love to read for you, but I've committed to three others, and I wouldn't be able to get to it until late summer. I wish you the very best, Crystal.
ReplyDeleteI get that! There are a hundred things I would LIKE to do, but there's never enough time, eh? I hope all your summer reading is amazing.
DeleteI think the idea of working with beta readers is excellent. I’m looking forward to the finished work.
ReplyDeleteI write and read at www.plejaden.onlinde.
Thank you, and thank you for stopping in! Wonderful to meet you, Neuer.
DeleteThat's a long time to keep a book on the back burner! Congrats on nearly finishing. I don't think I've ever gotten a story idea from a dream. My dreams are either too irrational to make sense of, or they are too real--and terrifying enough that I just want to try to forget them (if I wrote horror some might work, but I won't even read horror).
ReplyDeleteHaha! I get that. There have definitely been a few horror dreams. More than a few.
DeleteCongrats on the book. Romance isn't my thing or I'd sign up to beta read. I hope you understand.
ReplyDeleteI do love the blurb. It states the stakes and that will sell books. :-)
I totally understand. We'll see how it turns out because my husband isn't a romance reader either and he's going to want his say in how the plot shakes down. I'm TRYING to moderate it for a general audience. Haha.
DeleteWith fully fleshed out plots? What a treasure that would be!
ReplyDeleteWhen I say fully fleshed out, I mean layers upon layers aspects I can unwrap in my conscious hours to fully understand, but my subconscious knows what it was saying. If I don't get in its way, my brain will show me the plot it devised while I was sleeping.
DeleteI've also gotten story ideas from dreams. Best of luck finishing your novel!
ReplyDeleteIt's awesome, right?!
DeleteCongratulations on being so close to finishing! That's always a great feeling.
ReplyDeleteRight?! Until you get the feedback and go, goodness, I have so much to do still. I don't think that will be the case so much this time around since it's been percolating for such a long time.
DeleteI have never gotten an idea for a dream, let alone a fully formed plot. Congrats on getting so close! The beta reading stage is a huge milestone. I love your gifs. :)
ReplyDeleteYes, it is. Been too many years since I've done this with one of my own works. Fun times, eh?
DeleteFinishing a story is such a boost for a writer's feeling of self-worth. Always, when I finish a story, I think: "I'm a writer, after all. Good girl, Olga."
ReplyDeleteHahaha! I love it! Indeed, we all need that boost. Because we are awesome. And we deserve it.
DeleteSent you an email :-)
ReplyDeleteReceived. Yay!
DeleteDear Crystal, congratulations on your endeavours! I absolutely love your cat gifs, dear friend!
ReplyDeleteAll for you, Linda. All for you. 😂
DeleteBravo on your new book. What an accomplishment for sure. You wrote a solid blurb. All the luck with this new book.
ReplyDeleteAw, thank you! Fingers crossed, eh? Except for when typing.
DeleteWow, that's amazing that your dream ideas arrived fully developed. I always get a few major scenes in my inspiration but then struggle with filling in the details.
ReplyDeleteI've had that too! It really dependes how solid a night of sleep I get. The thing is, my subconsious has been unlocked in a story realm, so even when I sit down to continue the one or two scenes, the rest comes flooding out. Usually. But not all my stories are from dreams. Those are the ones I struggle with.
DeleteI like that you defined aplha vs beta readers for people. Best of luck with the project!
ReplyDeleteIt's definitely a nuanced process.
Deleteooo, so close you can taste the cheese celebration, right?
ReplyDeletecount me in for a beta read! and if you have time in a month or so, maybe you can beta for me? no pressure especially with you getting that awesome baby published! woo hoo!
happy summer =)
Tara Tyler Talks
100%, and I'll share. Cheese for everyone!
DeleteYay, Tara! I'll put you on the list and I'll let you know where I'm at when I reach that stage. If I can do it, I will totally read for you.
I have beta read, and I'd offer to help, but right now I don't have the time. I'm sure there are others who will help you out. Beta readers are so crucial.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely! I appreciate the willingness but there are always seasons for these kinds of things. 😁
DeleteI would interested in the future to be a Beta reader, but I don't have the time to do it justice now. I know some YA fans that might be a good match. I will pass the word along.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate the offer. I probably have enough people on it now, but thank you for being generous.
DeleteA big congratulations!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteCongratulations on nearing the finish line, Crystal. Loved your post!
ReplyDeleteAw, thank you. I hope you have an amazing break this summer.
DeleteI hope you find some great beta readers! And congratulations on getting to the beta reader point!
ReplyDeleteRight?! It's always a huge milestone.
DeleteGrats on the rewrite! I understand the drive and joy of getting that done. Is the book YA? I see a lot of mentions of it in the comments. I don't typically do well with YA, so if it is, then I'm probably not your target audience. But I do typically like historical. I'd be happy to take a look at the first couple of chapters to see if I'd be a good fit as a beta. And if you're okay with me converting it text-to-speech so I can listen to it (I retain better with my ears), then I'd probably be able to get you feedback pretty quickly.
ReplyDeleteHi Loni, it's not YA. LOL. I'll reach out to you via email.
DeleteCongrats to you.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteMany congrats on the emergence of Immortal. It sounds great.
ReplyDeleteI'm very impressed with your subconscious:)
Right?! It's pretty amazing. Now if I could just get real life out of its way so it could work in peace.
DeleteCongratulations! Sounds like an intriguing story
ReplyDeleteThank you, Marja. Here's hoping.
DeleteI'm still wondering if being a beta reader is a good idea not though I haven't tried it yet. I think I can only give feedbacks if the story interest me or if I hate it. Reading a book that offers neither interest or any type of feelings makes one want to go 'meh' and forget I ever read it.
ReplyDeleteI guess if you can remember your dreams, it would definitely be nice to put them into a story. I really think there are tons of good ideas in my dreams but sadly, I can't remember them.
Have a lovely day.
Interesting. When I beta read, I'm charting the plot turns by page length, following the postivive to negative switches in each chapter beginning/ending, and analyzing character arcs, plus giving my instant reactions in line with where I had them. Honestly, I think that's the best feedback of all -- what did you feel right at this moment?
DeleteIt takes a lot of focus to read with that kind of intention though. I'll burn through a normal novel in a day, three if I'm struggling to read it (because it's super long or doesn't hold my interest), but when I beta read, it usually takes a week or two.
Ooh, Immortal sounds like Romeo and Juliet but with immortals. I wish I had time to beta read for you. And how exciting to bring this story to life after so many years. I hope it's wildly successful.
ReplyDelete