And that leads me into an exciting announcement. Coming in July, IWSG will host our first Twitter pitch party. You can find all the rules on our page. You have lots of time to get that perfect 140 character pitch ready.
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| IWSG Eraser |
The co-hosts for this month's IWSG blog hop are Tamara Narayan, Patsy Collins, M.J. Fifield, Nicohle Christopherson.
The proposed question for this month's hop;Have you ever pulled out a really old story and reworked it? Did it work out?
I haven't really done this but I do have a few I'm meaning to get to. One of them I have hopes for but The Greater Good, went through dozens of rewrites before I found a publisher for it. That was ten years ago and every quarter, I still get sales of that book.
the others not so much. The first book I ever wrote,
As far as insecurities goes this month, I'm worried about my to-do list and how it never seems to get shorter.
“I made a list of things I wanted to do with my life, but it ended up mostly being a list of books I wanted to write”
― Ellie Rose McKee
Any old manuscripts you might breath new life into? Have you ever tried a Twitter pitch? Get any bites? Are you ready for some IWSG swag?
Susan, your answer is so encouraging to me. I hope, ten years from now, my first book will also still be drawing profits.
ReplyDeleteAll the best to you.
Shalom aleichem,
Pat
I would love some ISWG things but as I am in the UK I am not able to do so, but good luck with plans for new things you have in mind.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy this new month.
Yvonne.
That you still get royalties for that book is a testimony as to how good it is.
ReplyDeleteI need another mug like I need a hole in my head, but I ordered one anyway. LOL
I would no nuts, even more so lol, if I worried over my to do list. Could write every moment of every day and live to be 100 and it would still be there, so meh is what I say and go on my way.
ReplyDeleteI love a good list, checking things off, etc, but lately my To Do lists have gotten way out of control. Hmm, "culling To Do lists" might need to be added.... :)
ReplyDeleteOh I love that quote! I can so relate!
ReplyDeleteDo lists. The bane of my existence. Sometimes I think they run my life.
ReplyDeleteHi Susan - fascinating you were able to turn your first book into a success ... but once done - you can do others. We are busy - but I guess we need to learn from others ... ignore what we don't need to do and write, edit and then get to the point of publishing ... cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteThe never ending to do list is "job security." At least, that's how i have to think of it.
ReplyDeleteI still get royalties from my first book which is rather cool.
ReplyDeleteAwesome stuff coming from the IWSG! So neat your first book has been the most solid in sales. I've got a ton of old manuscripts scattered about, but I've too many new ideas needing attention to ever go back to rework old ones.
ReplyDeleteI did try a Twitter pitch once, ages ago. Nothing came from it, though.
ReplyDeleteAnd I love that you still consistently get royalties from that first book. That is very cool.
See, it's all about the love in that first novel. Editors can make a story perfect, but they can't replace that X factor.
ReplyDeleteTo do lists are like TBR piles. Always growing!
ReplyDeleteI think if your to do list starts growing shorter, it means that you are losing steam and inspiration. May your list always be long.
ReplyDeleteArlee Bird
Tossing It Out
That is one fabulous quote!
ReplyDeleteMuch fun to you with the Twitter.
ReplyDeleteYou know what's weird .. it's March and I've not seen or read much about the A/Z Game. Sounds like ya'll are putting energy into better things these days.
I definitely want to try the Twitter pitch. But that means I have to finish my novel and figure out Twitter. Oh boy.
ReplyDeleteThat's the thing about to do lists. You do them and then suddenly there are more things that need to be done.
ReplyDeleteI love that quote! I made a list like that just the other day. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your story, Susan.
I have the same problem with my to-do list. I never quite get one day done, so the missed things add to the next day's to-do list, and on and on. Awesome that you have an old book that's still making money!
ReplyDeleteLove that quote!!! Sounds about right :)
ReplyDeleteI'm never quite sure if I should rewrite or abandon the old stuff!
It does seem like time speeds up and the to do list gets longer. You really do have to make time. As many books as you have written and six kids, I know you have to be the master.
ReplyDeleteThat's awesome that your first book ever published continues to sell. Was worth all those rewrites.
ReplyDeleteDang, I wish I'd have something to pitch in July. But it will be fun just checking in on the event.
I've never tried a Twitter pitch. Actually, I've never even heard of it, but I'll definitely have to look into it. :-D
ReplyDeleteThat is huge to have sales after ten years in print. Congrats!
ReplyDeleteAh, the dreaded to-do list. It's not just you. It never seems to get shorter for me too, no matter how hard I work.
ReplyDeleteAha. IWSG is really on the move, isn't it? Great sales news, Susan.
ReplyDeleteI'd never heard of a Twitter Pitch until yesterday. Shows how in touch with the pulse of writing and promoting I am, huh? Then again, I write for therapy, fun, and to help others in the process so I guess that's a good excuse, right? Yeah, yeah. That's the ticket. ;)
ReplyDeleteI was so excited to see the upcoming twitter pitch. IWSG is growing in leaps and bounds. There's always so many things to do. I don't think that ever changes.
ReplyDeleteWith how hot your cover is for your first book, little wonder you're still getting sales!
ReplyDeleteMy to-do list isn't getting any shorter either, so I feel you.
Susan, I wrote the first draft of the book I have coming out in November from Five Star's Frontier Fiction line back in 2007-2008, before FS even had a Frontier Fiction line. It's the novel of my heart, so I kept getting it out in between other projects and finally (got the story right and found the right market.
ReplyDeleteNever done a twitter pitch. I bought some swag last month and have my eye on one of the new items.
ReplyDeleteHappy IWSG Belated Day!
Juneta @ Writer's Gambit
You've proved we don't need to get the story right the first time - we just have to get it right.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by my blog. I can relate to your to do list. Mine seems to be constantly growing. All those rewrites seem to have worked out. I've never done a pitch before, but this one sounds interesting.
ReplyDeleteI'd just like to be able to write.
ReplyDeleteI'm laughing because that quote suits me perfectly. The only goals I have in life are books I want to write.
ReplyDeleteTen years is a long time not to give up on a story. Well done. Awesome that it was published.
ReplyDeleteThat goes to show that rewrites can definitely pay off. I'm intrigued by the Twitter pitch.
ReplyDeleteSusan, I NEED some of that swag.
ReplyDeleteTen years is a LONG time. Wow!
Since I still need to get Malcolm Gladwell's 10,000 Hour Rule of writing under my belt to get to the stage of publishing a 'decent' book, maybe I can start a 'real' story by the time I'm about 60 years old, go through dozens of rewrites for a ten year period then find a publisher for it by the time I'm 70 years old.
Sounds like a plan, hey?