Yeah lets not mention how long THAT took to figure out *grin* I actually hadn’t clicked that I didn’t have one yet. So now I do and I’m just working on making it real phurreetttyy ;p Have a peek and hit the like button – I’d be very grateful! Nicole MacDonald Author Page

I guess it’s about time for a book progress update? Well I’m 3/4 of the way through book two and I just re-read what I’ve written so far and had that utterly glorious feeling of victory *swoon*. Though as any other writers out there will know this is currently the ‘I’m wearing rose-tinted glasses’ stage of my first draft. This stage is vital to finishing a book. Even though I know in a months time I’ll be passing through the ‘OMG I’m an appalling author, I can’t write for sh!t’ stage. Ahhh the memories *grin*
It’s weird isn’t it? Loving and loathing something SO much. I know I have to pass through those stages and it’s bringing all the other stages back too as I think about it so I’ve decided to create my list of stages. For the self-published author.


Stage 1 – Rose tinted glasses.
This is when the idea is fresh, beautiful and damn exciting. It sings through your head and you walk down the street often in a daze cause you really are in your own world.


Stage 2 – Invincible
You have completed your first draft. Naturally it is the most wonderful thing anyone ever beheld and will of course be THE next best-seller even capable of leaving Twilight/Harry Potter/Stephen King in the dust (you get my drift). If this is your very first complete manuscript you very likely send it off to anywhere between 10-100 agents in quick succession.


Stage 3 – Oh f#ck
About a month after you’ve been extolling the virtues of your pride and joy you re-read it. And experience the awful sinking sensation.. It’s not as good as you first thought… and there are errors.. LOTS OF THEM. You promptly sink into the pit of self-loathing.


Stage 4 – Re-writing
The rose-tinted glasses are long gone and the serious hard work begins.


Stage 5 – The critiques
You’ve re-written it maybe once or twice. You think you’ve made major improvements. You haven’t. In sweeps the honest, brutal critique. You read it, cry, scowl, shake your fist at the e-mail and its contents then turn the computer off and go sulk in your room.


Stage 6 – Realisation
The critique was rather bang on. It smarts and you hate to admit it, but you can admit it. This is the first sign of improvement.


Stage 7 – The SERIOUS re-write
This can potentially mean you re-write the entire freaking manuscript. But, this time, you find the more you re-write, the more you can recognise the improvements. The major improvements. Suddenly re-writing begins to almost feel like stage one. Because you can see your writing improving before you.


Stage 8 – Approval
Your manuscript gets the nod from your hard-ass critiquers. You read the e-mail, turn the computer off and go cry in relief on your bed.


Stage 9 – Editing & Proofing
The next bane of your existence and you try to lure anyone and everyone into help. You get the odd urge to go to hospital to visit patients who are bed bound.. and make them edit/proof your book.
C’mon!?! What else were they going to do?? They’re in traction for SIX MONTHS. Seriously, you were doing them a favour.. ;p


Stage 10 – Formatting
OMG it was invented purely to drive writers mad. Seriously the Tradition Publishing houses must have a foot in this some where and are making it this hard to stop you from proceeding. You turn into the mad writer reading every article you can find on HTML and formatting for e-books. Nothing works as it was promised and your ‘Release date’ looms.


Stage 11 – It’s done.
It’s done. It’s published. You see it on Amazon/Smashwords/Barnes & Noble and suddenly get the desperate urge to rip it off because it might not be perfect. You spend the next two weeks sleeping little and watching your sales like a hawk.


Bleahhhhh.. Okay that’s all I can manage for tonight. There are my thoughts on the stages. Anyone else want to chip in? Do you agree or disagree with any of them? I’d love to hear your thoughts : ) And please pop by my Amazon author page and like it.