"...everything in life is writable...if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt."..... Sylvia Plath

Friday, October 14, 2011

My work in Progress

I am just about finished with my memoir. I'm actually a little sad. It's been a great experience and I have learned a lot. This is the first major piece I have attempted. I am a non-fiction writer and have been writing journal articles for years. I also consider myself to be a blogger. I started blogging over two years ago and now have four blogs of my own. I also maintain and post on the Louisville Bed and Breakfast Blog.

I have completed 56,000 words on my memoir and am aiming for 65,000. I have completed three re-writes on it so far and have decided to send it to a professional editor for final edit and polishing. When she returns it, I will do any revisions I deem necessary and then turn my attention to my proposal. I wrote the proposal nearly a year ago, but know so much more about it now so I will have to do a rewrite on it too. My query letter is in pretty good shape. I've gotten a lot of feedback from other writers.

As soon as I feel all three of these are the best I can make them, I will attempt to find an agent. My genre is non-fiction narrative, so I will need all three (MS, query, & proposal)  ready to go. I just finished an article on the process I've gone through since the beginning and how it changed from beginning to end. The beginning was so easy. It all just flowed out onto the page. After that first draft, the real work began. I'm hoping it'll all come together soon, as I have an idea for another book, and am anxious to start it.


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6 comments:

  1. Ian AndersonOctober 14, 2011 at 2:04 PM

    I know what you mean about the "real work." I've had a MS pretty much finished for well over a year, but it seems the writing to find a publisher or agent comes so slowly! In fact, I hate it. I suppose that's one reason I like blogging - but if you or I or any other writer wants to be published, the "real" writing has to be done too.

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  2. AlexandraOctober 14, 2011 at 4:49 PM

    Congratulations, Nancy! That is a HUGE feat and I am in awe!

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  3. Nancy HinchliffOctober 14, 2011 at 7:16 PM

    Thanks, Alexandra, I'm in awe too...every time I look in the mirror.LOL

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  4. Nancy HinchliffOctober 15, 2011 at 9:38 AM

    Man O'Clay: Well, at least we can co-miserate about it. My way of getting it done is to come up with a writing schedule and work on it every day...whether it's on only one chapter, a section that should be re-written, or my proposal. And I'm with you about blogging; it's so much easier. It's not crafting, which is work.

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  5. JOctober 16, 2011 at 12:16 AM

    Sounds like your memoir is coming together. Hope to see it published soon.

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  6. Nancy HinchliffOctober 17, 2011 at 10:04 AM

    @Jewel: Thanks so much for the comment and the support. Very much appreciated.

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