I'm outlining now, I'm working out some potential (shorter) replacement sequences for sections that might be cut. The first one is pretty definite, I'm going to cut some out of the opening chapters to speed up the plot out of the gate.

Two more rejections came in for Sam yesterday, and teh last rejection is due on Tuesday.

A good portion of the rejections boil down to, "Allyson is a wonderful writer! Cute story! I don't like talking animals!"

You know who HATES talking animals? Little kids. Gah.

The rejections that come in explaining that the story isn't layered enough, or that the plot is a bit thin, stuff like that? It stings, but it's something I can process and use to be better.

Bleh. My sensitive writer feelings are hurty.

I'm sorry, Allyson. Did you decide to do the Lulu thing?

I'm going to wait until the last rejection comes in on Tuesday. They're "trying to make the numbers work."

Lulu will cost me about $1500 for an initial print run, and I have a bit socked away so it won't hurt so bad. I think it's worth it, I just need to come up with a good marketing plan.

Sorry about the rejections. I hope all works out well with whatever path you take.

Thanks, Gud. Rejection is all part of it, and it stings for a bit, but then, back on the horse.

We'll see what happens next week with the last publisher, and then I'll start working on the lulu thing. After a drink.

As you might know, I've started doing Script Frenzy this month...well, I made a tiny stab, actually. But I'd really like to see a script from PI show that I don't have to pay for, but... Anyway, I've been reading a lot of scripts and it's funny the stuff different writers put in. David Shore's House scripts have little snarky bits in the scene descriptions. David Simon's Wire scripts have parenthetical directions like McNULTY,although that was not his name at first, (who the fuck cares?) or (the hell with it) as opposed to, say, what I might do.
MCNULTY (indifferent)

I'm now almost done with Chapter 3, again. The area from the end of Chapter 3 to the end of Chapter 7 is being cut and replaced with something shorter and faster paced. Also, I'm changing the POV in Chapter 3. Most of that chapter I had changed away from the MC in my first revision, but it always bugged me to have that POV change so early. Now the POV will stay with the MC as in the original draft.

Something I've discovered is my almost total inability to figure out how my book reads for me. There are times it seems like total dreck, but then I was listening to my current draft while driving and it seemed fine compared to the audiobook I'd been listening to.

One positive thing, my Dad is reading my current revision (up to chapter 10 now) and said he's getting into it. A biased opinion but she also said there are moments of humor which felt good since I don't think that's something you'd say just to be positive, considering the genre.

I finished Chapter 3 and have moved onto Chapter 4 which is a mish-mash of former Chapters 5 and 26 (it sounds weird combining two chapters that far apart, but a lot of Chapter 26 I wanted to move up to better establish my character Savin).

I've been reading a bit on developing secondary characters. I think my main character's sidekick is interesting and has plenty of personality. Past that, I need to do some work. I'm gonna have to think on how to better define characters without burning through a lot of words.