Word Count - The First Grey Colson Novel "Code of Misconduct"

[ShoeDiva]

Re: Word Count - The First Grey Colson Novel (title withheld)

I can't help but ask, but have either of you had a chance to begin reading?

Yes, I have. I wasn't sure if you wanted updates, critiques, or anything by segment or just at the end. I will say I love the story, really, I MEAN that. If it was crap I just wouldn't say anything. LOL
I am not far enough along to say move this segment or that one. I have found a few things that confused me, but a paragraph later it was made clear, so I will address that by noting a word or two that will make a difference. Punctuation, noun and verb agreement, comma splices, etc. needs work, but that is why we are editing. (I am also trying not to change the flow, with my suggestions, when I run into double negatives or a hanging modifier during conversations)

 

[Grey Colson]

Re: Word Count - The First Grey Colson Novel (title withheld)

I can't help but ask, but have either of you had a chance to begin reading?

Yes, I have. I wasn't sure if you wanted updates, critiques, or anything by segment or just at the end.

Nothing like that. Just curious how it was going. I'm about midway through a second edit as I have time. We're having a lot of switching around of personnel at work and it's keeping us busy. Thanks

 

[Foxmeister]

Re: Word Count - The First Grey Colson Novel (title withheld)

I'm reading. I'll give you an update when I have a list.

 

[Grey Colson]

Re: Word Count - The First Grey Colson Novel (title withheld)

Just a little update for September 23, 2011....

I've landed an agent with The Crosswind Agency who wants the entire manuscript. :Ninja

 

[ShoeDiva]

Re: Word Count - The First Grey Colson Novel (title withheld)

Just a little update for September 23, 2011....

I've landed an agent with The Crosswind Agency who wants the entire manuscript. :Ninja

What?! When did this happen? When did you send him the manuscript? Do you want us to stop editing? Woohoo...wow...so cool....I TOLD YOU!!! N :cheer1

 

[Grey Colson]

Re: Word Count - The First Grey Colson Novel (title withheld)

Just a little update for September 23, 2011....

I've landed an agent with The Crosswind Agency who wants the entire manuscript. :Ninja

What?! When did this happen? When did you send him the manuscript? Do you want us to stop editing? Woohoo...wow...so cool....I TOLD YOU!!! N :cheer1

No, please. I don't know how far this will go, so I need to keep working on it.

I spoke with a published author who has a terrorist trilogy series. He called me and put me in tough with an agent. I spoke with her and sent a synopsis and two chapters. She has requested the entire manuscript at this point. Again, I have no idea where this will go, so I'd like to stay on track if possible.

 

[Grey Colson]

Re: Word Count - The First Grey Colson Novel (title withheld)

Grey Colson goes home. No title for the second book, but one day some may be interested.

The second edit of Code of Misconduct is being sent to my agent at the end of the week. At least I hope so. I have another lesson plan due :BH

It may start out as an e-book, but at least all the work will go for something. If Mrs. Reacher was excited about the ending, there is hope )

One thing about me....I don't settle :Ninja

 

[Grey Colson]

Re: Word Count - The First Grey Colson Novel (title withheld)

September 29, 2011

Two query letters sent today:

The Knight Agency
Jane Chelius Literary Agency

 

[Grey Colson]

Re: Word Count - The First Grey Colson Novel (title withheld)

October 1, 2011

Manuscript sent to The Crosswind Agency as requested.

I better stop this before I turn into The Postman :HAHA

 

[ShoeDiva]

Re: Word Count - The First Grey Colson Novel (title withheld)

Do you want to email us the changes you made? (I am assuming you fixed all the grammatical errors or do you send it with them? I am unfamiliar with how it works.) Just story or "segment" fixes.

 

[Grey Colson]

Re: Word Count - The First Grey Colson Novel (title withheld)

Do you want to email us the changes you made? (I am assuming you fixed all the grammatical errors or do you send it with them? I am unfamiliar with how it works.) Just story or "segment" fixes.

Sorry, It was not my intent on conducting simultaneous edits, but it was very difficult to set it aside and do nothing. I made a second edit and it will obviously need more. What I sent to the first two agents was only a query letter as stated in their instructions. It is just a summary of the story. One also wanted the first 10 pages. It will be several weeks before I receive a response. They could either ask for additional material or say, "Thanks, but No Thanks".

From what I've read....almost EVERYWHERE...is that it's almost impossible to send it directly to a publisher and expect them to take it. If a person can get an agent to take it, in most cases they will assist with the editing and promote it to various publishers they have established a relationship with.

No one is more "new" to this than I am. You and Fox will find things I miss. I suppose the main things that would help me are:

1. Does the story make sense and/or can you follow it?
2. Are the characters developed enough or too much?
3. Does the story keep your attention? If not, that would mean I need to take material out or add it. Maybe move segments around.

I wouldn't ask you or Fox to spend countless hours correcting grammar and adding periods where I missed them. It will turn into a term paper instead of a story. I am mostly interested to know how a person feels about the story....Would it be something a person would enjoy reading as they sat on the beach during vacation?

I have eleminated a bunch of "crap" in the second edit, but the novel still has 100,000 words. I added a few statements to clear up muddy areas and tried to clean up every mistake I noticed. I'm going to let it rest next week. I have to write a lesson plan for a traffic accident class I have to teach at the end of the month. Don't beat your brain out with it if it is becoming a chore. I will go into a third edit before the end of the month and email you the manuscript when I finish if you like.

Thanks

 

[ShoeDiva]

Re: Word Count - The First Grey Colson Novel (title withheld)

Do you want to email us the changes you made? (I am assuming you fixed all the grammatical errors or do you send it with them? I am unfamiliar with how it works.) Just story or "segment" fixes.

Sorry, It was not my intent on conducting simultaneous edits, but it was very difficult to set it aside and do nothing. I made a second edit and it will obviously need more. What I sent to the first two agents was only a query letter as stated in their instructions. It is just a summary of the story. One also wanted the first 10 pages. It will be several weeks before I receive a response. They could either ask for additional material or say, "Thanks, but No Thanks".

From what I've read....almost EVERYWHERE...is that it's almost impossible to send it directly to a publisher and expect them to take it. If a person can get an agent to take it, in most cases they will assist with the editing and promote it to various publishers they have established a relationship with.

No one is more "new" to this than I am. You and Fox will find things I miss. I suppose the main things that would help me are:

1. Does the story make sense and/or can you follow it?
2. Are the characters developed enough or too much?
3. Does the story keep your attention? If not, that would mean I need to take material out or add it. Maybe move segments around.

I wouldn't ask you or Fox to spend countless hours correcting grammar and adding periods where I missed them. It will turn into a term paper instead of a story. I am mostly interested to know how a person feels about the story....Would it be something a person would enjoy reading as they sat on the beach during vacation?

I have eleminated a bunch of "crap" in the second edit, but the novel still has 100,000 words. I added a few statements to clear up muddy areas and tried to clean up every mistake I noticed. I'm going to let it rest next week. I have to write a lesson plan for a traffic accident class I have to teach at the end of the month. Don't beat your brain out with it if it is becoming a chore. I will go into a third edit before the end of the month and email you the manuscript when I finish if you like.

Thanks

Besides the quotation errors I told you about....that is mostly what I have focused on. If I need to go back to understand something it really needs to be either reworded or clarified earlier.
I am over half way into it. I still love it and would buy it if it were on the shelf. I am reading it very slow, for me, mostly so I really understand it and because I have been a bit busy and don't want to just power through it.

 

[Grey Colson]

Re: Word Count - The First Grey Colson Novel (title withheld)

Do you want to email us the changes you made? (I am assuming you fixed all the grammatical errors or do you send it with them? I am unfamiliar with how it works.) Just story or "segment" fixes.

Sorry, It was not my intent on conducting simultaneous edits, but it was very difficult to set it aside and do nothing. I made a second edit and it will obviously need more. What I sent to the first two agents was only a query letter as stated in their instructions. It is just a summary of the story. One also wanted the first 10 pages. It will be several weeks before I receive a response. They could either ask for additional material or say, "Thanks, but No Thanks".

From what I've read....almost EVERYWHERE...is that it's almost impossible to send it directly to a publisher and expect them to take it. If a person can get an agent to take it, in most cases they will assist with the editing and promote it to various publishers they have established a relationship with.

No one is more "new" to this than I am. You and Fox will find things I miss. I suppose the main things that would help me are:

1. Does the story make sense and/or can you follow it?
2. Are the characters developed enough or too much?
3. Does the story keep your attention? If not, that would mean I need to take material out or add it. Maybe move segments around.

I wouldn't ask you or Fox to spend countless hours correcting grammar and adding periods where I missed them. It will turn into a term paper instead of a story. I am mostly interested to know how a person feels about the story....Would it be something a person would enjoy reading as they sat on the beach during vacation?

I have eleminated a bunch of "crap" in the second edit, but the novel still has 100,000 words. I added a few statements to clear up muddy areas and tried to clean up every mistake I noticed. I'm going to let it rest next week. I have to write a lesson plan for a traffic accident class I have to teach at the end of the month. Don't beat your brain out with it if it is becoming a chore. I will go into a third edit before the end of the month and email you the manuscript when I finish if you like.

Thanks

Besides the quotation errors I told you about....that is mostly what I have focused on. If I need to go back to understand something it really needs to be either reworded or clarified earlier.
I am over half way into it. I still love it and would buy it if it were on the shelf. I am reading it very slow, for me, mostly so I really understand it and because I have been a bit busy and don't want to just power through it.

You have to....I wrote it slow... :HAHA

 

[Grey Colson]

Re: Word Count - The First Grey Colson Novel (title withheld)

October 15, 2011 update:

I received the contract for representation from The Cross Wind Agency today. It seems straight forward enough, but I'm mulling it over. Or as Mrs. Reacher's boss would say, "I'm smoking it over" 8). I have been able to contact two authors represented by the agency and they have nothing but good things to report.

As strange as it may seem, this is not the easy decision I thought it would be. I would say it's almost too good to be true, but it would have to be an elaborate fraud since I picked two authors at random off the internet with independant websites to ask for a reference. That with the fact that no one is asking for money up front, only 15% of sales....or as SD would rather read it...sells! :laugh

Maybe my sarcasm is paying off.....finally. That was their biggest compliment 8)

Until the next update, this is JR. Yours until Turkey gets Hungary and fries Russia in Greece ;D

 

[ShoeDiva]

Re: Word Count - The First Grey Colson Novel (title withheld)

October 15, 2011 update:

I received the contract for representation from The Cross Wind Agency today. It seems straight forward enough, but I'm mulling it over. Or as Mrs. Reacher's boss would say, "I'm smoking it over" 8). I have been able to contact two authors represented by the agency and they have nothing but good things to report.

As strange as it may seem, this is not the easy decision I thought it would be. I would say it's almost too good to be true, but it would have to be an elaborate fraud since I picked two authors at random off the internet with independant websites to ask for a reference. That with the fact that no one is asking for money up front, only 15% of sales....or as SD would rather read it...sells! :laugh

Maybe my sarcasm is paying off.....finally. That was their biggest compliment 8)

Until the next update, this is JR. Yours until Turkey gets Hungary and fries Russia in Greece ;D

:Stick

I have told you over and over it would be published!

I am going to finish reading what I have even though you are not going to need my edits. I like feeling like I know something others don't! :laugh

 

[Grey Colson]

Re: Word Count - The First Grey Colson Novel (title withheld)

October 15, 2011 update:

I received the contract for representation from The Cross Wind Agency today. It seems straight forward enough, but I'm mulling it over. Or as Mrs. Reacher's boss would say, "I'm smoking it over" 8). I have been able to contact two authors represented by the agency and they have nothing but good things to report.

As strange as it may seem, this is not the easy decision I thought it would be. I would say it's almost too good to be true, but it would have to be an elaborate fraud since I picked two authors at random off the internet with independant websites to ask for a reference. That with the fact that no one is asking for money up front, only 15% of sales....or as SD would rather read it...sells! :laugh

Maybe my sarcasm is paying off.....finally. That was their biggest compliment 8)

Until the next update, this is JR. Yours until Turkey gets Hungary and fries Russia in Greece ;D

:Stick

I have told you over and over it would be published!

I am going to finish reading what I have even though you are not going to need my edits. I like feeling like I know something others don't! :laugh

In most every book I've read, especially the Reacher series, there is always a bad guy revealed near the end. Wouldn't you agree?

I got a little tired of that....and even though your copy is a crappy edit, you'll see what I mean.... :Ninja

 

[Grey Colson]

Re: Word Count - The First Grey Colson Novel (title withheld)

Contract signed and delivered with The Cross Wind Agency. Now for the waiting game...I have to say I'm very excited N

 

[Grey Colson]

Re: Word Count - The First Grey Colson Novel (title withheld)

The work in progress keeps trucking along. My agent, or should I say agents actually like the story. I was on the phone with them last weekend and they gave me enough direction to clean up a few parts and clear up a few areas. I've been working on them as time permits. They have been very encouraging to this point, saying that some aspects of writing can not be taught in school, but are just there...in the person telling the story. They recently sold movie rights to a book titled "The Viper Contract". I've been in touch with the author, Chris Broyhill, who has nothing but good things to say about his....our agent.

There is not much else to update at this time. I'm just glad that things are happening and I'm not dead in the water. It's a long process, but Lord willing, I have the time to see it through.

To my whole one or two readers, I thank you. I am certain to sell tens and tens of books in the future :laugh

 

[Genevieve]

Re: Word Count - The First Grey Colson Novel (title withheld)

The work in progress keeps trucking along. My agent, or should I say agents actually like the story. I was on the phone with them last weekend and they gave me enough direction to clean up a few parts and clear up a few areas. I've been working on them as time permits. They have been very encouraging to this point, saying that some aspects of writing can not be taught in school, but are just there...in the person telling the story. They recently sold movie rights to a book titled "The Viper Contract". I've been in touch with the author, Chris Broyhill, who has nothing but good things to say about his....our agent.

There is not much else to update at this time. I'm just glad that things are happening and I'm not dead in the water. It's a long process, but Lord willing, I have the time to see it through.

To my whole one or two readers, I thank you. I am certain to sell tens and tens of books in the future :laugh

A HUGE congratulations to you, JR!!!

Way back in college, I took a course called "The Situation of Writing Today," taught by Joseph Epstein (the editor of American Scholar magazine). We learned all about how difficult it is to get a book published, and I'm sure the climate is even tougher now.

 

[Grey Colson]

Re: Word Count - The First Grey Colson Novel (title withheld)

The work in progress keeps trucking along. My agent, or should I say agents actually like the story. I was on the phone with them last weekend and they gave me enough direction to clean up a few parts and clear up a few areas. I've been working on them as time permits. They have been very encouraging to this point, saying that some aspects of writing can not be taught in school, but are just there...in the person telling the story. They recently sold movie rights to a book titled "The Viper Contract". I've been in touch with the author, Chris Broyhill, who has nothing but good things to say about his....our agent.

There is not much else to update at this time. I'm just glad that things are happening and I'm not dead in the water. It's a long process, but Lord willing, I have the time to see it through.

To my whole one or two readers, I thank you. I am certain to sell tens and tens of books in the future :laugh

A HUGE congratulations to you, JR!!!

Way back in college, I took a course called "The Situation of Writing Today," taught by Joseph Epstein (the editor of American Scholar magazine). We learned all about how difficult it is to get a book published, and I'm sure the climate is even tougher now.

Thanks, Gen ;D It's still a good ways from being published, but it's very helpful to have a couple of people in your corner. I just completed another series of corrections, omissions and clarifications. The working copy of the manuscript will be emailed back to the agent for even MORE I'm certain. The process has been fun and frustrating at the same time. But because SO much time has been invested, I'm not going to let it sit in a three ring binder to be lost to the attic dust.