Learning as I go

I've been writing for three years. It took me one year to write Mirror Image mainly due to having so many re-writes before the story was right. I've been recently blessed with my sci-fi trilogy as well as a romance novel going to be published this year.

And now the editing process begins. I thought I've gone through Mirror Image with a fine toothed comb. Thankfully, I have a wonderful editor who caught a few mistakes I thought I had addressed.

The more I go through the editing process, I realize I have a lot to learn about the writing process. Change the Stars, my romance novel, is a great story. My publisher has expressed how much she enjoyed it , but I have a lot of clean up to do before it's ready to go.

I've heard from others who've gone through publishing before that I will begin to hate the editing process and my editor. That's actually further from the truth. Maybe my experience is unique, but I don't mind the constructive criticism. It's best I hear this now, while I can adjust and fix than reading it in a review from someone who may not buy my next book.

Going through both stories, I've learned I have several bad habits that come from being an inexperienced author. I haven't taken a writing class since I was in Creative Writing in high school. I may not be the most polished writer, but I keep being told I'm one hell of a storyteller. So the bad habits I can adjust and learn from.

My advice to any writer is to take any online class available. There are also hundreds of different blogs that can help you sharpen your skills. The past week, that's what I've been doing. I'm hoping by the time my wonderful editor and I go through Mirror Shattered, the next in my sci-fi series, there will be very little red marks in the margins.

LazyDay Publishing

I was worried that my romance story, Change the Stars, was too dark to be published. I was wrong. :-)

LazyDay Publishing (lazydaypub.com) has offered a contract and I've happily signed. My former wrestling fan fic that showcased wrestlers as 1930s mobsters in west Texas will be released as an e-book this summer!

I'm beside myself. Two books to be released this year. Change the Stars approximately June or July and Mirror Image, my first in my Mirror sci-fi trilogy in the fall.

I'll be working with my super smart friend, Will, on creating a website. Until then, news and updates can be found here, at facebook.com/kgstutts or Twitter @ KGStutts

Thank you for all your support!

~K.G. Stutts

Distinguished Press

The difference between a writer and an author is a publisher. Today, I am an author. I am pleased to announce that I've signed a contract with Distinguished Press to publish my Mirror sci-fi trilogy. I'm very excited with this partnership and to be a part of The Writing Network family.

Expect to see a ton of links popping up soon. I'm working with a friend to get a fully developed website up as soon as we can.

Thank you all for the support! Can't wait to share my books with the world.

~K.G. Stutts

To self-publish or not?

I went through my drama/romance story, Change the Stars, and realized just how dark it really is. This is a story that is far from a conventional romance. Maggie is kidnapped, tortured, and raped throughout the course of this story. But it's set in the 1930s with crime mob bosses. I think some of that is a little expected? Or maybe I'm reaching. There is heavy dark elements in it that I'm not sure a publisher can see past to really look at the whole story: Even in this dark time, Maggie and Dean really do find love and overcome a lot of obstacles on their way to happily ever after.

The question in my head of it being too dark or not leads me to a few questions: do I modify and re-write? Do I try to self-publish? Or should the word file sit on my computer for me to occasionally read and email to friends?

That's a question rattling around in my head. I'm still working through the fiction crime drama as well.

I've been checking into web hosts, trying to find a home. If anyone has a particular company to suggestion, please let me know. Wish that NaNoWriMo had better suggestions, but it's all subjective.