tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1002113089297135210.post7809918670752805327..comments2023-11-16T20:34:36.744-06:00Comments on ... MICHAEL DI GESU ... ... ... In Time ... ...: NEW YEAR ... OLD INSECURITIES .... Michael Di Gesuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17047267262428143113noreply@blogger.comBlogger57125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1002113089297135210.post-72043284733060125322013-01-08T10:06:44.185-06:002013-01-08T10:06:44.185-06:00I def need to keep an eye on this group, it sounds...I def need to keep an eye on this group, it sounds so awesome! You're very right, must be quality, must have other eyes that aren't just "yes" people read for you! Great advice, sir. <br /><br />Hope 2013 is amazing for you!Colene Murphyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06086195075690893194noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1002113089297135210.post-57369619037811852782013-01-07T08:38:38.910-06:002013-01-07T08:38:38.910-06:00This makes me think of my favorite line from Count...This makes me think of my favorite line from Count of Monte Cristo "bide your time and hold out hope." Perfect post to start of the new year, Michael. I have a feeling this will be the year for many of us! :)David P. Kinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17259276981865439853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1002113089297135210.post-11766090881975908062013-01-07T02:57:03.402-06:002013-01-07T02:57:03.402-06:00This was such an uplifting post Michael! Exactly w...This was such an uplifting post Michael! Exactly what I needed to hear. Many Thanks!Annehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15640511681168230116noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1002113089297135210.post-18037134406865554842013-01-06T18:52:23.102-06:002013-01-06T18:52:23.102-06:00Best wishes in the coming year my friend! Best wishes in the coming year my friend! Danettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15043881305977386629noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1002113089297135210.post-29155819283182596052013-01-06T16:23:45.225-06:002013-01-06T16:23:45.225-06:00I have been writing a long time in many different ...I have been writing a long time in many different media forms, forums and formats, but I am always learning and always attempting to improve. 2013 will be another great year.JJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14692103477055483000noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1002113089297135210.post-18617040350880840452013-01-06T14:11:48.844-06:002013-01-06T14:11:48.844-06:00Best wishes to you this year. I think it's goi...Best wishes to you this year. I think it's going to be awesome for you. Glad to hear the CP shout out here, as I know my stories are always WAY better when they've gone through critique and revisions. Impatience has made many a self-published novel less than it could have been. Our stories deserve to be polished before being sent out into the world. Best of luck to your publishing success in 2013!Shell Flowerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08127004188099765270noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1002113089297135210.post-78007764107663189462013-01-06T13:26:07.493-06:002013-01-06T13:26:07.493-06:00Patience doesn't seem to be a virtue anymore i...Patience doesn't seem to be a virtue anymore in today's tweet-paced culture, but I agree with you. Let's take our time polishing our work and then get it out there where it belongs!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1002113089297135210.post-53422376163110223472013-01-06T10:37:12.551-06:002013-01-06T10:37:12.551-06:00I agree that there are way too many 'books'...I agree that there are way too many 'books' out there that shouldn't be. To me, trying to find a decent self published book is like trying to buy a nice dress at Value Village...you have to weed through racks and racks of crap before you find anything remotely decent...and even the good stuff isn't super good, it's just passable. I don't know, maybe I just haven't stumbled upon that self published gem yet...as hard as it is to get published traditionally, I think maybe there's a reason for that...there are exceptions of course. When I'm ready to pulish something I really don't know what path I'll take. I haven't got that far in my plan yet! lol!<br />Happy New Year and here's to all that polishing! E. M. Prokophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12395951217528199963noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1002113089297135210.post-33816294813518604082013-01-06T09:25:39.482-06:002013-01-06T09:25:39.482-06:00I can't stop staring at your arms....
Awwww h...I can't stop staring at your arms....<br /><br />Awwww have a brilliant 2013 too!! <br /><br />Take care<br />xOld Kittyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13185547869183611159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1002113089297135210.post-29738596516033762962013-01-05T16:29:40.103-06:002013-01-05T16:29:40.103-06:00Sorry I'm getting to you so late, Michael. Bus...Sorry I'm getting to you so late, Michael. Busy week!! Happy New Year and I loved your post. <br /><br />I used to be on fire to just FINISH and get my work into the world. But the biggest lesson I learned in 2012 was the value of patience. I think being patient enough to keep revising until the book is as perfect as it can get is probably one of the most important things a writer can do. <br /><br />Thanks for the great post and hope you have an awesome 2013!!Tamarahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04070551912944266954noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1002113089297135210.post-38679348277323755222013-01-05T03:37:02.996-06:002013-01-05T03:37:02.996-06:00I haven't published any of my writing yet beca...I haven't published any of my writing yet because I DON'T want it to be one of the ones out there that people read and think, "That wasn't ready for publication." If they don't like it, they won't read anything else by me, right? So I agree, letting your critique partners help you hone your book to perfection is important.Becky Fyfehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01595020500346331076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1002113089297135210.post-11293851544502769232013-01-04T15:01:43.327-06:002013-01-04T15:01:43.327-06:00Happy new year! We have the same goals it seems--p...Happy new year! We have the same goals it seems--polishing our novels until it gleams enough to be noticed :)I'm wishing you the best of luck!<br /><br />Nutschell<br />www.thewritingnut.comnutschellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10967710710805174781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1002113089297135210.post-55057037288930253032013-01-04T12:18:04.406-06:002013-01-04T12:18:04.406-06:00Such an encouraging post!
I agree with you that ...Such an encouraging post! <br /><br />I agree with you that CPs and/or editors should always read the story before you put it out there for the public to see. <br /><br />That's probably the second best piece of advice I can give a new writer. <br /><br />:-)Misha Gerrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06364173848456424521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1002113089297135210.post-1943606374821954362013-01-04T09:16:10.090-06:002013-01-04T09:16:10.090-06:00Thanks so much for the positivity. Sometimes in th...Thanks so much for the positivity. Sometimes in the writing world it's hard to keep that positive focus.Barbara Watsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06547166495514562286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1002113089297135210.post-37110337375084780692013-01-04T07:29:26.266-06:002013-01-04T07:29:26.266-06:00Happy New Year! Wise words. We have to be patien...Happy New Year! Wise words. We have to be patient and work with our CP's to bring our stories to life.<br /><br />Best wishes for the new year!kjmckendryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07534751311630921447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1002113089297135210.post-54584251564546215662013-01-03T18:49:15.692-06:002013-01-03T18:49:15.692-06:00That is definitely SO important, to have other wri...That is definitely SO important, to have other writerly friends go over our stuff. I mean, they read and write and blog and breathe the stuff. And even newbie writers can catch inconsistencies and comment on whether something feels real, etc. :) Best wishes and cyberhugs to you for 2013!!!!Carol Riggshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14092209912983783974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1002113089297135210.post-90685700741880676472013-01-03T14:37:36.774-06:002013-01-03T14:37:36.774-06:00Rousing. And true. And very well put. Right I'...Rousing. And true. And very well put. Right I'm off to do some polishing. Thanks Michael.<br />Laura x<br />PS - any chance you could have a read over some of my work later in the year? Would be glad to return the favour any time<br />Laura xLaurahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03604785269958873474noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1002113089297135210.post-20068397071724508402013-01-03T13:16:15.143-06:002013-01-03T13:16:15.143-06:00This is THE BEST advice, Michael! Both from the &q...This is THE BEST advice, Michael! Both from the "in time" perspective as well as the very important "let someone else read your work" one. It IS so important to take our time and put out our very best books.<br /><br />You're going to have a fab 2013! The Film noir sounds amazing, and can't wait to read your other book! Best to you! and LB hugs~ <3LTMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05239077455322030275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1002113089297135210.post-57279785342293974352013-01-03T11:17:25.675-06:002013-01-03T11:17:25.675-06:00For what it's worth, self-publishing is kind o...For what it's worth, self-publishing is kind of fun. I put out a short story, so it wasn't much of an "endeavor", but I enjoyed finding the font and designing the cover for it. The whole thing only took an afternoon, and then loaded it up on Smashwords followed by Amazon.<br /><br />The thing I like about it is all the control I got. Maybe I have that "gay" gene that just likes things to be meticulous. Allow me to explain.<br /><br />I'm also traditionally published and my publisher doesn't inform me one bit on what my cover is going to look like. He also doesn't want to take a lot of time in making sure everything is just the right size.<br /><br />In the paperback version of "Oculus" at the beginning of Chapter 3, the mathematical formula I included is in like 24 point size font and it's just really irritating. I don't understand why he did that and it just leaps off the page and slaps you in the face.<br /><br />But he won't change it. And for the paperback, I would have wanted a cover that goes all the way around to the back, and he didn't do that either as he says it's unimportant.<br /><br />So yeah...having a publisher is kind of cool, but honestly, if my fantasy doesn't get picked up by Harper Voyager or then (Rhemelda) who I'll be sending to next, I'm totally self-pubbing.<br /><br />It's the only way someone as meticulous as me will get what I want, which is cutesy scene breaks and perhaps some embedded pictures, and the font is all the right size for everything, and front and back covers.<br /><br />Going with a publisher is kind of like hiring someone else to do the interior decorating of your condominium without fully understanding or trusting their taste. They just do it and you walk in and they haven't chosen plantation shutters, or done the right backsplash in your kitchen, and instead of tasteful art, they've hung "Dogs playing poker" in your living room next to the blue lazy boy.<br /><br />You kind of go...uh...okay...yes this is functional but do you have any taste at all?Michael Offutt, Phantom Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10557969104886174930noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1002113089297135210.post-76960281377854206722013-01-03T10:19:13.341-06:002013-01-03T10:19:13.341-06:00lovely post. thank you.lovely post. thank you.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11622191037152999869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1002113089297135210.post-167350893452932132013-01-03T09:55:34.316-06:002013-01-03T09:55:34.316-06:00Good advice. Betas and CP's are a writers lif...Good advice. Betas and CP's are a writers lifeline.<br /><br />Thanks for following me!<br /><br />LaurenLaurenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04137538450232783883noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1002113089297135210.post-79879735152044112652013-01-03T08:38:00.785-06:002013-01-03T08:38:00.785-06:00What an inspirational post! I love my CPs and beta...What an inspirational post! I love my CPs and beta readers. They're wonderful :) <br /><br />Wishing you all the best in 2013!Cherie Colyerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13205065477147957455noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1002113089297135210.post-74535451645916927232013-01-03T08:32:19.796-06:002013-01-03T08:32:19.796-06:00Excellent advice, Michael. I would add that as inv...Excellent advice, Michael. I would add that as invaluable as feedback is, never let anyone dissuade you from trusting your instincts. For people-pleasers like myself, it's very easy to fall into the trap of giving someone else control of our stories. We must remain ever vigilant. :)<br /><br />Warmest wishes for an AMAZING 2013!<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://vrbarkowski.wordpress.com" rel="nofollow">~VR Barkowski</a>VR Barkowskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04927993233682731113noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1002113089297135210.post-121861358068956642013-01-03T07:59:32.211-06:002013-01-03T07:59:32.211-06:00Hi Michael! Thank you for stopping by yesterday an...Hi Michael! Thank you for stopping by yesterday and for following. Love this post and am looking forward to reading more! Cheers to 2013!Tracy Johttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14578915029993861396noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1002113089297135210.post-27540314179647915532013-01-03T07:07:59.319-06:002013-01-03T07:07:59.319-06:00Hi Michael - thanks for stopping by my blog earlie...Hi Michael - thanks for stopping by my blog earlier. I've followed you here and on Twitter. Glad to see we have Alex in common - what would we do without him? Thanks for the encouragement about publishing. I will be deciding this year what to do with my children's book. Good luck this year!Sheila Silerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15284982582798743408noreply@blogger.com