Hey guys, welcome back!! Well, it is official…there is a new name for my site! Welcome all to New Chapter Cove! Woo hoo!!! (And yes, there are a lot of exclamation points. I’m excited.)
Last week I had let it drop that I was going to be changing the name, (and url) but I was waiting for June to begin to do so. Well, here we are and it’s time to usher in the new era for this site.
In case you missed the last post, I’ll do a brief rehash of why the name change has occurred: I had started the site originally when I was doing social media marketing consulting and content writing. I wanted to make it a resource for other writers to come and find places where they could submit their work, a notion I still have yet to include here. (Sorry.)
However, now it’s years later, the site has evolved to include documenting more of my writing journey and I wanted a name that would reflect that. Thus, New Chapter Cove was born! There’s always a new chapter to be written, read and every day is a new chapter in life. Why cove? Because my favorite place in my city is the cove area by the water. It all just fits.
So I welcome you to the New Chapter!
I will address one thing, in last week’s post, I mentioned that it would be called ‘next chapter cove’ and while that was the plan and the logo was made, when I was reconfiguring the settings, I accidentally typed ‘new’ while I was registering the url and well, things happen. So while I am a little mad at myself for blowing the name a little, New Chapter is growing on me and I hope it will grow on you as well. 🙂
And that is where I will leave you for today. Just wanted to make the official announcement and let you know that the change has been made. I hope you will continue to follow me here and more posts, as always, to come.
Thanks for being here and here’s to the New Chapter!
Hey guys, welcome back! Yes, I’m back as well! I have been MIA for the last week because, well, life happens. Thankfully, it was almost all good. I just couldn’t find the motivation to write a post instead and kept on writing my new book. However, I’m here and hopefully, so are you!
It has been an interesting time around these parts and so happy because I got to see a friend from elementary school I hadn’t seen in over 40 years! We were the two in class who were always in trouble for laughing, passing notes (yes, paper notes) and just could never keep a straight face when we were together. We found each other on Facebook and have been trying for quite some time for a meetup and last weekend, it finally happened! I’ve pretty much been smiling since. We picked up right where we left off, still making each other laugh and had a great time. So I hope you will take this as inspiration to reach out to someone you’ve been thinking about for a while. We are only here for a short time, make each moment count!!
While I’m talking about moments, I’ve been using many to work on the rebranding of this site. I’m sure you’ve noticed the changes in the look of the site and a new name is in fact coming. I’ve already created the logo and the new url and site name will reflect it as well. I’m very excited about this change as it will be much more relevant to the current one that I chose many years ago. My original name, CCSocialCreative was born out of my social media management era when I was working for someone else then went to consulting and had many different plans for this site. I now introduce the new name coming: New Chapter Cove!
New logo!
Why this particular name? Because the term ‘new chapter’ refers to both my writing journey, reading journey and every new day presents a new chapter in life as well. Cove? Well, that is from my favorite place in my town and I wanted to incorporate it somehow. (Could it be that my romance novel era is seeping into my subconscious? After all, a whole lot of romance titles have the word ‘cove’ in it. Nah, it’s about my favorite place here.)
The new name and url will be implemented in the coming days, so if you suddenly see updates with a different name, it’s just me being me. 🙂
I’m sure there are questions out there, several I’m sure I’ve been asking myself. However, I’d like to address some odd ones in regards to my writing and kind of wondering if anyone else has had this asked of them as well. During the writing of both my first book and the one I’m currently writing, the most asked question has been, “how long will it be?” I find this to be the strangest of all the questions. When I handed out the first six chapters of my first book to a few friends and family members to get some feedback, most asked this question. I first took it as an insult. After all, were the first six chapters that bad that they didn’t want me to continue? But after thinking about it, a couple of them asked this even before they read it! So my next thought was, why ask this? This time around, I’m now 27 chapters in (yay me) and it’s happening again.
Since I’ve already established here that I do not use an outline when I write and am known as a ‘pantser’ writer, meaning, I let the story take me where it wants to go, I’m still baffled by the question. After all, the last few novels I’ve read have all been different lengths…the longest being well over 40 chapters with the shortest just 26. We write until the story has an ending. If it looks like it will continue, well, that’s what ‘series’ writing is about! I think for me though, I’d never go up to a songwriter, an artist or another creative and say, ‘so you still have more to go’ or ‘how long will it take for you to finish?’ I also have had, ‘where did you come up with the character names?’ That one though, I can see. After all, when we create worlds, we also have to create names and personalities for the people you are reading about besides the story. However, I think what I find most interesting is who asks what questions.
Again, several closest to me have asked about length. One or two about names. But when I was at a party last month, I sat and talked to someone I hadn’t seen for a while and when we were talking about the new book, this woman was the ONLY person to ask me what it was about! Wouldn’t that be the most obvious question to ask a writer? I certainly think so. Just as I would ask that songwriter, ‘what is your inspiration behind the lyrics’ or a screenwriter, ‘what is the new movie about?’ I would never think to ask,‘how long will it be?’ I’m baffled and yet, I keep writing. Because that’s what I do.
Anyway, I had to get that out and as I’ve said in previous posts, this blog can sometimes be a sort of therapy for me and yes, I now feel better.
And that is where I will leave you for this week. I will try once again for multiple posts in the coming weeks and as always, hope that someone out there got something from this ramble of mine. I appreciate you guys so much and thanks for sticking with me!
Until next time…Cheers!
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Hey guys, welcome back! I am here trying this Tuesday thing again to see how it goes. From looking at the stats, this seems to be the better day to post (my traditional Friday posts have been slacking big time but that’s ok. I shall keep on trying!
Hope your week is off to a good start. I’ve been dealing with a brutal bout of insomnia myself. I get it at least three times a year anyway, but since healing up from Covid back in March, it has been coming more and more in waves. In this case, my meds have played a factor as well. I’ve been trying to change them up and wean myself off some of them as well. However in doing so, it has caused tremendous pain and lack of sleep. Finally tonight I caved and feel like myself (somewhat) again. Let me be clear, it wasn’t a withdrawal thing and I’m not an addict, I just have a plethora of medical issues that cause incredible pain. Even if I am doing nothing but sitting here breathing, it hurts. I just needed a break. So sick of all the pills. Of course the problem then comes in, without feeling better, my creativity suffers as well.
Case in point…I wrote a chapter last night that I really couldn’t wait to get to. It was a pivotal scene that had been playing in my head for a week and I was so excited for it. However, I was so foggy, tired and uncomfortable, I could barely get through it. I did what I could and then put everything away and tried to go to bed. I thought about it all night, (you know, because I wasn’t sleeping) and even without rereading it, I knew it sucked. I blew right past what was supposed to be an important moment for my characters and did them wrong.
I’ve talked about my writing/editing process here a number of times:
I write a chapter
Next night I read what I wrote the night before, fix it then move on
Write the next chapter
So tonight, after I finish here, I will go back and make sure that the chapter is properly written and the pair are treated much, much better. It’s funny how attached I’ve become to the people I’ve made up. I actually look forward to ‘hanging out’ with them every night. (I really need to get out of the house more.)
Anyway, I am happy to say that even with all this going on, the latest chapter? Is chapter 21! This book has been really taken on its own life and it has been an incredible journey writing this story. Not just the book itself, but documenting it here. I can’t tell if it’s therapeutic or if I’m hoping that someone out there that reads this blog gets that ‘it’s not just me’ moment from it? But it has helped me keep on track and I actually get ideas for the story while I’m typing out my posts. And I’m always so, so grateful to those who come here to read my rambles. I hope that means I’m doing something right!
One thing I’ve been thinking about is changing the name of this site. I had originally chosen CCSocialCreative/Promosocially (my social handle) when I was doing social media management and writing articles on the side. But now the tone has changed significantly and I’m trying to come up with something catchy and that invokes the writing/reading/life stuff spirit. I’ve chosen a few different names but haven’t narrowed it down as of yet. So stay tuned!
And that is where I will leave you for today. I hope that this week brings lots of good stuff, opportunities and something to make you smile. To quote a great ELF: I just like to smile, smiling’s my favorite!
Note, my StuffWeFind links are on there as well. You can find vintage and estate jewelry there which is my main gig. StuffWeMade is packed with my shops that feature my designs on them. Basically, I’m all over the place.
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Hey guys, happy Friday! It’s been a busy one this week and for those of us who like to read during a good rain storm, it’s been another good couple of days for that. I was excited by the number of folks who came to read my post the other day as well as the likes and I can’t thank you guys enough for coming back each time. And to those of you who are new here? Welcome!
I mentioned the other day that I’ve been quite productive lately and it’s been great. I’m actually about to start writing chapter 20 after I finish this post and just last week at this time, I was happy I had just passed the ‘dirty dozen’ mark. So that has been a bonus for this week. What has been driving me crazy though is that I hit a chapter that caused me to have a little lull. A little lack of, I don’t know, excitement maybe? For lack of a better word.
Let me be clear, I’m not writing an action adventure thing that will turn into a Summer blockbuster down the line (and who I will never champion Tom Cruise for). Rather, mine is but a romcom with some deeper stuff in it as well. Or at least, that is what I’m going for. However, every book that you read or write has those couple of chapters that are just there to bridge the story from one place to another and that is where I am now. I’m not saying they are boring. (Hoping they are not.) What I am saying is that I’m excited for the next chapter and wanted to skip over these last two to get to the next one. There is still a lot going on, a lot of information dolled out and even more character development of course, but as I am living vicariously through these people, I’m just excited for their next adventure.
Last night I even had trouble sitting down to write. I didn’t know where the words were going to take me and I still have yet to reread and edit them before I continue writing tonight. What I do know is this, much like I do with this blog, I just sit down and start writing. That’s it.
This is how I wrote my last two chapters. I had blocks, I had worries, I had “well now what do I do now that I wrote them into this issue” and yet, I just kept writing.
I ended up liking one chapter a lot. It turned out better than I thought it did and when I read/edited it, I actually laughed in some places. (Yes in the spots that were meant to be funny.) So somewhere in my mind, the story is still there guiding me. Yesterday was a bit tougher. I had a vision of where it was going to go, how to get past the lull a little bit more and make it not so, I don’t know, day-to-day? Yet after a bit of writing the first scene, the typing continued. I once again did an almost automatic writing session and because I did, I came up with a new twist I hadn’t even thought of before. A way to tie some pieces together that honestly, never crossed my mind once and again, this is at chapter 19! I was able to add some more depth, some more emotion and some more backstory to characters that deserve to have their stories told.
I hope I’m not building myself up here. This is by no means the next ‘great American novel’ and I’m hoping that if you are reading this now, I’m not ruining anything for you if you decide to read what is finally published. I’m just trying to share part of my process here. I sometimes start off blind. No clue where the story will take me. I just know that if I take more than a day off, I feel like I’m failing myself. That if I miss more than a day of working on this story, the story will leave me.
As much as I like to keep my schedule going, there are times when it isn’t meant to happen. I encourage listening to yourself and how you feel. This goes for anything, not just writing. Case in point, the other night, I had an idea for the next chapter and wanted to get it down, but I hadn’t been feeling good at all the entire night. When I sat down to write, it felt more like a chore, more like homework, more like I had some deadline I was supposed to meet when in reality, I have none. I read and edited the chapter from the night before, but when it came time to write the next one, I got three sentences in and stopped. My eyes and head were pounding looking at the screen. It was pouring outside and I decided to shut off the devices and dive further into the book that I’m currently reading, which, btw, I’m loving. There is nothing like reading during a good storm and once I got off the glare of my iPad, I started to feel a lot better.
What I’m saying is this…there are times the story needs to come out but the body isn’t willing. There are times when the story is stuck, but the mindset is to keep going. Just start writing. You may be surprised. It will either flow or you will get the clear sign that it’s just not going to happen in the moment. But you’ll never know unless you just start writing.
And that’s where I’ll leave you today! Thanks for joining me today, be sure to check out the links below and I wish you guys a great weekend!!!
Until next time…Cheers!
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Hey guys, welcome back and happy new week! I wasn’t planning on posting today but I’m excited. I’ve been so hard at work on my new story that I’ve been making significant progress on it.
When I posted on Friday, I had crossed the dozen chapters mark and as of today, Tuesday, I am about to start chapter 18! This story has me hooked and I hope upon hope that when I finally get it out there, readers will like these characters just as much as I do. I honestly can’t wait to get typing to see what will happen next.
I don’t know if other authors deal with this and this will sound a little out there, but as I am going about my day and taking care of other things, the story is playing out for me in my head like a movie. I feel that these characters are taking the lead and guiding me through this whole thing and I’m letting them. I know I touched on that a bit in my last post, but with the amount of writing I’ve been doing over the last several days, they haven’t let up and right now, I’m letting them!
While I block off a certain amount of time to write each day, I also have a block for doing my research. Tons of research. Steps to take on the publishing side, getting ISBN numbers, to copyright or not to copyright and putting numbers together to see how much I still need to save up to get this book out there when it’s ready. Unless something changes, I’m still planning on self publishing this book. It’s a big undertaking but the way this story is coming together, I feel this one wants to be seen and soon. Not that it’s anything profound by any means. I think that mainly, I need to get this out of my system. My first published book.
I also need to get this story out of my head. I can’t move forward with the first book I wrote (and its sequel) until this one has vacated my mind. That first book I do plan to submit somewhere and that is also part of my research process. Trying to figure out formatting, how much of it I need to send in, editors, am I going agent or direct to a publishing house and of course, figuring out the dreaded query letter. (Ugh)
The book I just finished reading, The Page Turner by Viola Shipman, while fiction, was based in the publishing world. It gave me a lot of insight to the process and some great jumping off points for what I will need to do. (I took a ton of notes.) Ironically, I started a new book yesterday that also takes place in publishing and it was a total coincidence that I picked this particular book off of my TBR pile. Or was it? I like a good sign thrown at me and while yes, a lot of the books I’ve been reading lately have involved writers, these two are the first I’m reading that deal with publishing. So sure, sign!
I think my takeaway from these past couple of weeks is that creatively, it is a strong time for me and I hope you as well! Even though I sit here, directly across from the pile of crafts supplies, mocking me horribly that I haven’t touched them in months, writing-wise (new word?) I’ve been nonstop. Even writing this post, my fingers were flying as I was typing. I’m in a good groove and here’s to hoping this is a wave we creatives can all ride for a long, long time!
May this new week bring you opportunities to flex those creative muscles. Go forth and write, paint, play, sing, sculpt, draw whatever your medium is, go out there and do it! Even if there is no plan in place, you may have something inside of you that has been waiting for its moment to come out…and this may just be that moment!
And that is where I will leave you today. Until next time…Cheers!
New Chapter Cove 