Coming Into A Fandom Late

Coming into a fandom late

Two job-hunting resources that changed my life:

This cover letter post on askamanger.com. A job interview guide written by Alison Green, who runs askamanager.

“Colorism isn’t real.”

Learn to Knit With Scales

So you want to make something with scales too? Well you're in the right place!

GUYS I’VE FOUND A VERY IMPORTANT WEBSITE FOR PEOPLE WHO CAN KNIT WITHOUT INJURING THEMSELVES!!!!

Slashing Your Word Count

A guide for over-writers. 

So there I was, sitting in front of my 120,000 word YA Fantasy manuscript having a breakdown. Why? you ask. Well, because I want to be traditionally published and no one will buy a YA debut that long. 

Why not? This answer would a post on its own. Or a 24 minute video. Luckily Alexa Donne has already done that work and you can watch it here. 

Now I’m going to summarise all the advice I was given that had lead to me doing a brutally cut down draft in two sections, the big cuts, macro level, and the small cuts, micro level. 

Micro Level Cuts

Reduce each description by 1 or 2 words - @coffee_loving_artist

Reduce dialogue. Single spoken words can carry more emotional weight than elongated lines. 

Cut down on dialogue and action tags. If it’s clear who is speaking, don’t use anything! - @parisandherbooks

Cut repeated sentences. It’s not as dramatic as you think it is. 

Simplify convoluted sentences - @jade_d_brown

Cut words like very, quite, sort of, kind of, it was, there was, that, now, then, suddenly and any crutch words you have - @just.a_simple_writer

Change passive language - @laurenkayzles

Macros Level Cuts

Chop off the beginning and the end of long scenes. 

Cut info dumps

Never get lost in internal monologue. Keep it to a small para at most. 

Cut fluff scenes - @teen_writing_101 & @cakeyboy 

It doesn’t take 1000 words to make a small point – condense it!!

Cut unnecessary dialogue or chit chat 

Merge scenes that feel repetitive 

Cut the prologue 

Cut the epilogue 

(Remember that those can go back in after your book has been bought) 

If you’re desperate, delete a POV - @thewritingfirebird

Ask your Beta’s which subplots/characters could go - @howwhyandsowhat 

[If reposting to instagram please credit @isabellestonebooks]

A rural First Nations community in Alaska has lost its’ only potable water source as of January in freezing weather. The laundromat was the ONE community location to get clean water. They rely on river water and donations right now.

There is an Amazon wishlist with cleaning products, formula, small electric-free washers for elderly + disabled people, washing buckets and water-carrying buckets, and hand tools to cut through the ice in the river to access water, amongst other things.

The Tuluksak Native Community is a Yup'ik Tribal Government in Tuluksak, Alaska. They have a 30%+ positive COVID rate. 

Please ignore the GoFundMe link right now. There is no way to access the funding as far as I know. Message CeeJay on Twitter ahead of time or direct funds to the Amazon Wish List, which can be sorted from lowest price to highest.