Author María J. Estrada
  • Home
  • Mi Biografía
  • Un Blog de Writing Musings
  • Author Interviews
    • Eric Allen Yankee
    • Mehreen Ahmed
    • Steve Carr
    • Martin Eastland
    • P.S. Malcolm
    • P.C. Darkcliff
  • The Harvested Draft
  • Books
  • Poetry
  • My Patreon Page
  • Useful Bits
  • Contact

Un Blog de Writing Musings

A Great Writing and Beta Reading Saturday! #barrioblues

30/3/2019

0 Comments

 
Today promises to be a fantastic day where I can immerse myself in my work. I purposely set Saturday up this way because I have my virtual book release party on Monday, April 1 Live Streamed via Facebook—you are all invited—and I am processing all of the beta reading comments for the story being released that day: “Zona 5”.  The comments have been amazing.  The funny thing is that some beta readers are really apologetic, “Like you probably won’t want to be my friend after you read my comments.”
 
Brothers, please!
 
First of all, I welcome these comments because I have never had such great beta readers. I have been dreaming about having good outside readers look at my work.  Now, that I have them, I am sure as hell not going to complain if my readers are honest, and harsh.  In fact, tough comments are the best because the comments force me to take a hard look at my work. 
 
Today, I also plan on reading their work, and no payback is not a bitch. I look forward to reading what they are producing and giving their work candid feedback.
 
Another goal I have is to demystify the Smashwords Meat Grinder.   That is what they call the processor that takes Microsoft word documents and creates *.mobi or Kindle files.  Now, when I published “La Lechuza”, I didn’t know how to process the file properly.  However, after watching YouTube videos, I realized that the document needs to be free from formatting or else it doesn’t process correctly.  The *.epub book looks great, but I want my books to look good in the Kindle too, even though the work I am posting there for now is free. 
 
Finally, I am creating my email list database.  Thanks to all of you, my subscribers are growing, but I need to manage them properly, until I get a good service to work with.  I have not been impressed by Email Chimp or haven’t found the right template, and I am still using Canva to create my newsletters, which is fine for now. 
 
Well, that is all I have time for because I have to get to it, and I have to take advantage of this golden hour when the kids are sleeping.
 
Set your goals and thank your beta readers, even when they crack your nuts. #barrioblues   

Picture
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    RSS Feed

    Become a Patron!
    Picture

    Jesú Estrada
    Pen Name: 
    María J. Estrada
    Chicago, IL

    You follow me everywhere @drmariajestrada, except Twitter.
    Subscribe to my YouTube channel, Radical Books and Activists.

    *********************
    MARIA J. ESTRADA is an English college professor of Composition, Literature, and her favorite, Creative Writing. She grew up in the desert outside of Yuma, Arizona in the real Barrio de Los Locos, a barrio comprised of new Mexican immigrants and first-generation Chicanos. Drawing from this setting and experiences, she writes like a loca every minute she can—all while magically balancing her work and family obligations. She lives in Chicago’s south side with her wonderfully supportive husband, two remarkable children, and a menagerie of animals.

    Archives

    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    November 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    December 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    December 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    January 2015
    November 2014
    October 2014

    Categories

    All

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
Photos used under Creative Commons from shixart1985, Phuketian.S, yourbestdigs, yourbestdigs, Brett Jordan
  • Home
  • Mi Biografía
  • Un Blog de Writing Musings
  • Author Interviews
    • Eric Allen Yankee
    • Mehreen Ahmed
    • Steve Carr
    • Martin Eastland
    • P.S. Malcolm
    • P.C. Darkcliff
  • The Harvested Draft
  • Books
  • Poetry
  • My Patreon Page
  • Useful Bits
  • Contact