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

Finished the Next Story for My Collection and Sent It out to the New Beta Reader (that took mega balls) #barrioblues #supergrandehuevos

8/9/2018

0 Comments

 
Picture
Done!  This morning I revised "Rita vs the Duende" my next work in progress that will be aimed at Young Adults, and I added comments from a previous editor-friend. The story will be part of a short story collection for YA and will be out this month.  I was able to work steadily on it and make all the changes because I stayed away from social media.  Milagro!

Plus, (drum roll) I just took the leap and sent it to my new buddy Eddie. I also offered what I thought were specific feedback questions for him.
  I listed them below, in case you are curious what this process could be like, now that I'm done breathing into the paper bag and hit send.  Just kidding.


Beta Reader Questions:
  1. Is the backstory of the duende clear enough?
  2. Is the use of Spanish and when Nana speaks Spanish clear?
  3. Is the pacing too fast?
  4. Are there gaps in the story you want filled?
  5. General comments would be great.
  6. In terms of grammar, I just want to make sure my word choice is varied and effective.
  7. Also, please highlight or add side comments, if you do in-text comments, so I an clearly differentiate your suggestions.
Eddie has been "offline" today, and I suspect he is also in his writing cave, as I was all morning. 

This afternoon, my son invited me to watch a remodeling house show, and one of the suggestions for marketing was to have a recognizable hashtag. It just occurred to me that I hadn't been using one, which is stupid considering all the social media I use, so I am claiming #barrioblues. Get used to seeing it on all my posts, especially book promotions.  I don't think I will be using the #Resist tag because that has to do with my political life and not my writing.  Duh.

I hope you all have a great day writing and revising or whatever book stage you are at!

Let the synapses in your brain birth new ideas! Grow some super huevos grandes as you take risks. #barrioblues



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