Print-At-Home Business Cards and Editing

Fun stuff... But not really. Allergies, computer updates, restlessness. Despite uncooperative technology and drowsiness, I've at least managed to get a little done. I snatch up those little spots where I'm feeling better, but they're few for now. 

I bought the cheapest business card paper I could find, enough to print out 1000 business cards, but unfortunately, I got what I paid for. It's not as thin as printing paper but definitely not heavy card stock. The micro-perforation leaves messy edges. However, I feel like these are still sufficient as back-ups in a pinch. I'll definitely pay a printing company for better quality cards and likely use the nicer ones to hand out to people I talk to or sell something to. The color is nice and I like that it isn't a smooth paper, a little textured. I wanted it to have a sort of linen, book texture to it, so those still work for that.

I do know Avery's print costs are on the high side, but for what I want (either cream or ivory paper with a matte linen textured look), it's not going to be cheap anywhere. I feel like it's worth it, and then some, to go for what will make a custom design look its best. I'm not run-of-the-mill and I believe that anything worth having is worth paying more for. Not breaking the bank, of course, but cutting corners everywhere will leave people unimpressed.

Then there's the computer update part. One of those lovely updates that holds your computer hostage pre-boot. I have them turned off of Auto Update, but this means I have to manually check it when my computer is running suspiciously slow. Lo and behold, nearly every time, there's an impatient update making things gummy. So before I can hunker down for some reading and editing, have to wait that out. I mean, sure--I could sit on my desktop. Except the allergy part. Nauseous, watery eyes... I'm banking a lot of faith on autocorrect right now as it is. I don't dare risk the effort of sitting up distracting my work, especially when I'm doing it for someone else.

I have a feeling I'll nod off in the meantime. More energy for the task ahead though, if I do.

Just saying it made it harder to open my eyes after blinking. Well, I at least got to tell you the devil in cheap at-home projects and... The other stuff.

Yup, nap time...

Letting It Go

I've never claimed to be an expert at anything, but there's one question I've been asked that I can answer more easily now.

How do you know when it's time to 'let go' of your work and put it out there?

I don't think I've ever seen a definitive answer and anyone who claims otherwise is driving on full ego. However, I've learned to combine an educated guess with a gut feeling.

How many drafts? How many edits? How many times did I pass that error before I finally caught it? If so, can I be sure I haven't missed more? Should I shave my head bald or risk ripping it out in handfuls?

First things first, it's less knowing and more... Resignation. Despite the way that word sounds like a weakness or a way to surrender in defeat, you must realize that you will always catch a mistake, whether it's grammar or just not liking something about it. I can tell you that I typically make at least three full passes, but on occasion, I'll suspect something missing in one scene while correcting another and scoot back to pore over it again.

In one of Neil Gaiman's Twitter posts, he answered in response to the question of how to write plot:

"Write down everything that happens in the story, and then in your second draft make it look like you knew what you were doing all along."

It sounds easy, but it resonates with a lot of writers. Some writers can actually shit out gold on paper, others crouch with Hemingway's iceberg, under the belief that the best stories are mostly beneath the surface and must slowly melt and rise to the surface. Yet, you can't rely on advice here, to trust any advice that tells you one or the other is best or that you should strive for a timeframe in between. Some of my favorite authors tend to release one book a year, but that doesn't speak of the quality I find in the ones that release four a year or one every four years.

You can edit too much. You can edit too little. Too much and it's possible to make an incomprehensible mess as you shove in more and more detail. Too little and people will be frustrated by grammar and plot errors. Your voice can suffer too. Either you end up utilizing it too little or you get so invested in it, your ego overpowers the actual story. Possibilities, not inevitabilities, but worth considering. There are many times when editing, I think I need to add, add, add, but once I add something, I realize I over encumbered it. I entertained myself, but lost sight of the plot.

Since I started publishing, there is very little I've tossed aside. Some have fallen out of WIP status so I could challenge myself to focus on a single story, but I tend to throw my unfinished self-amusing writing onto WattPad. I don't like leaving things unfinished, but not actively working on everything is not the same thing. Essentially, everything unfinished is still a WIP. There's always the hope that I will come back to it, that it might grow into some form of completion.

It's never easy to put out that final draft into a published work. While you could change self published work if you chose, it's generally not a good idea to post altered editions just because you couldn't let it go. If you want to publish but poke at something as much as you like, non-fiction is perfect for that, especially for ebooks. Manuals, especially concerning topics that change constantly like technology, often need updating and reconsideration. Also a great way to drum up more sales over a much longer period of time than most fiction can enjoy.

Nitpicking doesn't guarantee a good story. Rushing to show off your prolific binges does not guarantee a good story. Enjoying it for yourself does not guarantee a good story.

Do the market and your own reputation a favor though; don't put out anything for sale just for the sake of completion or accomplishment. The minute you attach work to your tax information, a traditional publisher can find it. If you care to go that route, it could make it harder. Either way, you still don't want to drag your name through something you knew was crap. I've lost admiration for actors who threw away performances, musicians that put out rushed garbage. Put it up in forums, anonymously if you're concerned, but don't ruin the wonderful opportunity for writers to enjoy publishing without gatekeepers so you can impress someone in a bar. Indie can be a much harder road with all of the attacks on its integrity, so when you do decide to let your work go, believe it's your best.

No shame in tucking it away until your muse lures you back.