Normally, I post personal things on this blog. Things I do with the kids and with Andrew (we went to Kingston last weekend to see Anna compete in a speech competition - way to go, kiddo!), things that are happening on the farm (three new lambs this past few weeks) or within my extended family (my cousin and his wife in the UK had bought healthy twin boys into the world last week), and things that interest me (books, wine, food, etc).
And those of you who follow along will know how I switched gears earlier this year and left the corporate world to focus on teaching and editing. Teaching is out for the summer now, but the editing is going strong, and today I am pleased to announce that Carina Press, the company I work for, celebrates its first year of publishing. Yes, one year ago, Carina published its first set of e-books, and has been going strong ever since.The world of e-book publishing is exciting and fast-paced, and growing every day. It's so much fun to be part of it all.
Carina Press is an imprint of Harlequin. And yes, there are lots of romances. Being a digital publisher, however, gives us more leeway and so we publish a wide range of other books, including non romance. As an acquisitions editor, I get to read so many fantastic stories, and those that really resonate with me are the ones I edit. I tend towards historicals (no surprise there), but also enjoy mystery and suspense, and contemporary stories. I'm brushing up on steampunk, which I am discovering I really enjoy reading, and hope to start editing some of those one of these days too.
Today, Carina Press is hosting an anniversary blog tour. Carina editors and team members have blogged on the sites of some of our authors. A complete list with links can be found on the Carina Blog.
I am hosted by Marie Force, and will be checking in throughout the day to respond to questions and comments.
Hope to see you there.
Oh, and Happy Anniversary, Carina.
Showing posts with label work. Show all posts
Showing posts with label work. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Two Minutes
I know the value of managing my time. I know how to keep a pretty good balance between work, family, domestic chores, and downtime.
I say that with my tongue firmly in cheek. It might be true in the abstract big picture universal truth sense, but the reality is sometimes very different.
This I discovered Sunday morning.
I spent a big chunk of time the latter half of this week - and part of Saturday while the kids and Andrew were out at an insectarium with the cubs - catching up on work. A combination of factors really. Starting behind the eight ball when I first started full time freelancing, a snowball effect as manuscripts started to come in all together, a weekend away in New Brunswick coupled with a heavy cold that left me fuzzy headed and unable to focus...all of them meant that I had some looming deadlines that I needed to meet.
I finished it all. It felt really good. There was just ONE thing, a quick eyeball of a final chapter finished late in the afternoon. No problem, I told myself. I'll look it over really quickly Sunday morning and send it out to the author before she leaves for her cottage at noon.
There are a whole lot of "What if's" here that might have changed the way that worked out. But the bottom line is that we were leaving the house that morning for a special funtion with the kids and we had to be there for 11am. I had the manuscript done. I ate breakfast. I got the kids dressed, hair brushed. I got dressed. Heck, I even brushed my own hair. And then I took the five minutes before we left to connect to my email and send it...and the internet was slow. It wasn't working. It was taking forever.
The kids were waiting in the car, Andrew was pacing, the clock was ticking. I HAD TO LEAVE.
If I had two extra minutes, I'd have got that out on time. As it was, it had to wait until this afternoon when I got back.
Not a big deal really. I hate missing a deadline, but it was minor as far as it goes. But to me it was like the universe just gave me a big fat wake up call.
Two minutes!! If your time is at the point where two minutes can make or break it, it's NOT well managed.
It's like that some mornings getting the kids to the bus. A frantic rush to eat, make lunches get out the door with bags, homework and shoes on the right feet. Two minutes late and I have to drive them - a 45 minute round trip.
But get up half an hour earlier and it's a nice leisurely pace. Time for a song, a dance, a laugh, a revision of homework, a chat, a jump on the trampoline. We are all much happier.
And it's the same with work. Get ahead of it and you have time for things to go wrong, time for a second look, time to have a cold and just spend a couple of days in bed.
The two minute warning bell went off.
I hope I learned from it.
I say that with my tongue firmly in cheek. It might be true in the abstract big picture universal truth sense, but the reality is sometimes very different.
This I discovered Sunday morning.
I spent a big chunk of time the latter half of this week - and part of Saturday while the kids and Andrew were out at an insectarium with the cubs - catching up on work. A combination of factors really. Starting behind the eight ball when I first started full time freelancing, a snowball effect as manuscripts started to come in all together, a weekend away in New Brunswick coupled with a heavy cold that left me fuzzy headed and unable to focus...all of them meant that I had some looming deadlines that I needed to meet.
I finished it all. It felt really good. There was just ONE thing, a quick eyeball of a final chapter finished late in the afternoon. No problem, I told myself. I'll look it over really quickly Sunday morning and send it out to the author before she leaves for her cottage at noon.
There are a whole lot of "What if's" here that might have changed the way that worked out. But the bottom line is that we were leaving the house that morning for a special funtion with the kids and we had to be there for 11am. I had the manuscript done. I ate breakfast. I got the kids dressed, hair brushed. I got dressed. Heck, I even brushed my own hair. And then I took the five minutes before we left to connect to my email and send it...and the internet was slow. It wasn't working. It was taking forever.
The kids were waiting in the car, Andrew was pacing, the clock was ticking. I HAD TO LEAVE.
If I had two extra minutes, I'd have got that out on time. As it was, it had to wait until this afternoon when I got back.
Not a big deal really. I hate missing a deadline, but it was minor as far as it goes. But to me it was like the universe just gave me a big fat wake up call.
Two minutes!! If your time is at the point where two minutes can make or break it, it's NOT well managed.
It's like that some mornings getting the kids to the bus. A frantic rush to eat, make lunches get out the door with bags, homework and shoes on the right feet. Two minutes late and I have to drive them - a 45 minute round trip.
But get up half an hour earlier and it's a nice leisurely pace. Time for a song, a dance, a laugh, a revision of homework, a chat, a jump on the trampoline. We are all much happier.
And it's the same with work. Get ahead of it and you have time for things to go wrong, time for a second look, time to have a cold and just spend a couple of days in bed.
The two minute warning bell went off.
I hope I learned from it.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Last Days
The days are winding down now at my corporate office job. Thursday is my last day, and I am sitting at my desk, just for a moment, allowing myself the inevitable moment of sadness.
Am I excited about the direction I am going. Absolutely. Am I happy to be finished juggling too many things? You bet. Am I looking forward to focusing on two things I absolutely love to do? Yes, yes, yes.
But this company has been good to me in the past few years. Any company can be friendly, any company can have a good salary and benefits package. But it takes a special company to go above and beyond. To understand that employees are not robots, and to allow us to sometimes put the needs of our family first. I have three kids and not once has anyone said anything about me taking them to a doctor or dentist appointment, or rolled their eyes because I didn't show up on a snow day when buses were cancelled, or batted an eyelid if I brought a not-quite-sick-enough -for-bed kid into the office for a morning and then took the afternoon off to work from home.
When you are a mom, these things are important. I loved that I had the flexibility to start work 30 minutes late when the morning bus schedule changed last year. Or to work through lunch and leave early to get to a 6pm concert or karate belting ceremony. And for this, I will always be appreciative.
Having said that, just because the company was supportive, doesn't mean I didn't feel guilty about all those times I missed a meeting or a deadline because of a flu bug or snowstorm. It's one of the reasons I am looking forward to working at home - the relief of not having to find a sitter on PD days and in the summer, the feeling that I will be more fully able to participate in my children's daily life, instead of just being the homework enforcer and dinner maker.
I'm not really sad at the change. But leaving is never easy and as I look around my office, I find it hard to believe I won't be coming in here every day.
Even as I look forward to working in my new home office.
Am I excited about the direction I am going. Absolutely. Am I happy to be finished juggling too many things? You bet. Am I looking forward to focusing on two things I absolutely love to do? Yes, yes, yes.
But this company has been good to me in the past few years. Any company can be friendly, any company can have a good salary and benefits package. But it takes a special company to go above and beyond. To understand that employees are not robots, and to allow us to sometimes put the needs of our family first. I have three kids and not once has anyone said anything about me taking them to a doctor or dentist appointment, or rolled their eyes because I didn't show up on a snow day when buses were cancelled, or batted an eyelid if I brought a not-quite-sick-enough -for-bed kid into the office for a morning and then took the afternoon off to work from home.
When you are a mom, these things are important. I loved that I had the flexibility to start work 30 minutes late when the morning bus schedule changed last year. Or to work through lunch and leave early to get to a 6pm concert or karate belting ceremony. And for this, I will always be appreciative.
Having said that, just because the company was supportive, doesn't mean I didn't feel guilty about all those times I missed a meeting or a deadline because of a flu bug or snowstorm. It's one of the reasons I am looking forward to working at home - the relief of not having to find a sitter on PD days and in the summer, the feeling that I will be more fully able to participate in my children's daily life, instead of just being the homework enforcer and dinner maker.
I'm not really sad at the change. But leaving is never easy and as I look around my office, I find it hard to believe I won't be coming in here every day.
Even as I look forward to working in my new home office.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Red Lining
Why can't a writer edit their own work?
That's the question I was asked the other day after my editing post came out.
Well, you can, Of course you can. And you should. Absolutely.
But an editor will take it that one step further. Because when you have written it, you stop seeing what you wrote and see instead what you meant. And they are two different things.
Another reason you can't edit your own work is that you become too attached to your words. Words you carefully chose. Words you don't want to, can't, let go of.
An editor does not have the same emotional attachment. It's like decluttering. If you do it yourself, you keep things you don't need. If a good friend helps they say things like: grade 11 history essay - from 20 years ago...Do you need this? No, you do not. TOSS! while you cringe in pain in the corner, your cries of protest unheeded. An editor is like that very good friend.
Last week I wrote this post at midnight. I'm not in the habit of closely editing blog posts, but when I looked at this particular one the next morning, the editor in me went Hmmm.
The last paragraph read:
Wrapped in my plaid, I made my way out of the stove-warmed kitchen, adjusting to the cold of the unheated mud-room, slamming the window down hard. Telling myself I need to replace the naked light bulb that lights the room in an eerie yellow glow. Turning it off and opening the back door to stand on the steps and whistle for the dog. My eyes adjusting to the darkness, the moon casting a grey sheen over the world, and clouds scurrying past, just like I imagine they must have for Merrily Watkins. In the book.
If I were to red line my own work from that night it would look something like this:
Comments:
To return to that attachment issue writers have, even after doing this exercise and deliberately being harsh with myself, I still have a voice in my head saying that I don't need to change the words. Saying No, that's exactly what I want to say and how I want that to look. Saying 'Stet' (polite editing language for leave my stuff the f*&% alone).
Well, maybe it is exactly right. But you need a hard-headed editor to challenge you on some of the things you might not ordinarily see for yourself.
That's the question I was asked the other day after my editing post came out.
Well, you can, Of course you can. And you should. Absolutely.
But an editor will take it that one step further. Because when you have written it, you stop seeing what you wrote and see instead what you meant. And they are two different things.
Another reason you can't edit your own work is that you become too attached to your words. Words you carefully chose. Words you don't want to, can't, let go of.
An editor does not have the same emotional attachment. It's like decluttering. If you do it yourself, you keep things you don't need. If a good friend helps they say things like: grade 11 history essay - from 20 years ago...Do you need this? No, you do not. TOSS! while you cringe in pain in the corner, your cries of protest unheeded. An editor is like that very good friend.
Last week I wrote this post at midnight. I'm not in the habit of closely editing blog posts, but when I looked at this particular one the next morning, the editor in me went Hmmm.
The last paragraph read:
Wrapped in my plaid, I made my way out of the stove-warmed kitchen, adjusting to the cold of the unheated mud-room, slamming the window down hard. Telling myself I need to replace the naked light bulb that lights the room in an eerie yellow glow. Turning it off and opening the back door to stand on the steps and whistle for the dog. My eyes adjusting to the darkness, the moon casting a grey sheen over the world, and clouds scurrying past, just like I imagine they must have for Merrily Watkins. In the book.
If I were to red line my own work from that night it would look something like this:
Comments:
- Passive voice intentional? (wrapped, made, adjusting, slamming, telling..) Would it be more effective in an active voice?
- Plaid - meaning??? does the reader understand this?
- mud-room should be two words, not hyphenated
- "the naked light bulb that lights.." - repetition of word light; also obvious - a light bulb lights - suggest revision to make image stronger
- lights - is this the tense you want? lit?
- Fragmented sentences - intentional for pace?
- "clouds scurrying past" - cliche - can we find a better description, something more original that sets the scene
- ref. to Merrily - is there enough background for the reader to get this ref? Should we expand on it in previous paragraphs?
To return to that attachment issue writers have, even after doing this exercise and deliberately being harsh with myself, I still have a voice in my head saying that I don't need to change the words. Saying No, that's exactly what I want to say and how I want that to look. Saying 'Stet' (polite editing language for leave my stuff the f*&% alone).
Well, maybe it is exactly right. But you need a hard-headed editor to challenge you on some of the things you might not ordinarily see for yourself.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Business Trip
I just got back from a whirlwind business trip to Toronto. I'm tired. Yes, I'm a bit cranky. Yes, I also have to teach a three hour communications class at the college tonight, and then head over to the kids' cub meeting to be a badge tester.
I had been going to wimp out and blog something just for the sake of it. Just for NaBloPoMo.
But I do have something to say, come to think of it.
You see, it's a four hour drive to Toronto, and I get a lot of thinking done in the car. The first two hours I was lost in plot outlines and big concepts. That was fun. But as the miles ticked away I realised that I felt free and untethered. I felt relieved to be out of the office - even if it was just driving down the 401.
Is this, I thought, what it's like to be out of the corporate world?
You see, with my new freelancing job and my college position, I have been debating giving up my corporate day job. BIG decision - after all, the job comes with many perks, not the least of which is a steady paycheck and a great pension plan.
But the truth is that, for a variety of reasons, I haven't really been engaged with the job for some time. And I'm the type of person who likes to be engaged, and wants to make a valued contribution.
I get that with editing. I get it with teaching. So I have been torn, battling this out for the past few months while I attempt to do all of it.
And I think I'm up against crunch time.
The decision is made. Has long been made, really. But this past two days of driving has just clarified it for me.
And that feels good.
I had been going to wimp out and blog something just for the sake of it. Just for NaBloPoMo.
But I do have something to say, come to think of it.
You see, it's a four hour drive to Toronto, and I get a lot of thinking done in the car. The first two hours I was lost in plot outlines and big concepts. That was fun. But as the miles ticked away I realised that I felt free and untethered. I felt relieved to be out of the office - even if it was just driving down the 401.
Is this, I thought, what it's like to be out of the corporate world?
You see, with my new freelancing job and my college position, I have been debating giving up my corporate day job. BIG decision - after all, the job comes with many perks, not the least of which is a steady paycheck and a great pension plan.
But the truth is that, for a variety of reasons, I haven't really been engaged with the job for some time. And I'm the type of person who likes to be engaged, and wants to make a valued contribution.
I get that with editing. I get it with teaching. So I have been torn, battling this out for the past few months while I attempt to do all of it.
And I think I'm up against crunch time.
The decision is made. Has long been made, really. But this past two days of driving has just clarified it for me.
And that feels good.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Chocolate Fudge
Summer decided to make an appearance today and Ivan bought Super Fudge ices in to the office this afternoon to cool us all down.
(although here in the air conditioned office is already nice and cool - still, any excuse for treats!)
About half way through, my popsicle started melting, and the ice slid down the stick to rest on my fingers while the chocolate fudge began to ooze out the centre. Before it landed on my laptop, I had the presence of mind to grab a paper towel and head for the kitchen. That's what I was doing - eating over the kitchen sink - when Cynthia walked in to grab a bowl for her ice.
Engineers. Sooo smart.
(although here in the air conditioned office is already nice and cool - still, any excuse for treats!)
About half way through, my popsicle started melting, and the ice slid down the stick to rest on my fingers while the chocolate fudge began to ooze out the centre. Before it landed on my laptop, I had the presence of mind to grab a paper towel and head for the kitchen. That's what I was doing - eating over the kitchen sink - when Cynthia walked in to grab a bowl for her ice.
Engineers. Sooo smart.
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