Writing Archives ⋆ Page 3 of 7 ⋆ L.J. Diva

Brand New Writing Folios…I’m addicted!

14/06/2018 by L.J. Diva Filed Under: Business & Legalities, Gagets & Accessories, Writing Leave a Comment

I love me a good compendium or folio, and I’ve bought many in the last year.

I was using old diary covers for my notebooks, but wanted something a bit more appropriate.

A few years ago I managed to get an A4 folio from ebay, and then nothing. No one was selling them. And then, all of a sudden, everyone has them. I’ve been buying up Lilly Pulitzer agenda folios, and started buying from Aliexpress. I finally managed to find a red one.

It’s not full red red, but a toned down red with grey on the inside.

I’ve bought so many this year alone. Pinks, blues, greens, they’re fantastic for writing notebooks, which I use, and I can fit paperwork, pens, paperclips and bull clips, along with anything else needed for writing that current book or series.

I have one for each name, Tiara King (pink), T. K. Wrathbone (green) and L.J. Diva, red, of course.

Unfortunately an A4 folder for spare planner paper doesn’t fit unless the corners dig into the material, so it has to go into the back pocket. I’ll have to track down a smaller alternative for my paper.

What have you guys been buying up on these days? Any addictions, obsessions, collections?

What and Who I did on my First Writing Holiday for 2018

03/05/2018 by L.J. Diva Filed Under: Celebrities, L.J. Diva's Books, Publishing, Writing Leave a Comment

A lot, just not what was to be expected. I expected to write T.K. Wrathbone stories, but just couldn’t get my head into it thanks to Henry Cavill…

Saturday 14 – I edited the interiors for all six Poems and redid them to my standards, plus did the Bones interiors ready to edit

Sunday 15 – continued the interiors

Monday 16 – started Bones #3 interior for corrections and typos

Tuesday 17 – had the lawn done and finished off Bones #3

Wednesday 18 – started Bones #2 for interior corrections and typos

Thursday 19 – shopping, library

Friday 20 – washing, finished off Bones #2

Saturday 21 – can’t remember what I did, probably more book stuff

Sunday 22 – as above

Monday 23 – tried to write, but it wasn’t coming, thinking about watching Henry Cavill in The Man From U.N.C.L.E. later that night

Tuesday 24 – tried to write, but had Henry Cavill in my brain. Damn that man is fine. Redid my novellas and novels interiors instead

Wednesday 25 – again, Henry Cavill, finished off the omnibus edition of Poems

Thursday 26 – shopping, library, Henry Cavill, seriously, dude, stop invading my thoughts, I can’t think…mmm…Henry Cavill…

Friday 27 – washing, blog posts scheduling, Henry Cavill…

Saturday 28 – writing, hopefully, stay away Henry Cavill…

Sunday 29 – ah, bugger it, I did Henry Cavill!

Just joking, but seriously, the man is damn fine, and for this hot-blooded single female, he is such a distraction…

Monday 30 – started writing the new T.K. Wrathbone story

Tuesday 1 may – kept writing T.K. Wrathbone

Wednesday 2 may – didn’t get to writing, but scheduled this blog post.

That’s what I recently did on my first writing holiday for the year, a bit of story writing, lots of other writing, and editing, and formatting and Henry Cavill…

I’m off on my first writing holiday for 2018

12/04/2018 by L.J. Diva Filed Under: L.J. Diva's Books, Publishing, Writing 1 Comment

I shall be back on the 4th of May, yes, that’s three weeks away. See you then, may the fourth be with you….see what I did there, and yes, it’s Friday the 13th…..don’t let the ghouls get you on the way out…

What I did on my holidays, and what L.J. Diva has planned for 2018

08/02/2018 by L.J. Diva Filed Under: L.J. Diva's Books, Writing Leave a Comment

Once again I had hoped to have a restful time off, with lots of faffing around doing nothing, but alas I was pulled every which way up until the 21st, so December was anything but restful and I really can’t wait until this December so I can have another two months off.

Thankfully xmas day was cool and I got a few things done. I updated notes and cleared out paperwork. I was relaxed, wearing a new kaftan, and I didn’t rush. If I didn’t get it done, it didn’t get done. I’d do it the next day. New Year’s was the same.

Below is a description of what I did on my two months off. Lots of appointments for mum, last minute ones that shit me up the wall, and lots of work on my part. I’m still working to clear the backlog from last year, and only have a few things left, thank god, but it could take another few months.

What I did on my holiday…

DEC 3 – went shopping with mum, her first time shopping in over two years, bought lots of pre-Christmas goodies.

DEC 4 – got stuff done.

DEC 5 – skin cancer appointment for both of us.

DEC 6 – got stuff done.

DEC 7 – mum’s hospital appointment.

DEC 8 – got more stuff done.

DEC 9 – had to run up shops then down to the hospital to pick up a procedure prep pack for mum.

DEC 10, DEC 11, DEC 12, DEC 13 – typed up 120 pages of next year’s novel.

DEC 14 – shopping, library, shredded paperwork.

DEC 15 – housework, got stuff done.

DEC 16 – had to get mum to hospital for procedure, went shopping in meantime and bought lots of goodies.

DEC 17, DEC 18, DEC 19, DEC 20 – typed another 120 pages of next year’s novel. Got 3 new sandals to try on, 2 needed to go back.

DEC 21 – shopping, library, chiro, bought furniture, got call to get mum back to hospital on Friday, no rest for the fucking wicked. Sent off the two pairs of shoes that didn’t fit, ordered another pair in the style that did.

DEC 22 – got mum back to the hospital, chemist for meds, home, washing and cleaning.

DEC 23 – casual day, did quick wardrobe audit (didn’t throw anything as I’d already skimmed the wardrobe in the great overhaul of 14/15, and had only thrown out a few tanks and things early in the year), made planner notepaper in Picmonkey then MS publisher, scoured eBay for goodies.

DEC 24 – printed planner notepaper, ran out for newspaper and Christmas cheesecake, came home, ran out for roast chicken lunch, had lunch, faffed around online and writing up this list. Watched carols on TV at night and ate munchies till after midnight.

DEC 25 – nice and cool so did a bunch of updating of notes and what-not for different things.

DEC 26 – same as yesterday.

DEC 27 – same as yesterday and shopped online for bargains.

DEC 28 – shopped online for bargains, updated books and stuff.

DEC 29 – same as yesterday.

DEC 30 – finished off stuff, stayed up till 3 a.m. shopping online.

DEC 31 – slept in, New Year’s eve, who cared! Faffed around, watched the fireworks on tv and stuff, normal Sunday shows, went to bed about 12:30 a.m.

JAN 1 – didn’t do much, tidied up and got stuff ready for tomorrow.

JAN 2 – tidied up my office so I could empty the bookcase, move bookcase, vacuum, make two bookcases similar to Ikea, and put them where the old one was, put everything back, killer pain.

JAN 3 – moved bed in my bedroom, removed everything in the corner of my bedroom, vacuumed, moved bookcase in, put everything back in, had leftovers, still have books on mum’s bed, put everything back, nice and neat, killer pain, can’t walk.

JAN 4 – shopping as usual, library, looked for xmas leftover bargains, and raided back to school goodies.

JAN 5 – pottered around online looking for planner stuff and getting other stuff done.

JAN 6 – Way too hot. 42 celcius, didn’t do much until nighttime when I got online and looked for planner stuff.

JAN 7, JAN 8, JAN 9, JAN 10 – got back to typing up the mega monster book.

JAN 11 – shopping, library etc.

JAN 12 – rained so didn’t do the washing, got a bunch of stuff done, like paperwork and more online shopping.

JAN 13 – did the washing, got some typing done.

JAN 14 – got 30 or so pages typed up.

JAN 15 – typed up 30 pages today, finished the novel itself, 722 word doc pages compared to 782 handwritten ones.

JAN 16 – typed up the 30 page short story that goes with that mega novel today, finally finished the whole bloody thing, yay.

JAN 17 – started getting blog posts and pictures ready.

JAN 18 – back to the chiro, shopping, library, 41 freakin’ degrees, home by lunch, did half the washing…

JAN 19 – appointment in 41 freakin’ degrees, some quick shopping, home by lunch, did the rest of the washing.

JAN 20 – got more photos done for blog posts, started getting them done.

JAN 21 – finish off blog posts for Jewel Divas Style.

JAN 22 – Finish off online for tomorrow.

JAN 23 – had the phone dude here today to set up the NBN.

JAN 24 – Finished off as much as possible.

JAN 25 – shopping, library, etc, etc, etc.

JAN 26 – Australia Day long weekend, washed, relaxed, got my health and fitness planner done.

JAN 27, JAN 28 – got the next novel, due in March, through edit #4

JAN 29 – read through other books to get corrections ready for Feb.

JAN 30 – finished off above.

JAN 31 – made sure everything was finished off for the month and ready to go for Feb.

FEB 1 – Shopping, library, etc.

FEB 2 – clothes washing, got a start on Feb’s to do list and this blog post was released. Welcome back.

What did you guys get up to over December/January?

Now, here is a list of everything I plan on doing in 2018…

Last year, I told you of my writing plan for the year and I’m going to be doing it again. I’ve colour coded some of them. Green is for ‘done’, orange is for ‘in the process of’.

(1) Under Tiara King I have these planned…

– 1.1 – Release the six book series, Poems Of A Musical Flavour, in paperback.

– 1.2 – The paperbacks have been mostly done and need tweaking, which will be done sometime in Feb or March. I had a time limit for March for the 6 pbs, but it might be pushed back to May.

– 1.3 – All will be released through Amazon and Ingram Sparks which I have joined as a publisher and they will be under my imprint.

– 1.4 – I will also release the omnibus e-book and make e-book #1 permafree in March.

– 1.5 – The omnibus pb will be released in September and I’m doing my own interior and having the cover done professionally. It will be 6×9 size and very thick.

– 2.1 – Update my two paperbacks, How To Be A Jewel Diva and Closet Confidential.

– 2.2 – I have decided to add style sheets to the pbs in 2018, which will also be given away for free as a download on my style website when people sign up to an email list once I get it done. I will re-release under my own imprint. Deadline is May, but I’m having trouble completing them due to MS Publisher claiming I have no disc space left when trying to add pages to the document. I do have space, and need to fix the problem so I can get it finished. If anyone knows how to fix the problem, let me know.

– 3.1 – I still haven’t got #teenblogger to Ellen DeGeneres yet.

– 3.2 – It’s in the planning and I want to make it as professional as possible and tweak it in the next month or so. It’s important that I make it look good, and important that I try and get it out there even though it’s been two years since I released it.

– 4 – I want to get my jewellery back into its own website so we’ll see. Selling has been on hold for the last two years due to money, time and energy. I’m still looking for wordpress templates that would suit the type of website look I want, but with everything else going on, this won’t happen for some time.

(2) Under T.K. Wrathbone I have these planned…

– 1.1 – Get three stories written up, typed up, edited and out along with an anthology. Thank God I have already done the e-covers.

– 1.2 – All four will be released in the second half of the year.

– 2.1 – Will get the paperback version of last year’s stories done professionally, and it will be out before this year’s new stories.

– 2.2 – I am also updating the first two Bones pbs and will release them under my imprint during the year.

(3) Under L.J. Diva I have these planned…

– 1.1 – Put the next book, Love Never Dies, through two more rounds of editing (one was done on the Australia Day long weekend on the 26/27th of Jan).

– 1.2 – Get the cover finished, and release it in March.

– 1.3 – Then comes the paperback interior and cover for release in September.

– 2.1 – I typed up the last couple of hundred pages of Stefan: The New Generation in January.

– 2.2 – I need to put it through 3-4 rounds of editing.

– 2.3 – Then send it off to my editor across three months because it’s so long it will cost a fortune.

– 2.4 – Then two more rounds of editing and get the cover done.

– 2.5 – Release it in September as an e-book.

– 2.6 – Then comes the paperback interior and cover.

– 3 – Release all four Porn Star Brothers novellas in paperback, along with the deluxe collector’s edition novel, and the novel Forever all in paperback. March is the deadline, but it could be April or May as I need proofs first.

– 4.1 – I want to type up next year’s novella which isn’t due for release until March 2019 so it gives me time to edit and add to it.

– 4.2 – I also want to try and get the last book in the series written up. That isn’t due until Sep 2019, but I like to be ahead of myself due to outlay costs so I know ahead of time where I can fit it all in.

– 5 – I’d like to try and get some of the short stories for the series written up. I can do the e-book covers myself and I’ve bought the pictures for them, so I will save money doing that. It will just be editing I’ll have to pay for. But who knows, they won’t be due until after the last novel, but I will release them weekly, so they will need to be all done.

– 6.1 – I also want to update my four standalone novels. I updated the interiors last year, changed them to a 6×9 format, and will have the covers re-done for them.

– 6.2 – Then re-release under my imprint in September, December by the latest. They are still available at Amazon in paperback, but, with the new format in 6×9, and with recent changes in CreateSpace, it means the prices can be lowered, so …

– 6.3 – I also have to re-evaluate my pricing strategy.

That means all but three of my books will be moved to my own imprint by the end of the year. The last three can stay under Amazon’s imprint until I remove them or update them. Dream It, Write It, Publish It has a deadline for updating of 2020. Which means in 2019, I will need to massively update it for a mid-year re-release, hopefully.
And that’s it, that is my writing plan for 2018.

What do you guys have planned for the year?

What I Did On The Last Writing Holiday Of The Year

19/10/2017 by L.J. Diva Filed Under: L.J. Diva's Books, Publishing, Writing Leave a Comment

Unfortunately, I didn’t get to type anything up, so no mega
novel typed up yet. However, I did get a massive amount of stuff done.

Sat 30 Sep – Read through Her Secret Island and ran it
through Grammarly for the new pb version I’ll be updating next year.

Sun 1 Oct – Read through Life and Death Adventures in London.

Mon 2 Oct – Ran Life and Death Adventures in London through
Grammarly, did a bunch of stuff.

Tues 3 Oct – Read through How I Won Lotto, ran it through
Grammarly.

Wed 4 Oct – took mum to doctor’s appointment, started
reading Valley of the Dolls.

Thurs 5 Oct – shopping, library, chiro, bought second-hand
Macbook Pro on eBay for 10% off.

Fri 6 Oct – washing, housework, paperwork.

Sat 7 Oct – Read through Road To Vegas.

Sun 8 Oct – finished reading through Road To Vegas.

Mon 9 Oct – did some paperwork in the morning, had
appointment in afternoon. Got two Jackie Collins books that I’ve been after in the post.

Tues 10 Oct – Macbook turned up, so did third Jackie Collins
book. Ran Vegas through Grammarly.

Wed 11 Oct – Took mum to doctor appointment in pissing rain,
tradies turned up to do roof repairs, finished reading Valley of the Dolls.

Thurs 12 Oct – shopping, library, other stuff. Tradies
turned up again to put in eaves.

Fri 13 Oct – washing, more tradies.

Sat 14 Oct – Set up Macbook all day, burned out battery,
recharged. Bought Vellum which is a new publishing app that allows self-publishers
to make their own paperbacks. Started downloading Pages and Dropbox.

Sun 15 Oct – did a bunch of paperwork, the rest of the years
blog posts, finished off new websites. Finished downloading Pages, still going
with Dropbox.

Mon 16 Oct – Manager inspection, more tradies, read the book Lace.

Tues 17 Oct – typed up review of Lace, got blog posts at my style site done, had migraine and felt sick.

Wed 18 Oct – rested for the morning, still had migraine, still felt sick, got online in the afternoon. More bloody tradies.

Thurs 19 Oct – shopping, library, chiro.

Fri 20 Oct – released this blog post, did the washing, and
got a bunch of stuff done.

Well, that’s what I’ve done for the last three weeks. I hate it when I have a schedule all set up and then people decide to fuck around with me, so I get other stuff done instead.

Still, I do have to get started on typing up the next novel. It’s a massive bastard and will be edited in batches from January or February as it’s going to cost and it’s due for release in September, so I need to get to it and will, hopefully, now I’ve scheduled a bunch of blog posts for the rest of the year, can get it done in November.

I’ll be working up until christmas, maybe take three days off, work some more, maybe take three days off over new years, then get back to work before I even start blogging.

Trust me to have this urge to write and release so many bloody books under three names.

I’m off on the last writing holiday for the year!

28/09/2017 by L.J. Diva Filed Under: L.J. Diva's Books, Publishing, Writing Leave a Comment

And hopefully I’ll get a load of typing done. I plan on typing up the mega monster book that’s due for release next September. At 782 handwritten pages, and then another 40 or so added in, it’s going to take a hell of a long time to type and a lot of money to edit.

I will be releasing two blog posts in the meantime, they’re scheduled and ready to go, so you’ll see some extra goodies that I’ve go going on concerning me and my book series!

Have a good holiday y’all!