What School Is Teaching

Often, I wondered how a publisher would make changes to a manuscript and send it back to the writer for the okee-dokee. Today in class, I learned how they do it. In Microsoft Word 2010, I don't know about the other versions, the ribbon contains a tab (Review). Within that tab is a feature called Track Changes. Every change made can be recorded if this feature is enabled. Then the viewer has the option to accept or deny the changes. Pretty darn slick, I'd say.

Until next time,
Robert Detroit
robertdetroit.com

Back to serious work

I had a day off so I figured I'd better get off my lazy butt and get some stuff done. Yeah, I bet you thought I was going to say sh-- but I fooled ya! Seriously, I have been busy promoting the first book that I ever wrote. It hasn't even been published, it's a memoir and they can be difficult to get published unless you have a name like Clinton, Hanks, or Winfrey. I wrote it anyway because I just know that it will be a hit once the market sees it. I am in the process of building a website now and hopefully I'll get it done within the next few days. In  the meantime, here is what I have so far. kirktoncray.yolasite.com

Until next time,

Robert Detroit

A relaxing day off

No school today, I didn't even get out of bed until 6:30 but I did mow the lawn. I stayed up last night writing in Spokes. That is proving to be a difficult book to write. It kinda borders on Hard Science Fiction and just all-out Science Fiction. It is a challenge to keep things at some sort of level so it isn't too far out there, When writing the hard stuff, I gotta remember to keep both feet on the ground and my head attached. Sometimes when I feel like I'm sailing into uncharted waters, I stop writing and listen to some good ole Country Music and indulge in a reality check.

Until whenever,
Robert Detroit
robertdetroit.com

Wordos Writer's Group

Today marks the first day I attended a writer's group. It just so happens to be in Eugene, Oregon, where it is only a hour and an half away by bus. "Only an hour and a half," you say? Well, considering the layover times and the ten minute walk to the bus station, it's really not all that bad. The group meets once a week to critique other members' stories. Mostly short stories are submitted for critique but I was informed that an occasional novel is welcome to be critiqued as well. That's good news for me; my shortest novel is over 70,000 words, hardly a short story. It was fun and I think I will join, if they allow me in. I don't think there should be a problem; everyone seems to have but one thing on their minds, to improve their writing skills.

Until later,
Robert Detroit

Updating Systems

Like the old saying goes, nothing worthwhile is ever easy. I repeat that process on a daily basis, it seems. The last little challenge was to set up wireless internet. Off to Wal-Mart I went, special trip mind you, to acquire the necessary equipment to set everything up. It should be easy right? Wrong! Inside the box along with the router, Ethernet cable, and power cord, was a CD ROM. Okay, that will walk me right through the process and explain everything in detail. Wrong again! What a waste of a perfectly good piece of plastic with a hole in the center. It explained very thoroughly how to plug in the power cord; complete with pictures, plug the Ethernet cable to the router and computer; complete with pictures, and turn everything on. Then it explained the MAC number and the SSID number, (what's that you say?), yeah, I wondered the same so I printed it out. Well, that's it for the CD ROM. All the rest of the fixings must be performed inside my new computer. Change this, change that, download this, download that, (which obviously meant hard-wiring the modem to the computer again). Overall, the "Easy Three Step Process, took me right under two hours. Not too bad, thanks to the CD ROM.

Excited

I admit, I became a little negative in my thinking pattern when the movie about Facebook came out. I threw in the towel on a novel which I felt would be a great hit. BUT, I didn't remove what I had placed on my website robertdetroit.com under 'In the Works'. After several comments on my website and questions of what I have been up to, more and more people are showing through Facebook and Twitter that they are interested in Spokes (the title of this particular novel) and where it is going. Out of all honesty, I answered I am not pursuing that novel because of the Facebook movie. Now, I have a different outlook on Spokes. I dug out the files, converted the manuscript to a usable format on my new computer and have been writing like the movie never even existed. I guess I should have kept it going although I did learn a valuable lesson. Don't let someone else's ideas bounce me out of the ballgame, my version could just topple over the one that happened to beat me to the punch! Lesson learned.

Until the next post,
Robert Detroit

A Brand New Blog

Well, It's time to start posting on this brand new blog. First off, I must give out the hyperlink to my website so you can see what I have been up to. It has a blog on it too, finding it is pretty much self-explanatory. Here it is:


www.robertdetroit.com

Now that you are back (hopefully), from viewing my website, I will be a little more in depth about what is going on with Discharge. It is sitting up at the publishers right now, waiting for a review. I followed their format guidelines to a tee but sent it in the wrong type of attachment but I resent it in .rtf later. They say that .doc and .docx attachments can carry viruses and we don't want that. That is completely understandable so I corrected it hopefully without too much hassle on their behalf. I should here from them in about four to six weeks to see if they are interested in putting it on the market. It is an exciting novel and I think it will be a seller. I will keep this blog updated...uh-huh, just like I did the last one...Yeah, right! Really now, I will at least give it my best shot. I do have to take a break every now and then and take my mind off of my new novel. More on that later.


Until then,
Robert Detroit