TRUE CRIME FACTION– Say Hello SAYONARA

WRITING a novel is all about developing a killer plot and believable characters to their full potential. Honest feedback and critique can fine-tune your manuscript into something publishable !! …

Konnichiwa! … I’m announcing : SAYONARA is now in the critical final stages, and I’m considering  every suggestion that my Beta readers are making.

I wrote my crime faction novel, basing it on a personal story … Our Japanese exchange student, Yumi disappeared off the streets of Brisbane, Australia.

My family grew to love Yumi over a three-year period , forming a close bond with her. Recent traumatic events in Japan have intensified our connections with the Japanese people.

SAYONARA … My alter ego – Josie Roberts, a pacifist forensic student, aggressively investigates Yumi’s disappearance.

SAYONARA is a unique meld of memoir and crime fiction. Will you discern between truth and my imagination?

In 2009, I first fleshed out SAYONARA’s dramatic story and characters with Queensland Writers Centre’s Year of the Edit writing course.  A team of participants  read the first few crucial chapters , offering invaluable feedback. A special thanks to a Japanese teacher who critiqued an early draft of SAYONARA, checking out the Japanese speech and customs throughout the book.

What did I do next?
In 2010, I entered SAYONARA into a writing competition with Olvar Wood Writing Retreat. Olvar Wood assessed the first 40 pages of SAYONARA in detail plus  provided feedback on my synopsis.
Then I buried SAYONARA deep in my bottom drawer to percolate while I created JOSH VS. LORD TERRA, Book 2 of the  Super Space Kids Series.

I’ve now restructured SAYONARA incorporating Olvar Wood’s suggestions …
•    MAIN CHARACTER >>>I beefed up Josie the forensic student so the reader knows she’s equipped to investigate Yumi’s disappearance.
•    DIALOGUE >>>I’ve tightened the dialogue in SAYONARA, increasing the pace and intensity.
•    SETTING >>>The City of Brisbane now lives and breathes on the page as a three-dimensional socio-economic crime setting.

How I LOVE my Picky Bitches …
Three weeks ago, I dispatched SAYONARA to trusted beta readers so they could rake through the story and provide constructive criticism. Chewing on my nails, I waited until the crits began to come in.
YAY, they like SAYONARA! And each has delivered their own personal slant, bestowing me with a wealth of ideas and perspectives to consider.

My ‘picky bitches’ are sworn to absolute secrecy and won’t be bribed to reveal the kick-ass plot … So please don’t try!

Writing a novel is teamwork … A special thanks to my ‘picky bitches‘  … You know who you are :))

I promise SAYONARA will be completed soon with a tighter plot, and characters you’ll love! … Please say hello, SAYONARA

**Have you ever had your manuscript professionally assessed or sent out to beta readers? … How helpful was their feedback?

# This blog was edited. KT