Monday, August 31, 2015

Ready, Set, Write! Wrap-Up

It's late, so I'll be brief. Which suits my writing style.

I have taken Beauty Bound from 80,000 words to almost 100,000. Because of the revisions I put the query search on hold. But I will be picking back up with a new and improved MS.

I added 8,420 words to Arrow Nocked.

I ran two chapters of Survivors through critique group, then put it on hold. It needs more time and research.

The most important accomplishment of the summer was one I hadn't planned on. I feel like I took a step forward in my writing. Through some excellent feedback and critique I saw a huge writing issue that I had. So my MS is so much better now, I feel embarrassed for even thinking the first one was ok.

Because I have to go into work tomorrow, I can't use the paint quite like I had intended. But I would use the following colors:

Dark green on the thumb- to represent the growth and spirituality in nature
Blue on the index finger- to represent the ocean and sky as they point to peace
Red on the middle finger- to flip off the evil
Light green on the ring finger- for a secret twist
Pink on the pinkie- for the littlest surprise

Have a wonderful rest of the year. Keep up the wonderful words!

Monday, August 17, 2015

Ready, Set, Write! Update # 10




Ready. Set. WRITE! is a summer writing intensive that encourages goal-setting and accountability, and provides an opportunity for us to cheer each other on wherever we’re at with our writing projects—planning, drafting, revising, or polishing. This year, your RSW hosts are Alison Miller, Jaime Morrow, Erin Funk, Elodie Nowodazkij, and Katy Upperman. We check in every Monday and conclude on August 31.

1. How I did on last week’s goals

Add 5,000 words to Beauty Bound: I put it over the 90,000 target, so I feel accomplishment, even if it's not the total 5,000

Perfect #PitchWars entry: yes, and submitted

Exercise three days this week: yes, including a very fun dance party with the family to Big Bad Voodoo Daddy

Finish piece for critique partner: no, bad girl

Read a book off of my "to-read" list: no, in my sheer panic I pulled out my comfort book (ACOTAR) and re-read


2. My goal(s) for this week

Pick up Arrow Nocked and write in it, it's feeling sorely neglected

Finish piece for critique partner

Exercise three days this week

Read a book off of my "to-read" list

 
Clean my sorely neglected house

3. A favorite line from my story OR one word/phrase that sums up what I wrote

 “I'd be happy if you were naked.”

She tapped him on the forehead. “Not once have you looked genuinely happy. Not even when I am naked. So do what I say and stop talking.”

4. The biggest challenge I faced this week (ex. finding time to write, the siren song of SNIs)

The panic of pushing myself to a deadline. But I think it was good practice.

5. Something I love about my WIP

My villains.




Write because it makes you happy!


Monday, August 10, 2015

Ready, Set, Write! Update #9

Ready. Set. WRITE! is a summer writing intensive that encourages goal-setting and accountability, and provides an opportunity for us to cheer each other on wherever we’re at with our writing projects—planning, drafting, revising, or polishing. This year, your RSW hosts are Alison Miller, Jaime Morrow, Erin Funk, Elodie Nowodazkij, and Katy Upperman. We check in every Monday and conclude on August 31.

1. How I did on last week’s goals

Add 5,000 words to Beauty Bound: Up 4,000, so pretty good

Perfect #PitchWars entry: Will it ever really be perfect?

Blogpost on MWW: YES!

Exercise three days this week: Done!

Finish piece for critique partner: half done

Read a book off of my ever-growing "to-read" list: Thirteen Reasons Why, fantastic, but terrifying as the mother of girls

Scope out places and setting for author photos: a little, now to convince the husband to do them

2. My goal(s) for this week

Add 5,000 words to Beauty Bound

Perfect #PitchWars entry

Exercise three days this week

Finish piece for critique partner

Read a book off of my "to-read" list


3. A favorite line from my story OR one word/phrase that sums up what I wrote

How long could she last? Where else would she go? She couldn’t go home. Her nightmare would only come back.

4. The biggest challenge I faced this week (ex. finding time to write, the siren song of SNIs)

Finding focus. Finding time. Finding my brain.

5. Something I love about my WIP

The characters and their complicated relationship.




Write like no one is watching!

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Oral Pitchin is Bitchin

Or the bane of a writer's existence.

Yes, the second one.

If you've never been to a writer's conference and engaged in the horror that is the oral pitch session, then you have lucked out. Don't get me wrong, you give me three alone minutes with an agent or editor, I am happy as can be. I just hate what pitching does to authors.

I recently attended the Midwest Writer's Workshop for the second year in a row. If you live in the Midwest and haven't been, you are missing out. It is one of the highlights of my year. And not just my writing year. You get to meet tons of writers in your field or out of your field or you just like to drink beer with them. And, of course, there are the agents.

Why are you so obsessed with me?

Agents. It is easy to imagine them as a lion to stalk and pounce on as soon as you might get a free moment with them. Yet you look around the conference, and everyone is freaking out about their pitches. If you haven't been in the world of querying hell, then it's hard to understand just how exciting it is to get a real, live agent in front of you. They will say yes or no. No waiting for three months and never getting an answer. A three minute decision. And you'll know.

The problem is, you don't know. It's one agent, who is the best fit for you out of seven agents. Querying is about identifying agents who fit your category and genre, making sure they like what kind of book you're writing them, then sending them your carefully crafted query that encapsulates the essence of your book and has been revised as meticulously as your manuscript. Or at least it should. You're a writer, written words are your craft.

Oral pitching is like word vomiting on someone and praying that they like you.



But pitching doesn't have to be evil. I pitched the past two years, and the experience was amazing. You just have to treat it right to make it not so stressful you think about losing your continental breakfast beforehand.

At MWW there were a lot of people around to help with pitches, which essentially is boiling your book to a paragraph. Kind of like a QUERY. But I say, take the pitch prep a step further. Taper your pitch down to one sentence or two. Your hook. The magical, elusive hook.

It's Magical

So BAM! Hit them with your hook. Both times, with my initial hook, the agent sat back. They appeared refreshed by not having words chucked at them in rapid succession. Then, the best thing happened. The agent/editor asked me a question.

fantastic

The question they wanted to know, not what I guessed they wanted to know. So I would answer, then they would ask another question and another. Last year, I got a small bit of interest, but what was more valuable, I could see where I lost her. And I could tell what the important parts of my story were from the agent perspective. Not my warped writer's perspective.

So yes, some of my fellow writers got requests for 100 pages, and I am super duper excited for them. But I wouldn't want to put myself through the stress some people did, only to be told by the editor that she's not into medieval settings. That's cool, I got to talk to her for three minutes about what she did like.

This method might not work for everyone. Some people want to be completely prepared. It might be your dream agent and you want the pitch to work perfectly. But if not, consider the alternative.

Have pitchin day!
 
 
All GIFs provided by http://www.reactiongifs.com/

Monday, August 3, 2015

Ready, Set, Write! Update #8




Ready. Set. WRITE! is a summer writing intensive that encourages goal-setting and accountability, and provides an opportunity for us to cheer each other on wherever we’re at with our writing projects—planning, drafting, revising, or polishing. This year, your RSW hosts are Alison Miller, Jaime Morrow, Erin Funk, Elodie Nowodazkij, and Katy Upperman. We check in every Monday and conclude on August 31.

1. How I did on last week’s goals

Add 5,000 words to Beauty Bound - um... close. But I did revise my synopsis and first chapter again to get it ready for #PitchWars

Review my notes from Midwest Writers Workshop and tab the areas for further review - yes, my binder is now a beautifully color-coded masterpiece

Blogpost on MWW - total failure

Get ready for back to school - done x 2

Exercise three days this week - I cleaned, I think that counts

2. My goal(s) for this week

Add 5,000 words to Beauty Bound

Perfect #PitchWars entry

Blogpost on MWW

Exercise three days this week


Finish piece for critique partner

Read a book off of my ever-growing "to-read" list

Scope out places and setting for author photos

3. A favorite line from my story OR one word/phrase that sums up what I wrote

Staring down at her, he wanted to hold her, love her, but he stopped short. He couldn't let her in, who knew what damage she could do?

4. The biggest challenge I faced this week (ex. finding time to write, the siren song of SNIs)

My husband got the idea in his head that we needed to clean house. And I am very, very ready for the kids to go back to school!


5. Something I love about my WIP
I love that I found out what it was really about. The true heart of the story. And it wasn't what I had been pitching. ;)


Write your heart!

Monday, July 27, 2015

Ready, Set, Write! Update #7

Or as I like to call it, better late than never.
 
Ready. Set. WRITE! is a summer writing intensive that encourages goal-setting and accountability, and provides an opportunity for us to cheer each other on wherever we’re at with our writing projects—planning, drafting, revising, or polishing. This year, your RSW hosts are Alison MillerJaime MorrowErin FunkElodie Nowodazkij, and Katy Upperman. We check in every Monday and conclude on August 31.

1. How I did on last week’s goals

Follow up with agents and on #Pit2Pub requests. Check

Add 2,000 words to Arrow Nocked or Survivors. Yeah, no. But I got a lot written on Beauty Bound

Get back into normal routine for 3 whole days... I don't think I would recognize normal anymore

Then Midwest Writers Workshop this week!!! That is going to take a blogpost or five to explain the awesomeness

 
2. My goal(s) for this week

Add 5,000 words to Beauty Bound


Review my notes from Midwest Writers Workshop and tab the areas for further review

Blogpost on MWW

Get ready for back to school

Exercise three days this week

3. A favorite line from my story OR one word/phrase that sums up what I wrote

Revision/editing/elaborating
The Oversharers

4. The biggest challenge I faced this week (ex. finding time to write, the siren song of SNIs)

After hours in workshop, I wanted to attack my manuscripts with a bloody red pen and have hours and days to write. But of course, I went drinking with my new writing buddies and then went on a trip to Holiday World with the family.

5. Something I love about my WIP

It's 15,000 words away from being marketable. (13,000 if I get to count the words added today)




Write beautifully!

Monday, July 20, 2015

Ready, Set, Write! Update #6


 
 
Ready. Set. WRITE! is a summer writing intensive that encourages goal-setting and accountability, and provides an opportunity for us to cheer each other on wherever we’re at with our writing projects—planning, drafting, revising, or polishing. This year, your RSW hosts are Alison Miller, Jaime Morrow, Erin Funk, Elodie Nowodazkij, and Katy Upperman. We check in every Monday and conclude on August 31.

1. How I did on last week’s goals

17 pages edited

1200 words added to Arrow Nocked

Relaxing...


Oh yeah

And I finished 2, count them, 2 books this week.

2. My goal(s) for this week

Follow up with agents and on #Pit2Pub requests.

Add 2,000 words to Arrow Nocked or Survivors.

Get back into normal routine for 3 whole days...

Then Midwest Writers Workshop this week!!! Anyone else going??

3. A favorite line from my story OR one word/phrase that sums up what I wrote/revised

The king trusted him. The king was wrong.

4. The biggest challenge I faced this week (ex. finding time to write, the siren song of SNIs)

There was a lot of swimming and alcohol and fun that kept dragging me away. Not really complaining though.

And writing on an iPad 24/7 is kind of a pain. I missed my laptop.

5. Something I love about my WiP

That BB is still surprising me after 2 years. And still improving!



Write your heart!

Monday, July 13, 2015

Ready, Set, Write! Update #5


Ready. Set. WRITE! is a summer writing intensive that encourages goal-setting and accountability, and provides an opportunity for us to cheer each other on wherever we're at with our writing projects—planning, drafting, revising, or polishing. This year, your RSW hosts are Alison MillerJaime MorrowErin FunkElodie Nowodazkij, and Katy Upperman. We check in every Monday and conclude on August 31.

1. How I did on last week’s goals


I did get a lot of the BB edits finished. I think I got maybe 500 words added to Survivors, but after critique group, I think it's going to need some more research before moving forward. I may have to switch over to Arrow.


The house is back into some reasonable sense of normality again. Still not quite finished, but I ran around with loads of laundry in three days. Most of it got folded.


I do have a new book, Crimson Bound. I hope it is as good as Cruel Beauty.  And I am most definitely relaxing... 😎


2. My goal(s) for this week

Figure out how to explain to the agents who have partials and the full that I have made edits without looking like a diva author who wasn't ready when I started querying. (Situation: I won a critique from a published author in the midst of querying and she made one overarching comment that I have been adding in from where it was missing.)

Add 2,000 words to Arrow Nocked or Survivors.

READ! Because for once, I have time.


RELAX!

3. A favorite line from my story OR one word/phrase that sums up what I wrote/revised
Smoothing the folds of her dress she raised her chin to full measure. He looked down at her, his head cocked slightly to the side, an amused smile on his face. He was amused. And she hated him. “I am not afraid.”

4. The biggest challenge I faced this week (ex. finding time to write, the siren song of SNIs)


Too much stress in my brain, I couldn't see my characters, my story, anything. It was exhausting and sad. Much better now that the stress is over. I picked up right where I left off as soon as my butt hit the plane.

5. Something I love about my WiP

That I've been working on it this long and I'm still not tired of it.





Sorry for the weird formatting. Trying to do this on the iPad is not so fun!

Write with your heart!

Monday, July 6, 2015

Ready, Set, Write! Update 4


 
Ready. Set. WRITE! is a summer writing intensive that encourages goal-setting and accountability, and provides an opportunity for us to cheer each other on wherever we’re at with our writing projects—planning, drafting, revising, or polishing. This year, your RSW hosts are Alison Miller, Jaime Morrow, Erin Funk, Elodie Nowodazkij, and Katy Upperman. We check in every Monday and conclude on August 31.

1. How I did on last week’s goals
Whoops! Last week was an odd week. I got very distracted with #PitchtoPublication and #pg70pit. So my edits were minimal and I only got about 1,000 new words. Bummer.

One strange and unanticipated achievement: I now have a new tile floor in my laundry room. Of course, that came at the expense of my dryer breaking down and I've been without my washer and dryer for the week. Yikes!

And I blame the other part of my failure on the fact that I got swept into Graceling so much that I was sneaking in reads during the holiday traveling. So worth it!

2. My goal(s) for this week

Finish the BB edits. No, seriously.

Add 2,000 words to Arrow Nocked or Survivors.

Finish getting my house ready and do all the laundry

Find a new book or three to put on my reading list.


RELAX!

3. A favorite line from my story OR one word/phrase that sums up what I wrote/revised


“You speak the truth, but my curiosity has been piqued. I will torture it out of you if necessary.” He smiled a little. It caught Mirea off her guard. His friendly banter and dark side tangled together.

4. The biggest challenge I faced this week (ex. finding time to write, the siren song of SNIs)


Finding time and motivation. It was hard to get motivated when I would finally sit down.

5. Something I love about my WiP

That BB is finished to the point where I can enter contests. They're fun, but can suck you in something awful.



Write amazing!

Monday, June 29, 2015

Ready, Set, Write! Week 3


 
Ready. Set. WRITE! is a summer writing intensive that encourages goal-setting and accountability, and provides an opportunity for us to cheer each other on wherever we’re at with our writing projects—planning, drafting, revising, or polishing. This year, your RSW hosts are Alison Miller, Jaime Morrow, Erin Funk, Elodie Nowodazkij, and Katy Upperman. We check in every Monday and conclude on August 31.

1. How I did on last week’s goals

Apply the edits from ACP to the rest of Beauty Bound so I can continue querying: I have spent the majority of my time on this piece and am happy that I am very closed to finished!

Add 2,000 words to Arrow Nocked or Survivors: 538 to AN, 470 to Survivors, so only about half

Reach 190 active minutes: 281, nailed it!

Finish vacation planning: yeah, no

2. My goal(s) for this week

Finish the BB edits.

Add 2,000 words to Arrow Nocked or Survivors.

Reach 210 active minutes.

Finish vacation planning!

Finish reading Graceling.

3. A favorite line from my story OR one word/phrase that sums up what I wrote/revised


I’m forced to be with this stranger in my room. A stranger who talked about how he saved me. My black white knight.

4. The biggest challenge I faced this week (ex. finding time to write, the siren song of SNIs)

I really wanted to get to the writing, but exciting news made me hit the BB edits harder than I had anticipated.

5. Something I love about my WiP

I love my comical scenes. They're so much fun to read and write.



Write lots!

Monday, June 22, 2015

Ready, Set, Write! Week 2


 
Ready. Set. WRITE! is a summer writing intensive that encourages goal-setting and accountability, and provides an opportunity for us to cheer each other on wherever we’re at with our writing projects—planning, drafting, revising, or polishing.  This year, your RSW hosts are Alison Miller, Jaime Morrow, Erin Funk, Elodie Nowodazkij, and Katy Upperman. We check in every Monday and conclude on August 31.


1. How I did on last week’s goals

Eek... I didn't really set goals for last week since I was late to set my summer goals, but I didn't get as much done as I'd hoped.

Some additional edits to Beauty Bound (which I am unfortunately already shopping out), due to the wonderful critique from Amy Christine Parker. I have had so many people look over the MS, but her comments really hit home and made it so much better.

A new 538 words to Arrow Nocked since Thursday.

I completed my entry for the Manny Contest at the Midwest Writer's Workshop.

131 active minutes according to my Fitbit.

2. My goal(s) for this week


Apply the edits from ACP to the rest of Beauty Bound so I can continue querying.

Add 2,000 words to Arrow Nocked or Survivors.

Reach 190 active minutes.

Finish vacation planning!

3. A favorite line from my story OR one word/phrase that sums up what I wrote/revised


Bianca writhed in his arms. “I can walk on my own.”

“As evidenced by you nearly tumbling to the ground.”

“I slipped.” Bianca giggled.


4. The biggest challenge I faced this week (ex. finding time to write, the siren song of SNIs)


Charleston hit me hard. Survivors deals with a lot of racial issues and I felt compelled to read everything I could. Down the rabbit hole is a scary place to be. Even reading about the hate is too much to dwell on for long. So I've had to pull myself out of it, and focus on making the positive changes I can.

5. Something I love about my WiP
 
That it can so clearly take me out of reality. Sometimes, that's where I need to be.
 
Write lots!
 
 

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Ready, Set, Write! Goals 2015




Yea! It's that time of year again. Ready, Set, Write! hosted by  Alison Miller, Katy Upperman, Erin Funk, and Jamie Morrow. I, of course, missed goal setting and the first week check-in, but I'm catching up now!

1. Write at least 30,000 words in either WIP.

2. Finish my agent search for Beauty Bound.

3. Complete the list of fairy tales, fables, and legends for each country in my Twisted series. (If anyone knows a good, obscure tale, let me know!)

4. Read a book a week.

5. Write at least one blog post per week.

6. Make some great contacts at Midwest Writer's Workshop.

7. Finish the Magic School Bus science experiments with the kids.

8. Fit into my bathing suit before vacation without looking pregnant. (Seriously, I get the question a lot. My body is holding onto the baby weight in my abdomen, and only my abdomen, like it's an umbilical cord.)

So I'll be on next Monday with my update. Hopefully I won't forget this time!

Saturday, May 23, 2015

What's in a Series?

So as I look through the #PitchWars twitter feed, one of the @LH_Writes said about 65 of the 75 queries have series potential and the rest are PB. That being said, what the heck is up with all these series?

Of course, what am I writing? A series... of a sort...

I love and hate series all at the same time. Most series are kind enough to provide us an update every year, except for that one guy who no one is allowed to mention because then he might kill off Tyrion.

dink
Yes, I love you Peter Dinklage

But when I start a new series I almost want to wait until I know the last book is almost ready to come out because I'm not a patient person. I started reading Harry Potter three months before the seventh book came out. I read them in two months and thought I was going to die waiting for the Deathly Hallows.

Good Job
This was me when it finally hit my mailbox

Because I invest in the characters, I want to know everything about them. I fall in love with them and I want to be with them, they are a part of my soul. Over the past week I fell in love with a new cast of characters. Tamlin and Feyre from A Court of Roses and Thorns. And this was only the first book. So now I wait and wait to see what comes next for them.


A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #1)
No seriously, go pick it up NOW

And yet, I have set out to write a series. To torture other readers.

It didn't start out this way, really. I wrote what I wrote. One single fairy tale. Of all the things I'd ever written, I never thought fantasy would be one of them. As a child I read mysteries, poured through every Nancy Drew book I could find. The first book I wrote (in third grade) was a mystery. Then, I grew up. I fell in love with historical fiction. The second book I started writing (seventh grade) was set in the civil war because I loved Gone with the Wind so much. Of every book idea I've ever had, fantasy was never one of them.

Until I sat down to write my first, real, grown-up book.

And at the end there is closure, not 100%, but closure. And yet, I saw one character, a small minor character and thought, what if I give her a story? Then another character spoke to me, a story that I'd had brewing in my mind for some time as a historical. What if I tweaked it just a bit. Yes, he deserves his own story too.



In case you're wondering where I'm headed next...

Thus my series is born. I even sat down to draw a map. Just a crude version to see what my land would look like. I ended up with a continent of thirteen kingdoms. And my intention is to give each a story. A story as different and varied as the spanning of our continents. Does that make it the same as a real series? I have no idea. But I'll keep writing my fairy tales as long as the ideas keep popping out of my brain.

Saturday, May 9, 2015

Will the real homo sapiens please stand up?

alternatively: How to stop hate

So when I was in high school I was in the marching band...

Fake Laughing


Ok, you can stop laughing now.

Anyway, when I meet someone now, if I find out they were in marching band, we play a little game. What instrument did you play?

Not to brag, but I'm pretty good at this game. Because if you look at most of the groups within the band, you notice certain trends, certain groups get a reputation.

Bugs BunnyIf you played trumpet, you were a hot shot and a little full of yourself.

If you played percussion, you were a squirrely spaz, or I dated you.

If you were a flute player, you were a stuck-up girl, or a girl in general.

If you were a clarinet player, you remind me of Amy Farrah-Fowler.

If you were a tuba player, you were a party animal, and generally an all-around awesome person to be around.

Of course, these are exaggerations, but you see what I'm saying. We had our cliques, and it said something about you without even realizing it. And it's always a funny joke for me because people usually guess I played the flute. Which I did, until I became awesome.

What does this have to do with real-life people hate? In case you've been living under a rock, get on your google and search Indiana and gay. It will tell you everything you need to know and more. Then there's the feminist issues popping up all over the internet and rape shaming, which is beyond my comprehension. And I would be remiss if I didn't include the Baltimore riots and before that the Ferguson riots. Can't exclude pretty much everything going on in the Middle East.

hateBut what do all the issues have in common? Hate.

And it makes me sick. Because everyone is so busy trying to decide who is right and who is wrong that we're really missing the big picture. We're all humans. And somewhere, a long time ago, we stopped seeing that. We started segregating into white or black, gay or straight, woman or man. Not just people.

So yes, the marching band is a ridiculously small model of a human ecosystem, but if I'm judging one person based on what I think about a group of people that I knew *cough* fifteen years ago, then how is it really any different.

Will I stop playing my guessing game in the future? Probably not. Because it's a fun way to get to know people. But I will stop judging all percussionists because of that one jerk that broke up with me in high school.

Moral of the story, next time one of these hot button issues comes up, stop. Take the situation and put it in the context of a human being. Things look a lot different from that perspective.



Thank you to http://www.reactiongifs.com/ for the gifs.

Monday, April 6, 2015

Yikes, has it been 7 months...

I'm a little surprised they haven't shut down my account yet. But I'm back now! And eventually I will post all those half finished blog posts that I started over the past *cough* seven months.

So what was I doing over my little blogging hiatus?


















In case you're wondering if I love my dog more than my kids, not exactly. But I don't have to worry about her picture being on the internet!
 
 
 


So maybe this will cover me until I get a new post up. Because I'm going to be back, I swear!