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!
 
 
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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!