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!

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 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

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!

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!

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 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

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!

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 goalsWhoops! 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!

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!

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!