I started writing a new story, you guys! I know, I know, there's that whole revising thing still going on for my last one, which I am also pretty dang excited about, but this new one...eeeeeeee! It's only about a thousand words right now, and I have no idea how often I'll get to work on it, but the idea is there and I really like it. It's another ghosty-type of story, but it'll be a lot different from the last one. Very different concept, sort of along the lines of Gayle Forman's If I Stay (which you should read if you haven't. Which reminds me, I still need to read the sequel, Where She Went.) I already, like, have a title and everything for this one, and don't think it'll be changing- unlike my title my current WIP, which I might as well tell you I've changed from After the Dream to Restless. Simpler, to the point, etc. I likey.
I just finished reading another fabulous book by Jellicoe Road author, Melina Marchetta, called The Piper's Son. Not quite as moving as JR, but holy crap do I love Melina Marchetta. She just has a way of making you FEEL things the same way her characters are feeling them. I didn't fall to pieces reading this one like I did with Jellicoe, but it was still so. good. Check her out.
And now, I'm currently reading the second book in that wildly popular Fifty Shades series. I read the first one a few weeks ago and I was less than impressed. I seriously do NOT understand the mass appeal of these books. Sure, there are very saucy scenes, probably unlike anything most peeps have read I'm sure, but those scenes are not enough to make up for the terrible writing and weak storyline- which is basically girl meets boy, boy is into dominant/submissive relationships, boy makes girl sign contract to have a "relationship" with him, girl still somehow falls in love with him regardless of his stalkery tendencies, etc. I just didn't find it in any way believable. But I suppose when I think about it, Twilight was completely unrealistic, too, and look how crazy people are for that series. The second book so far has been a bit of a snoozefest for me, too, but I feel like I need to keep reading it to try to understand the appeal.
Or maybe I'm just jealous the Fifty Shades author had so much success with her first series of books EVER.
Hmph.
Showing posts with label After the Dream. Show all posts
Showing posts with label After the Dream. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
life gets in the way...
Life is getting in the way of my revisions. Like, for reals. Lately, by the time I sit down at night all I want to do is turn my brain OFF. Cranking up the lap top and being creative for an hour or two just hasn't been at the top of my list. And that, my friends, sucks big time. And it needs to change. I am truly excited to get it done, get it to my readers, and await their revisions and comments. So why the procrastination?
My theory is that I'm way more proud of this novel than my first one- and I was hella proud of that one. Just being able to say I FINISHED IT was amazing. I mean, I wrote a book. One of my lifelong goals was complete. Well, minus the whole getting-it-published thing. But with this one...this one I feel personally attached to. I've spend the past year and a half reading virtually nothing by YA novels and learning, learning, learning from them. I've absorbed so much from my favorite authors and want more than anything to be a part of their community. So this time, I'm afraid the rejections that will inevitably come pouring in will sting a lot more.
So, perhaps somewhat unconsciously, I'm putting off finishing it? Totally possible, I guess.
Anyway, I'm just under 100 pages into revisions, which means I'm halfway done. I'm hoping the second half goes a bit faster than the first, but I also know there's a lot to be cleaned up and added in that second half.
Sorry about the lack of blogging lately, too...I'm going to try to be better, I promise!
My theory is that I'm way more proud of this novel than my first one- and I was hella proud of that one. Just being able to say I FINISHED IT was amazing. I mean, I wrote a book. One of my lifelong goals was complete. Well, minus the whole getting-it-published thing. But with this one...this one I feel personally attached to. I've spend the past year and a half reading virtually nothing by YA novels and learning, learning, learning from them. I've absorbed so much from my favorite authors and want more than anything to be a part of their community. So this time, I'm afraid the rejections that will inevitably come pouring in will sting a lot more.
So, perhaps somewhat unconsciously, I'm putting off finishing it? Totally possible, I guess.
Anyway, I'm just under 100 pages into revisions, which means I'm halfway done. I'm hoping the second half goes a bit faster than the first, but I also know there's a lot to be cleaned up and added in that second half.
Sorry about the lack of blogging lately, too...I'm going to try to be better, I promise!
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Just a tease...
I once read somewhere that you shouldn't post snippets of your work on your blog. I don't really remember what the reasoning behind it was, to be honest, but it freaked me out and I immediately deleted any posts I had with snippets from In My Mind's Eye.
However, this is MY blog. And shouldn't I feel free to post what I want to post? I mean, I'm not really worried about one of my readers stealing my ideas- and hey, if a snippet actually inspires someone else to write, isn't that a GOOD thing??
So, that being said, I'm going to say screw the rules and post a little teaser from After the Dream (still tentatively titled, as I mentioned before- I have another title in my mind that I think actually works better). This is one of my favorite parts of the story, where Ella and Riley really start to work together to learn about Anna's ghost's mystery. This chapter is about a third of the way into the book, from Ella's perspective.
I would love to know your thoughts! Questions, comments, concerns- although of course I won't be giving away any major spoilers. ;o)
Riley led me through the woods, holding back branches and stomping down brush for me as maneuvered his way expertly through them. Leaves danced frantically on the ground, trying to escape the relentless pull of the wind. I could taste snow in the air and buttoned my jacket all the way to my neck, shivering slightly. My hair whipped painfully around my face and kept getting stuck to my lips and eyelashes.
“It’s not much farther,” he assured me.
When Riley had called me this morning asking if I would come over, saying he wanted to show me some things to better explain his dreams, there was no way I could resist, especially after I’d committed myself to helping him on Friday night at Shelley’s. So that is why, on a very chilly Sunday afternoon, I was tromping through the woods with him, a little nervous and extremely cold.
I stumbled into him when he stopped suddenly at a small clearing. He appeared to be having some difficulty breathing as he looked around slowly, raising his face up to the sky.
“Riley?” I whispered, not sure what was going on. Or why I was whispering.
He turned to face me, only a few inches away. “This is it,” he said simply.
I took a step back and tried to see around him. “Um, what?” I didn’t see anything out of the ordinary, besides the fact that the trees weren’t quite as dense in this particular area. A crow cawed loudly above us, disrupting the quiet. I jumped. I was completely on edge out here for some reason, buzzing with nervous energy.
Riley turned back around and focused on the ground a few feet in front of him. I followed his gaze and found a small, longish stone that looked out of place here, even though it was half-buried into the earth. I moved towards it and knelt down, scraping dirt and debris from it.
Anna Tomlinson
Beloved
I stared at it, willing the name to mean something to me. There were no dates on the headstone, no information other than “beloved”. I looked curiously up at Riley.
“Whose grave is this?” I asked. “Who’s Anna?”
Riley remained silent as he stared down at me, kneeling by the grave.
I stood up. “Okay, now you’re officially freaking me out again.” I crossed my arms over my chest, hugging myself.
Riley’s eyes were still on the grave. He shook his head as though shaking off a bad memory and finally looked up at me. “No. I mean, I’m sorry-“
“Just explain why you brought me into the middle of the woods to show me some random old grave, please?”
Riley seemed to be having a difficult time figuring out how to explain. It almost looked like he was about to lose consciousness; his eyelids kept fluttering as he struggled to form words.
“Anna…is…the girl…help…I have to help her,” he sputtered.
I glanced back down at the grave. “Um, I think you’re a little late to help her,” I said gently.
Riley plopped down on a fallen tree and held his head in his hands. “She’s the girl in my dreams. The one who’s trying to tell me something.”
However, this is MY blog. And shouldn't I feel free to post what I want to post? I mean, I'm not really worried about one of my readers stealing my ideas- and hey, if a snippet actually inspires someone else to write, isn't that a GOOD thing??
So, that being said, I'm going to say screw the rules and post a little teaser from After the Dream (still tentatively titled, as I mentioned before- I have another title in my mind that I think actually works better). This is one of my favorite parts of the story, where Ella and Riley really start to work together to learn about Anna's ghost's mystery. This chapter is about a third of the way into the book, from Ella's perspective.
I would love to know your thoughts! Questions, comments, concerns- although of course I won't be giving away any major spoilers. ;o)
* * * * * *
Riley led me through the woods, holding back branches and stomping down brush for me as maneuvered his way expertly through them. Leaves danced frantically on the ground, trying to escape the relentless pull of the wind. I could taste snow in the air and buttoned my jacket all the way to my neck, shivering slightly. My hair whipped painfully around my face and kept getting stuck to my lips and eyelashes.
“It’s not much farther,” he assured me.
When Riley had called me this morning asking if I would come over, saying he wanted to show me some things to better explain his dreams, there was no way I could resist, especially after I’d committed myself to helping him on Friday night at Shelley’s. So that is why, on a very chilly Sunday afternoon, I was tromping through the woods with him, a little nervous and extremely cold.
I stumbled into him when he stopped suddenly at a small clearing. He appeared to be having some difficulty breathing as he looked around slowly, raising his face up to the sky.
“Riley?” I whispered, not sure what was going on. Or why I was whispering.
He turned to face me, only a few inches away. “This is it,” he said simply.
I took a step back and tried to see around him. “Um, what?” I didn’t see anything out of the ordinary, besides the fact that the trees weren’t quite as dense in this particular area. A crow cawed loudly above us, disrupting the quiet. I jumped. I was completely on edge out here for some reason, buzzing with nervous energy.
Riley turned back around and focused on the ground a few feet in front of him. I followed his gaze and found a small, longish stone that looked out of place here, even though it was half-buried into the earth. I moved towards it and knelt down, scraping dirt and debris from it.
Anna Tomlinson
Beloved
I stared at it, willing the name to mean something to me. There were no dates on the headstone, no information other than “beloved”. I looked curiously up at Riley.
“Whose grave is this?” I asked. “Who’s Anna?”
Riley remained silent as he stared down at me, kneeling by the grave.
I stood up. “Okay, now you’re officially freaking me out again.” I crossed my arms over my chest, hugging myself.
Riley’s eyes were still on the grave. He shook his head as though shaking off a bad memory and finally looked up at me. “No. I mean, I’m sorry-“
“Just explain why you brought me into the middle of the woods to show me some random old grave, please?”
Riley seemed to be having a difficult time figuring out how to explain. It almost looked like he was about to lose consciousness; his eyelids kept fluttering as he struggled to form words.
“Anna…is…the girl…help…I have to help her,” he sputtered.
I glanced back down at the grave. “Um, I think you’re a little late to help her,” I said gently.
Riley plopped down on a fallen tree and held his head in his hands. “She’s the girl in my dreams. The one who’s trying to tell me something.”
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Novel #2- complete!!
This weekend I FINALLY finished the first, crappy draft of the WIP! Or, I suppose I can start using the working title, which right now is still After the Dream (I have another title in mind, too, but we'll deal with that later). So anyway, yes! Just about 10 months after I first started writing it and almost 76,000 words later, it's done!! HOORAY!
And now, revisions. Oy.
Part of me is excited to start revising, because I honestly think I can make this a GOOD story. It's got good bones right now, just needs to be whipped into shape. So I'm trying to wrap my head around what the best way to start revising is. Print out a copy and start applying the red ink everywhere? Revise as I read it on the computer? Work on an outline of things I know off the top of my head I need to go back and change? Hmm. I suppose there's no set way to go about it, I'll just have to dive in and see what works best. Starting with the beginning, which I hate...
However, I'm pretty psyched about the ending, you guys. I'm not gonna lie, I left it sorta "open". Not necessarily for a sequel, just for the reader to interpret what they want from it. Mwuah hahahaha.
*insert pic of me doing a happy dance here*
In other random news:
I sort of gave up on my query for now. I like where I've gotten it, but it still needs to be cleaned up. At this point, I think I'll wait to continue with it til my revisions are done. It's not like I'll be submitting it anytime soon anyway.
I'm off to see the Black Keys tonight! I have a feeling it's going to be an awesome show!
Also? It's been eerily warm, like HOT, here in Cleveland for the past week or so. It's like we're skipping spring and heading straight for summer...which is interesting, because last year it just stayed winter til about mid-May. Ah, Cleveland weather.
Today IS the first day of Spring though, so with that, Happy Spring everyone! Here's to new beginnings (literally!)!
And now, revisions. Oy.
Part of me is excited to start revising, because I honestly think I can make this a GOOD story. It's got good bones right now, just needs to be whipped into shape. So I'm trying to wrap my head around what the best way to start revising is. Print out a copy and start applying the red ink everywhere? Revise as I read it on the computer? Work on an outline of things I know off the top of my head I need to go back and change? Hmm. I suppose there's no set way to go about it, I'll just have to dive in and see what works best. Starting with the beginning, which I hate...
However, I'm pretty psyched about the ending, you guys. I'm not gonna lie, I left it sorta "open". Not necessarily for a sequel, just for the reader to interpret what they want from it. Mwuah hahahaha.
*insert pic of me doing a happy dance here*
In other random news:
I sort of gave up on my query for now. I like where I've gotten it, but it still needs to be cleaned up. At this point, I think I'll wait to continue with it til my revisions are done. It's not like I'll be submitting it anytime soon anyway.
I'm off to see the Black Keys tonight! I have a feeling it's going to be an awesome show!
Also? It's been eerily warm, like HOT, here in Cleveland for the past week or so. It's like we're skipping spring and heading straight for summer...which is interesting, because last year it just stayed winter til about mid-May. Ah, Cleveland weather.
Today IS the first day of Spring though, so with that, Happy Spring everyone! Here's to new beginnings (literally!)!
Monday, March 12, 2012
fatty fat fatty
This weekend, my sister in law and I had a grand ol' time shopping, drinking margaritas and just hanging out together. The good news? I scored 7 books on my to-read list at Half Priced Books, my favorite store on the planet. They practically had to kick us out at closing time. The bad news? We did a bit of clothes shopping, too, and while trying a few things on I realized I have to face facts: I've gone up at least a pant size. This does, however, explain why all my current clothes feel like they're squeezing the freaking life out of me. Sigh. What happened to my super fast metabolism?? It seems like with each passing day it slows down more and more. Getting. Old. Sucks.
However, I felt so awful about this discovery that it actually kicked me into gear and yesterday, after a loooong day I made up my mind to get out and enjoy the beautiful weather by going on a nice run/walk around my 'hood. I still can't run consecutively for any great length of time, but I walked fast and kept setting little goals for myself, like "Ok, as soon as I get to this driveway, I'll run all the way down this road til I get to the parked car" and so on. I ended up being out for just under a half an hour, burned almost 300 calories and went 2.15 miles.
And I felt so much better when I got home.
I mean, sure, the aches were already setting in by the time I got out of the shower (damn hills in my neighborhood are deadly) but I was just so proud of myself for going out and being active. Especially when all I wanted to do was curl up on the couch and relax, maybe nap off some of the margaritas from the night before. Now I just need to keep this mindframe going. If I can hit the gym at least twice a week, and maybe start up a spinning or zumba class too, I'm confident I can shed a few pounds and tighten back up in just a couple months. After all, summer is coming! And with any luck we'll be enjoying the beach in the Outer Banks at the end of July. I'd prefer to not be forced to wear a muumuu down there, too.
In writing news, I still have those last final pages to write. But I have been working on my query letter nonstop for the past week, thanks tosome wonderful critiques from the folks at AgentQueryConnect.com. It's come a long way already from the original version, and I think I'm jussssst about there. After this latest revision I'll probably take a little time to step back from it so I can view it with fresher eyes later. But I'm pretty proud of the progress I've made with it. Getting criticism from people who haven't read the story helps so much, you don't even know. I'm way too close to it and everything seems important to leave in. It's nice to get that kick that says "hey dummy, why is this here?" Ok, they're a bit nicer than that, but you know what I mean.
I'm excited for my Friday off this week, when I plan on writing that damn ending already and hopefully starting revisions, too. I have so many ideas to implement, it's crazy. Super excited to share this story again with my readers when it's revised. Smiley face.
However, I felt so awful about this discovery that it actually kicked me into gear and yesterday, after a loooong day I made up my mind to get out and enjoy the beautiful weather by going on a nice run/walk around my 'hood. I still can't run consecutively for any great length of time, but I walked fast and kept setting little goals for myself, like "Ok, as soon as I get to this driveway, I'll run all the way down this road til I get to the parked car" and so on. I ended up being out for just under a half an hour, burned almost 300 calories and went 2.15 miles.
And I felt so much better when I got home.
I mean, sure, the aches were already setting in by the time I got out of the shower (damn hills in my neighborhood are deadly) but I was just so proud of myself for going out and being active. Especially when all I wanted to do was curl up on the couch and relax, maybe nap off some of the margaritas from the night before. Now I just need to keep this mindframe going. If I can hit the gym at least twice a week, and maybe start up a spinning or zumba class too, I'm confident I can shed a few pounds and tighten back up in just a couple months. After all, summer is coming! And with any luck we'll be enjoying the beach in the Outer Banks at the end of July. I'd prefer to not be forced to wear a muumuu down there, too.
In writing news, I still have those last final pages to write. But I have been working on my query letter nonstop for the past week, thanks tosome wonderful critiques from the folks at AgentQueryConnect.com. It's come a long way already from the original version, and I think I'm jussssst about there. After this latest revision I'll probably take a little time to step back from it so I can view it with fresher eyes later. But I'm pretty proud of the progress I've made with it. Getting criticism from people who haven't read the story helps so much, you don't even know. I'm way too close to it and everything seems important to leave in. It's nice to get that kick that says "hey dummy, why is this here?" Ok, they're a bit nicer than that, but you know what I mean.
I'm excited for my Friday off this week, when I plan on writing that damn ending already and hopefully starting revisions, too. I have so many ideas to implement, it's crazy. Super excited to share this story again with my readers when it's revised. Smiley face.
Monday, March 5, 2012
THIS CLOSE
As the title of this post suggests, I am THIS CLOSE to wrapping up my first draft of After the Dream. So close I can taste it, sweet like chocolate after a long, rough day.
I actually almost finished it last night, but after steadily writing for about three hours I was spent. And it was getting late, and I have learned I need to turn my brain off before I can actually fall asleep. This means turning off the laptop at least an hour before I plan to go to bed.
It didn't matter last night, though. Even though I shut down over an hour before we headed upstairs, my mind was still filled with ideas for the final few pages, as well as all the revisions I plan on doing. Like, I'm not even letting my readers take a look at it til I go through and revise on my own first, because I know there's a lot I need to add to tighten up the story, add to the conflict, etc.
In addition to writing almost 3,200 words yesterday (!!), I also mapped out some more family tree stuff. I had to in order to figure out what the hell I was doing. I had papers and notes everywhere. I think it makes sense now...but I'll need my readers to tell me for sure. If it's too complicated then it just won't work. I'm not out to confuse people, but to entertain and intrigue them!
Also, today is the day I'm supposed to have a phone call with the guy from the publishing company. I'm not holding my breath, but we'll see what happens. I'm not even sure what I'm supposed to say to the guy, considering ATD is not even close to being ready for submission yet. And if this really is a "pay to publish" kind of deal, well then, no thanks. I'll post an update about the call later this week (if it actually happens).
Here's to completing crappy first drafts!
I actually almost finished it last night, but after steadily writing for about three hours I was spent. And it was getting late, and I have learned I need to turn my brain off before I can actually fall asleep. This means turning off the laptop at least an hour before I plan to go to bed.
It didn't matter last night, though. Even though I shut down over an hour before we headed upstairs, my mind was still filled with ideas for the final few pages, as well as all the revisions I plan on doing. Like, I'm not even letting my readers take a look at it til I go through and revise on my own first, because I know there's a lot I need to add to tighten up the story, add to the conflict, etc.
In addition to writing almost 3,200 words yesterday (!!), I also mapped out some more family tree stuff. I had to in order to figure out what the hell I was doing. I had papers and notes everywhere. I think it makes sense now...but I'll need my readers to tell me for sure. If it's too complicated then it just won't work. I'm not out to confuse people, but to entertain and intrigue them!
Also, today is the day I'm supposed to have a phone call with the guy from the publishing company. I'm not holding my breath, but we'll see what happens. I'm not even sure what I'm supposed to say to the guy, considering ATD is not even close to being ready for submission yet. And if this really is a "pay to publish" kind of deal, well then, no thanks. I'll post an update about the call later this week (if it actually happens).
Here's to completing crappy first drafts!
Friday, March 2, 2012
MIA
So, my last blog post was what, almost two weeks ago? Whoopsie. I skipped my Monday post this week because I really didn't have anything to say about the WIP, because I really didn't even crack open my laptop last week to look at it. Again, whoopsie. But that's really because next time I work on it, I hope to actually FINISH the first draft. So I want a good chunk of time to sit and write, not just an hour here or there. I am hoping that happens on Sunday.
Last Thursday I went on a spur-of-the-moment day trip to Toronto with my boss. Over ten hours in the car = lots of chatting time, and I happened to mention that I'm finishing up writing my second novel. He was all sorts of impressed, to which I wanted to reply, "Dude, you haven't read it. It might completely suck." But still, it was nice to hear encouraging words. He asked me if I wanted him to ask around in his Entreprenuer's Group if anyone had any publishing contacts, and I was like, uhh ssssure. I figured he would forget about it as soon as we were out of the car.
To my surprise, he did send a request out to his EO group, and someone actually responded, saying they would be more than happy to talk to me, even setting up a date and time to call. At first I was completely excited, even though of course the WIP is nowhere near being ready to submit yet. It's still an opportunity to maybe get some insight from the guy and submit later, right? So I spent some time working on a rough draft of a query- something I hadn't expected to be doing for another month- just so I could really organize my thoughts about what the book is about. I didn't want to babble like a fool on the phone to the guy.
Well, then I started doing a little research on the company. I knew the guy is not an agent, but as it turns out he is the CEO of a vanity publishing company (I won't mention the name), and basically they assist "independent authors" (in other words, unagented) in editing, publishing, promoting and marketing their books. For a fee. A big fee. A gigantic, no-way-in-hell-could-I-pay-it kind of fee. Nor would I even if I could afford it. It's not necessarily a shady thing, it's just another route for authors to take to get their work published, if they so desire.
But I have faith in this WIP. I just have a feeling an agent will see the potential in this one. I know my writing has improved since In My Mind's Eye- this story has more depth and stronger voices. Just more "oomph", as I've mentioned before. So, while I'll still talk to the guy (provided he actually calls for real), I know it won't be the road to publishing for me. I'd much rather find an agent who believes in my work, instead of paying someone to believe in it.
But hey, at least I got the first draft of my query out of it. I may post it at a later date, but it's definitely going to go through some critiques first on the AgentQueryConnect website I was on last year. Aaaaand let the nerves of having complete strangers critique my work begin once again.
Last Thursday I went on a spur-of-the-moment day trip to Toronto with my boss. Over ten hours in the car = lots of chatting time, and I happened to mention that I'm finishing up writing my second novel. He was all sorts of impressed, to which I wanted to reply, "Dude, you haven't read it. It might completely suck." But still, it was nice to hear encouraging words. He asked me if I wanted him to ask around in his Entreprenuer's Group if anyone had any publishing contacts, and I was like, uhh ssssure. I figured he would forget about it as soon as we were out of the car.
To my surprise, he did send a request out to his EO group, and someone actually responded, saying they would be more than happy to talk to me, even setting up a date and time to call. At first I was completely excited, even though of course the WIP is nowhere near being ready to submit yet. It's still an opportunity to maybe get some insight from the guy and submit later, right? So I spent some time working on a rough draft of a query- something I hadn't expected to be doing for another month- just so I could really organize my thoughts about what the book is about. I didn't want to babble like a fool on the phone to the guy.
Well, then I started doing a little research on the company. I knew the guy is not an agent, but as it turns out he is the CEO of a vanity publishing company (I won't mention the name), and basically they assist "independent authors" (in other words, unagented) in editing, publishing, promoting and marketing their books. For a fee. A big fee. A gigantic, no-way-in-hell-could-I-pay-it kind of fee. Nor would I even if I could afford it. It's not necessarily a shady thing, it's just another route for authors to take to get their work published, if they so desire.
But I have faith in this WIP. I just have a feeling an agent will see the potential in this one. I know my writing has improved since In My Mind's Eye- this story has more depth and stronger voices. Just more "oomph", as I've mentioned before. So, while I'll still talk to the guy (provided he actually calls for real), I know it won't be the road to publishing for me. I'd much rather find an agent who believes in my work, instead of paying someone to believe in it.
But hey, at least I got the first draft of my query out of it. I may post it at a later date, but it's definitely going to go through some critiques first on the AgentQueryConnect website I was on last year. Aaaaand let the nerves of having complete strangers critique my work begin once again.
Monday, February 20, 2012
(insert sad trombone)
I don't have much to report this week writing-wise. Last week was another insanely busy week, and I only managed to get just around 600 words down, bringing my total word count to just over 71k. BUT (yes, this is a big BUT), the good news is I'm pretty sure those 600 words were my second-to-last chapter (yes, a very short chapter). So that means all I have left to write is the last chapter! And I think that's part of why I'm okay with the fact that I didn't get to write much this weekend. Cuz a couple more hourly sessions and the story should be finished!
Well, the rough, ugly first draft anyway.
So I've been toying with some ideas for this last chapter. Well, there may be one more little short one after it, but all the closure will happen in this one. The story switches viewpoints throughout, so I'm thinking maybe the final chapter will be told from each viewpoint, instead of just Riley or Ella's. It's going to be pretty fast-paced; meaning all the shit is going to hit the fan pretty quickly. I just need to wrap my head around how it's all going to go down. Of course, I probably won't actually know til I sit down to write it. Cuz that's how I seem to roll. I can plan where the story is going, but ultimately I don't really know til I start typing away.
I'm excited to finish this one, though. I think it's really got some potential, if I can clean it up and tighten it up and stuff. Ah, revisions. How I'm both dreading and looking forward to you at the same time.
In other news, holy crap you guys, it's already like, the end of February! I can almost smell the fresh spring air and see the flowers bursting out of the ground. Spring seems like an appropriate time to work on revisions, doesn't it? The world is waking up, being reborn into something beautiful, and hopefully my story will, too.
Well, the rough, ugly first draft anyway.
So I've been toying with some ideas for this last chapter. Well, there may be one more little short one after it, but all the closure will happen in this one. The story switches viewpoints throughout, so I'm thinking maybe the final chapter will be told from each viewpoint, instead of just Riley or Ella's. It's going to be pretty fast-paced; meaning all the shit is going to hit the fan pretty quickly. I just need to wrap my head around how it's all going to go down. Of course, I probably won't actually know til I sit down to write it. Cuz that's how I seem to roll. I can plan where the story is going, but ultimately I don't really know til I start typing away.
I'm excited to finish this one, though. I think it's really got some potential, if I can clean it up and tighten it up and stuff. Ah, revisions. How I'm both dreading and looking forward to you at the same time.
In other news, holy crap you guys, it's already like, the end of February! I can almost smell the fresh spring air and see the flowers bursting out of the ground. Spring seems like an appropriate time to work on revisions, doesn't it? The world is waking up, being reborn into something beautiful, and hopefully my story will, too.
Monday, February 13, 2012
So close...
So, last week ended up being a hell of a lot crazier than it should've been. I can't even remember what I did on Monday night, but Tuesday I ended up at a car dealership until almost 8 pm, and I unexpectedly drove home a shiny new car that night. Totally spur of the moment; my lease wasn't up until September but thanks to some crazy deals I got the updated version of my car with some fun new features and I'm paying $20 less per month. Crazy, right?? Anyway, then Wednesday I had to head back to the car dealership after work to pick up my garage door opener I'd left behind in the old car (dooops) and drop off my old spare key, and Thursday I hosted the girly night...so basically, what I'm trying to say is that writing was on the backburner last week. Until Friday, when I thankfully took a mental health day and was able to plug away at the WIP a bit. I also managed to squeeze in some time on Sunday, so when all was said and done, the week was not a total wash:
Total Words Written: 2,385
Total Hours Spent Writing: 2.5 hours
Total Hours Spent Writing: 2.5 hours
Total Word Count Overall: 70,872
That's not so bad, huh? I mean, I know I've been consistently under the 3,000 word mark, but eh. I'm still happy with how the story is progressing.
That being said, I'm actually allllllllmost done. I think there will be two, maybe three, more chapters to go and then the rough, rough first draft will be complete. I already know the revision process is going to be a beast and a half on this one. I flat out hate the beginning (again) and I really want to add a bit more "oomph" to certain spots. I've been revising a bit here and there as I go, mainly because I think of things, write them down, and just want to get them added before I get ahead of myself. So anyway, at this rate, now I'm thinking it might end up just under 80,000 words. Which is sort of funny, because originally I thought it would go on longer.
Just goes to show that the story is in control, not me.
That's not so bad, huh? I mean, I know I've been consistently under the 3,000 word mark, but eh. I'm still happy with how the story is progressing.
That being said, I'm actually allllllllmost done. I think there will be two, maybe three, more chapters to go and then the rough, rough first draft will be complete. I already know the revision process is going to be a beast and a half on this one. I flat out hate the beginning (again) and I really want to add a bit more "oomph" to certain spots. I've been revising a bit here and there as I go, mainly because I think of things, write them down, and just want to get them added before I get ahead of myself. So anyway, at this rate, now I'm thinking it might end up just under 80,000 words. Which is sort of funny, because originally I thought it would go on longer.
Just goes to show that the story is in control, not me.
Monday, February 6, 2012
I want more
A thought struck me the other day, probably a result of reading two books in a row that really stuck with me (John Green's The Fault in our Stars, which I know I haven't shut up about in three weeks, and then Maggie Stiefvater's The Scorpio Races, which made me want to go out and learn how to ride a horse even though I would die from my allergies to them. But hmm, maybe I wouldn't be allergic to waters horses? Worth a shot).
So what I decided this weekend was this: In the end, I just want to write a book that matters. At least a little bit. At least to one person.
When I first set out to write a book, I just wanted to tell a story, nothing heavy or serious, just something to help someone escape for a little while.
But now I want more.
I still want the first part- reading is all about escapism, after all. But now I want my words to resonate with people. For my characters to stay with them long after they've finished the book. For it to make them think and feel.
Some of this also may have stemmed from the fact that I reread certain parts of the WIP last week and realized how far away I am from the story being done. Not word count-wise, obviously, but in adding more to it, giving it more "oomph", if you will. Don't get me wrong, I'm still proud of how far I've come with this one and I still think it has real potential. And I plan on making it so much prettier when I set out and start revising it for real.
I just want it to be...more. If that makes sense.
Sigh. All day today I've felt like I am battling a case of the Mondays.
Anyway, I probably could've written a bit more last week, but a few revisions knocking around in the ol' noggin were demanding to be let out so I spent some time going back and adding in a few things here and there. I still did pretty well though:
So what I decided this weekend was this: In the end, I just want to write a book that matters. At least a little bit. At least to one person.
When I first set out to write a book, I just wanted to tell a story, nothing heavy or serious, just something to help someone escape for a little while.
But now I want more.
I still want the first part- reading is all about escapism, after all. But now I want my words to resonate with people. For my characters to stay with them long after they've finished the book. For it to make them think and feel.
Some of this also may have stemmed from the fact that I reread certain parts of the WIP last week and realized how far away I am from the story being done. Not word count-wise, obviously, but in adding more to it, giving it more "oomph", if you will. Don't get me wrong, I'm still proud of how far I've come with this one and I still think it has real potential. And I plan on making it so much prettier when I set out and start revising it for real.
I just want it to be...more. If that makes sense.
Sigh. All day today I've felt like I am battling a case of the Mondays.
Anyway, I probably could've written a bit more last week, but a few revisions knocking around in the ol' noggin were demanding to be let out so I spent some time going back and adding in a few things here and there. I still did pretty well though:
Total Words Written: 2,846
Total Hours Spent Writing: 4 hours
Total Hours Spent Writing: 4 hours
Total Word Count Overall: 68,487
It's good to be inspired. And that's what all these amazing authors do- inspire me. With every great book I read, I just become more and more antsy to reach my own goals, to get my own words out there into the world.
I hope someday it'll happen.
It's good to be inspired. And that's what all these amazing authors do- inspire me. With every great book I read, I just become more and more antsy to reach my own goals, to get my own words out there into the world.
I hope someday it'll happen.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Moving along
First off, I know I've been neglecting my Thursday posts...and that's honestly because I haven't had any time to think about Three Things, let alone have time to write something. I'm hopeful that will change now though! Last week I was in Chicago on Thursday for a big pitch with a potential client, so between the meeting and traveling, blogging just wasn't gonna happen.
I thought writing just wasn't gonna happen last week either, but thankfully, I had some time yesterday to sit and plug away.
I thought writing just wasn't gonna happen last week either, but thankfully, I had some time yesterday to sit and plug away.
Total Words Written: 1,937
Total Hours Spent Writing: 2 hours
Total Hours Spent Writing: 2 hours
Total Word Count Overall: 65,587
Hey, almost two thousand words in just two hours isn't half bad! I wasn't around at all last week during the weeknights, so I was really glad I had Sunday to get back to it.
I'm starting to realize that I really do need to wrap up this story...in only about 15,000 more words. I mean, if I go over 80k it's not a big deal, but I don't see that being an issue anyway. I'm in the final stretch for the most part. Which is crazy! If I can stick to the 3k words/week goal, I'll be done in just about a month. WOW. When did I start writing this story? Does anyone remember? I suppose I could go back through my blog archives and find out...I wanna say it was late summer? Hmmm. I should probably pay attention to how long it takes me to write a whole novel- including the revision process...
I already have an idea for another one, too, and would still like to go back to IMME someday and clean it up some more. I still think it has potential. But first things first. Let's finish up After the Dream and see what happens...still plenty of revising to do, too.
Anyway. I'll stop babbling now. Happy Monday, everyone!
Hey, almost two thousand words in just two hours isn't half bad! I wasn't around at all last week during the weeknights, so I was really glad I had Sunday to get back to it.
I'm starting to realize that I really do need to wrap up this story...in only about 15,000 more words. I mean, if I go over 80k it's not a big deal, but I don't see that being an issue anyway. I'm in the final stretch for the most part. Which is crazy! If I can stick to the 3k words/week goal, I'll be done in just about a month. WOW. When did I start writing this story? Does anyone remember? I suppose I could go back through my blog archives and find out...I wanna say it was late summer? Hmmm. I should probably pay attention to how long it takes me to write a whole novel- including the revision process...
I already have an idea for another one, too, and would still like to go back to IMME someday and clean it up some more. I still think it has potential. But first things first. Let's finish up After the Dream and see what happens...still plenty of revising to do, too.
Anyway. I'll stop babbling now. Happy Monday, everyone!
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