My Tiny Human started school in September this year. She and I went from being together 24/7 for all four years of her life, to being apart for 6 hours a day, 5 days a week. Now. This is where I could tell you that I cried the day I dropped her off and I've missed her and she had terrible separation anxiety. But I'd be lying.
It is GREAT! She loves school, her teacher is fantastic, and I have 6 hours to exercise, write, read, whatever I need to do. I told myself that my revisions would be done so fast and my house would never be cleaner, but yeah, that hasn't really happened. Still, this extra quiet time has done wonders for my mental health (and physical health, since I've had time to exercise).
But the downside to having school aged children, is remembering all the special dates. Good golly. And I volunteer for things, so I need to remember those dates, times and places as well. Oy!
I've been asked to come in and do a school visit next week with her class and talk about writing, so I will definitely let you know how that goes!
Anybody else with Tiny Humans that started school this year? how are you spending that time? Writing, I hope!
And we have a new tangle started by me at Tangled Fiction if you're in the mood for some short fiction and crossroads demons. I might just do an impromptu ARC giveaway (I may or may not have in my possession, an ARC of THE NEAR WITCH by Victoria Schwabb and it is fantastic) or something to some random person who reads and comments on the Tangled Fiction Blog. Either at Livejournal, or Blogger, either one is fine. Happy reading/writing!
Second Draft = First Draft - 10%
This is a formula learned by Stephen King back in his early years of multiple (multiple!) rejection slips. Like Mr. King, I find my writing style to be the opposite. I write a fast paced, skimpy first draft, and then add the meat later. But I'm just now figuring out what that really means.
I'd worry about themes, and character arcs and motivations, all of the things a good writer should be worried about. But I'm realizing now that I think I worried about them at the wrong time. I don't outline. I don't plot my first draft. I can't. I've tried, and it kills my creativity. Just...*bang*. Dead. I start with something--a situation, a character, a first line--and I go with the flow from there. Granted, I would probably save myself some revision time if I thought ahead, but that's just not how I work. I'm noticing now as I'm on draft # (I care not to mention the number) that I DO have themes! Or at least, snipits of things that I can make resonate, things I can flesh out and bring to the foreground and make thematic! OMG! And I have symbolism! What!? For real. It's all there. And I didn't even try.
I wish I'd come to this revelation sooner, and had I finished this amazing book called On Writing a little sooner, I probably would have. But I'm not one to dwell on shoulda, coulda, woulda.
I'm not saying every story needs themes or symbolism nestled in there. I don't think they all do, but if you find it, go with it. Why not, right?
Another question we tend to stress over is the "what's it all about?". What was my book all about? What was I trying to say with it? Why did I spend so many hours hunched over my keyboard, forgetting to eat, or shower, or wear suitable clothing? This is another question best saved for draft #2, not the first draft. At least, in my case. I can't speak for the rest of you.
During the first draft stage, you might keep this one tucked away in the back of your mind, I try to. But I personally can't decide what I want to say until it's done. You don't want to sit down before you write and think to yourself, "Well, I'm just going to teach these kids that doing drugs is a bad idea." Because then your manuscript of going to reek of morality. And if you want to write an honest work of fiction, you don't want to do that. I mean, unless that the sort of book you want to write. I don't want to step on any toes or anything.
So that's basically it. Often bringing these things to light in what you've already written takes a great deal of cutting (killing those pretty little darlings) and moving, shaping, rewriting. But when you sit back and read what you've written, and it actually resembles a real story, it's so worth it.
Does anyone here follow this formula? Start of with a whopper and file it down to the good stuff? Please share!
I'd worry about themes, and character arcs and motivations, all of the things a good writer should be worried about. But I'm realizing now that I think I worried about them at the wrong time. I don't outline. I don't plot my first draft. I can't. I've tried, and it kills my creativity. Just...*bang*. Dead. I start with something--a situation, a character, a first line--and I go with the flow from there. Granted, I would probably save myself some revision time if I thought ahead, but that's just not how I work. I'm noticing now as I'm on draft # (I care not to mention the number) that I DO have themes! Or at least, snipits of things that I can make resonate, things I can flesh out and bring to the foreground and make thematic! OMG! And I have symbolism! What!? For real. It's all there. And I didn't even try.
I wish I'd come to this revelation sooner, and had I finished this amazing book called On Writing a little sooner, I probably would have. But I'm not one to dwell on shoulda, coulda, woulda.
I'm not saying every story needs themes or symbolism nestled in there. I don't think they all do, but if you find it, go with it. Why not, right?
Another question we tend to stress over is the "what's it all about?". What was my book all about? What was I trying to say with it? Why did I spend so many hours hunched over my keyboard, forgetting to eat, or shower, or wear suitable clothing? This is another question best saved for draft #2, not the first draft. At least, in my case. I can't speak for the rest of you.
During the first draft stage, you might keep this one tucked away in the back of your mind, I try to. But I personally can't decide what I want to say until it's done. You don't want to sit down before you write and think to yourself, "Well, I'm just going to teach these kids that doing drugs is a bad idea." Because then your manuscript of going to reek of morality. And if you want to write an honest work of fiction, you don't want to do that. I mean, unless that the sort of book you want to write. I don't want to step on any toes or anything.
So that's basically it. Often bringing these things to light in what you've already written takes a great deal of cutting (killing those pretty little darlings) and moving, shaping, rewriting. But when you sit back and read what you've written, and it actually resembles a real story, it's so worth it.
Does anyone here follow this formula? Start of with a whopper and file it down to the good stuff? Please share!
Win A 30 Page Crit From Sisters In Scribe!
Once again, the writing community has come together to raise funds for the American Red Cross, this time to provide relief for Hurricane Irene victims. And Kristi, Valerie, and myself are happy to be a part of it!
Read for Relief opened the bidding for a 30 page crit from EACH of us! That's three 30 page crits on your YA or MG manuscript! Come check out the auction website and browse the other items up for grabs, along with ours! Happy bidding and good luck!
Bidding closes at 10:00PM EST, Saturday.
Read for Relief opened the bidding for a 30 page crit from EACH of us! That's three 30 page crits on your YA or MG manuscript! Come check out the auction website and browse the other items up for grabs, along with ours! Happy bidding and good luck!
Bidding closes at 10:00PM EST, Saturday.
Gettin' Back In the Groove!
Summer is winding down. My big kid is back in school (2nd grade!!!) and my Tiny Human starts pre-k next week, so I am back in writing mode! Of course, writing mode never truly stops, but my blog hiatus has been long enough. I've missed you all.
You'd think after taking about a month off that I'd have something awesome to blog about, but alas, I do not. I could ramble on about my mandatory evacuation, thanks to Hurricane Irene, that turned into a party with my folks out in the sticks, but you don't want to hear about that.
*whispers* Husband is no longer a tattoo virgin.
But I want to hear about you! How was your summer? Did you get a lot of writing done, or are you a total summer slacker? What have I missed in the blogosphere! Did you attend Write On Con? My super awesome agent, Sara Megibow, was a guest during one or more of the chats!
Starting Monday, our Spring/Summer hiatus at Tangled Fiction ends! We're coming back with a brand new tangle, started by me on September 5th, so be ready!
You'd think after taking about a month off that I'd have something awesome to blog about, but alas, I do not. I could ramble on about my mandatory evacuation, thanks to Hurricane Irene, that turned into a party with my folks out in the sticks, but you don't want to hear about that.
*whispers* Husband is no longer a tattoo virgin.
But I want to hear about you! How was your summer? Did you get a lot of writing done, or are you a total summer slacker? What have I missed in the blogosphere! Did you attend Write On Con? My super awesome agent, Sara Megibow, was a guest during one or more of the chats!
Starting Monday, our Spring/Summer hiatus at Tangled Fiction ends! We're coming back with a brand new tangle, started by me on September 5th, so be ready!
Updates! And Apologies.
Have you checked out Sisters in Scribe lately? We have another fab giveaway happening! Up for grabs is an autographed copy of BAD TASTE IN BOYS by our zombie-loving friend, Carrie Harris! We're only selecting one top entry for the book, but I MIGHT have something special for our second and third faves. *wink*
In other news, you remember back in April when Natalie Parker, Valerie Kemp and I (Tangled Fiction) said we were taking a spring hiatus, and we'd be back in May? And then May came and went. And then so did the rest of the summer? Yeah. About that. We feel TERRIBLE for abandoning the blog for so long, but we've had good reason! You already know my news, but Valerie and Natalie have had their own share of excitement this summer! We have an update up on the TF blog, so be sure to check that out! We are STOKED to be back in the saddle. We've missed you guys! Also on blogger.
My agent, Sara Megibow, now has a monthly blog spot at Romance University! Even if you don't write romance, I still recommend giving Sara a read. I'm a little bias, yes, but she is awesome!
As for this blog and all it's patheticness, I'm afraid that'll continue at least until September. I'm super busy with edits (Sara cracks a mighty whip) and summer vacation! And I hope you are too. ;)
In other news, you remember back in April when Natalie Parker, Valerie Kemp and I (Tangled Fiction) said we were taking a spring hiatus, and we'd be back in May? And then May came and went. And then so did the rest of the summer? Yeah. About that. We feel TERRIBLE for abandoning the blog for so long, but we've had good reason! You already know my news, but Valerie and Natalie have had their own share of excitement this summer! We have an update up on the TF blog, so be sure to check that out! We are STOKED to be back in the saddle. We've missed you guys! Also on blogger.
My agent, Sara Megibow, now has a monthly blog spot at Romance University! Even if you don't write romance, I still recommend giving Sara a read. I'm a little bias, yes, but she is awesome!
As for this blog and all it's patheticness, I'm afraid that'll continue at least until September. I'm super busy with edits (Sara cracks a mighty whip) and summer vacation! And I hope you are too. ;)
Oh, Monday. And Frogs.
It is Monday again already. How did this happen?! So you may have noticed I haven't blogged much, and I swear I have a good reason! You know, besides being up to my eyeballs in edits and trying to balance that with summer vacation with my kids.
We've had a major heat wave here in NYC and because of this extreme heat, our power was down for nearly three days. No Internet. No TV. No lights or air conditioning. It was brutal. But I survived! And so did my family and my pets. There were no casualties, save for one fish that is unaccounted for. But I am blaming his disappearance on the monster belly of my growing catfish.
*sigh*
Today is my dad's 60th birthday!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAD! I LOVE YOU! And he's stuck in a hospital two states away. I tell ya, moving away from home is not all it's cracked up to be. But not to worry, he's a tough old biker. He'll be fine.
Back to that heat wave. We were all a little loony in my house those days when the temps were above 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Loonier than usual. My daughter (7 years old) was crouching on the couch with her knees bent up by her ears, making *ribbit* noises and pretending to catch flies with her tongue, (this is really a totally normal thing for her, not at all heat induced) and my husband walked by and she said, "Daddy, I'm a frog."
Really? A Frog? Not a chicken? I was totally leaning toward chicken.
This got me thinking about writing, as most things do. Especially when my whole body feels like melty goo and I CAN'T work on my book because I have no electricity and my laptop is a tiny dinosaur who has the battery life of... something that only has a 30 minute charge. I can't even think of anything that sucks battery life that bad.
So. Writing. It was obvious she was pretending she was a frog, right? You got that too? And yet she still felt that she had to tell my husband. We do this in our writing. We all do this. Don't fib. I can see your soul.
We tell. Even when we think we're showing.
We can describe something, a feeling or emotion, so perfectly, and then we still end up tagging it with the emotion we're trying to describe. (ex. My heart raced with fear.)
This is where amazing crit partners, and lots of hours spent in the revision cave come in handy. Turning yesterday's crap into a little less crap.
I had a point here. I know I did. I think it was something like "trust your reader." Readers are a highly intelligent breed. They'll pick it up.
If it walks like a duck...or hops like a frog.
We've had a major heat wave here in NYC and because of this extreme heat, our power was down for nearly three days. No Internet. No TV. No lights or air conditioning. It was brutal. But I survived! And so did my family and my pets. There were no casualties, save for one fish that is unaccounted for. But I am blaming his disappearance on the monster belly of my growing catfish.
*sigh*
Today is my dad's 60th birthday!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAD! I LOVE YOU! And he's stuck in a hospital two states away. I tell ya, moving away from home is not all it's cracked up to be. But not to worry, he's a tough old biker. He'll be fine.
Back to that heat wave. We were all a little loony in my house those days when the temps were above 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Loonier than usual. My daughter (7 years old) was crouching on the couch with her knees bent up by her ears, making *ribbit* noises and pretending to catch flies with her tongue, (this is really a totally normal thing for her, not at all heat induced) and my husband walked by and she said, "Daddy, I'm a frog."
Really? A Frog? Not a chicken? I was totally leaning toward chicken.
This got me thinking about writing, as most things do. Especially when my whole body feels like melty goo and I CAN'T work on my book because I have no electricity and my laptop is a tiny dinosaur who has the battery life of... something that only has a 30 minute charge. I can't even think of anything that sucks battery life that bad.
So. Writing. It was obvious she was pretending she was a frog, right? You got that too? And yet she still felt that she had to tell my husband. We do this in our writing. We all do this. Don't fib. I can see your soul.
We tell. Even when we think we're showing.
We can describe something, a feeling or emotion, so perfectly, and then we still end up tagging it with the emotion we're trying to describe. (ex. My heart raced with fear.)
This is where amazing crit partners, and lots of hours spent in the revision cave come in handy. Turning yesterday's crap into a little less crap.
I had a point here. I know I did. I think it was something like "trust your reader." Readers are a highly intelligent breed. They'll pick it up.
If it walks like a duck...or hops like a frog.
Winners!
Guys, thank you all SO much for the well-wishes and congratulations. You made celebrating my good news completely awesome, and I could never thank you enough. But you don't want to read all my gushy thoughts, so on to the winners!!!!
Thanks to the Truly Random Number Generator, the winner of an ARC of Marie Lu's LEGEND is
Mary B!!!!!!
And the winner of the signed pre-order of Miranda Kenneally's CATCHING JORDAN is
Yasemin!!!!!!
I will be emailing both of the winners today! Thanks again for helping me celebrate and an extra big thanks to those of you who helped spread the word via twitter, facebook, and blogs. You rock!
Hopefully we'll be celebrating lots more good news in the future!
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