The Seasons Change and So Do I
Posted: September 23, 2011 Filed under: Goals, Writers Write | Tags: change of seasons, Trusting Your Instincts, writers, writing Leave a comment »
Target had mittens on sale today. The high was ninety. Granted, ninety is an ice storm compared to a line of never-ending days over a hundred. But mittens? The sales department in Minnesota should take a road trip.
I started to title this post, How I Spent My Summer Vacation. But when you write full-time, you are never on vacation. You write. All the time. Which brings me to the point.
I finished the book.
That’s scary. I’ll say it again.
I finished the book.
Typing those words is like getting off the roller coaster and getting back in line. Seriously. I sent it to my Beta readers, and while I tap my fingers in anticipation of their comments out of habit from pounding the keyboard, I’m lost. Between worlds.
I’ve never been good at transitions. I’m a full-out kind of girl. I’ve written a query. I’m stumbling through the synopsis. But it feels a little like watching the out-takes from the end of a Mary-Kate and Ashley video. I know there’s something better to do, but I haven’t gotten off the couch to find the remote.
I’ve been so immersed. I’ve developed a social anxiety about blogging. That thing where I avoid something so long, I’m intimidated–afraid of over-sharing. I have two choices: A.Quit B.Write every day. I’m going with B for a while, but I’m turning off the comments for the time being. I’m crazy enough to keep checking back to see if you’re reading. And, I can’t handle waiting on the Betas AND the blog readers.
Back to Work
Posted: January 3, 2011 Filed under: Goals, Writers Write | Tags: Donald Maass Workshop, writers, writing, Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook Leave a comment »I don’t make resolutions, but I do set goals. A year ago, I wrote these things on a 3×5 index card:
- Tab SCHOOLED with Donald Maass workshop notes (Did it.)
- Write O’Keeffe/Dickens paper. (I did the research.)
- Rewrite SCHOOLED. (I finished lessons 1-14 and 34 of Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook.)
- Create a comic throughline for three new books. (I did it for one new book.)
- Choose one of the throughlines and create: a collage (Did it.), scene cards (Did it.), a rough draft in longhand (Did it!)
This year’s 3×5 looks like this:
For SCHOOLED:
- Finish Lessons 15-33 of Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook.
- Write a synopsis.
- Clean, refine, and edit a final draft.
- Query.
for LAND OF ENCHANTMENT:
- Type it.
- Write the second draft using the Breakout Novel Workbook, Lessons 1-34.
- Write a synopsis.
Research FEARLESS and write a throughline.
Wednesday Check-in On Thursday
Posted: October 28, 2010 Filed under: Goals, NANOWRIMO, Wednesday Check-in, Writers Write | Tags: Donald Maass Workshop, Trusting Your Instincts, writers, writing, Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook 2 Comments »
Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook: I finished Lesson 14: Making Complications Active. I could work on two more scenes, but laying awake last night, I figured the action was after-the-fact, and I would probably cut it later anyway. The scenes are outlined, so I’ll save the prep work and add them later if necessary.
I’m bogged down here, working at a snail’s pace. I know the things that need doing, but each task has become a marathon. At this stage the work is tedious, so I’m taking a break.
Sort of.
November is National Novel Writing Month. Notice the badge to the right? I’m participating in NANOWRIMO, I’ll be writing fifty thousand words in thirty days. For information about how you too can lose your senses and sign up, click on the icon.
The plan is to write a new story from scratch during the month of November. Outlines are acceptable, but early drafts are not. In the end, the author gets–are you ready for this?–bragging rights. I’m not waiting until December 1. You can follow my self congratulations and aggrandizement right here starting next Monday, November 1. I’ll be blogging everyday. Hopefully, some wisdom will seep into the drivel.
Just remember what Hemingway said, “The first draft of anything is shit.”
