I know I've touched on this before, but now that I'm finished with my first draft, I'm more ready to focus on it. Could you guys please tell me about your editing process? I'm interested to hear what works for you.
Here is what I'm doing:
-Printed manuscript out
-Making a timeline as I go through it to look for inconsistencies
-Keeping a notebook full of changes I need to make, as I think of them (things like flesh this character out or research such and such to add more details)
-Eliminating as many adverbs and rephrasing as many "it was" sentences as I can
-Noting places that are more "tell" than "show"
-Noting places that are boring, even to me
-Examining pacing
I'm also trying to incorporate Holly Lisle's suggestions for one-pass revision by looking at things like theme and conflict levels as I read through my manuscript. Thanks to Dal Jeanis for that link!
I plan to do one pass-through and then submit it to beta readers (well, other beta readers than my mom, sister, and friends). Then I can take their feedback into account and do another pass-through before thinking about submitting it to agents. Since I outlined this novel, there aren't many meandering scenes that will need to be cut or completely rewritten, so that's a plus!
Denise Jaden did 5 or 6 pass-throughs before getting an agent for her latest work, LOSING FAITH! And she said she'd done up to 20 revisions on previous works!
How many pass-throughs do you do before sending your baby out into the cold, cruel world? And what, specifically, do you look for while revising?
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Saturday, November 29, 2008
three things
1. Why do I play World of Warcraft? Well, several reasons. A, I am a nerd. B, my brothers, sister, and coworkers play it, and that makes it sort of social, right? And C, Ozzy just puts it so much better than I can... or not.
2. I saw Dark Knight again last night, and seriously, it is the movie of the year. I'm floored by the intricacy of the script and the amazing acting performance by Heath Ledger. It echoed Heart of Darkness so much, I'm tempted to show clips of it to the seniors. Just a damn good movie.
3. On Thanksgiving, I finished UGLIES by Scott Westerfeld. I love this book. The premise was so interesting, and the underlying themes so consequential. It would be a great book to use with my sophomores for an "intro to dystopian lit" book (they read 1984 and BRAVE NEW WORLD when they're seniors). It's fast-paced and didn't seem to drag at any time. I'm excited to read the rest of them (PRETTIES, SPECIALS, and EXTRAS), but I'll have to wait until I've finished the other books on my TBR list: THE TRUTH ABOUT FOREVER, I'D TELL YOU I LOVE YOU BUT THEN I'D HAVE TO KILL YOU, INK EXCHANGE, and THE HUNGER GAMES.
Okay, a fourth thing. I REALLY have to get to work on my thesis. Perhaps my word count for this week can include my review of literature as well as what I've written on my WIP, Casey? And perhaps I was a bit hasty with my 10k goal. Maybe I'll cut it to 5.
Have a great weekend, everyone!
I just had to add this: Mr. T loves WoW!
2. I saw Dark Knight again last night, and seriously, it is the movie of the year. I'm floored by the intricacy of the script and the amazing acting performance by Heath Ledger. It echoed Heart of Darkness so much, I'm tempted to show clips of it to the seniors. Just a damn good movie.
3. On Thanksgiving, I finished UGLIES by Scott Westerfeld. I love this book. The premise was so interesting, and the underlying themes so consequential. It would be a great book to use with my sophomores for an "intro to dystopian lit" book (they read 1984 and BRAVE NEW WORLD when they're seniors). It's fast-paced and didn't seem to drag at any time. I'm excited to read the rest of them (PRETTIES, SPECIALS, and EXTRAS), but I'll have to wait until I've finished the other books on my TBR list: THE TRUTH ABOUT FOREVER, I'D TELL YOU I LOVE YOU BUT THEN I'D HAVE TO KILL YOU, INK EXCHANGE, and THE HUNGER GAMES.
Okay, a fourth thing. I REALLY have to get to work on my thesis. Perhaps my word count for this week can include my review of literature as well as what I've written on my WIP, Casey? And perhaps I was a bit hasty with my 10k goal. Maybe I'll cut it to 5.
Have a great weekend, everyone!
I just had to add this: Mr. T loves WoW!
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Thank you for being you.
I'm incredibly thankful for the writing communities that have welcomed me and taught me so much. I'm thankful for all of the wonderful writer, agent, and editor bloggers who talk about their craft and teach others because we're really all in this together. I'm thankful for YOU, who happened to stop by today, or tomorrow, or next July. Thanks for reading my words and giving me feedback and encouragement, even though I'm a nerd (googlebots!).
I hope everyone has a wonderful day and survives the in-laws and gets tripped out on tryptophan and maybe falls asleep in front of the TV.
Happy Thanksgiving!
I hope everyone has a wonderful day and survives the in-laws and gets tripped out on tryptophan and maybe falls asleep in front of the TV.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
oops
I accidentally bought two more books: I'D TELL YOU I LOVE YOU, BUT THEN I'D HAVE TO KILL YOU by Ally Carter and THE HUNGER GAMES by Suzanne Collins. I think I'm singlehandedly trying to save the publishing industry from this whole economic mess.
GOOGLEBOTS!!!
GOOGLEBOTS!!!
you guys rock
Wow. The funniest thing just happened. I was driving home from B&N (picked up a new dictionary/thesaurus and Manuscript Makeover by Elizabeth Lyon -- I'll let you know how it is), and I was just thinking to myself, "Man. I don't even know if I should bother revising this. I wish someone would just tell me my writing sucks so I would know to stop trying so hard."
And then I got the sweetest comment from Renee Collins. Isn't it funny how the slightest compliment can transform your whole outlook? I know it's not cool to show insecurity about your writing, but I'm sure most of us feel it from time to time. I suppose the goal is to get to the point where you *know* your writing is good, without being told. Not that I want to stop growing as a writer. I never want to stop doing that, and that's why the really harsh critiques rock sometimes, too. But it's just nice to be appreciated once in a while. Mmm, warm fuzzies.
I guess the moral is... tell someone what you like about their story today!
And then I got the sweetest comment from Renee Collins. Isn't it funny how the slightest compliment can transform your whole outlook? I know it's not cool to show insecurity about your writing, but I'm sure most of us feel it from time to time. I suppose the goal is to get to the point where you *know* your writing is good, without being told. Not that I want to stop growing as a writer. I never want to stop doing that, and that's why the really harsh critiques rock sometimes, too. But it's just nice to be appreciated once in a while. Mmm, warm fuzzies.
I guess the moral is... tell someone what you like about their story today!
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
the fun part of editing
Nothing satisfies me more than drawing two big x's through sizable paragraphs on the first page of my manuscript. Bye, bye, telling. Hello, showing! And now the scene reads so much more quickly. Sigh. Only 200 more pages of pruning adverbs.
Monday, November 24, 2008
world creation
One of my biggest problems with NaNoWriMo last year was that I didn't take the time to set up rules for my world (uh, which is kind of important when you're writing about ghosts and guardians and demons). I bought into the whole "oh, just write whatever comes into your head you just have to get words down lots and lots of words but they don't need to make any sense." Hence the random scenes at the shrink's office and Kentucky Fried Chicken.
Well, today I sat down and spent a couple of hours outlining what I actually wanted to happen in my novel. I still need to finish, but I have an idea of where it will end up. The most important thing I figured out today was how the system worked. Last year, I couldn't figure out how Azarel's bff and bro could see her (she's dead). I played with all sorts of ideas, like electromagnetic whateveryoumacallit. Today, I realized I can keep it simple. They can see her because they were closest to her in life. They can't see her all the time, usually in mirrors or shadows, but they can see and hear her. So, that solves that problem. Then, I got rid of the whole evil guardian boyfriend storyline. It just didn't make any sense.
But I'm keeping the demons. Mwahahahahaha.
Off to plot!
Well, today I sat down and spent a couple of hours outlining what I actually wanted to happen in my novel. I still need to finish, but I have an idea of where it will end up. The most important thing I figured out today was how the system worked. Last year, I couldn't figure out how Azarel's bff and bro could see her (she's dead). I played with all sorts of ideas, like electromagnetic whateveryoumacallit. Today, I realized I can keep it simple. They can see her because they were closest to her in life. They can't see her all the time, usually in mirrors or shadows, but they can see and hear her. So, that solves that problem. Then, I got rid of the whole evil guardian boyfriend storyline. It just didn't make any sense.
But I'm keeping the demons. Mwahahahahaha.
Off to plot!
Sunday, November 23, 2008
so... what now?
*puts ms in imaginary drawer, twiddles thumbs*
Oh, yeah. My thesis. I am studying violence in YA literature and its effects on teenagers. I've got a list of 20 books (Nineteen Minutes, Shooter, Thirteen Reasons Why, Speak, Twisted, to name a few) that I will be studying. I'm having a group of 24 sophomores pick books to read and will be interviewing them throughout the reading process. They'll take a survey before and after reading the book so I can determine whether their attitudes have changed.
I'm hoping to finish this spring so I can graduate in the summer. The hard part about grad school is not the classes (those were a breeze, a pleasure); it's the final project. I changed my topic three times and pushed back my deadline just as often. I now understand how people can *not* finish a degree, just because of that pesky research project at the end. It's huge. And it looms.
So I'll be working on that in the next few months. I was thinking, though, about pulling out my NaNo, LIFE AFTER AZAREL, from last year and dusting it off. The premise is that a girl dies, but her ghost is kept on earth to prevent her brother from committing a terrible crime. I still like the idea, but I was going off in some odd directions. I didn't have an outline last year, so I did all sorts of weird stuff just to up the word count, like making the love interest evil and adding in little goblins to prevent Azarel from doing her job (a la Dead Like Me). So how do I fix this? Go back and outline what I really want to happen? Then copy and paste the good parts and fill in the rest? Sounds like a lot of work. But at least it's not my thesis!
Here's the beginning scene from last year's NaNo. Would you keep reading?
Azarel was taught to believe there was a reason for everything that happened in life. When she came home crying to her mother that a boy had preferred her best friend Leah to her, her mother would stroke her hair and say, “There’s a reason for everything, my darling, my jewel.”
And when she fell under the merry go round at school and her leg was crushed, her mother sat on her bed in the hospital before a third operation to set the bones right. She gave her sips of water and said, “Everything happens for a reason.”
This is what went through Azarel’s mind the last few seconds of her life. One minute, she was driving along happily, the radio cranked up, her favorite song filling the space around her. Although springtime in Iowa could be chilly, Azarel had the heater cranked up, and she felt warm and happy.
She was driving home on Highway 5. It was late, and the right headlight on her parents’ station wagon was out. They called it a “pididdle.”
Azarel’s cell phone, which was lying on the passenger side seat, began vibrating. A quick glance toward the buzzing pink phone revealed that Leah was on the line. Sighing, Azarel picked up the phone. She had just left Leah’s house. Couldn’t Leah at least wait until Azarel was at home to begin her nightly ritual of harassing Azarel about what she would wear at school the next day?
Azarel pressed the tiny green button with her thumb and said, “Can't it wait ten minutes?”
Then things happened very quickly. A deer scampered from the cornfield several yards ahead of Azarel’s car on the right. Its eyes glittered in the dim path of one lone headlight, and it hesitated before springing forward onto the highway.
Azarel dropped the phone on the floor, and she heard Leah’s voice, far away, saying, “Hello? Hello? Azarel?” Azarel jerked the wheel to the left and went off the road and into the median.
She saw the headlights of oncoming cars, twinkling stars in the black of the night. But these stars moved closer and closer as her car spun into the wrong lane. The stars exploded like fireworks, raining shattered glass. Azarel felt she was flying, and she thought of her mother.
“There's a reason for everything, my darling, my jewel."
Oh, yeah. My thesis. I am studying violence in YA literature and its effects on teenagers. I've got a list of 20 books (Nineteen Minutes, Shooter, Thirteen Reasons Why, Speak, Twisted, to name a few) that I will be studying. I'm having a group of 24 sophomores pick books to read and will be interviewing them throughout the reading process. They'll take a survey before and after reading the book so I can determine whether their attitudes have changed.
I'm hoping to finish this spring so I can graduate in the summer. The hard part about grad school is not the classes (those were a breeze, a pleasure); it's the final project. I changed my topic three times and pushed back my deadline just as often. I now understand how people can *not* finish a degree, just because of that pesky research project at the end. It's huge. And it looms.
So I'll be working on that in the next few months. I was thinking, though, about pulling out my NaNo, LIFE AFTER AZAREL, from last year and dusting it off. The premise is that a girl dies, but her ghost is kept on earth to prevent her brother from committing a terrible crime. I still like the idea, but I was going off in some odd directions. I didn't have an outline last year, so I did all sorts of weird stuff just to up the word count, like making the love interest evil and adding in little goblins to prevent Azarel from doing her job (a la Dead Like Me). So how do I fix this? Go back and outline what I really want to happen? Then copy and paste the good parts and fill in the rest? Sounds like a lot of work. But at least it's not my thesis!
Here's the beginning scene from last year's NaNo. Would you keep reading?
Azarel was taught to believe there was a reason for everything that happened in life. When she came home crying to her mother that a boy had preferred her best friend Leah to her, her mother would stroke her hair and say, “There’s a reason for everything, my darling, my jewel.”
And when she fell under the merry go round at school and her leg was crushed, her mother sat on her bed in the hospital before a third operation to set the bones right. She gave her sips of water and said, “Everything happens for a reason.”
This is what went through Azarel’s mind the last few seconds of her life. One minute, she was driving along happily, the radio cranked up, her favorite song filling the space around her. Although springtime in Iowa could be chilly, Azarel had the heater cranked up, and she felt warm and happy.
She was driving home on Highway 5. It was late, and the right headlight on her parents’ station wagon was out. They called it a “pididdle.”
Azarel’s cell phone, which was lying on the passenger side seat, began vibrating. A quick glance toward the buzzing pink phone revealed that Leah was on the line. Sighing, Azarel picked up the phone. She had just left Leah’s house. Couldn’t Leah at least wait until Azarel was at home to begin her nightly ritual of harassing Azarel about what she would wear at school the next day?
Azarel pressed the tiny green button with her thumb and said, “Can't it wait ten minutes?”
Then things happened very quickly. A deer scampered from the cornfield several yards ahead of Azarel’s car on the right. Its eyes glittered in the dim path of one lone headlight, and it hesitated before springing forward onto the highway.
Azarel dropped the phone on the floor, and she heard Leah’s voice, far away, saying, “Hello? Hello? Azarel?” Azarel jerked the wheel to the left and went off the road and into the median.
She saw the headlights of oncoming cars, twinkling stars in the black of the night. But these stars moved closer and closer as her car spun into the wrong lane. The stars exploded like fireworks, raining shattered glass. Azarel felt she was flying, and she thought of her mother.
“There's a reason for everything, my darling, my jewel."
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Twilight, the movie
Hmmm. After Sara (a huge Twilight fan) posted that Twilight made even her laugh (and not in a good way), I had second thoughts about going to the movie. In the end, though, of course I saw it. I went with my husband and sister-in-law. What surprised me was that there were not only 50 million tween girls, but there were also families, couples, and teenage guys all clammering for great seats. We ended up sitting in the very front, so yeah, not the best spot, but it was good enough. I actually enjoyed gauging the reactions of those around me. There was a girl sitting next to my husband who had to make a comment about everything: "You go, girl!" or "I want me a man like that!" She kept us entertained during the mushy, ridiculous parts.
There's no denying it; Robert Pattinson is a hottie. He alone made the movie worth going to, and not necessarily for his acting ability. Someone said that if smoldering looks were enough to make a movie good, then Twilight was fantastic. I posit that smoldering looks are indeed enough to make a movie worth seeing.
There were a few great lines in the movie. My favorite was Edward's response to Bella when she whined that everyone was staring at them. He said, "Not that guy. That guy just looked at us." Great line. I also enjoyed some of the inside jokes, like when Edward bounced the apple off his shoe and then offered it to Bella. And I don't think anyone else in the theater noticed Stephenie Meyer in the restaurant scene. At least, no one reacted to it, quick as it was.
It was kind of funny that I was able to fill my husband (who hasn't read the book) in by just whispering a few key words here and there: "werewolf," "bad vampires," "he smells her blood." For someone who hadn't read the book, he thought the movie was okay. He'd been expecting worse. Of course, he wished there had been more of the vampire family, the tracker, and vampire baseball. When I read the book, I felt the same way (with the exception of vampire baseball). I appreciate that this is a love story for tweens. I'm more interested in the fantastic elements, though. I've heard there's more Jacob (I know the basic storyline, so don't worry about ruining it for me) and the family in the other books. Should I read them?
There's no denying it; Robert Pattinson is a hottie. He alone made the movie worth going to, and not necessarily for his acting ability. Someone said that if smoldering looks were enough to make a movie good, then Twilight was fantastic. I posit that smoldering looks are indeed enough to make a movie worth seeing.
There were a few great lines in the movie. My favorite was Edward's response to Bella when she whined that everyone was staring at them. He said, "Not that guy. That guy just looked at us." Great line. I also enjoyed some of the inside jokes, like when Edward bounced the apple off his shoe and then offered it to Bella. And I don't think anyone else in the theater noticed Stephenie Meyer in the restaurant scene. At least, no one reacted to it, quick as it was.
It was kind of funny that I was able to fill my husband (who hasn't read the book) in by just whispering a few key words here and there: "werewolf," "bad vampires," "he smells her blood." For someone who hadn't read the book, he thought the movie was okay. He'd been expecting worse. Of course, he wished there had been more of the vampire family, the tracker, and vampire baseball. When I read the book, I felt the same way (with the exception of vampire baseball). I appreciate that this is a love story for tweens. I'm more interested in the fantastic elements, though. I've heard there's more Jacob (I know the basic storyline, so don't worry about ruining it for me) and the family in the other books. Should I read them?
Thursday, November 20, 2008
the end is near
Well, I'm back to the "this is total crap" phase. Cliches, lots of "be" verbs, and probably many plot holes. But that's what revision is for, eh?
I'm officially at 42,222. I hope to finish this weekend so I can spend Thanksgiving break actually working on my thesis. Thesis? What thesis? I think my professor almost killed me when I told her I was working on a novel and would really like to finish it before our proposal meeting. Stupid review of literature, I hate thee.
Someone at AW posted a poll question about whether we were plodders or bingers, writing-wise. I'm definitely a binger. Nothing for days, and then thousands of words at a time. I suppose that's no real surprise. Plodders are more the slow and steady type. So, are you a plodder or a binger?
I'm officially at 42,222. I hope to finish this weekend so I can spend Thanksgiving break actually working on my thesis. Thesis? What thesis? I think my professor almost killed me when I told her I was working on a novel and would really like to finish it before our proposal meeting. Stupid review of literature, I hate thee.
Someone at AW posted a poll question about whether we were plodders or bingers, writing-wise. I'm definitely a binger. Nothing for days, and then thousands of words at a time. I suppose that's no real surprise. Plodders are more the slow and steady type. So, are you a plodder or a binger?
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
the home stretch
I'm sitting at about 37,500 words. I have five or so key scenes left planned to wrap things up. Since this is the first *full* novel I've written, I'm not sure how many words exactly that will take. But the end is most definitely in sight.
I feel like I could sit down tonight and pound out the ending to this thing, but I know it will take me at least through the weekend to do it right. For those of you experienced writers, what is the end like for you? Do you get excited and rush through it, or do you take your time to get everything just perfect? Should I expect to feel exhilarated in these next few days as I bring an end to my story? Or will it be frustrating to leave these characters behind?
Also, what is your practice for revising? Do you start right away, or do you put it aside and wait a month or two before attacking the manuscript? I'm thinking about pulling out my nano from last year (45K) and reworking it. I still like the premise; I just don't like the weird way it was going. Since outlining worked so well for me this year, I might try to make an outline to help me salvage last year's story. I know it will need to be half rewritten, though.
Happy Tuesday! I have comfy new pajamas (love) and a bit of wine. Aaah.
I feel like I could sit down tonight and pound out the ending to this thing, but I know it will take me at least through the weekend to do it right. For those of you experienced writers, what is the end like for you? Do you get excited and rush through it, or do you take your time to get everything just perfect? Should I expect to feel exhilarated in these next few days as I bring an end to my story? Or will it be frustrating to leave these characters behind?
Also, what is your practice for revising? Do you start right away, or do you put it aside and wait a month or two before attacking the manuscript? I'm thinking about pulling out my nano from last year (45K) and reworking it. I still like the premise; I just don't like the weird way it was going. Since outlining worked so well for me this year, I might try to make an outline to help me salvage last year's story. I know it will need to be half rewritten, though.
Happy Tuesday! I have comfy new pajamas (love) and a bit of wine. Aaah.
Monday, November 17, 2008
just keep writing, just keep writing
35k today. I had hoped to be to 40k after this weekend, but then the World of Warcraft expansion pack happened. Doh! So much for getting words down before I play!
Chloe did something naughty today. I didn't know she was going to do it, but then there it was, on the page. No denying it. She is a bad girl. Ew. That's starting to sound gross. But, yeah, it's awesome when they just do stuff on their own. I think I know my characters well enough by this point that I can just throw them into these weird situations and see what they do.
I have a good idea of what the next 15k will be like. However, it may take more than 15k for me to wrap up this story appropriately. Don't want to leave any messy threads hanging out. But, of course, there will be, since this is the rough draft. Just as long as they get tied up in the end. The loose ends, not my characters. But I guess that WOULD be interesting...
Now, everyone - just keep writing, just keep writing. Eat some chocolate and smile. The month is halfway over.
Chloe did something naughty today. I didn't know she was going to do it, but then there it was, on the page. No denying it. She is a bad girl. Ew. That's starting to sound gross. But, yeah, it's awesome when they just do stuff on their own. I think I know my characters well enough by this point that I can just throw them into these weird situations and see what they do.
I have a good idea of what the next 15k will be like. However, it may take more than 15k for me to wrap up this story appropriately. Don't want to leave any messy threads hanging out. But, of course, there will be, since this is the rough draft. Just as long as they get tied up in the end. The loose ends, not my characters. But I guess that WOULD be interesting...
Now, everyone - just keep writing, just keep writing. Eat some chocolate and smile. The month is halfway over.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
past the hump
Note to self: Write, even when you don't feel like it.
I was seriously feeling down in the dumps about my story the past couple of days. It's crap. I can't write. Why am I even trying? When I did manage a few hundred words, they sucked. I didn't feel good about them.
But then, today, I got to write another Tessa/Chloe scene. And it rocked. I am now past 30k. Over the hump. Only 20k more left, baby!
The challenge now will be making myself write BEFORE playing my new game. I should set a goal, like 2-3k before I get to play.
I was seriously feeling down in the dumps about my story the past couple of days. It's crap. I can't write. Why am I even trying? When I did manage a few hundred words, they sucked. I didn't feel good about them.
But then, today, I got to write another Tessa/Chloe scene. And it rocked. I am now past 30k. Over the hump. Only 20k more left, baby!
The challenge now will be making myself write BEFORE playing my new game. I should set a goal, like 2-3k before I get to play.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Wooooohoooo, halfway!
Phew. That was a lot of words today. And most of them suck. But, eh, it's the first draft. Isn't that what NaNoWriMo is all about? I will say that it's hard to ignore all of the inconsistencies that keep popping up. I have so much to go back and fix. But it's all manageable. Like the time of year, some little subplot stuff, need to add more of some minor characters. I am too tired of writing today to write anymore here. I will, however, come check out some of your blogs now. Hope you're all doing well.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
10880 words down!
About 3k words and still had time to vote! Yeah, I pretty much rock.
I lovelovelove when I love writing a scene. I hope it means everyone else will love it as well. There are some scenes that are hohum to write, and those are probably the ones that will need the most revision. But sometimes the words just flow, and I have fun discovering them as they pop up on the page.
I love my characters. Even the bitch. Turns out she has a pretty dismal life at home. I'm really liking juxtaposing the protagonist and antagonist stories. It creates this lesson that, even though you might hate someone, they've got crap going on, too. Not to be too didactic or anything. I hate preachy YA books. I'm hoping there's enough good stuff in there to make the medicine go down in the most delightful way!
I feel like this could be the book that I actually polish up and send out. Doh! Don't jinx it, Jill! Just keep writing! And loving every minute of it!
I lovelovelove when I love writing a scene. I hope it means everyone else will love it as well. There are some scenes that are hohum to write, and those are probably the ones that will need the most revision. But sometimes the words just flow, and I have fun discovering them as they pop up on the page.
I love my characters. Even the bitch. Turns out she has a pretty dismal life at home. I'm really liking juxtaposing the protagonist and antagonist stories. It creates this lesson that, even though you might hate someone, they've got crap going on, too. Not to be too didactic or anything. I hate preachy YA books. I'm hoping there's enough good stuff in there to make the medicine go down in the most delightful way!
I feel like this could be the book that I actually polish up and send out. Doh! Don't jinx it, Jill! Just keep writing! And loving every minute of it!
Monday, November 3, 2008
word count: 8204
And I'm spent.
I've discovered that one great way to up my word count is by deciding after several chapters that I want to alternate POVs every chapter, after all. So I had to go back and write two chapters to fit in with my existing two. Four chapters down.
I'm almost 1/5 of the way finished!
I know everyone says not to let people read your NaNo during November, but it really inspires me to hear, "Hey, I like that! Keep going!" I know. This is why I will never be a REAL writer. I got some crap for posting an excerpt on SYW at AW, but it's all good. I'm a newb. I've discovered I can get my fix of instant gratification by e-mailing my progress to my mom and sister. They are the perfect sweetheart readers. A) It's my MOM. She can't say anything bad. Well, she can and she does, but most of it's positive. B) My sister is a hair older than my intended readership, and she's all psyched about the story. I can't write fast enough for her!
So, 3 days in, and my excitement level is still "high." I should really try to get as much done as possible right now, before my motivation starts to wane.
Good night, everyone, and happy writing!
I've discovered that one great way to up my word count is by deciding after several chapters that I want to alternate POVs every chapter, after all. So I had to go back and write two chapters to fit in with my existing two. Four chapters down.
I'm almost 1/5 of the way finished!
I know everyone says not to let people read your NaNo during November, but it really inspires me to hear, "Hey, I like that! Keep going!" I know. This is why I will never be a REAL writer. I got some crap for posting an excerpt on SYW at AW, but it's all good. I'm a newb. I've discovered I can get my fix of instant gratification by e-mailing my progress to my mom and sister. They are the perfect sweetheart readers. A) It's my MOM. She can't say anything bad. Well, she can and she does, but most of it's positive. B) My sister is a hair older than my intended readership, and she's all psyched about the story. I can't write fast enough for her!
So, 3 days in, and my excitement level is still "high." I should really try to get as much done as possible right now, before my motivation starts to wane.
Good night, everyone, and happy writing!
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