Because apparently I meant Wednesday. Yeesh.
Life is crazy, as it always is. But I'm making steady progress.
A few weeks ago I sat down and looked at the queue of writing projects sitting in my head, waiting to be written.
There are a lot of them. I definitely had a quake-in-my-boots moment over that. So I sat down and laid out a whole bunch of self-imposed deadlines for all those projects.
It's a bit insane, let me tell you.
But so far, I've met my deadlines. Which is really just one deadline.
I have a deadline this Saturday for my line edits and such on Woven but I'm not so certain I'll be able to make that.
My next deadline is for Curse of Life draft 1 and that's the last day of September. I might make it if I really push but I might miss it.
I have all sorts of other deadlines interspersed throughout and will at one point soon, I hope, have a manuscript in the query stage, one in the revision stage, one in the drafting stage, and one in development/research stage.
Also, if I make all my deadlines I'll have something ready to start working on when NaNo comes around. It'll be my first time participating in this and I am really looking forward to the prospect.
Showing posts with label update tuesdays. Show all posts
Showing posts with label update tuesdays. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Update Tuesday 7/8-7/14
Well, last week was an up-and-down kind of week for me. (I know that comes as no surprise to any of you.)
First off, I 4,454 words on HotG. (That includes losing 70 words as I attempted to switch the story from first person, present tense to third person, past tense.)
Then on Wednesday or Thursday (I'm not certain when the decision became final), I decided to shelve the book entirely. The story is not working and it was such a slog to get through my goals every day.
I'm not kidding you. I'd allot myself three hours in the mornings to get progress toward my daily goals. In that time I'd write a few hundred painful words. Sometimes I'd manage to get those word count goals, but it often meant I'd be writing late at night before bed as well to get there.
I realized that HotG was not me at all. HotG is a YA contemporary, aimed at the older end of the YA spectrum, that involved a lot of historical stuff and a lot of places I'm not familiar with. I struggled to connect to the story at all. If I'm not connecting how can I expect others to?
So I made a switch. I retreated back to my world of YA fantasy. Only this time I have opened up an old project. Some of you might remember the story I wrote, "Clockworks and Cogs" which I then attempted to turn into a novel. I've picked that back up, only this time intending the story to be a novella. I was already about 16K-17K into the story when I opened up the old manuscript.
I've renamed it. The story is now titled "Dragon's Steam." It's the first of a series of novellas set in this world I created for it. Sure there'll be a lot of revisions, but already the story is going so much better. I love this story.
Last week I managed to add 2,171 words to DS. Which, considering all the angst and torment I was going through in my struggles with HotG and taking the weekend off, is pretty good I think.
How are your WiPs going?
First off, I 4,454 words on HotG. (That includes losing 70 words as I attempted to switch the story from first person, present tense to third person, past tense.)
Then on Wednesday or Thursday (I'm not certain when the decision became final), I decided to shelve the book entirely. The story is not working and it was such a slog to get through my goals every day.
I'm not kidding you. I'd allot myself three hours in the mornings to get progress toward my daily goals. In that time I'd write a few hundred painful words. Sometimes I'd manage to get those word count goals, but it often meant I'd be writing late at night before bed as well to get there.
I realized that HotG was not me at all. HotG is a YA contemporary, aimed at the older end of the YA spectrum, that involved a lot of historical stuff and a lot of places I'm not familiar with. I struggled to connect to the story at all. If I'm not connecting how can I expect others to?
So I made a switch. I retreated back to my world of YA fantasy. Only this time I have opened up an old project. Some of you might remember the story I wrote, "Clockworks and Cogs" which I then attempted to turn into a novel. I've picked that back up, only this time intending the story to be a novella. I was already about 16K-17K into the story when I opened up the old manuscript.
I've renamed it. The story is now titled "Dragon's Steam." It's the first of a series of novellas set in this world I created for it. Sure there'll be a lot of revisions, but already the story is going so much better. I love this story.
Last week I managed to add 2,171 words to DS. Which, considering all the angst and torment I was going through in my struggles with HotG and taking the weekend off, is pretty good I think.
How are your WiPs going?
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Update Tuesday 7/1-7/7
Another week gone. Before we know it we'll be on the downward slide toward winter.
Oh wait, we already are. Stupid summer solstice. (I kid, I kid.)
Anyways. While we're dying of heat here in Utah (seriously, it's going to be 100+ the next three days), I am camped out in the basement where I still need socks on my feet.
What have I been doing while camping out in the basement?
Writing of course. (And Twittering, and Pinterest, and a lot of solitaire.)
I've been working like a madwoman on HotG. My goal is to have this book first drafted by the end of July. And not to brag but if I can maintain the mad pace I've set for myself, I'll totally be there.
This book is a departure for me in so many ways. I started out writing it in third person past tense but about a paragraph into it I switched that over to first person past tense.
Then just over 5K into it, I switched that all over to first person present tense. And I've continued to write in that combination the entire week. I'm not sold on it. More times than not I set aside books that are written in first person present tense. The main reason I do so is that I'm not connecting to the character or story. But I do feel like the POV and tense combination is a contributing factor to that.
I digress.
In the date range in this post title I've written 12,152 words on HotG. I ended the week slightly behind. I should have ended at an even 12,500 minimum word count to be truly on track for completion at the end of the month. But Saturdays are nearly impossible when it comes to writing.
How are your WiPs going?
Oh wait, we already are. Stupid summer solstice. (I kid, I kid.)
Anyways. While we're dying of heat here in Utah (seriously, it's going to be 100+ the next three days), I am camped out in the basement where I still need socks on my feet.
What have I been doing while camping out in the basement?
Writing of course. (And Twittering, and Pinterest, and a lot of solitaire.)
I've been working like a madwoman on HotG. My goal is to have this book first drafted by the end of July. And not to brag but if I can maintain the mad pace I've set for myself, I'll totally be there.
This book is a departure for me in so many ways. I started out writing it in third person past tense but about a paragraph into it I switched that over to first person past tense.
Then just over 5K into it, I switched that all over to first person present tense. And I've continued to write in that combination the entire week. I'm not sold on it. More times than not I set aside books that are written in first person present tense. The main reason I do so is that I'm not connecting to the character or story. But I do feel like the POV and tense combination is a contributing factor to that.
I digress.
In the date range in this post title I've written 12,152 words on HotG. I ended the week slightly behind. I should have ended at an even 12,500 minimum word count to be truly on track for completion at the end of the month. But Saturdays are nearly impossible when it comes to writing.
How are your WiPs going?
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Update Tuesday: 6/24-6/30
Wow. Where did the first half of the year go? I can't believe it's already July.
Let's see. Woven is off to betas. Thank you so much to all those who offered. If I didn't take you up on the offer, don't despair. I may still need you a couple drafts from now.
While Woven is away for summer camp, I've been feverishly working on research for Jason McDaniels and the Hammer of the Gods. (That's a mouthful so it will now be HOG for purposes of brevity.) I know I've been venting my research woes here on the blog. Thank you for putting up with that. I promise my blog posts will become more random instead of being stuck on Pete and Repeat.
I finished most of the research I needed to do. Enough that I could actually sit down on Saturday and plot out the entire book. This is going to be an adventure novel. I'm aiming for around 60-65K for word count. It's YA, but a bit on the older end of the YA spectrum. I'm aiming to have it finished or mostly finished by the end of the month. It's a tall order but I think I can fill it.
How are your WiPs going?
Let's see. Woven is off to betas. Thank you so much to all those who offered. If I didn't take you up on the offer, don't despair. I may still need you a couple drafts from now.
While Woven is away for summer camp, I've been feverishly working on research for Jason McDaniels and the Hammer of the Gods. (That's a mouthful so it will now be HOG for purposes of brevity.) I know I've been venting my research woes here on the blog. Thank you for putting up with that. I promise my blog posts will become more random instead of being stuck on Pete and Repeat.
I finished most of the research I needed to do. Enough that I could actually sit down on Saturday and plot out the entire book. This is going to be an adventure novel. I'm aiming for around 60-65K for word count. It's YA, but a bit on the older end of the YA spectrum. I'm aiming to have it finished or mostly finished by the end of the month. It's a tall order but I think I can fill it.
How are your WiPs going?
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Update Tuesday 6/17-6/23
Oh, what a difference a week makes.
I finished my revision outline for Woven. Which means that as soon as I find betas and they've read and returned the manuscript I'll be all set for revisions. These outlines are tedious to create but so helpful for my overly-analytical brain when working on revisions. I think I need to add a few thousand words to the manuscript still. I have a small idea for another sub-plot to weave into the story. Breaking down the story in the revision outline will totally help me weave that new sub-plot in seamlessly.
Speaking of betas, I'm still looking for two. This is the worst part of this process for me, begging for readers. So please put me out of my misery. Pretty please. *puppy dog eyes* (If you beta for me I'll gladly return the favor in the future.)
As for Jason McDaniels and the Hammer of the Gods (mouthful, I know), I'm still elbows-deep in research. And sadly the more I research, the less desire and motivation I have to plot and write the book. Yet it's an idea (the idea for the book) which will not go away. I've set it aside several times in the years since it first came to me. And every time it inevitably knocks on the door of my imagination again.
How are your WiPs going?
Also, don't forget to check last Friday's post to see if you won a prize in my 500 posts giveaway. I'm still waiting to hear from two of the winners.
I finished my revision outline for Woven. Which means that as soon as I find betas and they've read and returned the manuscript I'll be all set for revisions. These outlines are tedious to create but so helpful for my overly-analytical brain when working on revisions. I think I need to add a few thousand words to the manuscript still. I have a small idea for another sub-plot to weave into the story. Breaking down the story in the revision outline will totally help me weave that new sub-plot in seamlessly.
Speaking of betas, I'm still looking for two. This is the worst part of this process for me, begging for readers. So please put me out of my misery. Pretty please. *puppy dog eyes* (If you beta for me I'll gladly return the favor in the future.)
As for Jason McDaniels and the Hammer of the Gods (mouthful, I know), I'm still elbows-deep in research. And sadly the more I research, the less desire and motivation I have to plot and write the book. Yet it's an idea (the idea for the book) which will not go away. I've set it aside several times in the years since it first came to me. And every time it inevitably knocks on the door of my imagination again.
How are your WiPs going?
Also, don't forget to check last Friday's post to see if you won a prize in my 500 posts giveaway. I'm still waiting to hear from two of the winners.
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Update Tuesday 6/10-6/16
I got a little research done this week for the adventure novel. (More on that on Thursday. Exciting!)
But that was it.
I am struggling right now to overcome the feelings of failure and inadequacy that stem from my lack of productivity the last couple of weeks. I'm in this cycle where I don't work on writing so I feel guilty and then the guilt weighs on me until I go watch TV or Netflix to drown out the guilt.
Yeah. It makes no sense. But it is what it is.
Also, I'm in need of a couple of beta readers. Preferably ones who are at least semi-interested in YA, fantasy, fairy tales, or any combination of the three. I only need two readers at the moment as more voices than that on a single draft makes me sort of shut down when it comes to incorporating the feedback into the next draft. Let me know in the comments if you're willing.
Also, none of the winners in my giveaway have yet to acknowledge they've seen that they are winners. I'll re-draw at the end of the week (Friday morning) for whatever prizes have not been acknowledged. You can acknowledge via e-mail at novicewriteranonymous (at) gmail (dot) com or in the comments on either the announcement post (just before this one on the blog) or on this post.
How are your WiPs going?
But that was it.
I am struggling right now to overcome the feelings of failure and inadequacy that stem from my lack of productivity the last couple of weeks. I'm in this cycle where I don't work on writing so I feel guilty and then the guilt weighs on me until I go watch TV or Netflix to drown out the guilt.
Yeah. It makes no sense. But it is what it is.
Also, I'm in need of a couple of beta readers. Preferably ones who are at least semi-interested in YA, fantasy, fairy tales, or any combination of the three. I only need two readers at the moment as more voices than that on a single draft makes me sort of shut down when it comes to incorporating the feedback into the next draft. Let me know in the comments if you're willing.
Also, none of the winners in my giveaway have yet to acknowledge they've seen that they are winners. I'll re-draw at the end of the week (Friday morning) for whatever prizes have not been acknowledged. You can acknowledge via e-mail at novicewriteranonymous (at) gmail (dot) com or in the comments on either the announcement post (just before this one on the blog) or on this post.
How are your WiPs going?
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Update Tuesday and Winners!
Um, yeah. I haven't done anything since my last update. I haven't written anything. I haven't researched anything. I haven't revised anything.
What was I doing instead? Watching Netflix, breaking in a new puppy, working full days while a coworker is on vacation, and basically avoiding the elephant in the room.
Anyways. On to the winners!
3rd Prize of a partial (50 page) beta critique is Kayeleen Hamblin!
2nd Prize #1 of a full manuscript beta critique and $10 gift card is: Amy McBay!
2nd Prize #2 of a full manuscript beta critique and $10 gift card is: Angie Lofthouse!
And the grand prize winner, a package of four books and a full manuscript beta critique is: MJ Fifield!
The critiques are good for any time in the calendar year so don't feel any pressure to get it to me right away. Send it when the manuscript is ready for critique.
MJ, email me your mailing address so I can order the books. My email is novicewriteranonymous (at) gmail (dot) com.
For the gift cards, send me the email you'd like them sent to (or physical address) and the preferred outlet (Amazon, B&N, or iTunes) to the above email address.
What was I doing instead? Watching Netflix, breaking in a new puppy, working full days while a coworker is on vacation, and basically avoiding the elephant in the room.
Anyways. On to the winners!
3rd Prize of a partial (50 page) beta critique is Kayeleen Hamblin!
2nd Prize #1 of a full manuscript beta critique and $10 gift card is: Amy McBay!
2nd Prize #2 of a full manuscript beta critique and $10 gift card is: Angie Lofthouse!
And the grand prize winner, a package of four books and a full manuscript beta critique is: MJ Fifield!
The critiques are good for any time in the calendar year so don't feel any pressure to get it to me right away. Send it when the manuscript is ready for critique.
MJ, email me your mailing address so I can order the books. My email is novicewriteranonymous (at) gmail (dot) com.
For the gift cards, send me the email you'd like them sent to (or physical address) and the preferred outlet (Amazon, B&N, or iTunes) to the above email address.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Update Tuesday 4/8-4/14
Um, not really sure how much I got accomplished. I've been super horrible at keeping track of all that.
I'm still working on my read-through of Woven in preparation of another round of revisions on that manuscript.
While I'm working on that I've put the other story on hold so I can focus on revisions. I'll get back to writing it eventually, but I may switch to something a little different instead.
How are your WiPs going?
I'm still working on my read-through of Woven in preparation of another round of revisions on that manuscript.
While I'm working on that I've put the other story on hold so I can focus on revisions. I'll get back to writing it eventually, but I may switch to something a little different instead.
How are your WiPs going?
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Update Tuesday 3/11-4/7
Wow. Sorry friends. I'm still trying to figure out exactly what direction I want to take this blog. I don't want to not blog, but I'm not sure continuing to blog exclusively about writing is the best course of action.
Well, in the last almost month since I last posted I've gotten a lot and not a lot done.
Woven is still in let-it-sit mode waiting for me to start a start-to-finish read-through while leaving notes in the margins for me to actually address in revisions.
The untitled WiP that's set in the same universe as Woven is nearly three chapters long now. I'm enjoying this story. It's a change for me. This one is written in first-person POV. We'll see how successful it is when I get through revisions and this gets read by betas. If it gets to that point.
I am questioning the logic in starting a book that is concurrent to the last book in a trilogy which hasn't sold yet (and is nowhere near that point), but they do stand on their own.
I've also plotted four novellas and plan on doing so for two more. These novellas follow some secondary characters from Woven and occur after the close of that trilogy. So while I'm plotting them out, I probably won't write them for a very long time, if I ever get to at all.
How are your WiPs going?
Well, in the last almost month since I last posted I've gotten a lot and not a lot done.
Woven is still in let-it-sit mode waiting for me to start a start-to-finish read-through while leaving notes in the margins for me to actually address in revisions.
The untitled WiP that's set in the same universe as Woven is nearly three chapters long now. I'm enjoying this story. It's a change for me. This one is written in first-person POV. We'll see how successful it is when I get through revisions and this gets read by betas. If it gets to that point.
I am questioning the logic in starting a book that is concurrent to the last book in a trilogy which hasn't sold yet (and is nowhere near that point), but they do stand on their own.
I've also plotted four novellas and plan on doing so for two more. These novellas follow some secondary characters from Woven and occur after the close of that trilogy. So while I'm plotting them out, I probably won't write them for a very long time, if I ever get to at all.
How are your WiPs going?
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Update Tuesday 3/4-3/10
How is it almost halfway through March? Seriously?
I've been busy working away on Woven lately. I finally broke through the roadblocks that I've talked about before. And I finished the latest draft of the story. I'm letting it sit for a while before I jump into the next draft and I'm sitting here kind of dying to get back to it. But I'm holding off.
While that draft sits, I'm working on a new story right now. This one is set in the same universe as Woven but in a different realm. This one has dragons and genies and curses. It's going to be fun. But it's also a really different beast as far as development. I already have so much of the world created it's just a matter of fleshing out this portion of it and putting together the characters and plot. But it's surprising how much there actually is to do despite having done all the world-building already.
How are your WiPs going?
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Update Tuesday 2/26-3/3
Sorry it's been a while, friends, since my last real update post. Life gets crazy sometimes.
After ages and ages struggling with this next draft of Woven I finally neared the end of the draft this last week. It was slow going there for a while. I'm also adding new material to the end of the book, ending the book a bit later in the narrative of the trilogy than I originally planned.
But once I got past the roadblock of the first few chapters (which gave me some serious complaints when trying to revise them), things started going a lot better and faster.
How are your WiPs going?
After ages and ages struggling with this next draft of Woven I finally neared the end of the draft this last week. It was slow going there for a while. I'm also adding new material to the end of the book, ending the book a bit later in the narrative of the trilogy than I originally planned.
But once I got past the roadblock of the first few chapters (which gave me some serious complaints when trying to revise them), things started going a lot better and faster.
How are your WiPs going?
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Update Tuesday 2/5-2/12
Let's see...
Still working on the first couple of chapters for Woven. I'm rewriting them and it's torture. Seriously. This is now the second rewrite. I've never struggled this much with an opening. I really haven't.
I got an inkling of an idea for the next story I want to write. I'm not sure if this will be a trilogy, duology, or standalone. But it's set in the same world as Woven and its trilogy, and contemporaneous to that trilogy. It's a loose reimagining of the Arabian Nights. With dragons.
How are your WiPs going?
Still working on the first couple of chapters for Woven. I'm rewriting them and it's torture. Seriously. This is now the second rewrite. I've never struggled this much with an opening. I really haven't.
I got an inkling of an idea for the next story I want to write. I'm not sure if this will be a trilogy, duology, or standalone. But it's set in the same world as Woven and its trilogy, and contemporaneous to that trilogy. It's a loose reimagining of the Arabian Nights. With dragons.
How are your WiPs going?
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Update Tuesday 1/22-1/28
Whew. Where did January go?
As for updates and such. Well, after a good brainstorming session with a close writer friend, I had some ideas for a new opening to the current revision WiP. After that, I took to my revision outline and got it all ready to go for the next round of revisions. As of Saturday night I hadn't started on those revisions but I at least had a game plan.
I procrastinated revisions in favor of finishing the maps for a new fantasy world I'm creating. One for which I have the nugget of a story idea. I got the maps done and printed and put into a shiny new project binder. The rest of the world-building will have to be done after I've finished the revisions to Woven.
In the meantime, the muse is running double time and I now have ideas stewing for a sequel trilogy to Woven, a second trilogy set in the same fantasy world as Woven, and 6 or 7 novellas that are prequels to the trilogy of which Woven is the first volume.
Like I said, overdrive.
How are your WiPs going?
As for updates and such. Well, after a good brainstorming session with a close writer friend, I had some ideas for a new opening to the current revision WiP. After that, I took to my revision outline and got it all ready to go for the next round of revisions. As of Saturday night I hadn't started on those revisions but I at least had a game plan.
I procrastinated revisions in favor of finishing the maps for a new fantasy world I'm creating. One for which I have the nugget of a story idea. I got the maps done and printed and put into a shiny new project binder. The rest of the world-building will have to be done after I've finished the revisions to Woven.
In the meantime, the muse is running double time and I now have ideas stewing for a sequel trilogy to Woven, a second trilogy set in the same fantasy world as Woven, and 6 or 7 novellas that are prequels to the trilogy of which Woven is the first volume.
Like I said, overdrive.
How are your WiPs going?
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Update Tuesday 1/15-1/21
I've spent much of the last week working on world-building stuff for a book idea that I got a couple of years ago. I would spend my mornings in research for this idea, hoping and praying I would sometime start to see the light at the end of the research tunnel.
What did I do? I punched a hole through the tunnel and unburied myself. I've decided to permanently shelve the idea.
I talked last week about ball gowns and author image. This idea was definitely not my princess ball gown that is the world of fantasy I love to write in. This was more the sheath dress, not quite a flattering fit but not quite too ugly to be seen in.
So I have a whole week and more of work that is going into the drawer to collect dust.
How are your WiPs going?
What did I do? I punched a hole through the tunnel and unburied myself. I've decided to permanently shelve the idea.
I talked last week about ball gowns and author image. This idea was definitely not my princess ball gown that is the world of fantasy I love to write in. This was more the sheath dress, not quite a flattering fit but not quite too ugly to be seen in.
So I have a whole week and more of work that is going into the drawer to collect dust.
How are your WiPs going?
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Update Tuesday 1/8-1/14
Hello again, friends! How has another week gone by already?
On to the updates.
Woven is officially through the first round of edits. Now it's time to dig in on revisions. I have lots of ideas and have gotten little tidbits of feedback that I need to address. Once that's done it'll be time to send this baby to betas for further input.
I've gone through title angst with this trilogy since the day I conceived of the idea. First it was the titles of the individual books, which let me tell you I wavered on a lot. Then I got the idea for the title of Woven and the other two books fell into place with their titles. But I still struggled with the old series title. Until the other night. Seriously, some of my best ideas come in that almost-asleep or almost-awake state late at night or early in the morning.
The new series title for the trilogy is Heirs of the Seven Realms. I'm smitten by the title so it's going to stick around until an agent or editor tells me otherwise. (Pipe dream, I realize, but still.)
Some stats on this second draft of the manuscript:
Words added from draft 1 to draft 2: 12,732
Total word count of draft 2: 68,005
Number of chapters: 21+epilogue
Body count: 1
Number of fairy tales woven into the world-building and/or narrative: 3
How are your WiPs going?
Also, I've started my very own Tumblr. It's titled "The Realms of My Imagination" and will largely be focused on the fantasy genre in various media. I plan on posting there Monday-Wednesday-Friday as time allows. Or whenever I am in the mood to procrastinate something.
On to the updates.
Woven is officially through the first round of edits. Now it's time to dig in on revisions. I have lots of ideas and have gotten little tidbits of feedback that I need to address. Once that's done it'll be time to send this baby to betas for further input.
I've gone through title angst with this trilogy since the day I conceived of the idea. First it was the titles of the individual books, which let me tell you I wavered on a lot. Then I got the idea for the title of Woven and the other two books fell into place with their titles. But I still struggled with the old series title. Until the other night. Seriously, some of my best ideas come in that almost-asleep or almost-awake state late at night or early in the morning.
The new series title for the trilogy is Heirs of the Seven Realms. I'm smitten by the title so it's going to stick around until an agent or editor tells me otherwise. (Pipe dream, I realize, but still.)
Some stats on this second draft of the manuscript:
Words added from draft 1 to draft 2: 12,732
Total word count of draft 2: 68,005
Number of chapters: 21+epilogue
Body count: 1
Number of fairy tales woven into the world-building and/or narrative: 3
How are your WiPs going?
Also, I've started my very own Tumblr. It's titled "The Realms of My Imagination" and will largely be focused on the fantasy genre in various media. I plan on posting there Monday-Wednesday-Friday as time allows. Or whenever I am in the mood to procrastinate something.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Update Tuesday 12/11-1/7
Wow. That's a lot of time to update on.
But, really it's not. Because I took much of December off from writing I came into 2012 feeling rejuvenated and ready to tackle a lot of creative stuff.
And boy did 2012 start off with a creative bang. I don't quite recall how far I'd gotten in my edits before I took my hiatus. But I'm more than halfway through the first round of edits, taking my manuscript from draft 1.5 to 2.
But that's not even the biggest flash of creativity that 2012 brought me. I've been struggling of late to come up with a new title for this book. It had the working title of Mirror, Mirror which I really wasn't fully enamored with. Well, I am happy to say I now have a title which quite tickles my fancy and really fits the book.
The new title is...
Drumroll...
Woven
I'm still trying to come up with a better series title but that's a concern for another day. It's not as critical as a good title for the first book was. I'm hoping to finish up edits this week then I'll be in need of finding a couple of betas before I edit the next draft.
I'm brewing up another project, working on the research and world-building. This particular story has been hanging around the outer edges of my creative consciousness for a while and I think it's finally time I try my hand at it. I may fail horribly at getting the story out the way I envision it in my head, but that's what a first draft is for, right?
How are your projects coming?
But, really it's not. Because I took much of December off from writing I came into 2012 feeling rejuvenated and ready to tackle a lot of creative stuff.
And boy did 2012 start off with a creative bang. I don't quite recall how far I'd gotten in my edits before I took my hiatus. But I'm more than halfway through the first round of edits, taking my manuscript from draft 1.5 to 2.
But that's not even the biggest flash of creativity that 2012 brought me. I've been struggling of late to come up with a new title for this book. It had the working title of Mirror, Mirror which I really wasn't fully enamored with. Well, I am happy to say I now have a title which quite tickles my fancy and really fits the book.
The new title is...
Drumroll...
Woven
I'm still trying to come up with a better series title but that's a concern for another day. It's not as critical as a good title for the first book was. I'm hoping to finish up edits this week then I'll be in need of finding a couple of betas before I edit the next draft.
I'm brewing up another project, working on the research and world-building. This particular story has been hanging around the outer edges of my creative consciousness for a while and I think it's finally time I try my hand at it. I may fail horribly at getting the story out the way I envision it in my head, but that's what a first draft is for, right?
How are your projects coming?
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Update Tuesday 12/4-12/10
Another week gone by? How is it already nearly the middle of December?
Last week was actually kind of productive for me. I'm a little closer to picking out a new title for this book and a new title for the series, but I'm still so torn. I have a few options but nothing is really sparking for me. I've never had so much trouble titling a book as I have with this one. (At least of the ones that I've written. The ones that are in the pipeline, the ones I think I might write next, are another matter entirely.)
As for the actual revisions, I've been really slow on those. This past week I did manage to revise three chapters and outline two of those for my revision outline. But with the holidays I'm finding it rather hard to keep up. (And the fact that my car had to go into the shop, I'm working every day, my driver's license is soon to expire, I have a birthday coming up and pretty much everything else.) And I start to feel guilty when I get busy with all the real-life stuff that has to be taken care of right away and thus don't get to anything related to writing.
How are your WiPs going?
Last week was actually kind of productive for me. I'm a little closer to picking out a new title for this book and a new title for the series, but I'm still so torn. I have a few options but nothing is really sparking for me. I've never had so much trouble titling a book as I have with this one. (At least of the ones that I've written. The ones that are in the pipeline, the ones I think I might write next, are another matter entirely.)
As for the actual revisions, I've been really slow on those. This past week I did manage to revise three chapters and outline two of those for my revision outline. But with the holidays I'm finding it rather hard to keep up. (And the fact that my car had to go into the shop, I'm working every day, my driver's license is soon to expire, I have a birthday coming up and pretty much everything else.) And I start to feel guilty when I get busy with all the real-life stuff that has to be taken care of right away and thus don't get to anything related to writing.
How are your WiPs going?
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Update Tuesday 11/27-12/3
Wow, the holidays really aren't productive, are they? At least not for me. I think I added 600 words to the book last week.
I've been really struggling with this revision and I'm not sure why. I think part of the problem is that I feel a little overwhelmed. The book fell quite short of the mark in the word count department. It's YA traditional fantasy and draft 1 capped out at about 56K. So there are a lot of words to add in. But as I go through the book I'm noticing that I was very spare in my descriptions as I wrote that first draft. So there are a lot of places where I can add and beef up that word count.
The other major problem is that I don't like my title and I am finding it impossible to come up with an acceptable title. Mirror, Mirror is a good working title, I suppose, but the sooner I change it to a title that I adore and that works fabulously with the book the better.
How are your WiPs going?
I've been really struggling with this revision and I'm not sure why. I think part of the problem is that I feel a little overwhelmed. The book fell quite short of the mark in the word count department. It's YA traditional fantasy and draft 1 capped out at about 56K. So there are a lot of words to add in. But as I go through the book I'm noticing that I was very spare in my descriptions as I wrote that first draft. So there are a lot of places where I can add and beef up that word count.
The other major problem is that I don't like my title and I am finding it impossible to come up with an acceptable title. Mirror, Mirror is a good working title, I suppose, but the sooner I change it to a title that I adore and that works fabulously with the book the better.
How are your WiPs going?
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Update Tuesday 11/13-11/26
11/13-11/19:
This is another fail week for me. I didn't do anything but a token bout of revisions on Saturday night so I would have something to report.
Mostly I spent the week in delaying tactics, for some reason, by looking for image inspirations on the web and figuring out what locations I still need to map out. Finally on Saturday I gave myself a swift kick in the rear and determined that only 3 of the remaining 11 or so locations needed to be mapped in order to effectively carry out revisions on this book in the trilogy.
So I revised a little and added about 110 words to the manuscript. I still haven't cracked 60K but it's early yet. There is much revising still to be done.
On top of that, I got a spiffy new book idea that really intrigues me so I'm going to start world-building for that at some point. I've learned that I can world-build and revise at the same time but it's hard to draft and revise at the same time. I have to put one aside for a time to do the other, which usually ends up being pausing drafting so I can revise.
Once I get Mirror, Mirror out to betas I can start drafting the new idea and then I can go on from there. But this idea really intrigues me. Which means all the other book ideas that still float in my head are being shuffled further down the priority list.
11/20-11/26:
I'm not sure I actually did any work on revisions this week. It was a holiday week and I had a lot going on. Will do better this week, I swear it.
How are your WiPs going?
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Update Tuesday 11/6-11/12
Wow, is it Tuesday again already? Where does time go?
So, this past week was not so great for me, writing-wise. Why? I always struggle to get back to everything that I like to do, all the routines, when something new comes along that impacts my scheduling.
What impacted my scheduling? My job. I started last week and while I didn't work a full week I still struggled to get to my writing/revising projects. I did manage to get a little bit in though on Saturday night, finally.
I've started revising Mirror, Mirror and it's going okay so far. As I wrote the first draft there were definitely things that came up that I knew would need to be addressed in revisions. At one point I entirely redesigned the geography of a city my MC starts out in and returns to several times throughout the book and the trilogy. But only after I'd written the opening scene where she sneaks a prisoner of the crown out of the city.
I made note on the inside of the cover of each notebook when there was something that came up to be addressed in revisions. These included noting where I needed to revamp to match the new city layout, ideas that came up that need to be foreshadowed throughout what came before that moment, etcetera.
I'm dealing with those right now on this first pass through the manuscript. Hopefully that will also help me beef up the word count since this one ended quite short of the mark of where it should be. I'm aiming to bump the count up to somewhere in the 70-75K range. We'll see if people want it longer.
With what I started on Saturday night, and I didn't get too far, I added 564 words to the story. It now is just shy (by about 160 words, give or take) of 56K. So I have a ways to go. But I'm okay with that. When this pass is done I'll be going through and making a revision outline and then looking for beta readers.
How are your WiPs going?
So, this past week was not so great for me, writing-wise. Why? I always struggle to get back to everything that I like to do, all the routines, when something new comes along that impacts my scheduling.
What impacted my scheduling? My job. I started last week and while I didn't work a full week I still struggled to get to my writing/revising projects. I did manage to get a little bit in though on Saturday night, finally.
I've started revising Mirror, Mirror and it's going okay so far. As I wrote the first draft there were definitely things that came up that I knew would need to be addressed in revisions. At one point I entirely redesigned the geography of a city my MC starts out in and returns to several times throughout the book and the trilogy. But only after I'd written the opening scene where she sneaks a prisoner of the crown out of the city.
I made note on the inside of the cover of each notebook when there was something that came up to be addressed in revisions. These included noting where I needed to revamp to match the new city layout, ideas that came up that need to be foreshadowed throughout what came before that moment, etcetera.
I'm dealing with those right now on this first pass through the manuscript. Hopefully that will also help me beef up the word count since this one ended quite short of the mark of where it should be. I'm aiming to bump the count up to somewhere in the 70-75K range. We'll see if people want it longer.
With what I started on Saturday night, and I didn't get too far, I added 564 words to the story. It now is just shy (by about 160 words, give or take) of 56K. So I have a ways to go. But I'm okay with that. When this pass is done I'll be going through and making a revision outline and then looking for beta readers.
How are your WiPs going?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)