Road Trip Wednesday -- Oh, my bad!

Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments, you can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic.

This Week's Topic:

What's the biggest writing / querying / publishing mistake you've made?

 

 

Well this should be entertaining.

 

This was a few years back, right about the time I finished my very first manuscript.  Oh, yeah.  You know where this is going.

 

I have a friend locally who writes as well.  She writes adult fantasy, and we like to get together and write on occasion.  So, we planned to go to a local writers conference.  My friend was already a member of the writers group putting the conference on -- so she nabbed us a couple of pitch sessions with agents.  Awesome, right?

 

--insert freakout--

 

The agent was lovely and sweet and funny and easy to talk to, but I realized about the time I walked into that room that I wasn't close to ready for this.  I mean, I had spent the few months prior scouring the internet and trying to learn everything I could, but -- yeah.  Not. Ready.

 

Things turned out alright -- the agent liked my concept and requested to read pages.  I went home and, lesson learned, truly immersed myself into the world of publishing.    

 

Yes, the agent ultimately rejected that MS.  Of course.  But some good came from it -- number one, I realized what I needed to do if I was serious about going after publication.  And two, I made a personal contact with one of the nicest agents in the industry.  That agent will forever have my respect for treating newbie me so kindly.

I still cringe when I think about it though.  ;)

 

What about you?  Made any cringe-worthy mistakes?

Friday Fives -- Cover Lust

So, this week's topic on Paper Hangover's Friday Fives is: FIVE book covers you're currently lusting over. 

Oooh, I love this topic.  :D   My five:

 

 

They all give that same kind of feeling.  Dark, but beautiful.  Relatively simple designs that speak volumes about the stories between the covers.

Love.  Love, love, love.  I hope one day I get a cover as beautiful as these.  *dreams*  *sighs*  ;)

What about you?  What covers are you lusting over?

Query Letter Blogfest

Erinn, Alicia, Pam, Quita, and I have joined forces again, and this time we've brought you the Query Letter Blogfest!

Today is the day!  Whoever signed up will post their query letter, and then we will all jump around and critique each others.  We hope this will be an excellent learning experience for all involved.

Now, I up to this point, have not talked about the querying that I'm doing on the blog.  But, I am currently querying HAPPILY NEVER AFTER, which you may have guessed by now.  ;)  So, I'm going to share my query letter, which has been quite successful so far.

Dear [Agent name spelled correctly],

[Something very personalized, like mentioning a specific blog post where they expressed interest in high-concept YA, or fairy tales, or something of the like.]  As such, I believe you may be interested in my 53,000 word young adult fantasy, HAPPILY NEVER AFTER.

Sixteen-year-old Kate is trapped in a fairy tale, and if she doesn’t escape soon, she’ll lose all her memories. Or worse, she’ll get killed.

Kate’s brother is dying.  Unable to cope with watching him deteriorate, she makes a stupid wish to escape her life in favor of a fairy tale.  But the wish comes true.  And fairy tale land?  Well, it sucks.  Kate is forced to obey an unseen, god-like narrator, who makes Kate dress as a prissy Princess while repeating the same story over and over again -- and each time, more of Kate’s memory is lost.  Plus, venomous Prince Charming is out to kill her.  And that’s just great.

Then Kate discovers the secret to escaping this Magical Kingdom of Torture: true love’s kiss, of course.  But the narrator (who is determined to keep Kate trapped) begins to pick apart the story, removing any object, twist, or character that might come to Kate’s aid.  The crazy narrator even steals Nathan, the guy Kate thinks she’s in love with, and replaces him with Jace, a dashing rogue Kate can’t keep her eyes off of.  Now, as Kate clings to her dwindling memories and tries to forge a new path through the fairy tale, she has to choose which guy she really loves.

If Kate chooses wrong, the narrator will trap her there forever, and she’ll live Happily Never After.

HAPPILY NEVER AFTER is similar to THE WIZARD OF OZ and ELLA ENCHANTED, and I believe it may appeal to fans of both. Though the novel has been written as the first in a planned trilogy, it can also stand alone. I’m an active member of SCBWI, the Florida Writers Association, and YALitChat.

[As requested in your guidelines, the first chapter and synopsis are pasted below. ONLY INCLUDE WHAT IS EXPLICITLY REQUESTED .]  [And here I may put something like, "So that you are aware, this is a multiple submission."]  Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Holly Dodson

[phone number]

[link to my blog]

----

[pages as requested in their guidelines]

So, what do you think?  I can't wait to read everyone's!

Query Letter Blogfest

Erinn, Alicia Pam, Quita, and I are joining forces again, and this time we're bringing you the Query Letter Blogfest!

On April 19th, whoever signs up will post their query letter.  Then, we all jump around and critique each others.  The five of us thought it would be an excellent learning experience for all involved. 



Already agented?  You could post the query that landed the request from your agent as an example!  This is just about helping each other put our best feet forward.

You can sign up over on Alicia's blog.

Here are a few good articles on writing queries, if you need a jumpstart:

• Nathan Bransford
• Jennifer Hoffine
• Susan Dennard
• Query Shark

Road Trip Wednesday

Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway's  contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that  begs to be answered. Then we hop from blog to blog and get everybody's take on the topic.



This Week's Topic:
Assuming we make it through the 2012  apocalypse, what do you imagine the publishing world will look like 100  years from now?  

 

In a hundred years, I think publishing will still exist even if not exactly like it does now.

A lot can change in 100 years.  I mean, look at 1900 vs 2000.  Mmmkay, see what I mean?  In my opinion, books will still exist, but probably in a different form.  If the evolution of music through the years teaches us anything, I think it has showed us the power of electronic media.

First came the ipods, then came the ebooks. 

I think our electronic media will continue to move forward.  We'll be using more technology for a richer experience.  Maybe books will become holographic...words with pictures, so you can see exactly what the author intended.

Or maybe the publishing model will move to a more animated form.  Maybe they'll even be whole experiences 100 years into the future.  Maybe you won't read a book, but instead you'll walk inside a book and experience the story first hand.

That would be totally cool unless you wound up somewhere full of, ya know, zombies.

What do you think?  Where do you see publishing going in the next 100 years?

My View on Branding

Super Spawn and I watched the newest Scooby Doo all day Sunday, and some of the bonus features on the DVD got me thinking. 

You see, this was the newest "real" Scooby Doo movie.  (So, not animated.)  The commentary during the feature that talked about making this movie was where my idea came into play.  The director talked about the lengths they went to to be sure the Scooby trademarks were in the movie.  This is for fan recognition, expectations and, you guessed it, branding.

When you think of Scooby Doo, what pops into mind?  Maybe the theme song?  Fred's ascot?  The classic removal of the mask from the villain?  Or maybe all of the above.

If Scooby Doo is one thing, it's consistent.  Every time you turn on a show, you know what to expect.  You know you'll be entertained, that the villain will be unmasked, and that it will end with, "I'd have gotten away with it if it weren't for you meddling kids and your dog."

Same thing goes for writing.  Branding yourself as an author is the same kind of idea.  You want to uphold your readers expectations.  And I don't think it's as scary or limiting as some writers do.

It doesn't necessarily mean writing the same thing over and over, in my opinion.  I believe it's more about staying true to your style.  Every writer has a different style.  Some always write in that lyrical prose that I liken to eating dark chocolate truffles, and some have a more jaunty lilt.  One author may have a certain knack for ending chapters in a compelling way, while others have more fulfilling chapter endings.  Same with the overall endings...some people prefer the loose endings left to the readers imagination while others prefer tightly wrapped answers.

I think if we look at branding like Scooby Doo, we'll all feel a little less anxious about it.

What do you think?  Do you agree with me here?  Are you adverse to the idea of creating your brand?

Talking About Your Writing

I may have talked about this before on the blog, but if so it was long ago and I don't remember it.  So chances are, neither do you.  How do ya like that logic?

Talking about your writing.  Do you do it?  What do you say?  And how on earth do you fend off that horrendous question, "Are you published?" 

Just thinking of the question makes me feel all jittery and inadequate.  But WHY?  WHY do these words strike fear into the heart of un-pubbed/un-repped writers everywhere?

This Thanksgiving I took a stand.  I talked about my writing.  I talked about both of my books.  And I liked it.  I met someone who works in a bookstore, because I was willing to open myself up and talk about it.  I met another person who works at a small publishing house.  I got to talk to an old friend who wants to write a book, even has an outline, but doesn't know where to start.

I made a bunch of connections over the holidays with people I would have never imagined just because I was willing to risk the dreaded question.  "Are you published?"  And yes, I got it every single time the conversation swung to writing.  But I slid over it with ease, "I'm currently revising my second novel, and looking for an agent."

Everyone would smile and nod and say how great that was.  How they couldn't wait to read my stories.  And those feelings of inadequacy because I don't have a book on shelves yet slowly faded to the background.  Now I've got a connection to a bookstore in another city for signings once I do have a book.  Plus a new writing buddy to pass along the things I've learned.

So much good can come from putting yourself out there and talking about your work. 

I'm here to challenge you.  Talk about your WIP to someone today.  Someone removed from your writing circle.  Then come report how great it felt.  It's kinda like writing a goal on paper...to make it seem more serious.  I share my dreams with people to remind myself that it is achievable.  It's hard, sure, but we can do it.  We've all already done something more than most -- we wrote the book.  The rest is cakes and pies.

Do you normally talk about your writing, or is it something you keep to yourself?

Road Trip Wednesday

Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question and we  answer it on our own blogs. You can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic.

Today's Topic: If you were made supreme ruler of the publishing world, what would be your first ruling?

Muahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!  The thought of being supreme ruler of anything sends vibrations of excitement through me.


I like to be the boss.  Why do you think I write?  When I write I get to play supreme ruler of the universe!  This job is right up my alley.


But supreme ruler of the publishing world?  Oh boy.  What wouldn't I do?!

First, I'd create the biggest library in THE WHOLE WORLD.

And I'd sit in the middle of it in a squishy armchair and read.

I'd hold story time for young and old alike, and we'd talk about the books we read and the meanings behind the words.


Hmm...maybe I should have been a Lit. teacher.


Does it have to do with publishing?  Meh, not really.  Does it sound AWESOME anyway?  YEP!

What about you guys?  What would you do as your first ruling of supreme ruler of the publishing world?

The Conference Experience

Hundreds of writers, a plethora of agents, editors, and publishers, plus workshops on everything from your first page to marketing plans.  There's only one place you get all of this awesome stirred up together -- conferences!


Well, the conference started at 7am Saturday!  Oy.  So, we had a genre meet and greet which was super fun.  I didn't get to meet any YA writers, but I met a bunch of awesome MG writers.

The first session that morning was on engaging the YA reader (which wound up more geared to MG).  I missed about the first half of it though because I wound up with the very first pitch appointment that morning!  That was pretty darn lucky.  Well, I hated to miss a big chunk of the YA talk, but I was very happy to get to meet the agent before she had been stuck in that room all day long.

Now, the pitch was a source of much angst for me.  It's intimidating!  And as much helpful information as I found out there from agents and the like, I didn't find much from fellow writers.  So, I thought I'd include what happened in my pitch for you guys.  Take from it what you will, maybe it'll help someone not be so nervous about the process.

It wasn't until about two minutes before I walked in that I got nervous.  The nerves only lasted briefly though, I was fine once I got to talking with the agent.  This is how it went for the most part:

Agent:  So, what are you here for today?

Me:  I wrote a YA novel called Emerald's Keeper.

Agent:  Tell me about it.

Me:  In Emerald's Keeper the world is getting darker, light-consuming creatures feed on the pure of heart, and fourteen-year-old Mandy is the only one that can stop them, but she has to find the strength to let go.

Agent:  Oh, really?  What does she have to let go of?

And so it went!  She asked questions, I answered.  She asked about the main plot, themes, subplots and the like.  Once we were done she said she liked my premise very much and asked that I send some pages.  Just that easy!  There was even a little time left to chit chat on a more personal level.  You know, just asking, "How was your flight?" or whatever.

I can honestly say if I ever do another pitch, I won't be nervous.

Another great thing about conferences?  So, maybe I'm a little anti-social in person, I'm a writer, I think it's a pre-requisite.  lol  At lunch I found an empty table and pulled out my nook, thankful for a little time to rest my brain.  A few minutes later a lady came and sat beside me (who I assumed was another writer).  We chit chatted a bit and she asked what I write.  I told her, and asked what she did.

She was an agent.  Guess I should have studied the faculty list better!  But then we talked a little more and she slid me her card and asked that I send her my materials.  How freaking cool, right?!  A minute later an agent that reps screenwriters came and joined us and I got to be included in their shop talk.

I also got to attend a session on marketing.  It was pretty good, I learned what a press kit is, and what goes in it.  They also talked about blogging and being on twitter as important steps.  (check, check)  Something that worried me a bit though was that the lady teaching the class suggested putting a press kit together to hand agents you have pitch sessions with.  Eep!  Not sure that would be a very good idea.  I almost said so, but I didn't want to challenge her during her own session so I held my tongue.

I got the impression that a good portion of the people there were doing self publishing, so maybe having printed press kits would be a good idea in that situation.  I don't know, I'm not a marketing genius by any means.

The last session I went to was on narrative drive.  It was really interesting the way he took parts of three different books and showed us on a sentence-by-sentence basis how the writer moved the plot forward and kept the reader hooked.  He also said this that struck a chord with me: No matter what you write, these four words need to drive it: tell me a story.

So simple, yet so true.

That's really it!  I mean, other than my tire blowing out on the way home it was an excellent trip.  But I figure for all the good something bad had to balance it out.  ;)

There you have it, my friends!  If you get the chance to go to a conference, even a small local one, do it.  It's so worth it!

Publishing Pulse

I got an email today (which I get every day) about the publishing community.  Who's hot, who's not, and what's upcoming kind of stuff.

Today it included the AAP sales for August.  Oooh, aaaah. 

THE E-BOOKS ARE COMING, THE E-BOOKS ARE COMING!!!  SHUTTER YOUR WINDOWS AND LOCK YOUR DOORS, THE E-BOOKS ARE COMING!!!

Sorry, couldn't resist.  There was a 172.4% increase in e-book sales!  That's huge.  But, selling only $39 million (psh, only) it doesn't even come close to touching the $77.8 million for children's/YA hardcover sales or the $83.8 for adult hardcovers.  It is still a significant increase though.  And I think it's an increase that will only continue.

I'll admit -- I'm an e-book buyer.  Does that mean I'll never buy hard-copy books again?  Heck no!  But the things I'm buying on a whim, yeah, they're gonna come from my Nook.

What do you guys think of this?  Does it scare you?  Or do you think it's just another way to get books into readers hands?

The chart from the AAP is below.

AAP Sales:

CATEGORY	SALES	PERCENT CHANGE
E-books	$39 million	172.4%
University press paperbacks	$10.1 million	15.7%
Professional books	$102.7 million	14.5%
Higher education	$969.7 million	11.8%
University press hardcovers	$6.1 million	10.2%
Downloaded audiobooks	$6.3 million	4.6%
Religious books	$58.1 million	-0.4%
K-12 /El-Hi	$629.6 million	-4.9%
Children's/YA hardcover	$77.8 million	-8%
Children's/YA paperback	$58.9 million	-15.1%
Adult paperback	$124.9 million	-18.3%
Adult mass market	$54.9 million	-21.9%
Physical audiobooks	$9.9 million	-23.4%
Adult hardcover	$83.8 million	-24.4%

Well...

I did it. I met my goal. I finished all my edits on Emerald's Keeper and sent them off to the lovely KO for one last beta read!

I even made a nice detailed spreadsheet to put all the agent information in and track my queries.

Holy freaking cow.

I finished my edits in a restaurant on Saturday afternoon. The waitress had obviously noticed the large manuscript I had laid out on the table next to my laptop.

"What class is that for?" she asked.

I hesitated. "Um, well, I actually kinda wrote it. It's my novel."

Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open a little. "No way. That's, like, every person's dream! And you, like, did it!"

I smile, uncomfortable with the attention. "Yeah, I guess so."

Something hit me at that moment. A new feeling of anxiety. This is really happening. I'm really about to start querying agents.

Holy freaking cow.

One day, sometime in the not-so-distant future I could have a book in bookstores. People like that waitress could read it. They could love it or they could hate it, but either way my words would be out in the world for anyone to read.

Pardon me while I have a panic attack. (Just kidding. Kinda.)

Mommy Monday- Back to School

As I find myself preparing for Super Spawn to start school, I can't help but notice the parallels to my writing.

Not only do I enjoy buying unnecessary office supplies for my writing, but the actual process of primping, shopping, and prepping is very much like getting ready to query.

Primping:
School- you get your kid's hair cut, new clothes, new shoes, etc so they can look their best at school.

Writing- you revise, revise, revise until your prose is shiny and bright.

Shopping:

School- there are lists as long as the sheet of paper of things you must buy for school. Now, should you buy the hot brand that's "cool" or this other brand that may not be the hottest, but isn't necessarily any better or worse.

Writing- do you follow trends with your writing or dare to be different? Should you point out your story's similarities to the blockbusters or the differences?

Prepping:

School- you must open everything, write names on each tiny bit, and organize it all beautifully in the shiny-new-backpack so that it can be ripped open and spread around the classroom the first day.

Writing- you ask for feedback on your (as you see it) perfect query letter, only for it to be ripped apart and then you're told to put it back together. (In a good way)

Now it's time to go to school!

Tipsy Tuesday- Keeping it Fun

Ways to keep enjoying the sometimes arduous process of writing and revising.

1. Reward yourself- Any achievement deserves a celebration of some sort, whether it be a candy bar or a glass of your favorite wine. Did you meet your deadline? Celebrate! Did you finish a particularly difficult chapter? Celebrate!
2. Share the experience- Talk to people! Tell your mom, sister, co-worker, the cashier at the store -- whoever! They'll be excited for you, and in turn will increase your excitement.
3. Blog surf- Visit other writer blogs! You'll realize that all of us go through the same range of emotions and frustrations, and it really does help to commiserate together.
4. Remember why you started writing -- because you enjoy it. Not to get published or to make millions, just because it's something you love to do.
5. Don't forget to write for YOU. I know for me anyway sometimes I get blocked and can't write a darn thing on my novels and it's simply because I have too much "real life" on my mind. If I can write out my thoughts and worries, I can write my stories again. This ties right back to number four -- so don't forget to include YOU on that to-do list.

To aid in your celebrations:

Melon Ball

Ingredients:

• 1 oz Midori melon liqueur
• 1/2 oz Peachtree schnapps
• 5 oz Sprite or 7-Up

Mixing instructions:

Pack glass with ice. Pour the Midori in first, then add the Peach Schnapps. Fill the rest of the glass with Sprite or 7-up.

Book Recommendation - From the Query to the Call

From the Query to the Call
By Elana Johnson

"An aspiring author's guide to writing a query letter." You can buy this ebook on Elana's website.


This is a handy dandy little book that, in my opinion, everyone should have. Elana packed it full of helpful advice, worksheets (YES!! I LOVE WORKSHEETS!!), query letter examples, and everything you need.

The book is easy to navigate. If you want to jump to a specific section, just click on the link that's in the left toolbar. There are actual real-life queries that landed agents through the pages, as well as their draft form with comments.

Everything about this book is helpful and informative. I am about to take the plunge and start writing my query letter, and it doesn't look nearly as intimidating now that I'm armed with worksheets!

Did I tell you I love worksheets?

I did? Oh. Good. 'Cause I love 'em.

Mommy Monday- Guilt

Being a mom is never easy. I went to see Sex and the City 2 with my sister this weekend, and the scene where Charlotte locks herself in the pantry with babies crying at the door had me in tears. I've been there. I'm pretty sure most all moms have been there, and feel guilty for it.

Mommy guilt is a bitch.



The moral of the story for Charlotte was: she needed a break. Everyone needs a break once in a while to recharge their batteries. Whether it's a few minutes locked in a pantry or a weekend getaway, sometimes all you need is quiet.

What's my point? Well, my point is that, as writers, we need breaks too. I know the mantra is to write every day. Push, push, push. Go, go, go. But life happens.

Kids get sick, computers die, an apocalypse is knocking at the door. Well...maybe not the last one.

Then comes the writer's guilt. The -- I'm not doing enough! OMG I'm never going to finish this book/get published/make it through revisions -- thoughts that plague us just because we took a day off.

So, I'm here to say: It's okay to take a day off, as long as you come back.

Taking a day off is not quitting, it is not giving up or admitting defeat. It's giving your mind time to rest, to think, to percolate. Fun word, percolate.

Anyway, don't let writer's guilt (or mommy guilt!) get you down.

Writing may not be easy. You may find a challenge at every turn, but how you handle them is what defines you. Follow your dreams, live your life, and let nothing hold you down.

Friday Fun

Hello, my lovelies! I hope you are all having a wonderful Friday!

So, I was tripping along the internet this morning to my usual haunts, and came across a most excellent article (at the YAHighway, thanks girls!). It is about invisible tension and was written by Donald Maass.

Linky.

Now, I don't know if you have ever read his book Writing the Breakout Novel, but you should. Also, he's super nice in person. And funny. I had the pleasure of meeting him at a conference this year. Definitely check the article out.

Also, agent Mary Kole had an excellent blog post this week about Newer vs. Established agents. Anyone considering finding an agent in the future should read it.

Another? Yes, yes, I have another. The GotYA ladies had an excellent post this week on Titles, Queries, and Pages everyone should check out.

In other news -- I've made it half way through revisions now with super critique partner Susan! It's all fun and stuff, but I can't wait to be done! lol But then, when I'm done -- well, then what will I do? Oh, yeah, maybe finish that other WIP sitting on my hard drive. It glares at me once in a while and I'll placate it with a few words. That won't work for much longer though. And the query -- I'll have to write the dreaded query. Dun, dun, DUN! ;)



Have a great weekend everyone, and I'll catch you on Monday!

Tipsy Tuesday- Keep it Up!

For today's Tipsy Tuesday post, I thought I'd give you bits of inspiration. Keeping up a writing life can be hard. Especially when you're working full time, have kids to take care of, husbands to pay attention to, or any number of other major life involvements.



So, today, I will regale you with ways to keep yourself interested and NOT burnt out on your writing. (They work for me anyway.)

1. Take a break if you need it- I list this first for a reason. Sometimes you just really do need a short break from your WIP to recharge your batteries. As long as you come back to it, it may do you a world of good.
2. Post inspirational phrases near your writing space. I'm always seeing them posted on Twitter, and they really do help me keep my drive to achieve strong.
3. This may sound weird, but-- outline! I really love FreeMind, and I use it to make charts of my characters, chapters, scenes, whatever else I need to keep me focused and moving forward in my WIP.
4. Talk to other writers! Huge, huge, huge one! On Twitter, on blogs, in person -- wherever you can find a writer -- talk to them. They understand what you're going through, and may even be there themselves.
5. If all else fails, take your mom, sister -- someone who will tell you they love even your crappiest writing -- your manuscript, and let them build you up. There is so much criticism (even if constructive) and rejection as a writer, sometimes all you need is someone to say, "Hey, this is really great."
   
   
   And last, but certainly not least, you can always have one of these:
   
   

Red Apple Margarita (YUM!)

Sauza Gold tequila, DeKuyper Luscious Red Apple liqueur and margarita mix served over ice.

Friday Fun

First of all I just ran across this- Official 2010 Write Your A** Off Day. Looks like fun doesn't it? It's a challenge to write 3,000 words in a day. I bet I could do it -- if I sat and stared at my WIP for hours. Ha. I'm a short bursts kind of writer, so it'd be interesting to see what I could pull off on a whole day devoted to nothing but writing.


I feel like I'm always linking to Nathan Bransford's blog, but it's for good reason -- he's a flippin' genius. His blog post yesterday was on writing your one-line pitch.

According to him there are three basic elements in a good one sentence pitch:

- The opening conflict
- The obstacle
- The quest

So, in the spirit of good fun, here's what I've come up with for Emerald's Keeper.

Mandy may only be fourteen, but faced with a darkening world and a villain she loves, she must find the strength to do the right thing -- or turn to the dark.

What do you think? Need some more work? I'm seriously struggling with this one sentence deal.

Share your one-liners in the comments!

Tipsy Tuesday- What I've Learned

Not to make myself sound all important or anything, 'cause let's face it- I'm a rather newb to all of this. But, I thought I'd share a few of things I've learned over the course of writing my novels, and the ridiculous amount of editing I've done.
Without further ado, the writing process:

1. Don't stress out over the first draft, just write it.
   
2. Yay, I'm done! Wait, revisions? Oh, you mean more work? But I just wrote a novel!
   
3. Realize a shortcoming- My absolute favorite word to abuse is said. Everybody said something. Just ask my crit partner- she'll nod her head and confirm that she did, in fact, have to bust me over the head with the said stick. Figuratively.
4. Stress over the revisions. How many -ly words can I possibly know? I must have used them all 400 times, at least.
   
5. Stress some more over MORE revisions. Would Mandy really say that? Come on, she's tougher than that!
   
6. Begin enjoying revisions again. Hey, my characters are, like, people now!
7. Revise again. It's fun, okay? I want to go play with my friends!
8. Put it away and start something new.
9. Realize you didn't know what you were thinking when you put that scene in Chapter 2 and snatch it out immediately! I mean, really, who cares about the cat? Nobody. If it's not moving the plot forward- goodbye!
10. Begin to see your penchant for exclamation points. They're just so fun, and so...shiny!
11. What? Stop working on it? You'll have to pry it from my cold, dead fingers!

Haha, okay so maybe the last one was a teeny bit dramatic. Just thought I'd have a bit of fun today, hope you got a giggle out of my craziness.

Today's cocktail of choice: Melon Magic

So, I've never had this drink, but the name speaks to me. I'm totally trying one this weekend!

1 part Midori (melon Liqueur)
1 part Vodka
1 part Orange Juice
Lemonade to top up

"Highball Glass"

Shake midori, vodka and orange juice together with a little ice. Top up with lemonade to taste and pour into a glass. Decorate with orange slices and melon balls.

Mommy Monday

Warning: I've been thinking again!

Question of the day: Does being a parent affect what you write? Why or why not?

What I mean is- as you're brainstorming/writing do you stop and think, "Hmm, what would Super-Spawn like to read?"


Now, Super-Spawn is a fair distance from being able to sit and read a novel, but I still think about it. It's something I consider especially when I'm brainstorming for new projects, but not anything I've really acted on either. Both of my novels are about teenage girls- probably won't be exactly his cup of tea, but you never know. Though, I have found myself wondering lately if I could come up with a middle-grade story for a boy- specifically with Super-Spawn in mind.

Then I wonder if it would be smart to try and purposefully design a story that way. I'll admit, my ideas are not formulated. They come to me unbidden with full plot-lines at random moments- usually in traffic. So I don't know if I could force an idea out or not.

I think that's about the only way my mommy status really influences my writing. Well, other than the obvious time constraints. I tend to find my way around those- read: Harry Potter is on and SS is acting it out as I type. Heh. His favorite part is the Knight Bus, we watch it over and over as he rides his little school bus doing the crazy fig-head laugh screeching, "It's gonna be a bumpy ride!" Love it. He couldn't care less about the rest of the movie, just the "school bus" as he calls it.

What about you guys?