The Right Headspace

Let's just start this post off by agreeing that writing is hard. Not just is it hard, but it's hard on our mental health. (Hello, three year break!) There are so many different aspects of this work, and each of them can be draining in their own way.

In drafting, I struggle with perfectionism. I want to put my best work down to begin with, but this often stops the flow of my words.  It acts as my block, and it's exhausting to break through it. It's not something I can flip a switch and turn off either. (But thanks for that suggestion, Hubby! At least you tried to help!) I need to be in the right headspace -- or frame of mind -- in order to step beyond that paralyzing need to be perfect. This particular challenge has gotten greater as my writing knowledge has improved. The story that I've been outlining and drafting while I was on my break has been the one I've struggled with most of all in this respect.

YOU SAID WHAT?!

In revising, well...it's easy to take comments too personally. (RE: the whole perfectionism thing) This is where I have to be REALLY careful with how and when I read comments from my CP's. I don't want to get my back up and be all...

SHE HATES ME!

I also don't want to read the comments when I'm feeling too vulnerable or sensitive, because then can I wind up all...

I've got this!

Sometimes that means waiting a few hours, and sometimes that means waiting a day or so to be able to dive into the comments and take them with a positive mindset...

Waiting is not my favorite thing to do. I'm an action taker -- I don't sit idly by for anything, I go after what I want -- so it's hard for me to wait. But I'm learning to balance that feeling by diverting my focus. 

I've made it a goal of this year, and this month specifically, to work on my craft every day, but specified that "working on my craft" includes reading, writing, critiquing, revising, blogging, social media, etc. So I don't feel hedged in and limited. I've allowed myself that freedom to escape my own mind's games. That way if I'm not in the right headspace for a critique, I've got a whole list of other things to work on to better my craft without feeling guilty or putting myself through the emotional wringer.

I'm hoping that I've come back to this world with enough clarity from my break to keep the positivity flowing. And I hope that maybe my experience will help another writer who has struggled with the same things to not feel alone out there. Sometimes it's nice to have someone who understands to just say, me too.

Do you guys have any tricks for keeping yourself positive during this process? I'd love to hear them!

Goals for 2017

Seeing as tomorrow is New Year's Eve, and I'm just getting back active on the blog, it seems like the perfect time to talk about goals.

Something I've learned in my time off from writing is that you should never set goals that you don't have complete control over. I'm a big fan of setting goals. Always have been. However, I've been known to set a few that at least had elements that were beyond my control. That's a dangerous game to play, and if you're as goal driven as I am, it can cause a big spiral down a long path that's dark and full of brambles. That's not the kind of place I want to be.

So, this year my focus will be on goals entirely within my control.

Holly's 2017 Writing Goals:

1. Finish revisions on my current project.
2. Find a title for said current project that I actually like.
3. Once it is as perfect as I can make it, query the revised project.
4. Finish a draft of the new project I've been outlining/drafting.
5. Outline that other new project I've been stewing on.
6. Start another draft or round of revisions or both!
7. Remember to enjoy myself.
8. Settle into a blogging routine.
9. Stay active on Twitter.
10. Reconnect with old friends and make some new ones.


What about you guys? Do you have a list of writing goals for the new year? I'd love to hear about them!

A Successful Weekend

So...I finished another round of revisions Saturday on my WIP.  What did I learn?  That with five hours of uninterrupted time a day I could rule the world.  For real.

It was lovely, Super Spawn went to the movies with grandpa and the house was so deliciously quiet.  I sat at the dining room table and worked and worked and worked.  It was the most focused I've been in a long time, and it was so nice.

In fact, as backward as it seems, it's exactly what I needed to recharge my writing batteries. 

Now I'm kinda in this weird limbo place where the WIP is waiting for more feedback and I really, really want to write something.  But I was going to do NaNo so I should wait.  But I really, really want to write.  ;)

So maybe I'll just write and not count the words toward my NaNo goal.  lol  I mean, if the muse is there, why tell her to hold on, right?  Write!

I'd love to hear how all of your projects are coming.  Who all is doing NaNo this year?  I personally feel a little insane for attempting it since I just did this a month ago, but hey, whatever.  Nobody ever accused me of being normal.  ;)

Character Development

So, number one on my revision list for my WIP is character development.  Not necessarily for the main character either, though she'll get her share of attention.

Right now, I'm focusing on my supporting characters and how to bring their personalities to life without bogging the story down.

That's a tall order to fill, and probably one of the most important.

What did I do?  Well, I made a spreadsheet of course.  ;)

I'm not sure if you can see that very well, but it's a quick-reference sheet of sorts. I have physical traits, age, interests, and the GMC (Goal, Motivation, Conflict) for each character listed for easy reference. So when I'm revising, I have my bullet list of what I'm looking to add/change, and my one-page spreadsheet on characters. That way if I hit a spot and go, hmm, would Blair really say this here? I can glance at the list and know my Yale-bound mathlete probably would not.

And it's funny how the smallest changes can have such a large impact on the sound and overall presentation of a character.  It's not even necessarily about what they say so much as how they say it sometimes.  :)

What do you do to help define characters?  Any tips you'd like to share with me? 

Dueling Projects

Over the weekend, after finishing a round of revisions, I sent my WIP off for its very first beta read.   *cue scary music*  Just kidding.  Nothing scary about a good critique.  ;)

I have, however, been struck by the Shiny New Idea fairy.  Fun times.  This is where the inspiration struck (thanks to Pinterest, my new favorite source)

Isn't she lovely?

Anyway, I've always been a one story at a time kind of girl.  Finish a project, then pick up another.  But this girl, this story, is refusing to wait.

So here's my question:  Is it wise to revise one story and write another at the same time?  Granted, it wouldn't be at the same very time, I'd write while WIP is out with betas and revise when it returned.  Do any of you work on multiple projects at once?

It seems wise to go ahead and learn now, because one day if I'm under deadline the reality is that I'll probably have a couple projects going at once.  Right?  I mean, that is the end goal.

What do you guys think?  Too risky, or a smart move?

About Killing Your Darlings

I don't guess the advice ever really sank in for me.  I mean, I never had a problem cutting text -- even huge chunks if I knew it'd improve the story.

Now it's different though.  I'm working on another revision and I'm having to cut some of my very favorite lines.  It hurts.  No, it more than hurts, it's eating away at my soul.  (Or maybe I just enjoy being dramatic.  You know.  It's more fun that way.)

I guess I've finally discovered the real meaning of the advice to kill your darlings.  My book *will* wind up stronger because of these cuts, and I have no delusions about that, but I still find myself trying to find places to slide the clever little turns of phrase in elsewhere when they just need to DIE.

DIE, DARLINGS, DIE!!!  *jabs them with red pen leaving blood stains on the page*

Ehm.  Getting carried away now.

My point is, I've learned that not everything I write can be considered my darling -- because some of those words?  Well, I don't like them a bit, and they're fun to rip through.  Then there are the ones that sting as you drag a line through their perfect letters.  Those are the darlings.  I have to keep reminding myself it's okay to kill them.  My story will be better for it.

How do you handle killing darlings? 

Book Recommendation -- Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook

So, I read a book over the weekend.  Two actually, but one of them was mine so it doesn't count.  ;)

Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook

By Donald Maass

In essence, what this book does is ask the hard questions on character development, plot, structure, pacing, etc.  And Maass gives examples from recognizable books to drive his points home.

I worked through this entire workbook this weekend, and let me tell you -- it's one of the best investments I've made in my writing.  Yes, I'm serious.

The questions through this workbook helped me look at my story in an entirely different way.  It made me turn my thinking around and consider aspects I'd never even thought to consider.  Which, can we say awesome?  It was awesome.

I have pages and pages of notes to use to work through my revisions because of this awesome book -- and they're not even huge changes, but they're changes that'll bring a big punch to the story.  I highly recommend everyone snatch a copy of this.  I'll be using it on all of my novels from now on.

Have any of you used the workbook before?  How'd you like it?

Friday Fives -- Revise Me!

Every Friday, the Paper Hangover crew gives a prompt for Friday Fives.  Join in and link up on their post to see what everyone says!

This week's topic:

I'm going with revising, because they definitely do not require the same things.  :D

1.)  My printed manuscript -- I cannot do serious revisions without a hard copy of my MS.

2.)  Colored pens -- I use a different color pen for different types of comments.

3.)  Colored post-it flags -- They coordinate with my colored pens.  ;)  It's a system.

4.)  Sweet tarts -- Just because they're delicious.

5.)  Quiet -- When I write, I do better around noise.  I like to write in restaurants particularly because of the snatches of conversation, gestures, and general atmosphere seem to seep into my writing, making it richer.  But when I revise I need my full attention focused on the task at hand.

What about you?  What do you need when revising?

Happy Valentines Day!

Happy Valentines Day, lovelies!!

 

I hope all of your days are full of love today.  Consider this your official V-Day hug from me: 

((((HUG))))

The new WIP title won by a landslide on Friday.  (And it helps that it was for the title I was favoring lol)  So, WIP is now officially going to be known as HAPPILY NEVER AFTER.  Thank you all for voting and voicing your opinions.

credit

(Don't you love the photo?  I'm drooling.  This guy is seriously talented, click the credit link and look at his amazing pictures.)

I also finished another round of revisions this weekend.  Yay!  This round wasn't quite as grueling as the last, thank goodness.  There were just a few things one of my awesome beta readers pointed out. 

I love that feeling of finishing a round of revisions and knowing, without a doubt, that the story is stronger.  That you made the right decisions for changes.  It's awesome.  Don't you think so?

Now I'm sitting out on the back patio in the sunshine, watching Super Spawn play and trying to think of what to blog about.  But all I can think about is the fact that spring is coming, and it's bringing good things with it.

I've said it before, lovelies, and I'll say it again:  This is going to be a good year. 

Thanks for being such awesome followers.  I couldn't ask for better blog buddies!

Road Trip Wednesday and More!

First of all, lovelies, if you haven't seen, Susan is giving away a copy of LEVIATHAN on her blog!  Go!  Enter!

Also, Ali Cross is hosting an event on her blog!  Ninja Novel Revising Month aka NiNoReMo!  I joined (see the cute button in my side bar? Over there -->) and can't wait to get my revising on with Ali and the others.  So jump over there and check it out. 

Now, I'm ready to hit the road.  It is Road Trip Wednesday after all.  ;)

Today's topic on the YA Highway is:

Who are your favorite literary couples?

 This is tough.  I mean, there are so many that I love!  

  

Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, for one.

 

Need I say more?  Really?

 

 

 

link

Katniss and Peeta.

Who are your favorite literary couples?

I Did It!

You may or may not have seen my confetti throwing excitement over finishing my revisions on Twitter this weekend.

There was lots of squeeing and sillyness on my part.  It feels SO good.  I worked really hard on this revision and I feel really really good about it.  I'm so excited about this story I can barely contain myself.  So, while it's in the hands of my trusty betas I'm going to try and focus on that Shiny New Idea I keep mentioning.  It'll give me something to do while I chew my fingernails waiting for their feedback.

Also, go check out Erinn's awesome first lines contest she is hosting this week.  Pam and Marquita are hosting a 100 followers contest too!  The contests are everywhere!  Don't forget to keep an eye out for our Ninja...he's bound to pop up sometime this week.

Tell me, what do you do to celebrate finishing a particularly brutal round of revisions?  Anything?  And what do you do to keep your mind off of that project once it's out for final feedback?

Sweet, Sweet Revisions

Revising isn't easy.  It's a lot of hard work extended over many, many hours.  But, if you're doing it right and paying attention, you'll find the things you really need to fix.  For example...

You know you've found a problem when you start making comments like these:

Now, part of the problem could be that my favorite green pen ran out of ink.  AND the office supply store DOESN'T CARRY THEM ANY MORE!!!  I'm distraught.  *glares at office supply store*  But, uhm, it's probably not the pen's fault.

So, it would appear I've found my final problem area.  (Seeing as I'm at the end of the novel, it better be the final problem area. lol)  Now to fix it.

Have a great weekend, lovelies!  I'll be off in revision land.  My goal is to finish by Monday.  That's a LOT of work, but I work better under pressure.  ;)

Revisions -- Oh what fun.

As I've mentioned a few times both here and on Twitter, I'm doing some major revisions on the WIP right now.

Look at all the notes!

Frightening, huh?  (And look at the cool new flags I found at B&N!  *is in love*)

Since I mentioned on Friday my method for revising, I thought I'd expand on it today.  We've all got our own methods and processes.  Some of them work swimmingly, and some of them make us shudder.  I've done a LOT of revising over the last year and a half -- I mean, a LOT lot.

Finding what works for me hasn't been easy.  In fact, I thought revising on paper was ridiculous until I realized what I wanted (and needed) to change  in this WIP was going to take more than just a line or two here and there.  I needed to be able to *see* the whole picture at one time in front of me.  Not only a page at a time in a word doc.  /enter paper MS, stage left/

I've talked about the usefulness of printing your MS for editing (in a different font), but as you can tell from the pic above -- this is far more than editing going on.  I've got a whole color system at work.

Green pen -- revision notes.
Pink pen -- notes on things to carry forward, either in this book or the sequel.
Yellow flags -- where I left off last.
Green flags -- things to carry forward in this book.
Red flags -- things for the sequel.

*shrugs*  Is it overly simplistic?  Is it way too much to keep up with?  Who cares, it works for me.  (And that's the important part.)

Plus, then it is two steps to get everything incorporated.  Which, at first I thought, "That sucks.  Why would I do an extra step?"  But wait!  The second step is yet another refining point.  I revise (on paper) one or two chapters at the time and then go back to incorporate everything in the word doc.  This way all of my revisions are getting a second look...a revision step of their own.

When I go back and read the things I've revised this way I can tell the difference.

What do you do?  Do you have methods like this when you're doing hard core revisions?

Sly like a NINJA!

Huzzah!  The Ninja Games attack!  *Make sure to read the comments, us Ninjas are tricky*

 

The first follower who comments (with their email address!!!) will win: 

A pack of revision essentials!  Well, the things I find essential when it comes revision time anyway:

Colored pens!                                                                                                  Sweettarts!

 

Post-it flags!

And...AND...a 10 page critique from me to get you going!

I'm in the middle of some super serious revisions myself.  The best method I've found (for me anyway) is to get a pink and green pen, some post-it flags, and my favorite candy (yes, sweettarts are really my favorite) and go to town.  I use green to revise, pink to note things to carry forward, yellow flags show where I left off last, red flags mark the pink notes, and the other colors mark things to use in the sequel.

It's a whole system!  It works!  I love it!  So, I'm gonna share it.  Who will be ninja enough to win today?!?

First Drafts and Their Weaknesses

I had planned a post for you guys for yesterday, and then thought I could do it today.  Unfortunately my slacker sister hasn't emailed me the videos yet.

We had the best time waiting in line for the showing of Deathly Hallows.  We met some great people and made a bunch of hilarious videos.  I'll corner her and force her to email them to me on Thanksgiving if I have to.  So look for that post on Monday next week.

For today, lets talk first drafts. 

Setting is something I struggle with in my writing.  In my first drafts you can pretty much guarantee that you're only going to get a vague impression of what the setting is like.  It's not that I don't see the setting in my mind, it's just that I don't want to over do it.  So in the interest of not going overboard, I do too little.

I think it is always easier to add than it is to cut from scenes.

What about you guys? 

I also find that in my first drafts I rush scenes.  Hold on to your hat because we are going places, people! lol  My manuscripts grow exponentially in revisions.

All the NaNo talk has had me thinking about first drafts and the way they differ from person to person.  Everyone has their own processes, strengths, and weaknesses.

So what about you?  What are you first draft weaknesses?

Super Spawn and the Deathly Hallows

I have no book review for you this week.

Excuses:  Super Spawn has been sick.  Deathly Hallows comes out Friday and I just HAD to re-read the book before I could see it.  I'm in revising heaven with the most awesome critique partner ever, and the best WIP I've ever written and just. can't. put it down.

But now I feel inclined to write a little ditty about Super Spawn and the Deathly Hallows because that sounds SO intriguing.  lol


It has been such an awesome week.  I'm going to take a moment to thank Susan for her enthusiastic support and friendship, not to mention her stellar critiques.

Also, I'd like to thank everyone who commented on yesterdays post.  It's something that I wouldn't ever wish on a person, and I hope one day something I say can help someone either get out, or deal with the after effects of the situation.

You are all wonderful, and thank you so much for the support and kind words.  Really.  It means a lot.

Okay, get over here!  Group hug!

A Welcome Discovery

You know, I've posted several times about revisions and how painful they can be.  The thought of facing the monumental task of whipping Emerald in shape was daunting to say the least.  I do believe I did a lot of cringing. (And procrastinating)

Then I started the new WIP.

The perfect ending hasn't come to me yet, so I decided while I wait to revise.  I've been writing, revising, writing a little more, revising some more, etc lately. 

And there has been no cringing.

Yes, there are more -ly words than I will ever admit to, sentence fragments, missing commas, and all sorts of wording errors and omissions.  Yet I still don't cringe.

I realized -- I've fallen in love.  I am so head-over-heels for this story I don't think anything about it could make me cringe.  I love revising it!  I love fixing all the adverb-filled sentences and making them stronger because I AM IN LOVE.

Forgive me for being slow on the uptake, but I didn't know this was possible!  The first book I ever sat down and wrote was in high school -- never even went back and read it.  The second book I wrote -- well, tried to write -- is stuffed in a drawer, too painful to gaze upon.  Then came Emerald.  The first book I ever loved enough to go through the painful revisions.  I never loved the revision process though.

Now to have this WIP, and to have so much love for it that I'm looking forward to revisions?  I'm a little bit in shock.  I don't quite know how to handle it.  Well, except to plant butt in chair and go for it.

What about you guys?  Ever experienced the love so deep you can't wait to revise it over and over and over again?

Mommy Monday - No!

Here's my thought. It seems like every weekend I have plans to finally sit down for a whole day uninterrupted and finish my final read-through.

But I have the "yes" gene.

I say yes way too much, and only because I don't want to make someone feel bad. Not because I mean it. This weekend for example. Wednesday evening I got a call inviting me to a birthday dinner Friday night. So, I said yes I'd love to come. And I enjoyed myself and celebrating a birthday is always necessary.

Then Saturday morning I got a call inviting me to the movies. Like, get up and go right now. It was with my sister and we haven't hung out as much lately as normal, so I reluctantly said yes. Did I have fun? Absolutely. Was that 5 hours wasted that I could have spent on my MS? Yep! *headdesk*

Saturday night there was a party at my BFF's house. Sunday I got up and had to clean the house and do laundry.

By the time I was able to do any edits, I only had time for a chapter.

I need to take lessons from Super Spawn. If you offer him something that he doesn't really want to do he says, "NO!" If you try to coerce him into it he says, "NO!" No matter what you say to him if the child doesn't want to do something he just by darn isn't going to do it.

Maybe there's a lesson there for mommy. If I really want to get through these final edits I need to start telling people (and myself) no.

Critique Party #8

Remember - I'm moderating the comments. This is meant to help one another, so be nice.

Our goal is to help each writer make their page stronger.

Dear Dream Agent,

Fourteen-year-old Mandy Samkirk is the only person who can return light to the world, but she isn’t sure she wants to.

Mandy’s parents have been keeping secrets. Not only is Mandy a marvel – complete with magical powers – but she is being forced to leave her life and friends behind for some ridiculous boarding school. How cliché.

When Mandy’s father is murdered right before her eyes, she is thrust into the heart of a battle she never knew existed. The marvel world is under siege by Temne – who consume light, or your inherent goodness – causing the world to get darker. The days creep by until the earth is covered in perpetual darkness, and death is certain for all.

Legend says there is only one who can bridge the gap between magical and non-magical beings to restore harmony to the precarious balance of good and evil. This harmony holds the key to restoring light to the decaying planet.

Even with the fate of humanity resting on her shoulders, Mandy isn’t sure she can face the villain she loves.

When battle is imminent, Mandy finds the courage to make a decision she never expected.

Emerald’s Keeper, a YA Paranormal novel, is complete at 61,000 words. I believe it will appeal to fans of Aprilynne Pike’s Wings as well as Holly Black’s Tithe.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,
Holly Dodson

Critique Party #7

Remember - I'm moderating the comments. This is meant to help one another, so be nice.

Our goal is to help each writer make their page stronger.

*A note about this page: The story is set in England and the author has used British spellings.*

Butterfly With Broken Wings, a contemporary YA novel by Laura Dunks

Time machines. If I could invent one, I’d hop in and go back to the days when things were simple. When I knew what came next.

You know when you become stuck on autopilot and the days go by so fast you don’t even stop to think? Then you wake up one day and realise that everything is about to change, but you aren’t ready? You haven’t even begun to prepare.

How was this worse than the changes every teenager must face? The truth was, I didn’t know. This time seemed different. A strange sensation nagged me every time I stopped to think. Things would never be the same.

So what did I, Amelia Jane Wright, do when life threw me so much uncertainty that I wanted to jump into bed, pull the covers over my head, and never wake up?

I relived amazing memories and dreamed of the future.

My best friend Gina and I lay on our stomachs on her bed watching our favourite old home movie - a compilation made by my dad. In the grainy video we were three-years-old, holding hands, and jumping into muddy puddles, to see who could make the biggest splash.

I rolled to face her. “You wanna like skip school tomorrow?”

She snorted. “You say that every summer.”

“Tomorrow our lives will be ruled by exams and gossip.”

She rolled her eyes. “Tell me about it.”

Although we were at the same school, Gina was fourteen and a year above me.

She beamed at the television and fiddled with her glasses. “I love this part.”