One of the rules of NaNo is you cannot start writing the actual story until November 1st. I wrote eight or so pages last spring, and while I plan to use them, I’m no longer going to start the story in the same place so it’ll just be filler. I figure I’m going to need …
writing / editing
Stop! NaNo Time*
It’s that time of year! NaNoWriMo — National Novel Writing Month for those of you not in the know — starts November 1st and I’ve already signed up. NaNo challenges writers to write a novel in a month. Simple, right? Yeah, yeah. Stop laughing. It’s been done before. Even by me. After the Fall, which …
Shiny New Notebook
Last week my coworkers and I went to a paper show in Grand Rapids. I have received TONS of HILARIOUS comments about how exciting a paper show sounds, but trust me, it’s exciting. Yes, the theme is paper, but it’s how the paper is presented that draws the crowd. Each company tries to outdo the …
#amquerying
I just thought I should get that out there. I don’t plan to give updates here unless it’s something fabulous, but after all the build-up over the past few months I felt like I should let you know I’ve released my baby to the wild!
Ineffective Motivation
I’m not sure when I started doing this, but for the past year or so I’ve treated reading books as a reward. If I have a project hanging over my head that I really need to finish I won’t allow myself to start a new book until I’ve finished it. I love reading so in …
Yet Another Sign That I Truly Am a Writer
I suck. My book sucks. Why would anyone want to read this? I don’t even want to read this. Why did I ever think this was a good idea? I may as well quit now and save agents the hassle of ignoring my query. Ever had these thoughts? That’s been the constant monologue running through …
Stories are Everywhere
As I left the plane behind me last night, I paused near the waiting area as an anxious family rushed forward. A caucasian couple a few years older than me, trailed by two teenagers and two little girls around six or seven years old, moved as one unit, then stopped a few feet away. What …
The Celebration Was Short-Lived
*checks calendar* It’s August 30th. Still one day left in the month and… I finished my third draft over the weekend! *dances about* I finished going through the hard copy Saturday, then plugged in all those notes on Sunday and ferried it through the intertubes to my friend and trusty beta reader. *waves* (Yes, I’m …
That’s a Lot of Paper!
Look! I finished my edits and printed out After the Fall in its entirety! Yes, there are TWO red pens waiting for me. Because I’m ahead of schedule I have a whopping NINE days to proof the hard copy and still meet my goal of finishing by September 1st.
The End is in Sight!
I may be a little premature in saying this, but I can almost see then end of this draft. I passed into the final third over the weekend and I feel like I’m finally in the home stretch. It’s definitely coming easier now that I’m back in the editing groove (funny how that works) and …