For those that don't know what NaNoWrMo is, it's National Novel Writing Month. Novel writing month? Isn't every month novel writing month for authors? Yes it is, but in the last few years this new craze has taken over where the month of November the masses gather to get a novel, 50,000 words, done. That means no editing just non-stop writing.
I've never participated in NaNo. Last year I was in the middle of typing up and editing Mackenzie Falls and didn't want to stop to start a new project. This year things are different.
In need of a desperate need of a break from Mackenzie Falls (also have a friend beta reading it for feedback from someone who doesn't know a lot about the story) and I'm revisiting my very first manuscript. Going through the pages with multicolored pens like a mad women I realized one thing. This draft sucks! Don't get me wrong every first draft is always bad, but with this being my first attempt ever at writing a novel. Mistakes were bound to be made.
And I made them.
Now a little bit wiser and a little bit more experience under my belt, I'm now ready to retake on the task of a full rewrite.
With NaNo right around the corner I've been diligently rereading my little seed of a good idea piled in crap that is waiting to grow into a strong beautiful plant, reintroducing myself to the characters, the plot, the world I'd created. The second time round I know what to the faults are of the story and know that it will go better this time.
That all being said, I've still got a lot of work to do in prep for November 1 and the challenge of getting close to 2 thousand words each day. A challenge I'm willing to try.
For those who are going to try NaNo I wish you luck in your adventure into 50,000 words in a month.
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Rambelings of a Friday
A few weeks ago Carina Press held a great opportunity for a short time for there submissions that if you wanted feedback they would would provide it. For those that don't know if you get a rejection from an agent or a publishing house for slush pile (unsolicited submissions) submissions it's usually a form letter. The fact that they were willing to give some feedback with a shorter turn around then they normally have is an amazing feat, and one that I couldn't turn down.
At this early of a stage of my writing career (shoot anytime in a writing career) good constructive criticism is always a good thing. And well I got my feedback the other day, and yes it's with a rejection letter, and it had some info that I wasn't too surprised to get. Good to know that what I see as my own weakness isn't just me being nit-picky and insecure about my craft. Yup, the interact rules of grammar is my major down fall. Which in the end causes my writing to be a little choppy at times.
How do I fix that problem you ask? Keep writing and refreshing my knowledge on grammar. Good thing I've taken the 'Before You Hit Send' workshop, taking plenty of notes. It does mean that I have to keep reading and going over my notes to improve, but if I want be a published author (which I do) I've got to keep moving forward.
So, what's my plan? I'm going to keep to my goals. I'll be rewriting my first paranormal manuscript during National Novel Writing Month this November, keeping my grammar notes close by. As well as going back over my manuscript Mackenzie Falls later on. Yes I've been working on and putting out submissions with that particular MS, but I think I've been over thinking the edits. How to fix this you ask? Put it away for a short while and come back to it with new eyes.
With my fourth (I know crazy it's such a small number for know and I expect it to grow) under my belt, I dove in to my Friday work day a little bummed, but good things I knew were coming that day. First off it's been employee appreciation week at my office so we got breakfast. Later we were going to have our fire extinguisher training session. You know what that means? Firemen!
The Redwood City Firemen of the ladder truck came to teach us some fire safety tips and let us play with some fire. And yes they were all cuties. What can I say Firemen no matter what are HOT and they were all really nice too. Wish I wasn't so shy so I could have talked to them more and got some good stories from them. But they did make a little fire for us and showed us how to put it out with a fire extinguisher. Yup I even put it out too! And it was a blast, leaving me wanting to know more about the ins and outs of being a firemen. Future book? I think so.
With a smile plastered on my face from playing with fire supervised by the great local firemen, our CFO took my accounting dept to a new local restaurant that was super tasty Italian Pizza that from what I'm told by those who've been to Italy rivals that real thing. What can I say, I still have the instinct of a poor college student. Free food is always a good thing. Oh and to top it off, it's pay day!
Yeah yesterday didn't suck.
And now it's back to the grind stone and hone my craft. Nothing happens overnight and when it does happen (and it will eventually) it will be that much a sweeter reward.
At this early of a stage of my writing career (shoot anytime in a writing career) good constructive criticism is always a good thing. And well I got my feedback the other day, and yes it's with a rejection letter, and it had some info that I wasn't too surprised to get. Good to know that what I see as my own weakness isn't just me being nit-picky and insecure about my craft. Yup, the interact rules of grammar is my major down fall. Which in the end causes my writing to be a little choppy at times.
How do I fix that problem you ask? Keep writing and refreshing my knowledge on grammar. Good thing I've taken the 'Before You Hit Send' workshop, taking plenty of notes. It does mean that I have to keep reading and going over my notes to improve, but if I want be a published author (which I do) I've got to keep moving forward.
So, what's my plan? I'm going to keep to my goals. I'll be rewriting my first paranormal manuscript during National Novel Writing Month this November, keeping my grammar notes close by. As well as going back over my manuscript Mackenzie Falls later on. Yes I've been working on and putting out submissions with that particular MS, but I think I've been over thinking the edits. How to fix this you ask? Put it away for a short while and come back to it with new eyes.
With my fourth (I know crazy it's such a small number for know and I expect it to grow) under my belt, I dove in to my Friday work day a little bummed, but good things I knew were coming that day. First off it's been employee appreciation week at my office so we got breakfast. Later we were going to have our fire extinguisher training session. You know what that means? Firemen!
The Redwood City Firemen of the ladder truck came to teach us some fire safety tips and let us play with some fire. And yes they were all cuties. What can I say Firemen no matter what are HOT and they were all really nice too. Wish I wasn't so shy so I could have talked to them more and got some good stories from them. But they did make a little fire for us and showed us how to put it out with a fire extinguisher. Yup I even put it out too! And it was a blast, leaving me wanting to know more about the ins and outs of being a firemen. Future book? I think so.
With a smile plastered on my face from playing with fire supervised by the great local firemen, our CFO took my accounting dept to a new local restaurant that was super tasty Italian Pizza that from what I'm told by those who've been to Italy rivals that real thing. What can I say, I still have the instinct of a poor college student. Free food is always a good thing. Oh and to top it off, it's pay day!
Yeah yesterday didn't suck.
And now it's back to the grind stone and hone my craft. Nothing happens overnight and when it does happen (and it will eventually) it will be that much a sweeter reward.
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Something Different
I sit here and wonder sometimes if I'm the only one that gets the random urge to pack up your car with every single thing that you care about most, sell everything else, and just move to the first place that sounds like heaven? I'm sure there are some people out there that can afford, or have the guts, to do this. I am not one of those people. As much as of late I have the urge to do this every so often my responsible self kicks in. There is no way to that my responsible side would let me do this.
First things first before moving anywhere...find a job. Then nothing else matters as to how or what I bring with.
For the time being I will fight the urge to move by saving up and keeping an eye out for new opportunities and save up for when the times come to move. Oh and can't forget I will keep writing and keep putting my work out there till I reach that goal....being a full time author.
Till then I will just have to write all my adventures.
First things first before moving anywhere...find a job. Then nothing else matters as to how or what I bring with.
For the time being I will fight the urge to move by saving up and keeping an eye out for new opportunities and save up for when the times come to move. Oh and can't forget I will keep writing and keep putting my work out there till I reach that goal....being a full time author.
Till then I will just have to write all my adventures.
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Behind Schedule
For the past few weeks I've been trying to stick to a new writing schedule to be able to accomplish everything. You know with the editing of two books, writing a third as well as keeping up two blogs, while being able to read a book to review for said second blog. Yeah that's a lot to do on top of a full time job.
Anyways, it had been going great. I got a book read and was making some great progress on the writing and editing front. Then my discipline was put to a real test. I got a rejection letter and I had family in town for a roller derby tourney my sister was skating in for three days. And it all went to crap.
I got some pages read in between bouts, but productivity was very low. Total bummer, but I did have a good time watching my sister skate and her team getting a bid to nationals.
So, now it's time to get back into action and focus. That means getting back on schedule, sticking to the plan and getting it done, even if it is the busiest time of the month at my day job which means staying late.
Yikes!
Ok taking a deep breath. Writing is fun and I don't have a real deadline for any of my novels, but that doesn't mean that I don't want to get into the good habits of a full time novelist. And to do that means that you have to put in the time and effort into it. But it also means that I need to also find a way to balance real life into a busy work schedule. Which is harder than it sounds.
With that being said...I'm back at it.
Anyways, it had been going great. I got a book read and was making some great progress on the writing and editing front. Then my discipline was put to a real test. I got a rejection letter and I had family in town for a roller derby tourney my sister was skating in for three days. And it all went to crap.
I got some pages read in between bouts, but productivity was very low. Total bummer, but I did have a good time watching my sister skate and her team getting a bid to nationals.
So, now it's time to get back into action and focus. That means getting back on schedule, sticking to the plan and getting it done, even if it is the busiest time of the month at my day job which means staying late.
Yikes!
Ok taking a deep breath. Writing is fun and I don't have a real deadline for any of my novels, but that doesn't mean that I don't want to get into the good habits of a full time novelist. And to do that means that you have to put in the time and effort into it. But it also means that I need to also find a way to balance real life into a busy work schedule. Which is harder than it sounds.
With that being said...I'm back at it.
Monday, September 24, 2012
Lessons leaned about Publishing World
As I make my way into the publishing world I've been learning a lot an am amazed by all the wonderful people that are in this industry. And yet I find it interesting just how many people who want to be authors don't take advantage of the FREE information that is out there to help make your way from the aspiring author to the published author to the published category.
So, here is a break down of the things I've learned in my last year of serious pursuing of Authorhood (Don't think that is a real word, but it works for now)
1. You only fail as an author if you never start and/or stop writing
2. Write every day. Even if your muse isn't wanting to work you need to learn how to work without her sometimes. If you want to be a full time writer that has a book come out a year that means working without your muse. That means taking full advantage of when she is around. Being disciplined will help your writing career and help your writing grow.
3. Know your genre. This means make sure that you know where your book will sit in the bookstores. This will help make sure that you will pitch it to the right agents and editors.
4. Read your genre. This also goes with #3 but if you know what others are writing and selling it will help your own writing. I'm not saying that you need to use other others ideas and writing styles, but like any business it's good to know what is out there in what you are writing.
5. This is a business. What you put out there in social media and in person does affect if people want to work with you. You can be friendly with the people you want to work with and those that you are working with, but in the end they can it comes down to business. You may talk kids and family trips and other personal things, but editor and agents are there to work with you and aren't your BFF. It's about getting your work out there to the right people and in the best shape possible. That means that sometimes you have blunt feed back or hear things you don't like. But it's a business not about making friends. Harsh, yet true.
6. Nothing happens overnight. It might seem like it to the outside world, but it doesn't. Put your work out there to agents and editors while you are working on a new work. That way you always have time to be continuing to grow your resume. If you wait till your one work gets out then you might never write that second book that you've always wanted to write. Just know it's about finding the right people who love your work as much as you do. Don't rush it just to be able to say you're published. It will happen.
7. This is an industry about rejections. You will get hundreds of nos before you get that one yes that get's your work published.
8. Hone your craft. To do this you have to write. And keep writing. Pick one genre or two to start out in. That way your writing can grow within that genre. If you are all over the place you will never be able to improve than if you focus on one or two things.
9. Do your research. Find the agents, publishing houses, and editors that focus on the genres you write. Then read the submission guidelines and FOLLOW them. By following them you are more likely to get a request for pages. I'm amazed at how many stories I hear about people who get things sent to them in genres that they don't represent. It takes two minutes to check what people are looking for and how they want it sent.
10. Social Media is an amazing tool. I've learned a lot from just using Twitter. Tons of publishing people post pet peeves, what they are looking for in queries, tips and a ton of other good advice. Also DONT query them on social media! That is a big no and an annoyance. Go their website and follow there directions. Social media is a great way to make new connections and to start branding yourself. It's never too soon to start branding yourself. Just remember the 80/20 rule. 20% self promotion 80% interaction. It's also not about the quantity of followers you have but the quality. Use Social media as a tool for research.
11. Only send email to agents and editors business accounts. Showing that you can find their personal information is creepy and sends up red flags. This will not get their attention in a good way. Follow the sub guidelines.
12. Write what you enjoy writing. Don't let the market dictate what you need to be writing. If you don't like the genre then don't do it.
Okay that is all I can think of off the top of my head right now. There are still a ton of lessons I've learned and still need to learn.
Even with all the struggles and hard ships in the end writing is worth it to me. Even if I don't get published, writing is a release and fun. Keep doing what you love doing. I know I am.
So, here is a break down of the things I've learned in my last year of serious pursuing of Authorhood (Don't think that is a real word, but it works for now)
1. You only fail as an author if you never start and/or stop writing
2. Write every day. Even if your muse isn't wanting to work you need to learn how to work without her sometimes. If you want to be a full time writer that has a book come out a year that means working without your muse. That means taking full advantage of when she is around. Being disciplined will help your writing career and help your writing grow.
3. Know your genre. This means make sure that you know where your book will sit in the bookstores. This will help make sure that you will pitch it to the right agents and editors.
4. Read your genre. This also goes with #3 but if you know what others are writing and selling it will help your own writing. I'm not saying that you need to use other others ideas and writing styles, but like any business it's good to know what is out there in what you are writing.
5. This is a business. What you put out there in social media and in person does affect if people want to work with you. You can be friendly with the people you want to work with and those that you are working with, but in the end they can it comes down to business. You may talk kids and family trips and other personal things, but editor and agents are there to work with you and aren't your BFF. It's about getting your work out there to the right people and in the best shape possible. That means that sometimes you have blunt feed back or hear things you don't like. But it's a business not about making friends. Harsh, yet true.
6. Nothing happens overnight. It might seem like it to the outside world, but it doesn't. Put your work out there to agents and editors while you are working on a new work. That way you always have time to be continuing to grow your resume. If you wait till your one work gets out then you might never write that second book that you've always wanted to write. Just know it's about finding the right people who love your work as much as you do. Don't rush it just to be able to say you're published. It will happen.
7. This is an industry about rejections. You will get hundreds of nos before you get that one yes that get's your work published.
8. Hone your craft. To do this you have to write. And keep writing. Pick one genre or two to start out in. That way your writing can grow within that genre. If you are all over the place you will never be able to improve than if you focus on one or two things.
9. Do your research. Find the agents, publishing houses, and editors that focus on the genres you write. Then read the submission guidelines and FOLLOW them. By following them you are more likely to get a request for pages. I'm amazed at how many stories I hear about people who get things sent to them in genres that they don't represent. It takes two minutes to check what people are looking for and how they want it sent.
10. Social Media is an amazing tool. I've learned a lot from just using Twitter. Tons of publishing people post pet peeves, what they are looking for in queries, tips and a ton of other good advice. Also DONT query them on social media! That is a big no and an annoyance. Go their website and follow there directions. Social media is a great way to make new connections and to start branding yourself. It's never too soon to start branding yourself. Just remember the 80/20 rule. 20% self promotion 80% interaction. It's also not about the quantity of followers you have but the quality. Use Social media as a tool for research.
11. Only send email to agents and editors business accounts. Showing that you can find their personal information is creepy and sends up red flags. This will not get their attention in a good way. Follow the sub guidelines.
12. Write what you enjoy writing. Don't let the market dictate what you need to be writing. If you don't like the genre then don't do it.
Okay that is all I can think of off the top of my head right now. There are still a ton of lessons I've learned and still need to learn.
Even with all the struggles and hard ships in the end writing is worth it to me. Even if I don't get published, writing is a release and fun. Keep doing what you love doing. I know I am.
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Evolution of a Story
As I'm sitting here typing chapter notes for a new work in progress, I'm amazed where my characters are taking me. This is the first book that has a lot of characters right off the bat, and I'm trying to find a way to not overwhelm the reader, as well as myself with all the information. Not everyone is needing to be introduced by name, but it doesn't mean that I don't know each and everyone personally.
But, as I'm trying to get my notes all in one place I'm realizing that my characters are evolving to more than what I thought they were. They do know each other than I do at the moment and what I had orginially thought of them and their place in the story has changed.
Don't get me wrong this isn't a bad thing. I'm only about 20 pages in to the first draft and hand a general idea of where the story is going with a shadow of an idea of who the antagonist is. But the more I sit down and listen to my characters the more the story is growing and they are get strong.
Every time something new pops up I have to take a step back and go, "Oh, I didn't know that about you. That changes everything!" All in a good way of course. If I had forced all these characters in to doing something that isn't in their nature then it wouldn't read as natural. If it means I have to go back and change something then so be it.
With each book I seem to go about it differently. Let it be from creating the characters first to having a scene and then the characters come from that. One thing is always the same. None of my characters end the way that I had orginally pictured them. For example in my first paranormal romance, both the main characters were in high school. When I had finished the story one they were both in college and one of the protagonists turned out to be a bad guy. It was a completely different story I had thought of, but it still held the core I'd wanted, but the characters evolved enough to make the story adapt and evolve.
Seeing this is an amazing thing to me. It's one of the many reasons I love to write. Not only do I get to create these wonderful worlds, but these people I get to meet and experience is mindbogglingly wonderful.
Anyways, I'm going to go back to meeting my characters, and hopefully one day you will meet them too. :)
But, as I'm trying to get my notes all in one place I'm realizing that my characters are evolving to more than what I thought they were. They do know each other than I do at the moment and what I had orginially thought of them and their place in the story has changed.
Don't get me wrong this isn't a bad thing. I'm only about 20 pages in to the first draft and hand a general idea of where the story is going with a shadow of an idea of who the antagonist is. But the more I sit down and listen to my characters the more the story is growing and they are get strong.
Every time something new pops up I have to take a step back and go, "Oh, I didn't know that about you. That changes everything!" All in a good way of course. If I had forced all these characters in to doing something that isn't in their nature then it wouldn't read as natural. If it means I have to go back and change something then so be it.
With each book I seem to go about it differently. Let it be from creating the characters first to having a scene and then the characters come from that. One thing is always the same. None of my characters end the way that I had orginally pictured them. For example in my first paranormal romance, both the main characters were in high school. When I had finished the story one they were both in college and one of the protagonists turned out to be a bad guy. It was a completely different story I had thought of, but it still held the core I'd wanted, but the characters evolved enough to make the story adapt and evolve.
Seeing this is an amazing thing to me. It's one of the many reasons I love to write. Not only do I get to create these wonderful worlds, but these people I get to meet and experience is mindbogglingly wonderful.
Anyways, I'm going to go back to meeting my characters, and hopefully one day you will meet them too. :)
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
I'll always remember my first....
No matter how good or how bad something, you always remember the first time you do something.
For my writing career it's my first writers conference at RWA in SoCal. My first pitch to an agent in person. My first rejection from the first pitch in person. My first novel I wrote. My first novel I finished the edits on. My first query letter I mailed.
And to this week I get to add to my firsts. My first request for pages from an agent from that second query letter I sent on a whim to an agent I respect, but hadn't really planned on sending it in quite yet.
When I got that email I had to read it twice to make sure my imagination wasn't playing tricks on me. It wasn't. The agency wants to read 30 pages of my work. AAAHHHHHH. I was at my day job and gave my boss a high five cause I was so excited.
Now what?
I did a quick read through out loud to catch any last little errors and saved those pages in a separate file. Following their directions to a T I sent in what they asked as tears of joy and excitement and utter horror that this is actually happening.
After I hit the send button I made a little hysterical giggle and let out a sigh. I did it. There is no turning back and I feel like I can call my self a writer.
No this doesn't mean that I'm going to be represented by this particular agency. But it means that I have gotten that one step closer to making it happen. Would I love to be represented by this agency? Hell yes. But right now it's about waiting to hear back if they want to read more pages after this. And after that if they want to read the whole thing. If they like my and they sent me an offer of representation then the real work begins.
That's when we really see if what I want and what they want match up. If it does then EPIC win. If not then I'm off to find someone who is just as passsionate of my work as I am and can help me make myself a better writer and help my career grow in an industry that I'm still learning about.
But for right now I'm celebrating the fact that I made it this far. I got my manuscript done. WIN. I sent out a query letter. WIN. I was asked to have pages sent to someone in the industry that can quite possibly be a business partner. WIN.
I will take those 3 wins, pat myself on the back and see where it will go from there.
Good luck to everyone else in their firsts and always remember to embrace those wins and not let those rejections bring you down. You made it this far don't stop now. I'm not. And I'm loving every second of the journey.
Edit two weeks later: I get to ad to another of my firsts. My first emailed rejection letter. Yes, I'm bummed, but hey I got a request of pages from my query and that's the farthest I've ever gotten so far. So, I'm taking this experience as a win, and moving on to find another agent that I would want to represent me and my work. And then the process starts over again. And again. And again if it has to. Until I find that right agent that see my potential and loves my work and my ideas. Then the real work begins. Trying to sell my work to publishers. Till then I'm going to keep writing and keep sending my work out. This business is about rejections till you get that one yes. And I'm going to celebrate every little win I can to get me through the rejections. I love writing and I'm not going to stop. Ever.
For my writing career it's my first writers conference at RWA in SoCal. My first pitch to an agent in person. My first rejection from the first pitch in person. My first novel I wrote. My first novel I finished the edits on. My first query letter I mailed.
And to this week I get to add to my firsts. My first request for pages from an agent from that second query letter I sent on a whim to an agent I respect, but hadn't really planned on sending it in quite yet.
When I got that email I had to read it twice to make sure my imagination wasn't playing tricks on me. It wasn't. The agency wants to read 30 pages of my work. AAAHHHHHH. I was at my day job and gave my boss a high five cause I was so excited.
Now what?
I did a quick read through out loud to catch any last little errors and saved those pages in a separate file. Following their directions to a T I sent in what they asked as tears of joy and excitement and utter horror that this is actually happening.
After I hit the send button I made a little hysterical giggle and let out a sigh. I did it. There is no turning back and I feel like I can call my self a writer.
No this doesn't mean that I'm going to be represented by this particular agency. But it means that I have gotten that one step closer to making it happen. Would I love to be represented by this agency? Hell yes. But right now it's about waiting to hear back if they want to read more pages after this. And after that if they want to read the whole thing. If they like my and they sent me an offer of representation then the real work begins.
That's when we really see if what I want and what they want match up. If it does then EPIC win. If not then I'm off to find someone who is just as passsionate of my work as I am and can help me make myself a better writer and help my career grow in an industry that I'm still learning about.
But for right now I'm celebrating the fact that I made it this far. I got my manuscript done. WIN. I sent out a query letter. WIN. I was asked to have pages sent to someone in the industry that can quite possibly be a business partner. WIN.
I will take those 3 wins, pat myself on the back and see where it will go from there.
Good luck to everyone else in their firsts and always remember to embrace those wins and not let those rejections bring you down. You made it this far don't stop now. I'm not. And I'm loving every second of the journey.
Edit two weeks later: I get to ad to another of my firsts. My first emailed rejection letter. Yes, I'm bummed, but hey I got a request of pages from my query and that's the farthest I've ever gotten so far. So, I'm taking this experience as a win, and moving on to find another agent that I would want to represent me and my work. And then the process starts over again. And again. And again if it has to. Until I find that right agent that see my potential and loves my work and my ideas. Then the real work begins. Trying to sell my work to publishers. Till then I'm going to keep writing and keep sending my work out. This business is about rejections till you get that one yes. And I'm going to celebrate every little win I can to get me through the rejections. I love writing and I'm not going to stop. Ever.
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