So last time I wrote, I mentioned that I was going to be doing my own version of NaNoWriMo for the month of June and I thought I would give a little update.
1. NaNoWriMo is HARD.
Okay, so I knew this going in, but I don't think I fully understood just how hard it would be. I have so much more respect for the people who have successfully (or even unsuccessfully) participated in NaNoWriMo. It's so difficult to sit down and write that much every day. Of course, some days I wrote more, but other days I have been checking the word count after every sentence.
2. I'm terrible at consistency.
Okay, so here's what happened. June 1st came and I wrote *whispers* absolutely nothing. Yep, that's right. I went shopping for my sister's birthday gift and did not write. However, I compensated the next day by writing double. I then stayed on track for a couple of days. Then I had a weak day: I only wrote 400 words. No biggie, right? I can just make it up the next day. I definitely did not do that. I have also missed an entire week due to father's day, getting sick briefly, editing the completed manuscript, and other complications (including a seminar I took at my college that took more time than I thought it would and good old-fashioned laziness).
3. I'm extra-critical of myself.
I've definitely been beating myself up about not staying on track, but I'm learning to get better about that. I'm getting back on track today and not worrying about the time missed. That was part of the point of doing this not during actual NaNoWriMo: no pressure. Even with missed time, my manuscript has nearly tripled in length. I have written 2 complete manuscripts, one almost complete, and started this one and this is the first I have ever outlined. It's a rough outline, but an outline nonetheless. That has made it a lot easier to keep going. Thus far, I haven't had any cases of writer's block, which is basically a miracle, so my delays have been partially out of my control and partially in my control. I can't do anything about the out of control stuff, but I can work on my motivation. I'm going to try keeping to a writing schedule so that I write the same time every day. Unless I get super crazy, this won't be done by the end of June, but there's still a very real chance of finishing in early July and starting edits. So that's my goal.
I'm working on fueling my self-disappointment into better action in the future. It's a learning process! But what better way to learn than with something fun like writing? So off I go to write!
Tuesday, June 19, 2018
Tuesday, May 29, 2018
Fun Updates!
It seems every time I write a new post here, I say something about how it's been forever and how I promise I'm going to be more consistent. It's the thought that counts?
Anyway, let's get to a few updates...
1. Life Updates
I am still teaching and loving it. I just finished my second year teaching high school English and it is such a rewarding job for me. I truly love my students and my subject matter.
New news! I have been officially accepted into graduate school! I've already taken a few classes, but in the fall, I will officially be pursuing a Master's of English Rhetoric. I'm pretty stoked about it. If you've been following this blog for any length of time, you'll know this has been a goal of mine for a long time and that many people (read: ACTUAL COLLEGE ADVISORS WHO ARE SUPPOSED TO BE HELPFUL AND SUPPORTIVE) have told me that I wouldn't be able to do so. I'm happy not just to prove them wrong (though that's fun, I won't lie), but above all, I'm happy to finally follow through on a long-time ambition. I will still be teaching and will be going to school part-time.
2. Writing Updates (the best kind...)
Manuscript #2 has been complete for some time as many of you know. Many moons ago, I had some writer friends read it and give me feedback. Their feedback was fantastic, but due to time constraints, busyness, and general confusion about where I wanted the manuscript to go led to a stall in progress. I started by making the simple, mechanical edits. Then I didn't look at it for months. I tried fixing some major sequencing problems but just got frustrated. Then I started writing a sequel (because that's helpful, right?). Then a friend asked me to read their manuscript and how could I resist (It was fabulous, in case you were wondering...)? After a while, I finally figured out what I was doing. I began closing a major plot hole to which my friends had drawn attention. Then I improved the surrounding writing. Then I made a few other smaller improvements.
And now?
IT IS PRINTED.
Yep, I reached that critical moment. I printed it. I squealed over it a little and then got down to business.
And then what happened?
Exam season started at school 😓 It's impossible to get anything creative done when you have to write exams, clean your classroom, help students review, wrap up other end-of-the-year stuff, get gifts for a retirement party, and try to get enough sleep.
But now, it is summer, and for the first time since I started college in 2012, I am not taking any classes of any kind over the summer, so I actually have quite a bit of free time this summer.
So I will now read through it and make some final edits and then I will have some different friends read it. Some will be writers, some not. I want a lot of perspectives. Hopefully (she said ambitiously) I will really have something by the end of the summer and will feel comfortable querying in the fall.
WHEW
(giphy.com)
Other writing updates:
Every November, there is an event called NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). If you haven't heard of it, basically it's an event for novel writers. These ambitious souls set out to write a novel in a month (writing about 1,667 words a day, give or take). It has always sounded like so much fun to me, but November is possibly the worst month of the year as a teacher AND a student because that is the busiest time of the academic calendar, so I've never participated.
I've decided to throw convention to the wind. Who says I have to participate during November? Why can't I do it in another month? Sure, I won't actually be participating in the official NaNoWriMo event, but who says I can't follow the 1667 guideline in another month when I have time?
As the non-conformist that I am, I have decided to do just that. This June, I will attempt to finish that sequel I started (I currently have about 5,000 words). Sure, it will probably be pretty terrible, but it will be written, which is the very important first step. Plus, it'll be a fun experience and a way to keep busy this summer as well as flex my creative muscles. I'm looking forward to it!
Also, I am always submitting short stories to magazines in the hopes of getting one of them published. Fingers crossed!
(giphy.com)
So those are all of my updates. Let me know your thoughts and have a wonderful summer! Maybe I'll actually post within a year this time! 😏
Anyway, let's get to a few updates...
1. Life Updates
I am still teaching and loving it. I just finished my second year teaching high school English and it is such a rewarding job for me. I truly love my students and my subject matter.
New news! I have been officially accepted into graduate school! I've already taken a few classes, but in the fall, I will officially be pursuing a Master's of English Rhetoric. I'm pretty stoked about it. If you've been following this blog for any length of time, you'll know this has been a goal of mine for a long time and that many people (read: ACTUAL COLLEGE ADVISORS WHO ARE SUPPOSED TO BE HELPFUL AND SUPPORTIVE) have told me that I wouldn't be able to do so. I'm happy not just to prove them wrong (though that's fun, I won't lie), but above all, I'm happy to finally follow through on a long-time ambition. I will still be teaching and will be going to school part-time.
2. Writing Updates (the best kind...)
Manuscript #2 has been complete for some time as many of you know. Many moons ago, I had some writer friends read it and give me feedback. Their feedback was fantastic, but due to time constraints, busyness, and general confusion about where I wanted the manuscript to go led to a stall in progress. I started by making the simple, mechanical edits. Then I didn't look at it for months. I tried fixing some major sequencing problems but just got frustrated. Then I started writing a sequel (because that's helpful, right?). Then a friend asked me to read their manuscript and how could I resist (It was fabulous, in case you were wondering...)? After a while, I finally figured out what I was doing. I began closing a major plot hole to which my friends had drawn attention. Then I improved the surrounding writing. Then I made a few other smaller improvements.
And now?
IT IS PRINTED.
Yep, I reached that critical moment. I printed it. I squealed over it a little and then got down to business.
And then what happened?
Exam season started at school 😓 It's impossible to get anything creative done when you have to write exams, clean your classroom, help students review, wrap up other end-of-the-year stuff, get gifts for a retirement party, and try to get enough sleep.
But now, it is summer, and for the first time since I started college in 2012, I am not taking any classes of any kind over the summer, so I actually have quite a bit of free time this summer.
So I will now read through it and make some final edits and then I will have some different friends read it. Some will be writers, some not. I want a lot of perspectives. Hopefully (she said ambitiously) I will really have something by the end of the summer and will feel comfortable querying in the fall.
WHEW
(giphy.com)Other writing updates:
Every November, there is an event called NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). If you haven't heard of it, basically it's an event for novel writers. These ambitious souls set out to write a novel in a month (writing about 1,667 words a day, give or take). It has always sounded like so much fun to me, but November is possibly the worst month of the year as a teacher AND a student because that is the busiest time of the academic calendar, so I've never participated.
I've decided to throw convention to the wind. Who says I have to participate during November? Why can't I do it in another month? Sure, I won't actually be participating in the official NaNoWriMo event, but who says I can't follow the 1667 guideline in another month when I have time?
As the non-conformist that I am, I have decided to do just that. This June, I will attempt to finish that sequel I started (I currently have about 5,000 words). Sure, it will probably be pretty terrible, but it will be written, which is the very important first step. Plus, it'll be a fun experience and a way to keep busy this summer as well as flex my creative muscles. I'm looking forward to it!
Also, I am always submitting short stories to magazines in the hopes of getting one of them published. Fingers crossed!
(giphy.com)So those are all of my updates. Let me know your thoughts and have a wonderful summer! Maybe I'll actually post within a year this time! 😏
Thursday, June 8, 2017
On Writing Friends
If you've been following this blog for any length of time, you know I studied creative writing in college. Well, when I graduated, several of my former classmates found me on facebook and asked to stay in touch. We have a massive facebook group where we just post stuff we're working on and ask for feedback.
It. is. awesome.
So last fall, I posted on there asking if any poor soul would be willing to read completed manuscript #2. I know it is a little short and it needs more detail, but I didn't know what to add. I was too close to the work and I needed perspective that wasn't mine.
Now, I didn't actually think anyone would take me up on that offer. It's long, we're all busy, and I was asking my friends who had only ever read maybe 14 pages at most from me to suddenly sit down and read 230 pages. However, two lovely friends accepted!
After they finished reading, we met up during spring break and discussed the book. We sat there for hours talking about just about everything. Here are some reasons that this was a great experience:
1. Hearing other people discuss your work is FUN.
No one had ever laid eyes on this work before (other than me, obviously). It was all still in my head, even though it was recorded on a computer screen. But hearing other people talk about my characters, my setting, the plot, and so on was really fun. Watching them geek out over the romantic scenes, vent over the irritating characters, and laugh over the funny moments was fun. It made the whole thing feel real.
2. Writing friends have a unique perspective.
I've discussed this before, but writing friends are totally different kinds of friends. They understand the convoluted process in your brain. They know the struggle, the persistence, the frustration, the self-hatred, the excitement, and the nerves that are a part of writing. In this particular case, these were also friends that knew my writing style because I took several classes with them. There's nothing like friends who understand exactly how you feel and what you're trying to do.
3. They see things in a new light.
I've also discussed this before, but new perspective definitely helps. One of them suggested completely restructuring my novel format to better tell the story and avoid lag time. Her suggestion made me bristle initially, but the more I thought about it, the more ideas I got for exactly how to do it. While I'm still not sure exactly how I'm going to do it, she gave me a lot to think about. They also point out your weaknesses that you know are there, but they offer suggestions for how to fix them. They even point out weaknesses you didn't know were there. I thought the time setting was clear, but they were confused. This is invaluable information.
I haven't actually started revisions on this yet because I'm a teacher and the end of the year was CRAZY (yes, that is my excuse), but I am so excited to start. I know the manuscript will only get better with this feedback. Consult writing friends! They are the best!
It. is. awesome.
So last fall, I posted on there asking if any poor soul would be willing to read completed manuscript #2. I know it is a little short and it needs more detail, but I didn't know what to add. I was too close to the work and I needed perspective that wasn't mine.
Now, I didn't actually think anyone would take me up on that offer. It's long, we're all busy, and I was asking my friends who had only ever read maybe 14 pages at most from me to suddenly sit down and read 230 pages. However, two lovely friends accepted!
After they finished reading, we met up during spring break and discussed the book. We sat there for hours talking about just about everything. Here are some reasons that this was a great experience:
1. Hearing other people discuss your work is FUN.
No one had ever laid eyes on this work before (other than me, obviously). It was all still in my head, even though it was recorded on a computer screen. But hearing other people talk about my characters, my setting, the plot, and so on was really fun. Watching them geek out over the romantic scenes, vent over the irritating characters, and laugh over the funny moments was fun. It made the whole thing feel real.
2. Writing friends have a unique perspective.
I've discussed this before, but writing friends are totally different kinds of friends. They understand the convoluted process in your brain. They know the struggle, the persistence, the frustration, the self-hatred, the excitement, and the nerves that are a part of writing. In this particular case, these were also friends that knew my writing style because I took several classes with them. There's nothing like friends who understand exactly how you feel and what you're trying to do.
3. They see things in a new light.
I've also discussed this before, but new perspective definitely helps. One of them suggested completely restructuring my novel format to better tell the story and avoid lag time. Her suggestion made me bristle initially, but the more I thought about it, the more ideas I got for exactly how to do it. While I'm still not sure exactly how I'm going to do it, she gave me a lot to think about. They also point out your weaknesses that you know are there, but they offer suggestions for how to fix them. They even point out weaknesses you didn't know were there. I thought the time setting was clear, but they were confused. This is invaluable information.
I haven't actually started revisions on this yet because I'm a teacher and the end of the year was CRAZY (yes, that is my excuse), but I am so excited to start. I know the manuscript will only get better with this feedback. Consult writing friends! They are the best!
Tuesday, April 25, 2017
Go to a Writers Conference (Yes, Seriously)
Hello all!
So last month I attended a writer's conference at a local university.
Let me be honest here: This was my first writers conference. I know, I know, I've heard all the advice from literally everyone in the writing/publishing world about how you should go to writers conferences, but I never really thought it was necessary. I didn't see what I could possibly gain from going.
But then the school I work for offered to let me go and take students with me (side note: I run a creative writing club and they thought it would be a cool field trip). So I did. I took students with me and we went. It was a two day conference and let me tell you something:
It was worth it.
I say that as possibly the biggest skeptic of those kinds of things. I couldn't see spending hundreds of dollars on a two day event to hear everything I've already learned from research. And I did hear a lot of repeated information, but I also heard a lot of new things.
It was fun, first of all, just to talk with other writers. It's very affirming to feel like what you love matters (because it does) and getting to share that excitement with people who feel the same way. It's also cool because you get writing prompts and learn new tricks for writing. I met some pretty cool professors and local authors who are "living the dream," so to speak. I made contacts I didn't think I could ever make until after I was published.
And I had fun.
This conference was modestly priced and I don't think I would attend one of the pricier ones simply because I don't make enough to throw money at stuff like that. But I would definitely go again. I got so much inspiration about my completed novel, my WIP, and some new ideas. I heard some things that I had learned be reinforced. I chatted with groups of people who gave me new insight on old problems. I got to watch my students soak up every minute and talk excitedly about it afterward. I also felt affirmed as a writer.
As a result, I can now add to my creds that I attended a writers conference. I joined a writers organization during the conference (also on my creds). And the major breakthrough I had with edits for my completed novel cannot be understated.
So as a major skeptic of writers conferences, let me tell you:
Go to a writers conference.
So last month I attended a writer's conference at a local university.
Let me be honest here: This was my first writers conference. I know, I know, I've heard all the advice from literally everyone in the writing/publishing world about how you should go to writers conferences, but I never really thought it was necessary. I didn't see what I could possibly gain from going.
But then the school I work for offered to let me go and take students with me (side note: I run a creative writing club and they thought it would be a cool field trip). So I did. I took students with me and we went. It was a two day conference and let me tell you something:
It was worth it.
I say that as possibly the biggest skeptic of those kinds of things. I couldn't see spending hundreds of dollars on a two day event to hear everything I've already learned from research. And I did hear a lot of repeated information, but I also heard a lot of new things.
It was fun, first of all, just to talk with other writers. It's very affirming to feel like what you love matters (because it does) and getting to share that excitement with people who feel the same way. It's also cool because you get writing prompts and learn new tricks for writing. I met some pretty cool professors and local authors who are "living the dream," so to speak. I made contacts I didn't think I could ever make until after I was published.
And I had fun.
This conference was modestly priced and I don't think I would attend one of the pricier ones simply because I don't make enough to throw money at stuff like that. But I would definitely go again. I got so much inspiration about my completed novel, my WIP, and some new ideas. I heard some things that I had learned be reinforced. I chatted with groups of people who gave me new insight on old problems. I got to watch my students soak up every minute and talk excitedly about it afterward. I also felt affirmed as a writer.
As a result, I can now add to my creds that I attended a writers conference. I joined a writers organization during the conference (also on my creds). And the major breakthrough I had with edits for my completed novel cannot be understated.
So as a major skeptic of writers conferences, let me tell you:
Go to a writers conference.
Saturday, November 19, 2016
Hello, It's Me (I'm Finally Back)
You know, I used to secretly criticize people in my head when they didn't continuously update their blogs. I always thought they were such slackers. Then I became one of them.
The truth is that life happens. So, this is my attempt to get back to updating more regularly.
The reason I've been MIA is that I just graduated from college, got a job about a week later, and went full speed ahead into preparing. I am teaching high school English, which is super exciting. As soon as I got the job, I started taking education classes, attending seminars, lesson planning, and so on. So it's been super busy on my end. Being a first year teacher is hard work!
BUT that doesn't mean I've neglected writing. I've been a little slower lately, but I'm still writing. I have currently sent completed manuscript #2 to a couple of beta readers. It's still a little short and I've reached the point where someone else's eyes need to see it because mine are no longer helpful. I'm excited for that feedback!
I'm also still working on finishing my current WIP, but because I'm me, I couldn't resist starting a new project. It just seems weird to me to only be writing one thing at a time. So I actually got a pretty good idea for a sequel to completed manuscript #2, so I've started writing that too. Obviously it's still in the early stages, but I'm excited to see where it'll go. I may even get more ideas from the beta feedback.
These two projects are very special to me. The first manuscript I wrote was exactly that: the first. It's rough, full of plot holes, inconsistent, and not my best writing. But it was the first and it will always hold a special place in my heart. Plus the experience I gained from writing it made these other two projects possible. Maybe one day (after a LOT of editing) it'll see publication.
But for now, I'm excited about these two. I can totally see the potential they have. Although my wonderful job has slowed me down a little, I'm still fully dedicated to making one (or both!) of these a reality.
So that's my life update. Keep writing, people. Even if it's hard. Even if you're busy. If you really love it, you'll still love working on it.
More updates to come (I promise).
The truth is that life happens. So, this is my attempt to get back to updating more regularly.
The reason I've been MIA is that I just graduated from college, got a job about a week later, and went full speed ahead into preparing. I am teaching high school English, which is super exciting. As soon as I got the job, I started taking education classes, attending seminars, lesson planning, and so on. So it's been super busy on my end. Being a first year teacher is hard work!
BUT that doesn't mean I've neglected writing. I've been a little slower lately, but I'm still writing. I have currently sent completed manuscript #2 to a couple of beta readers. It's still a little short and I've reached the point where someone else's eyes need to see it because mine are no longer helpful. I'm excited for that feedback!
I'm also still working on finishing my current WIP, but because I'm me, I couldn't resist starting a new project. It just seems weird to me to only be writing one thing at a time. So I actually got a pretty good idea for a sequel to completed manuscript #2, so I've started writing that too. Obviously it's still in the early stages, but I'm excited to see where it'll go. I may even get more ideas from the beta feedback.
These two projects are very special to me. The first manuscript I wrote was exactly that: the first. It's rough, full of plot holes, inconsistent, and not my best writing. But it was the first and it will always hold a special place in my heart. Plus the experience I gained from writing it made these other two projects possible. Maybe one day (after a LOT of editing) it'll see publication.
But for now, I'm excited about these two. I can totally see the potential they have. Although my wonderful job has slowed me down a little, I'm still fully dedicated to making one (or both!) of these a reality.
So that's my life update. Keep writing, people. Even if it's hard. Even if you're busy. If you really love it, you'll still love working on it.
More updates to come (I promise).
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