My life (more specifically my health) seems like it's out to ruin my . . . well, life. Okay that doesn't seem to make sense, but whatever. After yesterday, I'm not sure much makes sense to me right now. Right now I'm just super pissed at my body for being stupid.
I think this is the point that I should probably explain.
I had a bit of a scare yesterday. I've been sick all weekend and stuck at home. Yesterday I was finally getting out of the house to go to a meeting for a mission trip I'm taking this summer (to Guatemala. I can't wait!). On the way, for some not-completely-clear reason my body decided that I needed to blackout. This was particularly problematic since I was driving at the time. Oh and alone in the car.
Thankfully I was still conscious enough that I eventually managed to pull over to the side of the road, though I'm pretty sure it's a miracle that I didn't wind up hitting another car. God was definitely protecting me.
After I pulled over, a kind woman stopped and checked on me. Also a police office. An ambulance was called, I was taken to the ER. After three hours and a few tests, turns out I'm fine. Probably just dehydrated. Which apparently doesn't combine well with my naturally low blood pressure. At least that's what the doctor thinks. Not that they are ever sure of anything when it comes to my health.
Still, it was probably one of the scariest experiences of my life. I'd prefer to never, ever repeat it.
Now I'm just trying to get back to normal. My health has always kind of been an issue and seems to complicate my life (both writing and otherwise). I've always to just be healthy, but that's never really been an option for me. Even when things seem totally fine, I'm dealing with some health-related thing. It kind of sucks.
Anyway, that was my weekend. I'll try to write something about writing next time.
Monday, April 7, 2014
Friday, April 4, 2014
Why I Stuck a Fork in It
That title came to me so much faster than it should have. Why can't I come up with a title for Alana that easily?
Anyway, to my point. How do you know a story is finished? That is something I've been trying to figure out with Alana. As I said in my previous post, I think Alana is pretty much done, but I'm not totally sure. I am terrible at judging my own writing.
I'm pretty sure that this is where other people would say that your critique partners come in. Seeing as I don't have any (I've unsuccessfully tried to find CPs multiple times. Inevitably the relationships have just fallen apart. No one's fault, they just haven't lasted), I can't really comment on that. I have had a few people read the book. One of my close friends who is also really particular about their reading material and I trusted to give me an honest opinion gave me some great insight, which I used in the fourth draft. But she's not a writer, so it's still hard to know if the book is done.
Still, after going through and doing a fourth draft, I really feel like it's done or as done as I can make it on my own. Why, you ask. Well, because on this run through, though I did find things that needed some changing, and I added some more small scenes, overall, I felt that the story was told. There didn't seem to be anything missing after the additions I made. It felt complete and cohesive to me at this point. I added far less on this go around than I have on any other draft (while I'm calling it a fourth draft, for this particular book, it's actually something like the 15th. This is just the fourth draft aft a complete rewrite of the entire thing a couple years ago). And while I'm sure I will always find things that I could change, overall, I really like the story and the way I've told it. I feel like it's good and might even be ready to be seen by the outside world.
So I've decided that I want to start submitting it. Which means I have a ton of research to do. And a query letter to write. And I need to write up basic outlines of the other two books in the series. And anything else that I might need to come up with for submitting purposes. Oy. Excuse me while I go cry in the corner over there.
Better get to work.
Anyway, to my point. How do you know a story is finished? That is something I've been trying to figure out with Alana. As I said in my previous post, I think Alana is pretty much done, but I'm not totally sure. I am terrible at judging my own writing.
I'm pretty sure that this is where other people would say that your critique partners come in. Seeing as I don't have any (I've unsuccessfully tried to find CPs multiple times. Inevitably the relationships have just fallen apart. No one's fault, they just haven't lasted), I can't really comment on that. I have had a few people read the book. One of my close friends who is also really particular about their reading material and I trusted to give me an honest opinion gave me some great insight, which I used in the fourth draft. But she's not a writer, so it's still hard to know if the book is done.
Still, after going through and doing a fourth draft, I really feel like it's done or as done as I can make it on my own. Why, you ask. Well, because on this run through, though I did find things that needed some changing, and I added some more small scenes, overall, I felt that the story was told. There didn't seem to be anything missing after the additions I made. It felt complete and cohesive to me at this point. I added far less on this go around than I have on any other draft (while I'm calling it a fourth draft, for this particular book, it's actually something like the 15th. This is just the fourth draft aft a complete rewrite of the entire thing a couple years ago). And while I'm sure I will always find things that I could change, overall, I really like the story and the way I've told it. I feel like it's good and might even be ready to be seen by the outside world.
So I've decided that I want to start submitting it. Which means I have a ton of research to do. And a query letter to write. And I need to write up basic outlines of the other two books in the series. And anything else that I might need to come up with for submitting purposes. Oy. Excuse me while I go cry in the corner over there.
Better get to work.
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
What's Going with My Writing
Despite the long break between posts, I have still been writing. I'm sure that y'all are desperately wondering what I've been working on, so I thought I'd put you out of your misery and tell you.
Basically I'm still working on the same two stories that I was last time you saw me. They've just progressed some. My life has a way of getting in the way sometimes, so I haven't gotten too terribly far, but I have made real progress I feel on both First Sight and my other book (Alana), which I'm thinking of calling The Hero Card.
First Sight isn't much further along than it was when I last posted. Yes, I realize that that was over a year ago and that I'm a major slacker. To be fair though, in that time, I also put in major work on Alana, got a promotion at work, started working on another concept that completely fell apart, and got laid off from work (don't worry, I got another job eventually). I had a busy year. But, a couple of months ago, I did manage to pretty much finish a second draft of it (thanks to being laid off actually). I also realized that while I love the idea, I'm still struggling with the story itself. I think it's mostly cause I'm not sure I've totally found Raelin's voice yet. There's something still off about the story and I'm just not sure what it is. So I've set it aside again to focus on Alana instead.
As for what's going on with Alana, well. I recently finished a fourth draft that I'm having a friend do a line edit of. I'm pretty sure that it may be as finished as I can make it at this point. So unless my friend comes back and tells me I have some major issues still to work out, then I'm thinking I'm going to start submitting to agencies and see if anyone likes it enough to want to represent me.
Of course, now that I've written that down, something is going to happen and my plans will be derailed, since that seems to be my fate when it comes to my writing. We'll see and I'll let you know.
In the mean time, I have a ton of research to start doing. Oh and I need to write a cover letter draft. Which I then should really find someone to critique, but since I can't seem to find or keep any critique partners, I'm not sure that will happen. *sigh* Oh well, I have to try.
Anyway, that's what's going on in my writing at the moment.
See you next time.
Basically I'm still working on the same two stories that I was last time you saw me. They've just progressed some. My life has a way of getting in the way sometimes, so I haven't gotten too terribly far, but I have made real progress I feel on both First Sight and my other book (Alana), which I'm thinking of calling The Hero Card.
First Sight isn't much further along than it was when I last posted. Yes, I realize that that was over a year ago and that I'm a major slacker. To be fair though, in that time, I also put in major work on Alana, got a promotion at work, started working on another concept that completely fell apart, and got laid off from work (don't worry, I got another job eventually). I had a busy year. But, a couple of months ago, I did manage to pretty much finish a second draft of it (thanks to being laid off actually). I also realized that while I love the idea, I'm still struggling with the story itself. I think it's mostly cause I'm not sure I've totally found Raelin's voice yet. There's something still off about the story and I'm just not sure what it is. So I've set it aside again to focus on Alana instead.
As for what's going on with Alana, well. I recently finished a fourth draft that I'm having a friend do a line edit of. I'm pretty sure that it may be as finished as I can make it at this point. So unless my friend comes back and tells me I have some major issues still to work out, then I'm thinking I'm going to start submitting to agencies and see if anyone likes it enough to want to represent me.
Of course, now that I've written that down, something is going to happen and my plans will be derailed, since that seems to be my fate when it comes to my writing. We'll see and I'll let you know.
In the mean time, I have a ton of research to start doing. Oh and I need to write a cover letter draft. Which I then should really find someone to critique, but since I can't seem to find or keep any critique partners, I'm not sure that will happen. *sigh* Oh well, I have to try.
Anyway, that's what's going on in my writing at the moment.
See you next time.
Monday, March 31, 2014
Let's Try this Again
Seems like I inevitably have to restart this blog over and over again. Here I am, doing it again. Funny how that happens.
It's not that I don't like writing. I really, really like writing. Even when I'm not writing I'm thinking about writing.
It's also not that I don't like this blog. I do. I love the idea of it. And I understand how important it is to the future I am working toward (which is probably why I keep restarting it).
I think the biggest obstacle I have in maintaining this blog is that I simply feel that I have little of any value to say. Do people really want to read about what's going on in my life? It's kind of a foreign concept to me, to reveal parts of my life to complete strangers. I'm normally a really private person. Ask anyone who knows me. I don't talk about myself much or in much depth. I can count on one hand (quite literally) the number of people who know a lot about me and my story. And by that I mean the people who know what makes me really excited, or what really hurts me, or other deeper parts of myself.
This idea of posting about my life, about my thoughts on things, is so strange and hard for me.
Which is, perhaps, exactly why I need to be doing this. I am not an open person, but maybe it's time that I learn to loosen this death grip I have on my thoughts and share a few things with the outside world.
So today, I'm going to start on that journey again. I still have no idea what I'm going to say, but I'll just have to think of something, now won't I.
It's not that I don't like writing. I really, really like writing. Even when I'm not writing I'm thinking about writing.
It's also not that I don't like this blog. I do. I love the idea of it. And I understand how important it is to the future I am working toward (which is probably why I keep restarting it).
I think the biggest obstacle I have in maintaining this blog is that I simply feel that I have little of any value to say. Do people really want to read about what's going on in my life? It's kind of a foreign concept to me, to reveal parts of my life to complete strangers. I'm normally a really private person. Ask anyone who knows me. I don't talk about myself much or in much depth. I can count on one hand (quite literally) the number of people who know a lot about me and my story. And by that I mean the people who know what makes me really excited, or what really hurts me, or other deeper parts of myself.
This idea of posting about my life, about my thoughts on things, is so strange and hard for me.
Which is, perhaps, exactly why I need to be doing this. I am not an open person, but maybe it's time that I learn to loosen this death grip I have on my thoughts and share a few things with the outside world.
So today, I'm going to start on that journey again. I still have no idea what I'm going to say, but I'll just have to think of something, now won't I.
Monday, October 1, 2012
Finished
So the first draft of First Sight is done. Finally. I feel like it took me forever to finally get it done, but in reality, it took about two months. And I learned something about my writing during that time.
The biggest thing I noticed is that I tend to write short. I wrote the first draft of my other novel almost 10,000 words shorter than the second draft. And I'm pretty sure more words will be added when I finish the third draft.
My draft of First Sight is super, super short. It's 29,000 and change. I know, that's not even half of the average length for a YA fantasy novel, but I was mostly focused on getting the core bits onto paper in some sort of order. So that's what I did. I'm sure that if and when I go back to work it again, it will grow quite a bit.
Another thing I noticed by completing this draft is that my first drafts really, really suck. I'm talking majorly. I know that all first drafts are in need of work and generally suck, I also know that mine are really bad. Granted, this first draft is a little more cohesive than the original first draft of my other novel, but still, it's terrible.
Or maybe I just think that cause I spent the last month hating the whole thing. *shrugs* Who knows. I guess I'll figure that out if I ever rework this story.
Anyway, the draft is done. Now it's time to move on to my next project.
The biggest thing I noticed is that I tend to write short. I wrote the first draft of my other novel almost 10,000 words shorter than the second draft. And I'm pretty sure more words will be added when I finish the third draft.
My draft of First Sight is super, super short. It's 29,000 and change. I know, that's not even half of the average length for a YA fantasy novel, but I was mostly focused on getting the core bits onto paper in some sort of order. So that's what I did. I'm sure that if and when I go back to work it again, it will grow quite a bit.
Another thing I noticed by completing this draft is that my first drafts really, really suck. I'm talking majorly. I know that all first drafts are in need of work and generally suck, I also know that mine are really bad. Granted, this first draft is a little more cohesive than the original first draft of my other novel, but still, it's terrible.
Or maybe I just think that cause I spent the last month hating the whole thing. *shrugs* Who knows. I guess I'll figure that out if I ever rework this story.
Anyway, the draft is done. Now it's time to move on to my next project.
Monday, September 17, 2012
Not Much to Say
I don't really have much to say. I've been having trouble coming up with things to write about on my blog. There's very little of interest going on in my life right now.
I have nine scenes left in my draft of First Sight. I still feel like it utterly sucks, but I'm happy that I'm going to get it finished.
I've been working on world-building for another project, but I'm not sure that the idea I originally had works with the way this world is coming together. I really wanted to write this one particular idea, but the more I develop details about the world, the less it seems to work. At least in the form it's in now. But I love the character, so I may just have to find another way to tell a story for her.
So yeah. That's all I've got. Later.
I have nine scenes left in my draft of First Sight. I still feel like it utterly sucks, but I'm happy that I'm going to get it finished.
I've been working on world-building for another project, but I'm not sure that the idea I originally had works with the way this world is coming together. I really wanted to write this one particular idea, but the more I develop details about the world, the less it seems to work. At least in the form it's in now. But I love the character, so I may just have to find another way to tell a story for her.
So yeah. That's all I've got. Later.
Monday, September 10, 2012
Titles
So titles. In other words, the things I suck at. Seriously, I'm terrible at titles. They were my bane in college. Usually, I'd just take a line from the paper I was writing and make it the title. And they usually weren't that creative either. I'd prove it, but the flash drive that had all my school papers on it died a while ago, so no proof for you. At least not from school papers.
As for more recent writing, it seems that the stories I like the best, or have the most time invested in, are the ones with crappy titles. Or no titles. Like my first book. The idea for that book came to me in my teens. It had a really bad title for a while, but since then, after many, many revisions, it is sadly lacking in title. I've spent years trying to come up with a good one, to no avail. Here's some of the ideas that have come to mind over the years:
None of them really fit the book though. So I didn't stick with any of them. I have the same problem with another story that I'm prepping to write in the (hopefully) near future. I've had the idea for a really long time, but no good title has presented itself. I tried reading poetry, taking ideas from the book, incorporating the last line, working off of a theme, everything. And still I have nothing.Not the titles above aren't decent. They just don't work with the story.
On the flip side, projects that I don't seem to want to spend much time with or that I feel are just crappy ideas that will never see the light of day (or get published) all suggested their titles rather easily. Some examples:
One of the Guys (Contemporary that I'd like to write, but not sure I should since, I want to get fantasy published)
The Summer Boys (Ditto above)
The Keeper's Daughter (Silly fantasy story that isn't going anywhere anytime soon)
First Sight (I am really starting to dislike this story. It's so uncohesive and just ug. I'm not sure it's gonna be more than a first draft).
See those are great titles. In fact, if you knew the plots, you'd probably like them even more. Okay, maybe not, but still, they just appeared fully formed, ready to be tacked onto their stories.
I guess I'll just have to keep working on it. Perhaps, once all the revisions are complete, a title will appear, fully formed and ready to use. Until then, I'll just stick to calling it the name of the MC. It works.
Tell me about your experiences titling your writing. Do you find it easy, hard, somewhere in the middle? What's the best title you've ever come up with?
As for more recent writing, it seems that the stories I like the best, or have the most time invested in, are the ones with crappy titles. Or no titles. Like my first book. The idea for that book came to me in my teens. It had a really bad title for a while, but since then, after many, many revisions, it is sadly lacking in title. I've spent years trying to come up with a good one, to no avail. Here's some of the ideas that have come to mind over the years:
First Impressions
Losing the Familiar
Both Ends out of
Sight
A Hero in Her Way
Tangents
The Open Door
Falling Slowly
No Going Back
No Turning Back
Following the Light
Leave the Old World Behind
The Magic all
Around Us
Tangled
Consequences
The Unmarked Path
Distant Places
From a Distant
Place
The Path Home
The Path toward HomeNone of them really fit the book though. So I didn't stick with any of them. I have the same problem with another story that I'm prepping to write in the (hopefully) near future. I've had the idea for a really long time, but no good title has presented itself. I tried reading poetry, taking ideas from the book, incorporating the last line, working off of a theme, everything. And still I have nothing.Not the titles above aren't decent. They just don't work with the story.
On the flip side, projects that I don't seem to want to spend much time with or that I feel are just crappy ideas that will never see the light of day (or get published) all suggested their titles rather easily. Some examples:
One of the Guys (Contemporary that I'd like to write, but not sure I should since, I want to get fantasy published)
The Summer Boys (Ditto above)
The Keeper's Daughter (Silly fantasy story that isn't going anywhere anytime soon)
First Sight (I am really starting to dislike this story. It's so uncohesive and just ug. I'm not sure it's gonna be more than a first draft).
See those are great titles. In fact, if you knew the plots, you'd probably like them even more. Okay, maybe not, but still, they just appeared fully formed, ready to be tacked onto their stories.
I guess I'll just have to keep working on it. Perhaps, once all the revisions are complete, a title will appear, fully formed and ready to use. Until then, I'll just stick to calling it the name of the MC. It works.
Tell me about your experiences titling your writing. Do you find it easy, hard, somewhere in the middle? What's the best title you've ever come up with?
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