The Blank Page

Hallo fine peoples! Welcome to First Wednesday, otherwise known as the Insecure Writer Support Group!

So here's the deal I haven't finished a novel for two years, as of this WriMo. Well, 23 months, as that WriMo was my last success... only I didn't finish it, so... yeah. I had great plans for this year, but I haven't done the prep work I really need. Still, I am going to rebel... write words to the tune of 50K, but write them finishing things. Or starting things. Or... just writing. I just need to get back to writing. The discipline of sitting down every day. It is overdue.

And of course the timely question for this November monthly meeting: Win or not, do you usually finish your NaNo project? Have any of them gone on to be published?

Yes. Usually. The history for me is a good one. Though I should give the caveat that I usually finish the FIRST DRAFT. Getting a work ready for submission is another matter entirely. But I “won” 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 and I think all but two of those got “finished”. Only two however, got polished.

At the moment however, I just need to get back to the habit. I need to write words.

How about you? Do you WriMo? How often do you succeed?

Now go visit other insecure people and be supportive!!!

Are You Ready to NaNo!?

So sorry for a two week skip. That was very bad of me. I am offering myself up for a spanking if anyone feels they must. Not sure exactly where my head has been. But now it's time to gear up for NaNoWriMo, so I need to get with the program.

I've got my victim, suspect, and have planned my inciting event, along with the characters who will be there... I just need to sort my clues and how they will pop up then plop them on a timeline.

For anybody wanting the personal touch, don't forget to join BuNoWriMo in addition to the formal NaNo site. It is a bit more personal—smaller group so we get to know each other.

As for what I am writing—a mystery. My buddy is off a breakup so I offered to kill her ex, but I am planting it in Portland in my Micro-brewery setting—I am starting with the grand opening—going BEFORE the other book I wrote, hoping to figure out the character piece that was off before so people love Kenny like I love Kenny.

So who else is playing? Are you planning ahead or diving in the day of?

That Thing You Do

This is inspired by a little conversation I had recently that got me thinking about what the absolute essential thing is that makes us love a book, and how that has inspired our writing. Is it an MC you fall in love with (whether romantically or otherwise?) Is it beautiful language? Is it the character ARC? Is it a plot that surprises? Is it elegance? Because this stuff is all a matter of taste. Even within these there are taste differences, but I think all of us have one of these elements we care about a lot more than the other. Now there are things about the OTHER elements that can make me put a book down:

No Bella; Yes Forest

A stupid MC (though a character like a Forest Gump who has wisdom even with limited knowledge I can grab a hold of—I mean someone who just doesn't think... doesn't try to. And so does stupid stuff.) I want all the STUPID to have a reason that is not just an idiocy of character. (side characters can be stupid—stupid DOES happen)

Worse than stupid is a BORING MC (think Bella Swann), though I recently read a disappointing Margaret Atwood book (Bodily Harm) with a boring MC, and what distinguished her was she was not ACTING. Stuff was just happening TO HER. Yeah, none of that, thanks.

In terms of language, I love it if it's beautiful, but if too much is too beautiful it pulls me out of the story. Sort of like life, I prefer my beautiful trickled. Otherwise it sticks to the roof of your mouth. But far worse than TOO beautiful is clunky or error-ridden. I just can't ignore poor grammar and am only a little willing to ignore a couple typos.

I like character growth, but depending on the plot, it isn't always necessary. But ME?

I'M A PLOT GIRL

I like a plot with some twists and surprises but DO NOT like a plot where the twists come out of left field. I know in life some events do that, but they are the sort of events that precipitate a story. Not the sort that totally change it mid-stream. I LOVE when something happens and it makes me shout “I KNEW IT!” but one page earlier it would not have come to mind... some little seed was planted, but the hints as it grew were elegantly hidden except in the smallest of peeks.


IN MY WRITING

What this means to me is I HAVE to have some sort of timeline. The big events need to me conceived before I get started. I need to be working toward them. In mysteries I actually diagram... who are my suspects, what are their motives, what clues with the MC discover to connect each of them as a potential killer? From there it is more like a puzzle than a magic act. Oh, I still surprise myself, and I let myself add or change. Plans are not set in stone. Even a written story is not set in stone—stuff can be built in later. But I need most of it to at least hit the main plot points I started with.


As to That...

I am at about the halfway mark for NaNoWriMo and it is going well. I have reached the part where it gets harder, but hey, I always know 3rd quarter is my biggest struggle. I am enough ahead that I only NEED to write about 1200 words a day from here on out, though I'd prefer to be closer to the 60K mark at the end of the month. A rewrite is worth 10-15K added in, and I really need to be over 70K when I am done.


How about all of you? What component of a book is the “must” for you? And how has it influenced your writing? And if you are NaNoing, how is it coming?

When it Flows...

Hallo, fine friends and WELCOME to the Insecure Writer's Support Group!

You know... I've been in a bit of an identity crisis this year, doubting my abilities and floundering around... While I finished my NaNoWriMo project last year, much of it felt forced. It didn't flow easily and it will need really serious revision to get it where I want it. But FINALLY, I am feeling a story again.

Channels and obstacles, but also beauty and flow

[Did I mention how much I love NaNoWriMo? That excuse for a fresh story thing...]

Do you know how relieved I feel? Part of my fear this last year is somehow I'd “lost it”... not that I believe that is possible, rationally, but I DID lose my groove. And MAN was it rough to find the traction again... In fact I'm not altogether convinced I found it. Maybe it found me.

So my Tartish Words of Wisdom, such as they are today, is be patient with yourself. Don't give up writing. But if you go through a period where it feels hard or everything you produce just isn't quite right... it happens. And you will get back to good stuff again. Just trust and keep swimming.

Now go see some other insecure people!!!

And So It Begins

I normally like beginnings, and historically the start of the school year is one of my favorites, but I am feeling a bit melancholy this time around. Thing 2 is a senior in high school, so it is my LAST start of school for one of my kids... and it is the start of the University school year, too, and my day job is so much busier when the students are present.

But in the spirit of having a better attitude, I am hoping to approach all this like it's a good thing. A chance to start fresh, reset my goals that thus far this year have been sorely missed...

Also Appearing

I think this is the only thing I've actually managed this year. I finished my edit Saturday. I am going to give it ONE MORE read to make sure there aren't any editing scars and then it is ready for my 2nd reader(s).

What That MEANS

It means I have 8 weeks until NaNoWriMo which is time to do TWO things:

1)  Edit one fairly done story
2)  And PLOT my NaNoProject

But What To Edit...

I think I am going to take a stab at Medium Wrong. I could do Kahlotus Disposal Site, but that has a different sort of problem than I feel currently equipped to deal with. Medium Wrong I think I can do... My goal is perhaps a “more or less” one... There is a paranormal element that I tried to keep very light, but I think I need to commit or tamp it down or it ends up deus ex machina. Committing would mean more clues or evidence Amanda has some sort of visions thing that she is capable of, the tamping would give her real ways of knowing stuff... I think the former works better.


As for My NaNo Project, I think I am going with a mystery. I still need to find my niche here. I want SO BADLY to walk the line BETWEEN cozy and actual dark mystery. I don't want humorless or just typical whodunnits. I want dark crime that affects real characters, but I want some of those characters to have tics and snark. I WILL do it!!! But I think I need to flesh out my characters better before I start and then I think I want to diagram the main murder plot. It is what I did for my cozy series and it helps me to not sort of get off pace or give too much away right up front.

So that is the rest of 2015 for me...


As for NON-Writing Goals for the rest of the year...

Um... wait, what? I really should have some fitness goals. I know I should... I think what I can commit to is some strength training and stretching stuff (I already walk a ton). And I should make some eating attempts, but I'm not convinced I will do a lot... Life is too full...


What about you? Do you have things you are trying to wind up in the four months left in 2015?

Guy Fawksin the WriMo

Burn Baby Burn!

Erm... I meal Hello! Welcome to Insecure Writer's Support Group First Wednesday! And yes, I do plan to tie these three themes together with lesser ado than you might think would be required. But first, to set the mood:

Burning the Guy: a British tradition

The Fifth of November
    Remember, remember! 
    The fifth of November, 
    The Gunpowder treason and plot; 
    I know of no reason 
    Why the Gunpowder treason 
    Should ever be forgot! 
    Guy Fawkes and his companions 
    Did the scheme contrive, 
    To blow the King and Parliament 
    All up alive. 
    Threescore barrels, laid below, 
    To prove old England's overthrow. 
    But, by God's providence, him they catch, 
    With a dark lantern, lighting a match! 
    A stick and a stake 
    For King James's sake! 
    If you won't give me one, 
    I'll take two, 
    The better for me, 
    And the worse for you. 
    A rope, a rope, to hang the Pope, 
    A penn'orth of cheese to choke him, 
    A pint of beer to wash it down, 
    And a jolly good fire to burn him. 
    Holloa, boys! holloa, boys! make the bells ring! 
    Holloa, boys! holloa boys! God save the King! 
    Hip, hip, hooor-r-r-ray!


Know how I love NaNoWriMo?
Know how NaNoWriMo is all about setting aside your inner editor to just write FAST?
Know how it is permission to write CRAP?

NaNoWriMo is like Guy Fawkes, writing a book and the idea was probably pretty good, but the execution is CRAP. But that doesn't mean it doesn't need to be done.

Now Guy went and got hanged and burned and all that, and I don't want you to do that to yourself. But maybe consider that NaNoWriMo isn't actually writing a BOOK so much as a first pass at your PLAN of what will eventually be your book.

So this is NOT wasted time, but if you act like you are done after this, you are libel to get burned. Got it? (this lecture is to myself as much as you--I have a few WriMos that I've never touched again, but it IS worth it anyway)

(was that such a stretch?)

NaNoWriMo Countdown

Okay kids... are you READY!?

I finished my hard copy edits on What Ales Me last night. A few small things to address per the DIVINE Elizabeth Spann Craig, plus a read to make sure my chapters all end on a BOOM pageturner... but I should be able to send it to Ellen tonight.

That leaves me the PERFECT amount of time to prep for NaNoWriMo, eh?

This is NOT my backstory

I already HAVE:

character sketches

setting

some backstory


I NEED TO:

Chart my suspects with their motives and the clues my sleuth will uncover

Make my 'goal spreadsheet'

Clean off my desk


Erm... and I might be having trouble committing solidly to one story, as part of me wants to write the second in the series for the one I just finished... I've been immersed in this world, the characters are solid, and if it SELLS I will need more of them...

Always something exciting around here, eh?


Unfortunately, that's all I have time for right now, as this other project is BIG, but once it is done, I hope to have more to say...


Anybody else WriMoing? What do YOU do to prepare?

Buddy me if you want: hartjohnson

The Lost Art of Blogging

HAVE YOU SEEN ME LATELY!?

Comes to the name: Confessions of a Watery Tart

Identifying Features: Silliness, periodic wisdom, man butts

See... I have somehow LOST my blogging mojo... and I can manage one side or the other of it... EITHER writing one OR reading and getting around... but I am having some trouble syncing up the two.

In fact I've seen some blogs recently talking about the diminishing returns on blogging. They didn't call it that. I did. But that's what it is... even the SAME effort isn't getting the same response (let alone those of us that have been falling down on the job).

But I DO have some news, both progress and upcoming events, so maybe I'll go with THAT.


Progress

Book 5 is with my copyeditor (a week later than I planned, but I was wise enough to never advertise a release date, so it's good)

Book 6 is ready for revision for 2nd readers.

Book 7 is DONE and first revisions done. Just some revisions to enter and then send it to first reader.

Book 8 is NEARLY done, but I am not revising until 9 is written.

About that... I have a strong inkling that this serial will be 12, rather than 10... it's all good. That allows the collections to be 4 books (400 pages) a piece, which to me makes a $2.99 price a VALUE (if a $2.99 book is made of 3 X $.99, then you pay three cents EXTRA for the set... this way they get a book FREE if they buy the set)

I think this ALSO sets me up reasonable to 'release in clusters'--when 5 is released the first week of December, I SHOULD be able to do 5, 6, 7, and 8 all 3 weeks apart, then have a gap for my Cozy book release, then do the last 4 clustered.

I am about at 36K for NaNoWriMo, though spinning my wheels a bit, as that break to edit goofed me a bit. I will finish...


COMING:

Saturday:  My friend Crystal Collier released her book Moonless last week, and Saturday is doing a guest blog!  Come see her!!!

And NEXT WEEK, there is a huge BLOW OUT--a GIANT giveaway for Black Friday. There are FOUR $50 gift certificates and MANY books being given away--you definitely want to get in on it!


So that's what's up... maybe my mojo will fall back in line in December, but for NOW, featuring a few fun things seems to be what I can manage. Anybody else having trouble?

Holy Guacamole that was Productive!

I had an INSANE weekend. All writing. All the time. Except the wine part, but that was just a couple hours Friday night.

I didn't get to start NaNoWriMo until I got home from work, but I managed to break 11.5K this weekend (in 3 days) So WAHOO! That is 7 of the new chapters (of 9), though I still need to pare down a LOT from the original book for two additional chapters... for this book, that needs to happen this month, even though those words won't count, just because of my production schedule.

In ADDITION, I got ALL beta suggestions addressed on book 5 and turned it around for 2nd readers.
And I got Book 6 ALL edited (this had started last week, so it was really maybe the last 3rd, but then also entering of said edits (all but 2 chapters).

So this month, I am probably only going to blog twice a week, and I think I have a guest every week... I will get organized shortly so all this is in my sidebar where it is easier to see what is what.

But in case you MISSED IT, Blogger buddy, February Grace had a book release FRIDAY!!!

Bru is my guest NEXT WEEK, but I wanted to alert you all it was out!!!

Amazon:  

Barnes and Noble:  

See you in a couple days, Gringos! Hopefully those of you writing are all making good progress!!!

Holy CowNoWriMo

I'm not sure how this could possibly creep up on me. I've done it since 2009. But this year I am doing it DIFFERENTLY and creep upon me it did.

Probably I should explain that in these interim years I've come to believe I can't NOT participate in NaNoWriMo... I know some people don't get it, but to ME, the risk of heading off on some tangent is bigger than the problems of 'not editing as I go'. I end up with a BETTER WORK after a month of crazy-paced insanity than I do after SEVERAL months or the slower version.

Between my short attention span and my inability to say NO (to a plot tangent), it is just better to commit to the primary plot fast.

This year, though, is full-on different for me. I am going to write books 7-10 of my serial, about a quarter of which was written previously (but need to have PoV changed) so I am officially a rebel.

I really have approaching 75K to write, and I will only track new words... but I am a little stressed as to how this will go.

Anybody else playing NaNoWriMo?

NaNoWriMo Home Stretch

And by Home Stretch, I mean HOLY COW! This is the first year I haven’t been DONE by the last day! I’m CLOSE. I really am. And if I don’t finish by tonight will accept no social invitations and will plow through it. But I am ALWAYS done by now. Usually 4 or 5 days ago.

But see HERE are the problems I’ve run into:

DONE That

See… I actually finished the book last Sunday, I think. The STORY anyway. Because my WriMo strategy has always been if you hit a rough patch, write a sentence or two about what KIND of thing goes there… [scene that does XYZ] and skip to the next place that flows.

And this is a BRILLIANT strategy… when your end goal is somewhere above 70,000 words… I just go in later, after a rest and a think, and fill in the holes.

But THIS BOOK will be done to the brim at about 52K… so I considered myself LUCKY that I was at 47K when I reached the end (only 5000 words to fill in, yeah?) But filling in is SO MUCH SLOWER than original writing. (like 200 words a day slow…)

Computer Fiasco

I lost almost a whole weekend because my desktop died. Now I have a couple other computers around here, but NONE of them have Open Office on them (the program ALL my stuff is in). And the computer I’ve been WORKING ON (a nice older Mac a friend lent me) doesn’t have enough memory to access my external harddrive from my old laptop (where all my stuff is saved), so there was a comedy of errors emailing myself stuff at work (where the newer version of word can read Open Office and I can save it all as word docs and then email them BACK to myself).

I also have a desktop from my aunt that I think is newer than the other stuff, but I am locked out by unknown password (anybody know what her other cats name was? Her clue was ‘cats’ and I have Sweetie, but not the other one), so I lost a good deal of time trying to save password breaker software, but none of the other computers is powerful enough to download the version I need of freeware (which is interestingly called Ophcrack *cough*). GAH! I can’t wait until the next leg of my advance comes and I can get an ALL MINE NEW laptop.

Near Death Experience

Not me. HWMNBMOTI… the hospitalization with all sorts of complications… one of which was a seizure, so he’s not allowed to drive, which means ME, the full time worker, full time writer, part time mom, also has to do the shopping (a task I’d never do AGAIN if I could opt out—I HATE it)—so I had a week of serious worry and adding FULL TIME mom to the other full time jobs, then part time worrier since then.


So today we are throwing a TRIUMP OVER ADVERSITY PARTY!

Swim in the champagne pool, eat from the chocolate fountain, rub a cabana boy for luck…

And have faith I will get there. I hope all of you who joined also make it!


Oh... and happy 21st anniversary to my sweet baboo... hopefully this next year will be LOTS healthier.

Nakedness Disrobed

My friend Marian shared a horoscope (of mine) with me this week and it struck me it was awfully darned accurate. The link is gone, as a new one goes up each day, but the gist of it is I am a shameless attention whore and insecurity is the reason. I DID copy the punchline:

On the other hand, if you're attracting attention, even negative attention, maybe you're already winning. It depends on what you're trying to achieve. There's no bad publicity, in some worlds.

So I thought maybe it was time for one of those confessions I'm supposed to be doing around here.

It's true. I'm a shameless attention whore and insecurity is the reason. Lemme e'splain...

My Pre-Online Life

See... I'm shy and awkward, right? I mean I was in my mid-20s before I learned boys were people, so it is worse in mixed company, but I am PAINFULLY bad at small talk. Now with my close friends I was always pretty good at just being silly—silly broke the tension--helped me contribute, even if I had no clue what to say. And I think in late high school I realized that silly went over well with people I wasn't quite as close to, too.

Man, in college I WORKED IT. Because I had LEARNED SOMETHING. The risk of being laughed at is not NEARLY AS SCARY if you are doing something FUNNY. In fact... if you are doing something funny, they are SUPPOSED to laugh at you.

I mean sure, I still had yearnings to be dark and mysterious... sexy... desirable. But it really wasn't happening.

I grew to accept this as ME in my late 20s. I worked with a friend who was just as goofy and he and I used to bounce off each other until we were laughing so hard we were crying.... it was about the time I became a mom, too, so silliness and kids are a good pairing. Why NOT embrace it?

Yes, this is the kind of thing we observed...

Enter the Online Stuff

My first forays online were related to Harry Potter. In fact for a couple YEARS I was really only online in that capacity. The variety of people was big, and I made friends of all sorts, but the tightest friendships were those where a couple people could bounce off each other in sublime silliness—have it build, get the delightful surprises. By the time I was ready for Facebook in 2007, I had honed my ability with the quip. It just felt natural.

I am NOT the first naked writer

Enter my Writing Career

Such as it is... so I was being a goofball online with friends. No harm, no foul. Right? But what the heck was I supposed to do with a BLOG to promote a BOOK and the idea of me as a WRITER? (A public figure? Me? Eeek GADS—do you KNOW the skeletons I have in my closet?) Oh, sure, I'll be all professional, I thought... for about five minutes.

Because it came back to shy awkward me and how well I talk to people if I try to limit the range of the conversation... it stresses me out and shuts me down. Why NOT fall back on all that goofiness stuff?

I mean... who DOESN'T want to be naked all the time?

Because that way if I'm laughed at... at least that's what I was going for.

Erm... and when I looked for the image up there, I googled 'naked writer'... guess who ELSE is there... Me.  So it's working... I guess.


Speaking of... recent nudity success: I am doing NaNoWriMo and my buddy Tonja, in Friday comments, said, “Hey, I listed you as a NaNo buddy. I figured that was you if naked world domination was listed as a hobby. :)”

See—no risk of your friends not finding you if you are always completely yourself and different from pretty much everybody else... But if anybody ELSE doing NaNoWriMo wants to find me, I am hartjohnson. Three more days!

A Half-A$$ed Update

I almost wrote lame. But a friend of mine recently posted on Facebook reminding me what lame literally means, so I'm trying to strike the ablist word from my vocabulary except where I mean it literally.

If you want deep thought from me today, that was it.

I do have a couple updates and a couple excuses, though, so there's that.

Borrowed, obviously: tagxedo.com

Editing Update

I am about a third of the way through the HARD PASS, which is the middle pass, but the one where I have to make big decisions, rewrite scenes and kill my darlings, for MEDIUM WRONG. It's going pretty well, I think. I am happy. Hopefully I will finish the hard pass before... NaNoWriMo. And then in November I can do my polish on my commute—inputting polishy stuff isn't too hard, so by December, I will be ready to share it.

NaNoWriMo

Ideas keep churning and I think I am going to work with a more thorough planning system than I have for a long time. Still not quite an outline, but I am starting a seven-book series, and I feel like I really want to plan my characters meaningfully. Each book will mostly stand alone, but there is also an underlying mystery that goes across ALL the books, so the pieces important to THAT have to be RIGHT.

The Big EXCITING News

Tomorrow, four and a half months after its release, The Azalea Assault gets its first REPRINT!!! I blogged a little about sales volume a little bit ago with my royalty statement, but what Michelle, my editor, said, when she shared this news was this:

There were 20,500 printed originally.
More than 19,000 have shipped and they have confirmed more than 16,000 SALES.
So this is sure enough, and the reserves low enough, that they are printing 2500 more.

She also sent me the art for The BEGONIA BRIBE cover, but it isn't finalized, so I'm not allowed to post it online yet. I was really pleased, though—it's very pretty. Feels a lot like The AZALEA ASSAULT, but the location is different (Elmwood Park—a real place, but pumped up on FLORAL, which is the primary setting for the story)


And now for my excuses for why this blog isn't better:

Our tub was clogged, so there was bickering, plunging and a visit from Roto Rooter.
My daughter was recovering from food poisoning, so needed chicken noodle soup.
My son needed a water bottle for Ultimate Frisbee.
I was elected to go buy these things, plus cigarettes for my husband which resulted in more bickering (I am always mortified to buy them. I feel like people think I smoke, which I never have.
Neighbors stopped by.
My daughter has pants that need a seam repaired.
I didn't have any good ideas.

*cough*

So there you have it...

Anything exciting going on in your world?

So You Think You're JK Rowling

Seven book series came to me fully formed on the train this morning.

Okay. It might have been in bed.
And the original seeds of the series might have been hovering on the horizon for about two years.

But the Pirate ship is a good addition.
As is overlaying a GRAND seven-book mystery on top of the self-contained books dealing with real teen issues.
And making the teen issues each a mystery of their own.

So all in all it was a good wake-sleep state progression of ideas.


And I officially have my NaNoWriMo project now. So that's a bonus.

And a potential publisher! On Facebook Jenny Milchman alerted me to a publisher seeking YA Mysteries: The Poisoned Pencil—stand-alone or series. I need to check them out more completely, as with small publishers there is a bit of 'buyer beware' but they look pretty good. I have a couple other works I can consider them for with stand-alones, though none quite clean, but I love the idea of a YA Mystery Series. Not Nancy Drew... More Veronica Mars... Only geekier. My kids aren't the shunned 'used-to-be-cools' but the 'so not cool they are resorting to fantasy to cope with high school'. (that would be the pirate ship part—well Space Pirate... called The Pleides—home of the seven sisters, all that.)

And that is why you get a rare Saturday blog... I was inspired.

The Plan BUWAHAHAHAHAHA!

If you've been around awhile, you know I can't say PLAN without a cackle. *cough*  So I was suffering from NaNoLag for a few days there, even though the book wasn't done. (in fact I think I am still suffering from it to a lesser degree) I just couldn't make myself keep going. It was compounded with a sick daughter, the death of the loved one of someone I care about, and just general holiday chaos, but for a few days there, I just couldn't reengage my mojo.

This weekend I managed to do a little on the BOOK end. I took the first and second off, but Saturday did a sprint in the midst of what was legitimately a very busy day, so even one was good, and Sunday managed THREE sprints, thereby finishing my first draft of Medium Wrong except for that tie-up chapter, which I've made some progress on. It has several spots along the way that need holes filled in, though less than former WriMos. It is over 76K now, so may be 90K before DONE DONE, and then I will need to pare it. 70K is really closer to right, but I know how these things go.

I STILL though, need a push to get back on track on the other stuff, as I have a book to finish this month for my Cozy contract. Some of you may not get my panic about it... it isn't due until June 30, but the fact of the matter is my revision method requires some down time. So I thought I'd share my PLAN—BUWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Starting today:

Write on Chrysanthemum Campaign (CC) like a WriMo—an hour sprint each evening. An hour in the tub later. Three sprints on weekends. No exceptions. At that rate I should manage 2000 word a day weekdays and 5000 weekend days up to the slowdown point (the ¾ mark). That is 20K a week for the next two, then I will slow to maybe 15K... possibly ten, but it is enough I can finish this month.


January: CC will SIT for a month (except some typing of what was already written). I will revise LEGACY for ABNA. LEGACY is relatively clean, but I have had a few recommendations and need a lot of work on pitch and such.

February: Revise CC on my own. Immerse in ABNA--February is the biggest month for this. Finish typing What Ales Me.

March: Send CC to peers with strict one-month deadline. Revise 'What Ales Me'. Work on promotional plan for AZALEA ASSAULT.

April: Peer recommended revisions for CC. Send What Ales Me to peers.

May: Beta read carefully CC. Execute promo stuff.

JUNE: Azalea Assault release. CC to agent. WRITE YA Armageddon. This is a twist on one I've been planning a long time--the ideas for what it's about are definitely filling in.


So at least there is a path again. I feel some relief about that. I am in a bit of a blog funk, too. Should be better soon, as I have 12 days of Christmas plans. But at the moment, I feel like I'm spinning my wheels just a little.

Today I largely won't be here—I have a funeral to attend. But hopefully that, too, will be getting back on track (the blog visiting, I mean).

And... so we get a little holiday stuff going, my buddy Laura over at the Daily Dodo, along with Lorelei, are hosting a SECRET SANTA event for bloggers. No money involved. Just a little time and creativity. So if you'd like to pass along a gift to a blogger friend for the holidays, go over and check it out!

Meeeeee!

Erm.... what I mean by that is, I haven't really given a status update for a while, so I thought maybe I would.

My Absence...

First, deep apology for my day job keeping me too swamped to check blogs during the day and NaNoWriMo keeping me too busy to make up for it in the evening. Normally I do a little of both, but this week I've gotten to a very pathetic few. My work deadline is Monday, so things should then improve.

Couch to Keg

The exercise plan is ROCKING! Monday was a personal (pairsonal?) best. Jackie and I, out 58 minutes, ran 30 of it, with our longest interval at 11 minutes. There are still three of us participating, but our third is not quite so keen on the running, so sometimes we loop back. She is working a second job for the holidays, though, so we also are trying to do our running days when she can't be there. Our practice has been running/walking intervals 3 days a week, then power walking 2-3 more, each time 45-60 minutes. And we really ARE doing great. I'm very proud of all of us (I can say that, yes?) and I am incredibly grateful for having wonderful neighbors who have kept me going when I probably would have given it up as too much effort otherwise.

Weight Watchers

Yesterday was month 2. It was not nearly as big as month 1. In month 1 I lost 12 pounds. In month 2 I love 4.5. So it is the right direction, but I know for a fact I've petered off in effort. I've been REALLY hungry. I think this is the winter compulsion to pack on some body fat. What my body seems to be missing is I already HAVE body fat. I don't NEED to pack it on. I haven't kept my food diary in 2 weeks either (and I definitely need a spanking). I am not giving up—I am still making a point of good choices, and avoiding BAD choices. I just have not been as diligent on volume control.

Edits for Azalea Assault

I am 1/3 through, which I think is pretty good. I feel pretty good. I still like it. I feel proud of much of it. It's not as clumsy as I have sometimes feared in the in-between. So that's good. I am able to edit about 40 pages a day, so I should be in good shape. I ALSO had help offered from three amazing, fabulous friends who I LOVE! And should be in good shape to incorporate their feedback when I get it the 21st.

NaNoWriMo

Last weekend I had an AMAZING run. I wrote 14000 words in 3 days. Do you know what I learned? I really LOVE writing sprints. I had been struggling for a few days (this work deadline was leaving me lackluster when I got home) but the idea of a sprint allowed me to set aside the time and totally BLOCK everything else. Heck, Saturday, all on its own, was almost a 6000 word day (something I've only done twice before). Yet I did that ALL in three one-hour writing sprints. (I hope to hit 40K tonight)

I really like the story so far, though I suspect it will be 70K before done, so while I have no doubts I will win NaNoWriMo, I will probably not be done with the book at that point. Given the rest of the month's challenges, I think I can hit 60K, but that's about it.

Thanksgiving

We're looking at a weird year. Hubby is our cook. I've never made thanksgiving dinner. In fact the only regular Thanksgiving fare I've ever made is pie. Hubby has to work that day. He is a home health aid and his client needs care every day. I tried to convince him to do Thanksgiving another day that weekend but he got really weird about it. I'd about decided the kids and I would have a Harry Potter marathon and eat baked brie, summer sausage, and crackers (these would be our splurge foods). But then I talked to my mom.

My uncle was in the peace corp in Botswana MANY years ago and ended up marrying a woman from there. They've lived back and forth—they are now in the states. But my aunt has a cousin with a daughter who is now on exchange in Kalamazoo—two hours from me and THOUSANDS of miles from anyone she knows. So we are having this distant cousin to our house. I'm excited to meet her—I think it will be a great cultural experience for my kids, and she is indeed family. But it means putting together a Thanksgiving dinner.

Hubby will make the stuffing and cranberry the day before. We will just make a turkey breast. And then I will do the beans and mashed potatoes. (my daughter wants to make the pies). I'm excited, but a little nervous. I don't want to muck up her only US Thanksgiving!


So now you know all about ME! Tell me something about YOU!!!

Real Deal

So I got the email Friday with the 'copy edited' version of Azalea Assault attached. This is my last chance to reasonably make sure it is CLEAN. The professionals have had a go, but I get another chance. And I've seen enough typos in books to take this seriously. EVERYBODY misses stuff... the professionals will have missed stuff (not a lot—it is what they do after all, but a thing here and there). The professionals MAY have made some decisions I don't care for. I mean, they are the pros, so I don't want to second guess them on 99% of stuff, but I also don't want to MISS it if they changed something I feel strongly about.

This feels real. There is a book that I WROTE that is going to be on shelves one day soon. And I feel a strong responsibility to make it the best I can. At the same time... THE PRESSURE!!!

My plan is to read it out loud. It takes a while, but my experience is it is harder for the eye to overlook errors if you are SAYING them. And it is easier to spot 'not said like I'd say' that way. I am also debating asking one of my friends who is so GREAT at this to give it a read... I wish I were in a position to pay. Whatever the case, I am a little intimidated, but I will give it my best.


NaNoWriMo Update

On this front, I am coming along pretty well. I have perhaps taken a little to long to get to it, but I like what I have so far, and tightening is always part of the revision process in my world. As of this writing (last night) I was at 14,867 with my bathtub stretch still in front of me, so hopefully past 15K.

I work ahead like this intentionally. I frequently run up against a wall at about the 2/3 mark where I can have several days of forcing a mere 200-500 words before I get my footing again. I am best off if I plan for it.

Additionally, if I am reading Azalea Assault early in the month, I need to enter any changes later in the month, so I need to have time to do so.

For the last few days in this story, I've been in Grants Pass Oregon running a con. It's been great fun. I have a college friend from Grants Pass and Lisa gave me a primer on where people hang out and what the hip things are to do. I've been there, but not since I was 18, so this was very helpful. It actually sounds like a pretty great community. “On the verge of hip” is how she put it—a river community with lots of rafting and water recreation that has recently added wineries to the local commerce mix. It is still hung back in time a little bit—not so unusual for cities under 40K people, but with lots of great stuff. It's actually really fun to add some of these details--a fun excuse to have a chat with an old friend and find out more about where she's from. I think I may try to do this in other places my characters plan to visit.


So how is everybody else doing with writing goals? Are you making progress? Conflicts arising you need to work around?

I Survived! Here I Go Again! And AGAIN (this time capitalized)

Only that second AGAIN isn't AGAIN, but the first time... but youknowwhatImean...

So NaBloWriMo is over... and I succeeded in blogging daily, but probably only get about a C- on getting to my fellow bloggers' blogs. I tried to get around... I really did. But my list of regulars is big enough now that just getting to THAT group is about all the time I have.

Before I dive into NaNoWriMo (because I am writing this last night), I thought I would give a few shout outs...


Elizabeth Mueller's Darkspell came out yesterday! Congratulations Elizabeth!

Jessica Bell's String Bridge comes out today! Congratulations, Jessica! (and Jessica is going to be a guest on the 15th, so you will get to see an interview and review)

Roland Yeomans is having a GREAT giveaway in relation to his book release The Legend of Victor Standish, which I just finished—a very fun read. Roland combines such a creative set of forces, it's like nothing I've read. I really enjoyed it! So go check out MORE and figure out how to win some great stuff!


So What is this Again?

NaNoWriMo, of Course!

I made my layered outline. I have my notes. I have a fair few details for the first few chapters. And I am READY! (so ready, I will probably start at 6:30 in the morning and try to get a few hundred words in before work!)

My Story? Gads, I almost don't want to jinx it. It is high concept... probably my first of those since Kahlotus... I figure a writer only gets a handful of these. Like I feel confident it will be easy to sell once it is written and cleaned up.

But here goes:

Amanda Harden is biding her time, trying to stay under her volatile father’s radar.  She is going to school, getting good grades, working a little. But all she really wants is for her brother to get home from college and balance out the tension in the house.

Unfortunately, his return coincides with the arrival of the letter expelling him from college and he is unceremoniously kicked out of the house.

Amanda decides to leave with him. They’ve learned from a master and figure they can get by running cons. Asher’s idea seems cruel at first—research the recently deceased and bring messages to their loved ones, but Amanda justifies it by thinking they can bring peace in addition to a little income.

The plan works pretty well for the most part, until the dead realize Amanda is open for business and the messages they bid her to carry are not the kind that will bring anyone peace.

Reactions? I'm really excited.

And the AGAIN!!!! (that isn't actually an again, but a first?)

It's official. Kahlotus Disposal Site is in the hands of six REAL Publishers... (big names—like panicky, heart-racing names). Harper Collins. Delecourt. FREAKING DISNEY. *falls over* Sorry. That just awakens dreams of 'movie deal'. I KNOW they are pipe dreams... long shots... but SO BAD, I would love to just be able to WRITE!

You don't think Disney gives you demerits for calling them FREAKING DISNEY do you?  Because ohmygawd, they are FREAKING DISNEY! Seriously... I know some of these are bigger names in publishing. I will be THRILLED if any of them love it (though not as thrilled as if they go to battle and have an auction about me *sigh*  (a girl can dream, yes?)) That was just the name that I hear 'cha ching' with...

Oh, man... I am possibly punch drunk and giddy thinking about this, but I will be panicking again soon. Stick around. It should be amusing.... for you.

Can We Panic NOW?

Strangely... not a Halloween blog... exactly... But sort of it is because you know what has to be done by Halloween? ALL THE NANOWRIMO PREP!!!!

Holy COW, am I behind!?

I'm behind because I'm trying to get ahead of course... lemme e'splain...


Chrysanthemum Campaign (CC)

I'm writing... But I am NOT writing at the pace I hoped... I'm writing maybe 5000 words a week, which is about half what I intended... You see... I think I need to draw some pictures. *shifty *

Oh, don't look at me that way. Mystery plotting has a bunch of pieces that are needed, and it's NICE if all the clues connect to EACH OTHER in a few coherent strands, too... two dozen disconnected clues found one at a time is sort of dull... But if there are three clues... only you don't know they all go together until you find the LAST of them... you see what I mean? Well for ME, drawing the picture helps me envision how it will all come out.

So I got that to do this weekend.


Personal Business

Because HWMNBMOTI is insanely private, I won't tell you what this is, but I have a bunch of paperwork to pull together... Not needed until Friday, but I definitely don't want to be stuck with it in my to-do pile when I'm allowed to be WRITING.

NaNoWriMo PREP

I have a little of this done, but because I've been writing CC, I have lost my train of thought... it all needs to be reread so I can remember where I was going with all of it. I ALSO want to do a layered timeline... Stay with me here... it will work something like this:

Layer one: Broadest plotlines in order
Layer two: break each of those into crucial events (this is the timeline I normally work from)
Layer three: Plug in the couple details I already have noted.

I also need to finish my 'stops' notes. My heroine and her brother have a road trip with several stops, each a part of the main plot... so I wanted a sentence or two about each stop...

MY GRAPHS AND CHARTS!!!

Do you remember what a geek I am about graphs and charts? I LUUUUURVE THEM!!!!


Three days. *sigh *



In other news:

Couch to keg going well. On Wednesday we hit 18 minutes of running for our interval stuff. Weight Watchers is progressing... I've lost 15 pound in 6 weeks. I'm pretty happy with that rate. Would love love love to hit 20 pounds by the 2 month mark.

I'm feeling some anxiety about this WriMo for the first time ever... Cooking dinner 4 nights a week sucks rocks. I hate cooking, but I ALSO hate not having that time to write—it was formerly my blogging time, so I had typing time later... now stuff isn't getting typed.

And the BIGGEST 'in other news' which I am terrified to put up high or bolder, because I don't want to jinx it... Amy said she will start subbing Kahlotus by Wednesday. Officially. To publishers. I am actually very glad I will spend November immersed in a WriMo, because I think my nerves couldn't otherwise handle this... but busy, I will be okay.

I wish you all a fabulous weekend!!!

NaNoWriMo 2011

Okay, peeps. Do you have your writing goggles ready and your pens in hand? It is two weeks to one of the biggest writing events there is!!!

I finished my first book in 2008. It took me 2 ½ years and I really believed about two chapters a month was what I could write. I wrote half another book and played with an idea that I couldn't get going on, and then in August 2009 I had an idea for a PREQUEL to my idea that wasn't flying. It spurted out of the pen onto the page in 7 weeks (about 70K). And I changed my opinion. The idea of NaNoWriMo, formerly so INSANE, suddenly didn't seem so impossible, so I thought, what the heck. Why not?

What IS NaNoWriMo?

National Novel Writing Month is a world-wide writing event in which people all over try to write 50,000 words in 30 days. The rules dictate it should NOT be started before the month begins and needs to be completed by the time the month ends. There is a rebel badge, though, if, for instance, you just wanted to write 50K on an already started work. (or if you want to write non-fiction) (or if you want to write TWO novellas of 25K each)--so you are not EXCLUDED if you like the idea but have one parameter that poses an obstacle.

It is easy to sign up. And shortly, there should be a way to hook up to friends. They changed servers this year to handle the exponentially higher traffic, so a couple pieces aren't quite up and running yet Friends is one of them.

They have graphs and gadgets to keep track of progress... The Burrow loved this so much in 2009 that we implemented a June counterpart, so I've written four novels this way (one of which appears to be the one that will take off on its own first—Kahlotus)

Why do I Love It?

1)  the group adrenaline is AMAZING
2)  somehow it is easier to allow yourself to let go of other responsibilities if you have a defined start and end. It doesn't feel as selfish as doing it indefinitely.
3)  Forcing myself to write FAST makes me just stick to the main story. I can tangent better than most, but really, that isn't what is best for a plot.
4)  I think it's a nice way to add some dimensions to some of your other online relationships. Blog buddies are easy to be close to, but I've found WriMos and ABNA are great for adding layers to facebook or twitter friendships that formerly didn't have as much substance. I ALSO love it as a time to encourage the young writers in my life—high school and college students who maybe haven't reached the commitment of writing every day all year round, but can take a month for a project. I have one writer friend who wrote her first book at 14 in the 2009 NaNoWriMo.

How Seriously Do I Take This?

You know me and my relationship with rules... if something needs to be fudged, I'm easy. I figure DOING it with some bent rules is a lot better than not doing it. Doing it and knowing you will need to bail at Thanksgiving when your family is all coming STILL leads to 35K you didn't have otherwise...

That said, I've won all four I've done (and this will be my first rebel year—since Medium Wrong has the first few scenes written). But then I write daily anyway.

So Who is in?

I am hartjohnson, once they get that friend thing going. I'd love to see you there!