Three Things To Do

Status of my life: Put SHADOWS up for critique, I hope they don't tear it apart. Wait, I do hope they tear it apart, that's how it gets better!


I've been going over my notes from the conference last week, and I found these three gems. I can't even remember who said them, one of the presenters or something.

The Best Three Things To Do as a Writer:
1. Don't hurry.
2. Don't worry.
3. Don't stop.

I'm pretty impatient, so the "don't hurry" rule really struck me. The publishing world is super-uber-slow.

I've been known to stay up nights worrying, so #2 is familiar. I'm working on it. I also got some good advice about things I can't control in the publishing world, I'll post those later.

I don't think I could stop, even if I wanted to. A friend of mine asked me why I had to write stories. I told her that there were things in my head that I had to get out. She looked at me like I was crazy, which I probably am! :) But, sadly, it's true. Some things just have to be written down.

Reading: SO YESTERDAY by Scott Westerfeld

Later!
RedDuck

Uglies are Making me Ugly

Status of my life: I've been hard at work on ELITE. I'm up to 52,000 words now, it's getting close! If only I could get the climax just so... The Office starts again in 2 weeks!


I read Uglies by Scott Westerfeld today. I know I'm a little slow getting on the bandwagon, but we're reading it for book club this month, and I decided to bite the bullet and buy it. It's been on hold at the library for months.

Anyway, I highly recommend the book. It's a great YA Sci Fi/Fantasy read. I cursed Mr. Westerfeld for at least fifteen minutes about the ending though. It's totally not fair to end a book that way, Mr. Westerfeld. So what did I do? I bought Pretties. It'll be here soon!

Then I went to the library tonight and put Peeps and So Yesterday on hold. Hopefully soon...I love a good vampire book.

Thanks SW, for being a great writer!

I Won!

Status of my Life: Bogged down in critiques on SHADOWS, trying to revise and edit to make it just right.


I entered a "First Chapters" contest at the conference I went to last weekend. It's my first writer's conference, and I felt very out of my league around other people who'd actually, been, you know, published.

But it was a lot of fun, and I won third place in the young adult/middle grade category for the first chapter of my story, Red Hollow! Yea for me!

Reading: I'D TELL YOU I LOVE YOU, BUT THEN I'D HAVE TO KILL YOU by Ally Carter

It's Been A While

Status of my Life: Busy on ELITE and SHADOWS. I think I might query soon... Can't stop watching Enchanted with my three-year-old.

I went to a conference last weekend and learned lots of useful things. Tim Travaglini was there from GE Putnam Sons, and he gave some good advice on improving writing. One of the things he said was that every good writer must have three things.

1. Natural talent
2. Training
3. Persistence

Really, he said you can get by with just two of these things. I think I have some natural talent. I've taken some writing classes and am in a critique group, and I've got the gumption to go until the end. It's a recipe for success!

Reading: LOOKING FOR ALASKA by John Green

Tired Today

Status of my Life: Started a new book, ELITE. I don't know what I'm thinking. I have, like, 8 WIP's now. It's a good thing I can jump from project to project. Another great TV night.

I blame Laurie Halse Anderson for my zombie state today. I stayed up until midnight reading Twisted. All. Her. Fault.

But I had a couple of brainwaves as I drove my son to piano this afternoon. Some great critiques from a group on AgentQuery, Natasha Bettingfield's "Love Like This" and the sun shining all combined together to get my mind out of the funk it's been in for a couple of days. I had a good breakthrough for one of my novels. Gotta go write!

Reading: Too tired from reading TWISTED by Laurie Halse Anderson late last night.

New YA Author

Status: Revising, Re-writing SHADOWS AND RED HOLLOW. Dancing with the Stars and American Idol in one night? Good thing I can record two things at once with the DVR. Oh, and The Office on TBS...man, it's a good TV night.

I found a new author (well, she's not new, but new to me) to love. Laurie Halse Anderson! I just checked out her new book Twisted, and it's great. I put Speak on hold at the library. Waiting...waiting...waiting...

I am not a patient person.

RedDuck

Developing Characters

Status of my Life: Outlining, working on queries and synopsis, anything to not do some actual writing. I need a brainstorming session something fierce.

Here's something I saw this week that I really liked. It's at Redlines and Deadlines. I realized I don't have it on my list of blogs, but I check it everyday. This was on the Thursday Thirteen and is about developing characters.

I have to admit that I don't really like outlining and developing and doing all that research stuff that has to happen before writing. But I do it, and it's really hard work. But when I am ready to sit down and write, it's easier for me because I have names and likes/dislikes, birthdays, siblings, family dynamics, etc. already established. Without those things, I find myself stalled in the writing anyway.

Reading: THE TITAN'S CURSE by Rick Riordan (I love Percy Jackson!)
RedDuck

Adoring Harry

Status of my Life: Chapter Ten, Red Hollow, SOOO glad Chet's gone on Survivor, up too late on a school night. :)

But here's today's big news. The final book of Harry Potter will be made into two films! That's right TWO! I adore Harry Potter. Yea! Check it out here.

Reading: THE 13TH REALITY by James Dashner

RedDuck

Writing Excuses

Status of my Life: Sick. Enough said.

I remembered about a really cool site that I learned about at a writing conference about a month ago. It's Brandon Sanderson, Dan Wells, and Howard Taylor and they do a weekly podcast on writing. It's awesome, check it out.

Reading: VAMPIRE ACADEMY by Richelle Mead

RedDuck

Good Advice

Status of my Life: Struggling with SHADOWS, need a break. Survivor on DVR, spaghetti, ahhh...

Here's a great post I saw this week. It's great advice and I'm going to take it.

Reading: MIRA MIRROR by Mettie Ivie Harrison

Later!

What I'm Reading Right Now

Status of my Life: Had to work yesterday, ugh. I normally don't work Mondays. It was awful. But I finished my MG fantasy novel. First draft. Now I need to edit and revise. Double ugh. At least American Idol is on tonight...


I love to read. I always have a stack I'm working through. Here are some of my favorites I'm currently working on.

Looking for Alaska by John Greene (has some sex and swearing, don't read if this offends you.)
I'd Tell You I Love You But Then I'd Have To Kill You by Ally Carter
Mira, Mirror by Mette Ivie Harrison
Alcatraz versus the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson
The 13th Reality by James Dashner

Cool Fantasy Critique Site

Status of my Life: Chapter 15, Get This Pea Off Me!

"If I had a Million Dollars" by the BareNaked Ladies

Nothing good on Monday night - good thing I have stuff on my DVR.

I found a cool site for Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers where you can post your writing and get critiqued. I found the link while browsing Colleen Lindsay's blog, so check out both!

Reading: ALCATRAZ VERSUS THE EVIL LIBRARIANS by Brandon Sanderson

Happy writing!
RedDuck