Upside Down and Drafting

Hello, writerly friends, and welcome to another installment of What's Up Wednesday.  WUW is a blog hop created by Jaimi Morrow and Erin Funk to keep writers connected and encouraged.  For more information, check this out.

What I'm Reading:  I stayed up late last night finishing UPSIDE DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE.  It is about a family who endures Hurricane Katrina.  This is a heartbreaking read.  Like, I got real tears.  And amazing MG voice.  I highly recommend.

What I'm Writing:  Last week I was about here:

And today I am here:

You will note that the progress bar has turned green, so that is exciting!  But the ending to this thing is getting out of control.  I see some major rewriting in my future.  But maybe it will be one of those things where I put it away for a while and when I come back to it I find that it is bloody brilliant???  Maybe???  We shall see.  Oh, and my goal would be to get to 50K by next week.

What works for Me:  

I am running out of things that work for me.  And right now I am not entirely sure any of it is working for me.  Blah.  Sometimes writing is like, super hard.  :/

What Else is Going On:

We got a break from arctic temperatures here in Kansas City this last week, and my kid enjoyed some time outside.  

So what's up with all of you???

An Editing Checklist

Hello, writerly friends, and welcome to another installment of What's Up Wednesday.  WUW is a blog hop created by Jaimi Morrow and Erin Funk to keep writers connected and encouraged.  For more information, check this out.

What I'm Reading:  I am currently reading AN ABUNDANCE OF KATHERINES, by the masterful John Green.  If you have ever watched Mr. Green's vlog and thought to yourself, "THIS is the guy who wrote THE FAULT IN OUR STARS???  All heart wrenching and romantic???  This guy is a goof ball!"  

Well, I'm not sure what happened there... but my point is AN ABUNDANCE OF KATHERINES has had me laugh-snorting every other pages.  Some of that John-Green-Quirkiness made it into the book this time, and I am loving it.  

What I am Writing:  My WIP (THE BOOTLEGGER's LETTERS) went from this:

To This:

But you will notice that I haven't worked on it today yet, so I hope I can add another 1K.  I did have one afternoon where my three-year-old was having a birthday party so writing went out the window.  So my goal for next week would be to add another 5K.  That would be good... yeah I'll try that.

I did get a few chapters of my MG Sci-Fi edited.  Some more.  Again.  I am hoping to have that thing ready to query sometime this year.

What Works for Me:  I haven't actually tried this yet but I think I need to develop some sort of editing checklist, because my biggest problem with editing is that I don't really have a plan.  I need to be able to check things off the list (like you can with drafting).  Problem is, I don't really know what that list should have on it.  Here's what I got so far:

1- Fix obvious mistakes (spelling, grammar, parts where I forgot people's names...)

2.  Go back and check for "to be" verbs, was, were, ing

3.  Check to make sure each scene is important and in the right order

4.  Voice check- make sure each characters voice remains constant

5.  Overused words- In scrivener you can go to Projects and then Text Statistics to see what words you use the most.  This is an important tool!

What else should be on my editing list?  Help a noob out!

What Else is Going On: My baby boy had his third birthday party at Legoland.  It was epic.

A Blizzard of Books

Hello Friends!  It seems like it's been FOREVER since our last What's Up Wednesday, so let's do one now, mmmkay?  What's up Wednesday is a blog hop created by Jaimi Morrow and Erin Funk to help writers stay connected and share what we are working on.  To find out more go here.

What I'm Reading:  I have read a blizzard of books over winter break (see what I did there?) and quite a few four stars in a row (yay!)  My favorites were:

I LOVE a good historical fiction.  And if you can add ghosts and time travel and swoony boys you will always get my vote!  Plus I feel like I learned a little more about the French Revolution (because all my prior knowledge was based on Les Miserables).

So much love for this book!  I can't say I even remember the last time I read a collection of short stories, but I really enjoyed it.  Didn't hurt that this one contained some of the most badass YA authors around... can we say Laini Taylor?  Rainbow Rowell?  Ironically, when I think about this book, the story that sticks out to me the most was by an author I've never read before- Matt De La Pena.  Boy can write a romance, let me tell ya!

Then THIS happened... AHHH.  What a great ending to this series.  Seriously, everything tied up nicely and that thing that we need at the end of a dystopian series... a sea of hope.  

I don't even think that was all the books I read since the last time I blogged, but those were the standouts.  Lots of time snuggled up with my babies, book in hand.

What I'm Writing:  A freakin' novel, that's what!  And it is coming along nicely.  I think my goal when I posted last was to add another 5K over the holidays.  So here was last time:

And HERE WAS TODAY:

BOOM.  That just happened.  I honestly don't really know how it happened, but it happened.

What Works for Me:  Extra eyes.  I am always looking for people who are better writers than me to read my stuff and help a girl out.  It just helps to have someone you like tell you why it sucks before an agent or editor can.  LOL.  Just kidding, I kid.  But seriously... CP's are the bomb.

What Else is Going On:  I am not one of those parents who are all excited to shoving the kids back in school.  I had a blast over Christmas break, and it makes me really excited for SUMMER.  I really like my kids.  Oh, and I am lazy.  

Look at these little cuties...

Who wouldn't want to spend her days with these guys?  Dang Kindergarten.  Dang preschool.  Sigh.  Well, we had a great Christmas, and are already off to a fabulous new year.  Cheers to you all!  Can't wait to catch up with you!

Revis and Research Placement

What's Up Wednesday is a blog hop created by Jamie Morrow and Erin Funk to help writers stay connected and encouraged.  Click here to find out more!

What I'm Reading:  Um... this is embarrassing, but still A MILLION SUNS by Beth Revis.  Heavens, have I been reading this thing for like a month now?  In my defense, it is really long, and it is only just now getting interesting!  Ha!

What I'm Writing:

The Bootlegger's Letters:

I had some tricky scenes to write this week, as my MC is actually in the process of making her moonshine.   I had to keep double checking my research and solving all kinds of time-period problems, but I think I might have managed something plausible.   Incidentally, I totally know how to make booze now, so maybe we should have a party...
Goal for next week... Let's get this puppy to 30K.  Oh wait, is Christmas in there somewhere?  Well, that might not happen, but I like to aim high.

What Works for Me:
This is probably so dumb that all of you thought of it a million years ago, but I have started cutting and pasting the relevant research for the scene right into the "notes" part of the Scivener scene.  That way I don't have to flip back and forth between the "research" and the scene.  Plus I can never find anything in the research file anyway, and usually have to re-look it up, which wastes time, so this is a much better system for me.  Duh, right?

What Else is Going On:
Tonight I get to go out with some of my best girls and stuff our faces with cheese and chocolate at The Melting Pot!  I am pretty dang excited about it.  Hope you all have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

A Million Suns and Santa

It's time for What's Up Wednesday, a writerly blog hop started by Erin Funk and Jamie Marrow.  Find out more here.

What I'm Reading:  Still trudging through A MILLION SUNS by Beth Revis.  Hasn't picked up much since last week, I am sorry to say.  And I am still reading my CP's Contemp YA.  Good stuff there.

What I'm Writing:  I managed to bang out a few more scenes in my WIP which is called THE BOOTLEGGER'S LETTERS.  I am almost to 20K again- which is where I was when I hacked out the boy POV chapters!  But it is going much better now.  My goal for the next week would be to add another 6K.

What Works for Me:  I recently took an online class from the University of Iowa called "How Writers Write Fiction".  That particular class wasn't all that amazing, but I'd love to take another one- with specific aspects of writing covered.  Has anyone taken one that they found very helpful?  Preferably FREE???

What Else is Going on:  We are in full swing Christmas mode around here.  I took the kiddos to see Santa this week.  They were so cute.  It's always a huge curveball what they ask Santa for, though.  This year my daughter wanted a cookbook and a REAL MasterChef Junior apron.  My son asked for a snowman.  I don't really know what to do with that.  Lol.

Starting from Scratch (almost)

Welcome to What's Up Wednesday, a blog hop created by Erin Funk and Jaimie Morrow.  You can read all about it here!

What I've Been Reading:  I have been reading my CP's manuscript lately, and I am really enjoying her edits.  And in my spare time I have been reading A MILLION SUNS, which I am actually having a hard time getting into.  It is the sequel to ACROSS THE UNIVERSE, which I thought was awesome, so I am going to press on.

What I've Been Writing:  Well, that is the real question.  My WIP and I had a bit of a stand off.  I was trying to do DPOV, and found myself hating every blasted page.  I finally thrust it at my CP 20K words in, and she confirmed what I already knew.  His chapters were blah, her chapters were amaze balls.  That may not be a direct quote.  Anyway, I had to basically cut my word count in half by carefully removing his scenes, and then I had to re-write a few important scenes in my girl's perspective but I think it was well worth it.  The chapters flow now, and the voice is spot on, if I do say so myself.  And the best part is... I am not dreading heading to my computer each day.

What works for Me:  This month, just allowing myself to get behind in my word count goal, but to hopefully end up with a better product when I'm finished.  When it's not working, you know.  You feel it.  I'm not talking about that self doubt that we all have mid-way through our manuscripts (you know what I'm talking about, right?  Right?)  I mean serious THIS IS NOT WORKING feelings.  You gotta listen to those.  If it's not fun to write it, it's not gonna be fun to read it.

What Else is Happening:  I am still deep in the query trenches for my first novel COMMITTED.  I have had lots of interest, but I am still in waiting limbo.  Dear Agent, wherever you are, I AM WAITING FOR YOU AND I ALREADY LOVE YOU.  Love, ME

Conference and Computer

Technically, today is Tuesday, but I wanted to make sure I didn't miss another What's Up Wednesday!  WUW is a blog hop for writers created by Jaimi and Erin.  Visit this page for more information and to find out how you can play along!

What I'm Reading:  I just finished THE HATE LIST by Jennifer Brown, a YA author who I just met at SCBWI conference.  Jennifer taught several of the sessions and she was brilliant and practical.  It's also cool that she lives right by me.

What I'm Writing:  My YA HIST is going SLOW.  I keep telling myself it's because I know more now  but it might just be because I didn't sign up for Nano!   I decided I wanted my word count goal for this one to be closer to 70K, so I am giving myself to the end of December.  Right now I am at 20K, so I better pick up the pace!

What Works for Me:  I'll tell ya what works for me... MY NEW MACBOOK AIR!  It is a dream, people.  A beautiful, shiny, silver dream.  It's lightening on it's feet, and my fingers fly across the keys.  Compared to my old laptop... You have no idea.  One time it took me forty minutes just to open Scrivner on that beast.  So I am loving my new equipment.  What shall I name her?

What Else I've Been Up To:  As mentioned above, I got to go to SCBWI conference in Kansas.  It was so amazing and inspiring.  When I think back at going to conference last year, I can be really proud of all the writing progress I have made!  I felt like a real author this time around!

What's up with you?