Well, Nano is over for another year, and I once more find myself sitting in December wondering how I'm going to edit all of the words I wrote during November. The answer, of course, is one book at a time. I just wish I was faster at the editing process than I currently am.
Anyway, as I'm sure all of you noticed, my blog got a little bit of an update this week. I (sadly) took down the donation link to nano (though if you would like to donate, just visit www.nanowrimo.org and you can definitely make the donationt here). It will be back next year, though I won't be travelling to San Francisco in 2013.
You might also notice that I've added a 'goals' section. This is very important, because I have a lot of goals for next year, and I'm hoping that tracking them here will make me focus on them a bit more. Now, I didn't want to discriminate, so any and all goals I have will be making it into that section. You'll see that getting Pandora submission worthy is first on the list. What isn't there is getting it to Beta's by the 24th. I decided not to add that, because technically the list is for 2013 goals, and that's still 2012.
I've actually started to continue reading through Pandora to get it edited (almost done. On chapter 35 of 40) and I'm finding that there are actually some chapters that I enjoy reading! This is shocking because I'm definitely my biggest critic. I will sit there and rip my stuff to shreds, and then I hate putting it back together again. I think this is why I don't enjoy editing as much as some of my friends do. Anyway, the point is, I didn't find myself cringing during every chapter, and I think that means that maybe I'm ready to start raking in the rejection letters! (Let's face it, we're talking about a werewolf book. While I think it's great, most places are going to tell me that it's a hard sell...)
Of course, I'm still waiting to hear back for the short story I submitted. I'm not frantically checking every email, because I almost want it to take longer. Every day I don't hear back is another day that I haven't been rejected, so I'm looking at it as a good thing that it's been over a month since the submission!
I'm slowly reorganizing myself to truly become serious about writing. I always thought that last year I was ready for it, but I didn't even begin to be serious enough to truly make it as a writer. I'm not quitting my day job just yet, but I'm going to crack down. I'm going to follow through on my goals, and I'm going to be published. Maybe not this year, but soon. I have so many stories that I want to share with the world!
P.S. I have decided that, for now at least, the Sunday and Wednesday schedule is good for the blog, so I'm going to stick to that!
Showing posts with label OLL. Show all posts
Showing posts with label OLL. Show all posts
Monday, December 3, 2012
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Is It Time Yet?
It's All Nano's Eve...I mean...Halloween, and you know what that means! Yep...I've been sitting around with my twitter open jealously staring at all the people who get to do sprints because my time zone hasn't rolled over in to November yet.
I've always liked Halloween. As a kid it had a lot more to do with the candy I got to collect from the people in our neighbourhood (I distinctly remember having to dump it all out when we got home so my mom could go through it and throw out anything open, and possibly take some of her favourites too.)
Now, of course, Halloween has a whole new meaning for me.
My year has suddenly shifted. I no longer think of December as the end of the year, instead, October 31st ends out my year, and the first of November starts it over again.
What I'm basically saying, is that it's New Years in a couple of hours, and I'm so excited!
This November is jam packed with things happening. I've got nano (of course) which my goal is to write 320k words this year. completely possible, by the way. I wrote 300k last year. I'm also goind down to San Francisco in the middle of the month for the ever amazing Night of Writing Dangerously!
For those of you who don't know, The Night of Writing Dangerously is a function hosted by OLL (Office of Letters and Light) to raise money for Nano. To go you have to raise at least $250, then pay for your own flight there, your own hotel room, and your own flight home. (I've already raised what I need, but I wanted to help out Nano more. If you'll direct your attention to the column on your right, you'll notice a section dedicated to donations. I would LOVE it if anyone is willing to donate. Even $5 helps.) Basically 250 Wrimos get together and have one huge write in. The night is completed with a complementary candy bar and all sorts of other goodies. I can't freaking wait.
Finally (for now, you never know what other craziness I'm willing to pack in to the month) I've got the Epic Month of Blog Posts. (Also to your right you'll see a list of bloggers who have agreed to participate this year.) The idea behind this is that you have to write a blog post a day (each blog post much contain at least 50 words). there's no where to keep track, but it's fun. We did it last year, and this year we thought we'd ask others to join in the insanity.
So now that I know all of this is coming, you'd think I'd be dreading it. So much to do, so little time! Really, there's only 24 hours in a day and I have to sleep at some point (at least, that's what other people keep trying to tell me. I just smile and nod)..
Somehow, though, it's excitement that has me staring at the clock counting down the hours until we can start writing. (I swear, the last half hour has gone slower than all day at work...) What makes it worse is watching the nanosprints on twitter. See, for some of the world it is November 1st, and they've already started. It makes me want to pick up my pen (okay, okay, put my fingers on the keyboard) and get writing!
Sadly there's another four hours before we can have that first word war. I will wait with bated breath (or rather, impatiently tapping my foot) until I can start writing the words I've been planning since July.
Expect my first Epic Month Of Blog Posts entry tomorrow! I've got to go glare at people across the world now.
I've always liked Halloween. As a kid it had a lot more to do with the candy I got to collect from the people in our neighbourhood (I distinctly remember having to dump it all out when we got home so my mom could go through it and throw out anything open, and possibly take some of her favourites too.)
Now, of course, Halloween has a whole new meaning for me.
My year has suddenly shifted. I no longer think of December as the end of the year, instead, October 31st ends out my year, and the first of November starts it over again.
What I'm basically saying, is that it's New Years in a couple of hours, and I'm so excited!
This November is jam packed with things happening. I've got nano (of course) which my goal is to write 320k words this year. completely possible, by the way. I wrote 300k last year. I'm also goind down to San Francisco in the middle of the month for the ever amazing Night of Writing Dangerously!
For those of you who don't know, The Night of Writing Dangerously is a function hosted by OLL (Office of Letters and Light) to raise money for Nano. To go you have to raise at least $250, then pay for your own flight there, your own hotel room, and your own flight home. (I've already raised what I need, but I wanted to help out Nano more. If you'll direct your attention to the column on your right, you'll notice a section dedicated to donations. I would LOVE it if anyone is willing to donate. Even $5 helps.) Basically 250 Wrimos get together and have one huge write in. The night is completed with a complementary candy bar and all sorts of other goodies. I can't freaking wait.
Finally (for now, you never know what other craziness I'm willing to pack in to the month) I've got the Epic Month of Blog Posts. (Also to your right you'll see a list of bloggers who have agreed to participate this year.) The idea behind this is that you have to write a blog post a day (each blog post much contain at least 50 words). there's no where to keep track, but it's fun. We did it last year, and this year we thought we'd ask others to join in the insanity.
So now that I know all of this is coming, you'd think I'd be dreading it. So much to do, so little time! Really, there's only 24 hours in a day and I have to sleep at some point (at least, that's what other people keep trying to tell me. I just smile and nod)..
Somehow, though, it's excitement that has me staring at the clock counting down the hours until we can start writing. (I swear, the last half hour has gone slower than all day at work...) What makes it worse is watching the nanosprints on twitter. See, for some of the world it is November 1st, and they've already started. It makes me want to pick up my pen (okay, okay, put my fingers on the keyboard) and get writing!
Sadly there's another four hours before we can have that first word war. I will wait with bated breath (or rather, impatiently tapping my foot) until I can start writing the words I've been planning since July.
Expect my first Epic Month Of Blog Posts entry tomorrow! I've got to go glare at people across the world now.
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Edit? Do I Have To?
As I'm sure many of you know, I have a very detailed process on how I do my planning. I brainstorm, and make character bibles. I compile cast lists and make floor plans for most of my settings. I have entire plots set out before I even consider started chapter 1. It's just the way I write. A lot of people think of a new project and jump in, losing themselves in the story. While I've tried this before, I prefer getting my revelations about the book before I start. That doesn't mean that everything goes according to plan when I'm writing, but I think it definitely helps. I don't generally have to go back and make huge corrections to anything.
This works for me. I love this routine. In fact, planning is probably my favourite part of the writing process. I also enjoy the writing, of course, but I think I actually prefer the planning part to the writing part.
Editing, though, is another matter altogether. I'm sure I've mentioned it enough here for everyone to know that I hate the entire thing. I hate having to go back over work that I've already done to make sure that it's right. I hate having to acknowledge how bad a scene I thoroughly enjoyed writing is. I prefer to live in a fantasy world, thinking that my first drafts are fantastic. That no one has ever written a first draft as good as mine.
Unfortunately for me, I don't really have a choice in this one. As a writer who hopes to be published, editing is essential to my chosen career. So I sit down and force myself to do the editing. I've even tried to not complain about it so much, because I really do need to suck it up.
The problem, though, is that I don't have a routine for editing. I print the book off, and I just read through it. That's it. There's nothing there that keeps me interested in what I'm doing. I don't have a way to get myself through it, like my planning. I didn't always like planning, but I do now that I have a way I like to do it. Maybe that's what I need to do with editing.
I just don't know how to start that routine. I need to figure out a way to start going through my work without hating what I wrote. Or maybe without questioning every single decision I made. Anything to make it so that I no longer feel like I'm just redoing work I've already done. To stop myself from banging my head against a wall.
Right now I'm sure I'm missing things that I could be fixing on the first run through, because I go through it so quickly. I don't want to stop and think about it, I just want to get it polished before I get completely frustrated or bored with the process.
So far I haven't come up with anything, unfortunately. I am, however, planning a trip to the bookstore in coming days, and I may just find myself buying a book or two on how to edit. And if anyone has any tips of their own they want to share, I would love to hear them.
Before the year is out I'm going to find a way to edit that doesn't make me hate the entire process. I just hope it's sooner rather than later...
This works for me. I love this routine. In fact, planning is probably my favourite part of the writing process. I also enjoy the writing, of course, but I think I actually prefer the planning part to the writing part.
Editing, though, is another matter altogether. I'm sure I've mentioned it enough here for everyone to know that I hate the entire thing. I hate having to go back over work that I've already done to make sure that it's right. I hate having to acknowledge how bad a scene I thoroughly enjoyed writing is. I prefer to live in a fantasy world, thinking that my first drafts are fantastic. That no one has ever written a first draft as good as mine.
Unfortunately for me, I don't really have a choice in this one. As a writer who hopes to be published, editing is essential to my chosen career. So I sit down and force myself to do the editing. I've even tried to not complain about it so much, because I really do need to suck it up.
The problem, though, is that I don't have a routine for editing. I print the book off, and I just read through it. That's it. There's nothing there that keeps me interested in what I'm doing. I don't have a way to get myself through it, like my planning. I didn't always like planning, but I do now that I have a way I like to do it. Maybe that's what I need to do with editing.
I just don't know how to start that routine. I need to figure out a way to start going through my work without hating what I wrote. Or maybe without questioning every single decision I made. Anything to make it so that I no longer feel like I'm just redoing work I've already done. To stop myself from banging my head against a wall.
Right now I'm sure I'm missing things that I could be fixing on the first run through, because I go through it so quickly. I don't want to stop and think about it, I just want to get it polished before I get completely frustrated or bored with the process.
So far I haven't come up with anything, unfortunately. I am, however, planning a trip to the bookstore in coming days, and I may just find myself buying a book or two on how to edit. And if anyone has any tips of their own they want to share, I would love to hear them.
Before the year is out I'm going to find a way to edit that doesn't make me hate the entire process. I just hope it's sooner rather than later...
***I'm currently collecting donations for OLL (Office of Letters and Light). The organization that first conceived of NaNoWriMo and runs it every year. I've personally donated $300, but I'm hoping to make it to $500 and would love some help with my goal. The link is on the left side bar. I'm trying to come up with something for incentive, but have yet to think of a good reward. I would love to hear from you on what you think I could do.***
Sunday, July 15, 2012
San Francisco Here I Come!
Every year OLL (Office of Letters and Light who hosts NaNoWriMo, and various other events) hosts The Night of Writing Dangerously. It's a great night when 250(ish) wrimos get together at a Noire Themed dinner and, basically, write.
To put it simply, it's a ginormous write in with a noire theme and candy. Lots and lots of candy.
In my opinion it's probably the goal of every wrimo out there to attend this gala at least once, and I'm going to be doing that very thing this year.
November 18th will see me in San Francisco, possibly dressed in a Noire Themed outfit and sitting at a table with wrimos from all around the world that have accomplished the same goal as me.
See, to go to this event, we wrimos have to raise $200 for OLL. It's a fundraising event, so that just gets us in the door. Then we have to buy our plane tickets and pay for a hotel, not to mention all the touristy stuff we're going to end up doing while we're there.
Me, being the overachiever that I am, have set an even higher goal for myself. OLL is a fantastic organization that has brought the world more novels than you can shake a fist at. Even if most of those novels never see the light of day, it's a great program, showing people that they have it within themselves to write that novel they've always been thinking about doing.
Without nano, I don't know where I would be in my life right now. I would never have met my boyfriend. I wouldn't have already written ten novels (no, none of them are published, but every novel I write brings me closer to that one that's going to be put on the bookshelves, I know it). I wouldn't have the friends that I currently have. I would be wasting my life away still not knowing what I wanted to do.
It's because of nano that I started this blog.
I want to show that appreciation by raising $500 for them. Of course, I require your help for that. I've already donated $300, but I'm hoping that I can fundraise the rest of the amount. Love will be shown for anyone who donates, probably in the form of a blog post.
If you want to help, I've posted a link to my fundraising page in the sidebar to the left. I want to thank anyone who helps in advance. This a great organization who deserves every penny that's donated to them. Their work with youth alone makes them amazing.
I encourage anyone who hasn't heard of nano to visit their site. If you've been thinking about writing a novel, why don't you sign up and join us in our adventure in November?
To put it simply, it's a ginormous write in with a noire theme and candy. Lots and lots of candy.
In my opinion it's probably the goal of every wrimo out there to attend this gala at least once, and I'm going to be doing that very thing this year.
November 18th will see me in San Francisco, possibly dressed in a Noire Themed outfit and sitting at a table with wrimos from all around the world that have accomplished the same goal as me.
See, to go to this event, we wrimos have to raise $200 for OLL. It's a fundraising event, so that just gets us in the door. Then we have to buy our plane tickets and pay for a hotel, not to mention all the touristy stuff we're going to end up doing while we're there.
Me, being the overachiever that I am, have set an even higher goal for myself. OLL is a fantastic organization that has brought the world more novels than you can shake a fist at. Even if most of those novels never see the light of day, it's a great program, showing people that they have it within themselves to write that novel they've always been thinking about doing.
Without nano, I don't know where I would be in my life right now. I would never have met my boyfriend. I wouldn't have already written ten novels (no, none of them are published, but every novel I write brings me closer to that one that's going to be put on the bookshelves, I know it). I wouldn't have the friends that I currently have. I would be wasting my life away still not knowing what I wanted to do.
It's because of nano that I started this blog.
I want to show that appreciation by raising $500 for them. Of course, I require your help for that. I've already donated $300, but I'm hoping that I can fundraise the rest of the amount. Love will be shown for anyone who donates, probably in the form of a blog post.
If you want to help, I've posted a link to my fundraising page in the sidebar to the left. I want to thank anyone who helps in advance. This a great organization who deserves every penny that's donated to them. Their work with youth alone makes them amazing.
I encourage anyone who hasn't heard of nano to visit their site. If you've been thinking about writing a novel, why don't you sign up and join us in our adventure in November?
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