Hi guys! Sorry for the coding issues in this post- I won't be able to fix it until after work, sorry!
What I am reading.
I cannot believe I'm saying this...but nothing this week. It's been a busy week, and when I had free time, writing was my priority. I'm also kind of in a reading slump...so, suggestions are welcome! I haven't finished the past few contemporaries I've picked up, and I have not found any fantasy (my favorite) that's really knocked my socks off lately. That being said, I do have a few books in my TBR pile but I'm waiting to get them in paperback verse ebook.
What I am writing.
I have been working on my YA fantasy and my NA contemporary (the next novel for the Whatever It Takes Series). I also worked a little bit on my novella, but decided to set that aside for now.
The YA is a "revision", but it's pretty much a rewrite.
What works for me.
I am a by-the-seats-of-my-pants writer. A friend introduced me to the term discovery writer, and I love it. I'm OCD and a planner in every other aspect of my life (big time), but when it comes to writing, I just can't do it.
While this isn't usually an issue, I'm kind of on some deadlines, so I've felt a little overwhelmed. Sometimes, since I'm a panster, that first draft takes some time, and then I know will require big edits, usually in regards to structure and pacing. Since I want two books done in a short time frame, it's a little daunting, especially when there are only a few days a week when I can write.
To handle this, I've made an "outline". I say "outline" very broadly because I'm not outlining the book, I've just created a document (in a notebook, on paper) that looks like this:
-chapter one
-chapter two
-chapter three
and so on. I have a few areas marked just to help keep me on track with structure. No, I don't know what will happen at that specific turning point, but it helps me just by knowing 'something' should happen there. Pretty much, I made a plan as far as word count goes (overall goal, and broke it up per chapter), and am hoping that seeing it as a sort of to-do list may actually alleviate some of my apprehension by marking those chapters off as a complete them. I'm also attempting to go at this project with chapter goals versus word count goals, because telling myself "I need to write one chapter after work" is less frenzy-inducing than "I need to write 2000 words after spending nine plus hours on the computer at work." I'm trying to squeeze these in on my non-gym days, since I have a little of time after work, but I'm not sure how it will work yet.
For the "revision" (I like quotations today, apparently), I've made myself a similar outline but it also has some more structural info in it, so that I know around chapter x I need to be hitting my first turning point etc. I'm hoping it will speed the process up a bit, and since it's a rewrite I won't have such huge edits, even though I am making drastic plot changes.
What else I've been up to.
I'm trying a new fight gym, which is seriously a process that makes me a nutcase. I feel like I don't know what to expect when I walk into a new gym. I've had good experiences and bad experiences, and you never know what you'll get. I'm also really close to my gymmates, so not working with them is going to be rough.
What else...It actually has felt like fall the past few days, but we've had some beautiful (and some not so beautiful) weather, and my horse and I have gotten to take advantage of a few of those beautiful days.
Look forward to catching up with everyone! Just FYI, I'll be trying to get around to all the posts, but due to my work schedule today, it may be kind of late.
Happy writing and reading!
RSS Feed
