My Crazy, Happy Life

Life is crazy. I'm sure I don't have to tell you guys. In my circle, it seems to get crazier the older I get. Recently I had a few big life events happen.

One: I got married (the wedding was amazing--and I promise when the photographer's pictures arrive I'll post a few more on my instagram). Aaaaaand for our mini-moon, we visited a glass treehouse in Bodega Bay (Northern California). It was absolutely beautiful. I want to go back one day and just write!


Two: My first round of edits of a certain book. They were extensive and tricky, but I got through them with what (I think) were my smartest choices yet. Hopefully. But we'll see when my editor gets a hold of them.

And three (since apparently I'm still doing this counting thing): I'm working on a new project. Okay, it isn't necessarily NEW new, but it is one of the older projects on my list of projects I wanted to tackle this year. I'm rewriting it from chapter one all the way through. So, I'm stoked (yes, I'm from California, occasionally we do say things like stoked). And busy. But aren't we all?

Speaking of busy, what have you guys been up to? What are you doing (either in real life or writing life) that you're stoked about? ;)

For The Love of...

Today is about the usual, writing, editing, and the love of it all.

Yes, I'm a writer because I love it. Every part of the process (except maybe writing the synopsis). Seriously though, I have even learned to love the hard stuff. In the beginning, the first draft was it for me. I still find this as my favorite part of the process, the most creative, but through the years and the manuscripts, I've even learned to adore the plotting and editing processes. Yes, it takes longer (way longer for me), but nothing makes the story brighter, better, ballsier, than a thorough edit. And nothing makes a first draft easier to write than plotting before hand.

I'm looking back today because I've finally finished edits on GD. This is an exciting day. Scary too, don't get me wrong. But I'm less nervous than I thought I'd be at this point. So I'm taking the necessary steps and getting a little nostalgic.

Instead of doing the waiting-and-refreshing-my-inbox-every-two-seconds, I'm taking the day off today (if I can stand it) and tomorrow I'm going to figure out what's next. I have a few things on the back burner to choose from, but I think I know which will take priority. And no, I can't say yet.

Thanks for stopping by! If you'd care to share, I'd love to know, what is everyone out there working on? Are you writing, editing, working, reading, fiddling with a project that has nothing to do with books?

Falling for Fall

It's here. October. Fall. My favorite season. Leaves are turning, temperatures are changing, rains are falling.


Now you may disagree with me here, but keep in mind I live on the Northern California coast. Smack dab in the middle of the state. Our summers consist of the possibility of seventy degree weather, maybe for a week or two in September. Sure, we can take a trip north, south, or east for an hour and find temperatures at least ten degrees higher, but that's not possible every day.


Still curious about San Francisco summers? Yes, I could have taken this photo less than a month ago. This is the norm for us, people. And I'm not complaining, not one bit. It is beautiful.

However.

There is something different about fog versus rain clouds. Yes, they both look similar. But, for me, nothing beats the pat-pat-pat sound of rain on the windows, the vroom from my ancient heater kicking up to pump warm air (with Kitty A always in front of the living room vent) into the house. There is nothing more motivating for snuggling up with a great book, typing away at the keys on a shiny first draft, or hacking and slashing a manuscript you can almost no longer stand to look at.

And so far, fall has been good to me.

Now I'm curious about my loyal followers. Does fall really get you moving or slow you down? Why? If fall isn't your favorite season, what is?

September Writing Month

September Writing month is a tradition I started on my livejournal blog a few years ago where I basically work (write, edit, rewrite, etc.) every single day in the month of September. I find that once the summer is over, I notice the year is quickly coming to an end. What does that mean? More work needs to get completed, more goals accomplished before that New Year's ball drops. And what better way to knock out some of the things I've been putting off than to hold myself accountable for working every day of the month? September is the perfect month for this. Like I said, summer is over and NaNoWriMo is around the corner, but not so close you can't maybe bang out a draft or a round or two of edits before November rolls around.

Now, I would love it if anyone is interested in participating. Just leave a comment on this post (or link to your own website) with your goal, what you expect to get out of September Writing Month, and we'll check in here every Friday.

So, my Day One.

My goal: Finish my first draft of "Codename: W" my YA sci-fi.

Today I had to deal with the Day Job, so I didn't get as many words on the page as I would have liked, but a few hundred words is better than nothing at all, and that's what September Writing Month is all about. Completing personal goals that you have set for yourself and to clear out those summer cobwebs.

Here's where I am currently with "Codename: W"

8980 / 50000 words. 18% done!

Take that Manuscript to the Gym

Now while I was almost expecting a post-holiday hangover (the kind where you feel like doing nothing, leftover from an awesome weekend), I'm actually just glad to get things back to normal. Back to my routine. Back to the hair-pulling frustration and sweet-tears-of-joy madness that are revisions.

Edits, rewrites, revisions, call them what you will, just don't skimp on them. There's no better way to get your words (you remember, the ones you worked so hard on not so long ago) into shape. Unfortunately you can't take that first chapter to the gym to work on its hook or shout at that sagging middle through a thousand crunches or even kickbox that ending into submission...or can you?

I'm sure I don't have to tell you that every writer has their own process. Me personally, in the past I would never do less than three rounds of edits before allowing another set of eyes (critique partner or beta reader) on my pages. But this time (another thing I probably don't have to tell you, writers adapt) I'm sending a chapter after only two rounds. Side note: this is because I feel I've worked hard from plot to first draft and through two very substantial and thoughtful edits.

Are my words still under there somewhere?

And man is my CP tearing it apart. If this is where you expect me to cry and whine, then you must not know many writers. I'm loving all the bleeding my poor pages are doing. And I'm prepared to resurrect the first few chapters (and maybe--heh--some of my ego), rewrite, and look forward. Because red ink (or pink comment boxes) mean the reader found something off or wrong in the pages. And I'd rather work hard fixing those holes than leave them there to make myself feel better, to live in denial. Being a writer means persistence and hard work. Work I'm willing to put in. What I'm not prepared to is put out something I'm not a hundred percent proud of.

What that means is a lot of time and frustration for me...and a short blog post for you. :)

But before I go, sometimes we all need a little revision pick me up. Mine is obviously coffee (in the mornings), sandwiches (for lunch), and the occasional cookie in between. Oh, and you can't beat the affection of a darling kitty or two. So, what picks you up when you're down in the revision slumps? What keeps you going?

Kitties A and B