Moving Right Along...

I've been working on my book for a while now. I have been sweating and toiling over different aspects of my book, much like Kiera. I almost scrapped it and started another book idea that I've been thinking about and writing about for a while now, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. After all, I am over half-way through with this one. My New Year's Resolution this year is to have my book finished by December of next year.

I want to have the final draft by then, ready to submit to publishers. If all goes well, then it shouldn't be a problem. 

So, as of now, I'm researching bits of facts and information for my book while I continue to write. It's been lively. =) 

Keep on Writing!

46,410 words and counting!

Book Re-Vamp

So I've been really slacking on the writing for the last couple of months.  July and August I was doing well, September took a little detour when I totalled our van, but I got back on track by the end of the month.  October was pretty much hit and miss and then an unexpected death in the family totally threw November for a loop and when I tried to get back into it this week, I just really wasn't feeling it...or rather, I STILL wasn't feeling it.
  The truth is, as I've said in previous posts, I am completely bored with my story.  I was thinking maybe it was because it was a Young Adult novel and I really don't read those that often so maybe I just wasn't getting behind the whole teen perspective thing.  But really I've decided it is the complete lack of monsters and magic.  So I've been thinking it over and I've decided to go back and reboot this idea as an Urban Fantasy.  Instead of illegal arts dealers, we'll have djinn and ifrits, naga's and "artifiacts" in the Warehouse 13 sense of the word.  Same basic plot, just mixing it up with a bit of magic.  I'm liking this idea a whole lot better so hopefully once I get the changes made that I'm thinking of the story will forge on full steam ahead.  :)
-Kiera
32,152 words and counting

Manuscript hints and Publisher news

This is an incredibly helpful blog entry by famous author Kim Harrison, from her blog over at wordpress.  She goes into formatting and spacing and all of the nitty gritty type details publishers are looking for that we're all dying to figure out (or maybe that's just me and everyone else already knows these things??).

http://kimharrison.wordpress.com/2012/09/26/formatting-a-manuscript-one-way-to-do-it/

Also of news is this blurb from publisher Harper Voyager (click the link to go directly to the submission guidelines page):

"For the first time in over a decade, Harper Voyager are opening the doors to unsolicited submissions in order to seek new authors with fresh voices, strong storytelling abilities, original ideas and compelling storylines. So, if you believe your manuscript has these qualities, then we want to read it!

We’re seeking all kinds of adult and young adult speculative fiction for digital publication, but particularly epic fantasy, science fiction, urban fantasy, horror, dystopia and supernatural. For more idea of the type of books we love to read and publish, check out our authors and their titles at www.harpervoyagerbooks.com"

This is great news to anyone who is ready with a manuscript that they're dying to submit to a publisher.  I am not anywhere near this stage, but maybe some of you are.  It sounds very exciting and makes me want to hurry and finish my book in the next week so I can make the deadline.  If you are anywhere close I'd say go for it!  Happy Writing! :)

-Kiera

28,734 words and counting

Finding the time...

So remember how I was all excited for school to start because it would mean I had two full hours five days a week of uninterrupted writing time?  Well the first week went really well.  I averaged about 1400 words a day for the first four days.  The fifth day I fell asleep and took a two hour nap instead of writing.  Then came Labor Day weekend.  We had company over and any time to write went out the window.  So come the next Tuesday I get on the computer to write some more.  I only managed 600 words that day because I wanted to watch this silly show I had been catching up with on Netflix.  But I figured any words are better than no words and shrugged it off.  Then Wednesday I totaled my car.  I decided that day deserved a nap.  Thursday and Friday as well (naps are awesome btw).  So here we are to Monday again and if I wanted to add up all of my missed days I could think that I was about 6400 words behind schedule.  But that's gets kind of depressing so I am choosing to think more in terms of I've added five days (so a week) to my writing time.  Had I continued at the 1400 words/day pace I would have finished my first draft at the end of October.  As it is we are now going into November.  But that's assuming 80k words which I may not need to tell the story.

Also, once again I feel like the story is boring and I don't want to write it and if I don't want to write it then no one will want to read it, etc, etc...  However, even if it is the worst manuscript in the history of writing (and surely it can't be THAT bad) I think I should still soldier on if for no other reason than to get to my next book which has a much more interesting plot (in my opinion).  What do you do when you're sick of your own story?

-Kiera
61 pages (88 paperback pages),
22,040 words and counting.

First Draft Complete!

I can't believe I finally did it! I started this book three years ago! After stopping for months at a time I finally got into a good rhythm a few months ago. There is so much work to do on this draft. I changed names, character descriptions, and little plot lines throughout the book as I went along. I plan to re-write the first chapter too. But that's okay! I AM FINISHED WITH MY FIRST DRAFT!!! This was the biggest goal I ever gave myself, and I can't believe I finally accomplished it. I AM SO HAPPY!

First Draft Word Count: 68,833
Double Spaced Pages: 216 (I think that'll be around 275 novel pages.)

Should you be writing?

I've been having trouble finding the time to write this past week.  Really it's because I find the part of the story I'm on tedious....then I think the reader will find it tedious...then I'm loathe to write it...then more time passes....  Anyway I found this tidbit on facebook and thought I'd share with the group:

Seems like sound advice.  Happy writing. :)

-Kiera

16,047 words and counting

The Problem with Tensed Tense

One of the biggest problems that I face while writing is the use of tense. I have a habit of switching back and forth between past and present. When I start typing my story, I begin with past tense because it's a little easier to tell a story from that point. However, as I get into the story, I feel a part of my main character and get drawn into his world and begin describing the things I see in my mind's eye. Unfortunately, that includes switching tenses to the present.

By the time I've caught myself doing it, I have already written a page in present tense. The only thing I can think to do after that is ignore it for the time being.

Here's the way I see it: If you're on a roll and your creative bug is wanting out, let it flow. If you stop to worry about grammar early on in the writing process, you're going to be beating yourself over the head quite a bit and the next thing you know, you've given up on writing. I know. The book I'm writing now is about the fourth one that I've started on. With this one, however, I've made the decision to remind myself each time I begin typing that this is called a ROUGH DRAFT for a reason... It's supposed to be rough!!

What is your biggest writing faux pas? What have you done to correct it or get over it and continue writing?

-Joseph