Moppets Read

I write for teens but my own two moppets are 10 (The Girl) and 9 (The Boy)
Consequently, we have lots of middle grade reading going on in this house and I thought it might be fun to share what those two are currently reading.

The Girl is reading



And The Boy is reading

Read More

Feeling Rejected

Writing is a rejecting business, so it's nice to remember, every so often, that you're in good company. Here is another lovely list from BuzzFeed of wonderful books, and the authors, that had to open some of those much dreaded rejections.

Read More

TV Watching and Writing

As a general rule, I think that if you are trying to write books, you should be watching as little TV as possible (HUGE time suck.) However, I have my weaknesses.

1. Downton Abbey

2. Elementary

3. Project Runway

4. I am hoping this....

I was also a huge fan of The Tudors, so you can see why I'd be hopeful.

Read More

NaNo or NoNo

 

I am seriously considering participating in NaNoWriMo next month, even though the thought of it sort of leaves me quaking in my writerly boots. My wonderful office buddy has created a NaNo group for the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers (an organization to which I proudly belong) and my hand is hovering over the "commit" button.

But I hesitate.

Truth: You scare the crap out of me NaNo.

For me, 50,000 words in one month is a huge output. I work full time, I have young kids, and I like for everyone in my house to have clean underwear everyday. I realize NaNo is not the same as a contracted deadline...but it is a promise to yourself. While it's not at all the same as damaging your writing career by missing a contracted deadline; I still think it would be just as disappointing, to yourself, to not hit that goal.

I will keep you posted as to my decision--which has to be made soon!

In preparation, and just in case, I have plotted out my entire next book. So at the very least I have built a map to guide me through NaNo should I decide to.

Anyone else going to jump in the pool this year?

Read More

Finish Your Book

Are you a paralyzing perfectionist? I recently had an amazing bookish conversation with a writer I very much admire and was reminded of just how horrifying perfectionism can be.

Now don't get me wrong, a good dose of repeatedly going over our prose has its purpose. In fact, had I been a bit more of a "perfectionist" instead of an "I'm sure everything is just fine" kind of person, I would probably not be trying to remedy the particularly vexing situation in which I currently find myself (more on this in a later post!)

Yes, being perfect has its place!

When you've FINISHED your first draft.

IMHO, the first draft is no place to be looking backwards and fixing mistakes. If you start looking back, you may find yourself mired in the weeds of typos and passive verbs forever! For me, I write the whole thing first. Beginning to glorious "The End"

Only then can I go back and make it better.

Keep Moving Forward! There's no other way to finish.

Read More