T10T [6] - Top Ten Books I Liked More/Less Than Expected

Write Stuff [21]

Write Stuff  is based on the Wannabe Writers meme hosted by Sarah at Confessions of the Un-Published. This meme is what prompted me to start Writer Quirk, so I am thankful to Sarah for creating it.

I use this meme to talk about the ups and downs of writing, what I'm working on, and, in November, to chronicle my NaNoWriMo journey.


If you've been following along with my scattered postings, you will know what happened in July and might have noticed my Writing Progress bar to the right. It was for the novel I was working on and has been stuck at the same number for three months, the deadline I set for myself well behind us now.

The evidence doesn't lie; I haven't worked on my novel since my dad died. I won't be working on it again until January at the earliest. But just because my novel hasn't been going anywhere doesn't mean I haven't been writing.

After I got over the busyness and initial funk that comes from losing a loved one, I tried reading my novel (because I didn't feel like writing on it) and it is terrible, so that didn't help things. But then I decided that I had all of these ideas and I needed to get whatever was in my mind down so I could figure out what I would work on for NaNoWriMo this year.

After scribbling down random details for a handful of various story ideas, one kept grabbing at my heart and I would find myself thinking about it time and again. That story is what I picked to work on in November, and yet with the end of October approaching, I haven't gotten an outline done. I know what happens in the beginning, but what the plot is after that is anybody's guess. The thing I know for sure, though, is that the story is a straight up YA contemporary. Yes, me, the lover of all things supernatural, is going to attempt contemporary fiction.

I've also been dabbling in short stories, something I have never really done before. I've posted them over at Figment on my profile here. If you are a part of Figment, let me know so I can follow you. I love all the contests and giveaways they have and the short story contests helped me get back in the groove of writing.

So my lovely quirks, have you been working on anything new? Are you planning on doing NaNoWriMo? Let me know in the comments!

Write Stuff [20]

Write Stuff  is based on the Wannabe Writers meme hosted by Sarah at Confessions of the Un-Published. This meme is what prompted me to start Writer Quirk, so I am thankful to Sarah for creating it.


I'm going to continue straying from the usual format and just give a brief update about where I am and what I'm working on.


In my last Write Stuff post (here) I talked about the issues I was having writing the second draft of my first novel. I eventually decided to stop working on that draft and focus on creating an outline for a new version. I gave myself the month of April to complete this outline. After working my butt off (I really wish this was a literal statement) I completed my outline two days before the May 1st deadline. Yay!

So now I have a complete outline made of roughly sixty-two scenes split into four acts. The entirety of it was sent to my writing pal and friend Meg (of Myth-illogical) for a quick review. I began writing what is my third draft of this novel on on the first day of May. I have given myself a four month window to complete this new draft so by the end of August, I should have a complete draft. My goal with this one is to have something worth revising and not have to go through another rewrite.

I chose my deadline so that I could have September as a buffer if I need it and the month of October to work on an outline for NaNoWriMo instead of going in mostly blind like the last two years. November, being National Novel Writing Month, will be just for that, and then in December I will take a writing break, because I'm going to need it. ^_^ Hopefully in January I will be able to begin revisions on my third draft. I will try to update my progress here every so often to let you know how its going. And that is where I am!

So my lovely quirks, where are you at in your process? Have any writing goals or deadlines that you are working toward? Let me know in the comments!

Write Stuff [19] - The Second Draft Slump

Write Stuff  is based on the Wannabe Writers meme hosted by Sarah at Confessions of the Un-Published. This meme is what prompted me to start Writer Quirk, so I am thankful to Sarah for creating it.


I'm going to stray from the usual format and just talk about what I'm dealing with right now, and that is the second draft slump.


I completed the first draft of my first novel in just over a month. The first 50k words were written during November for my first National Novel Writing Month, and the last 17k over the first week of December. That experience, though not exactly easy, was exhilarating. I had created an actual novel. It had a beginning, a middle, and an end. And despite not being literary gold, true publishable novels are written in revision, right? I'd achieved a goal so I had no doubt that I could conquer my next task.

After completing that first draft, I took some time off from my story to get some distance. During that time I read a lot and studied the craft of writing and devoured the blogs of my favorite YA authors. I came to realize exactly what my first novel was lacking. I already knew it wasn't good (hello, I did have a character named Big Stinky Ugly Smelly Giant Doorkeeper Guy), but I could pinpoint how and why and so when I went back to it, I knew what things needed to change. A lot of this had to do with fleshing out the goals and motivations of my characters. I also, as a pantser, had problems with plot and structure. So instead of going to that next step of revision, I chose the do-over, the rewrite.

And that, my friends, is where I still am. I spent just over a month writing that first draft but have spent the last year rewriting the same story and am only about 65% finished. Granted, I did go to the Masters, plan a wedding, get married, go on a honeymoon, read several books, and participate in another NaNoWriMo during the past year, but I've been working on Draft #2 on and off the whole time.

I'm not trying to be hard on myself. I know what my issue is, and that issue was highlighted when I took an online plotting workshop last month. As a natural pantser, I don't have trouble writing. I have trouble finishing, getting to the end, making everything tie up and make sense. I could probably write novels twice the intended length if I let myself do so.

But not knowing what needs to happen in each scene or chapter has made my process far too lengthy. I'm not going by some industry standards as to how long it should take to write a novel; I just know, for me, if I truly hope to make a career out of this someday, I don't like how long it takes me to get a story written. Not just a story, but an actual needs-revision-not-a-complete-rewrite story. I long to revise as I know revision is something I'm good at (thanks to countless papers and speeches I've revised and edited for friends and family) as well as something I enjoy doing. But I need to have something worth revising.

Taking that plotting workshop really broke down the process of plotting for me, and now I know what I need to do before sitting down to write. I know how long scenes should be; I know where my plot points need to fall; I know how to flesh out my characters and build them up and tear them down. But this knowledge, at the stage I am in with my current draft, is burdensome.

I don't want to leave Draft #2 unfinished. It bothers me to think that I may. But what I think about most often these days is a new draft, one where I take the things I have learned about plotting and put them into practice. I knew several things that needed to change in my story before the workshop, but now I know the best way of using those changes and structuring my story so that when it is done, it will be something worth reading.

Am I wasting my time trying to finish a draft I already know will mostly be discarded? Or am I blinded by the shiny, new incarnation of my story that I see in my future? I don't know. I'm not sure if I'm just being overly sentimental about the idea of "completion" and actually hindering my own progress by continuing on something I know isn't working. At the same time, there may be merit in completing another draft, a lesson of experience, if you will.


There are some other things I know that come into play when trying to make this decision. The first is that Draft #2 is already too long. Since I'm writing a paranormal/urban fantasy YA, my goal word count is 75k. Right now, at 65% of the way through the story, I am only about 3k words away from that goal. If I keep writing, I may wind up with a 100k word draft when I finish. I do not want to write a 400 page novel. That is just not for me, at least not with this story.

The second thing I know is that when I was writing the original (horrible, laughable) draft, there was excitement in the unknown, in seeing things happen and appear out of nowhere. I feel no excitement working on Draft #2. For the most part, it has been tedious and fraught with indecision and uncertainty. I know now that is because I didn't have everything I needed before writing it (a.k.a. plot structure, character goals, etc.).

But when I think about the as-yet-nonexistent Draft #3, I can feel that long lost excitement at the edges of my mind. I don't know why exactly. Maybe it is because I plan on being more plot and less pants for Draft #3 and I've never written that way and I want to see what happens when I do. Maybe I'm just trying to give myself an excuse for quitting on Draft #2.

So my question is, my lovely quirks, what would you do if you were in my situation? Have you been where I am before? Any advice or suggestions? I haven't made up my mind yet what I'm going to do so anything you have to offer will be helpful!

Write Stuff [18]

Write Stuff  is a weekly meme based on the Wannabe Writer meme hosted by Sarah at Confessions of the Un-Published. This meme is what prompted me to start Writer Quirk, so I am thankful to Sarah for creating it and allowing ANYONE (even a quirkster like me) to join up. So go visit her site and the others who participate. Do it.



Where I am in the writing process:  I finally finished my 2011 NaNoWriMo draft! Woohoo! It ended up being 81k words, but I finished before my self-imposed deadline of March 1st, so yay for that. My next goal is to complete the rewrite of my 2010 NaNoWriMo project before May 1st.

My problem(s) today:  I'm currently part of an online plotting workshop that I'm learning a lot from, and it is making me want to start my third rewrite of my 2010 project before actually finishing the second one.

What made me happy today:  I'm happy that today is one of my days off and I get to be lazy and watch it snow! ^_^

Goal for tomorrow:  Work on my rewrite (or at least read some of it to remember where I was at).

How close are you to completing your writing goals?

Write Stuff [17]

Write Stuff  is a weekly meme based on the Wannabe Writer meme hosted by Sarah at Confessions of the Un-Published. This meme is what prompted me to start Writer Quirk, so I am thankful to Sarah for creating it and allowing ANYONE (even a quirkster like me) to join up. So go visit her site and the others who participate. Do it.



Where I am in the writing process:  I finished NaNoWriMo and have been snailing along at writing the draft to completion.

My problem(s) today:  My brain hurts. I haven't felt well the last week or so, thus I haven't felt like writing.

What made me happy today: It snowed! I like winter and snow. I do not, however, like ice. To quote that singer named after a food dish...know what? Never mind. Yay snow!

Goal for tomorrow: Write for just 30 minutes. In other words, just make the freaking bed.

Do you have writing resolutions or goals for the new year?

Write Stuff [16] - NaNoWriMo Day 30

Write Stuff (formerly Working Writer Wednesday) is a weekly meme based on the Wannabe Writer meme hosted by Sarah at Confessions of the Un-Published. This meme (I changed the name so I could post on any day of the week) is what prompted me to start Writer Quirk, so I am thankful to Sarah for creating it and allowing ANYONE (even a quirkster like me) to join up. So go visit her site and the others who participate. Do it.



For the month of November, Write Stuff will be my way of updating my NaNoWriMo progress here on the blog. Hope you enjoy the crazy!

Where I am in the writing process:  I'm done! I reached 50,057 yesterday afternoon. I got more words in last year, but a win is a win!  ^_^

My problem(s) today:  Not a thing! Unless you count the fact that my novel, while meeting the 50k goal, is not finished. So, yeah, I have more writing to do.

What made me happy today: Successfully having completed NaNoWriMo meant I didn't have to write today! I took a nice break, read a book, stalked people on Twitter, lol.

Goal for tomorrow: Keep on truckin'. I don't like to think I've written 50k just to leave it there and not finish the thing to the end. The real reward is having a complete beginning-middle-end draft of a novel, so that's my goal for however long it takes me to reach the end of the story.

And now, my new NaNoWriMo badge! Yay!

That's it for this time!

Thanks for visiting!

Write Stuff [15] - NaNoWriMo Day 25

Write Stuff (formerly Working Writer Wednesday) is a weekly meme based on the Wannabe Writer meme hosted by Sarah at Confessions of the Un-Published. This meme (I changed the name so I could post on any day of the week) is what prompted me to start Writer Quirk, so I am thankful to Sarah for creating it and allowing ANYONE (even a quirkster like me) to join up. So go visit her site and the others who participate. Do it.



For the month of November, Write Stuff will be my way of updating my NaNoWriMo progress here on the blog.  Hope you enjoy the crazy!

Where I am in the writing process:  I'm just over 40k, so I'm nearly done!

My problem(s) today:  One thing I have learned about my writing process is that the closer I get to the end of my story, the longer my novel gets. I'm nearly at my word count for NaNoWriMo, but still have at least a third of an outline to get through. I guess that is reasonable, as most YA novels are not 50k words long, but it is frustrating!

What made me happy today: I'm not at work! I'm enjoying a nice four-day weekend at home after having a great Thanksgiving Day with family.

Goal for tomorrow:  I hope to only have 5k or less words to write tomorrow. I usually take Friday's off from writing, but since I took yesterday off from it, I'm planning on making up for it today. I think I can get at least 5k if I work at it on and off while doing some housekeeping (the laundry runeth over, y'all). ^_^

If you're doing NaNoWriMo this year, leave your user name in the comments and I will make you my buddy!  (My username is writerquirk, obvs.  ^_^)

That's it for this time!

Thanks for visiting!

Write Stuff [13] - NaNoWriMo Day 10

Write Stuff (formerly Working Writer Wednesday) is a weekly meme based on the Wannabe Writer meme hosted by Sarah at Confessions of the Un-Published. This meme (I changed the name so I could post on any day of the week) is what prompted me to start Writer Quirk, so I am thankful to Sarah for creating it and allowing ANYONE (even a quirkster like me) to join up. So go visit her site and the others who participate. Do it.



For the month of November, Write Stuff will be my way of updating my NaNoWriMo progress here on the blog.  Hope you enjoy the crazy!

Where I am in the writing process:  I'm nearly 20k words in to this year's NaNoWriMo project, which is the sequel to last year's project, otherwise known as my unfinished rewrite.  So that means I'm ahead of schedule!  (Sooooooo not the case last year, lol.)

My problem(s) today:  I'm feeling antsy.  I, for some reason unbeknownst to myself, do not want to get started on today's writing session.

What made me happy today:  Funny baby pictures. ^_^

Goal for tomorrow:  Eat at the Japanese place I've been craving for like three weeks.  I know this is not technically a writing goal, but hey, you never know what kind of inspiration might hit you at a Japanese restaurant. (Hopefully I don't get hit by a ninja.)

If you're doing NaNoWriMo this year, leave your user name in the comments and I will make you my buddy!  (My username is writerquirk, obvs.  ^_^)

That's it for this time!

Thanks for visiting!

Write Stuff [11]

Write Stuff (formerly Working Writer Wednesday) is a weekly meme based on the Wannabe Writer meme hosted by Sarah at Confessions of the Un-Published. This meme (I changed the name so I could post on any day of the week) is what prompted me to start Writer Quirk, so I am thankful to Sarah for creating it and allowing ANYONE (even a quirkster like me) to join up. So go visit her site and the others who participate. Do it.

Where I am in the writing process:  Halfway through my rewrite, thanks to writing about five chapters in a short amount of time. So roughly 37k words right now.

My current problem(s):  Epihanies. I know I'm going to have to change the beginning of my novel, and normally I'd be freaking out about how to do that, but I keep having ideas that I want to go ahead and implement but I can't because I'm trying to finish the stupid thing!

Sarah's ???:  What are your favorite dual narrative novels?

My answer:  I haven't read very many but in general I like them. I loved how the multiple narratives worked in the Midnighters Series by Scott Westerfeld. And even though the romance was too much for me, I liked having both Luc and Frannie's viewpoints in Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers. I like it when you see through the eyes of two different characters and you know their paths are going to cross. It just adds a lot of anticipation. It also works to add dramatic irony, which is always fun. Multiple POVs are less fun when they're necessary (think Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer) so the story can move along while one character is out of commission. But, again, I haven't met one I haven't liked...yet. ^_^

My ???:  Have you ever considered writing a dual/multiple narrative novel?


That's it for this time!

Thanks for visiting!

Write Stuff [10]

Write Stuff (formerly Working Writer Wednesday) is a weekly meme based on the Wannabe Writer meme hosted by Sarah at Confessions of the Un-Published. This meme (I changed the name so I could post on any day of the week) is what prompted me to start Writer Quirk, so I am thankful to Sarah for creating it and allowing ANYONE (even a quirkster like me) to join up. So go visit her site and the others who participate. Do it.



Where I am in the writing process:  Getting back to it.  I'm trying to ignore what I've written thus far so I can finish the rewrite before NaNoWriMo in November.

My current problem(s):  Just getting back in the swing of things.  And not going back to make sure what I'm writing is inline with everything already written.  I was taking a slower approach with the rewrite, but honestly, it is almost an entirely new draft, so I'm trying to take that mindset and not let editing get in my way.

Sarah's ???:  How long do your breaks from writing last?

My answer:  Usually several weeks. I wrote all through last November and half of December, took a break for about three months, then started up and didn't stop until a couple months ago because life was getting hectic the nearer my wedding got.  But even during my fiction breaks, I still write, turning to personal essays, poetry, free-writing, whatever. I try to never stop-stop writing.  But sometimes you just need a break from writing fiction because there is so much planning and and intentional thought involved.

My ???:  Do you plan breaks from writing or do you just write when you feel like and not when you don't?


That's it for this time!

Thanks for visiting!

Book Blogger Hop & Follow Friday! [10]

Welcome blog hoppers!

I hope you enjoy your visit here at Writer Quirk!

^_^

 

FFQ: ?????

WQA:  ?????

BBHQ:  ????

WQA:  ????

If you enjoy what you see enough to follow, please also 
 "Like" the Writer Quirk Facebook page!

Thanks for visiting!

Working Writer Wednesday [9]

Working Writer Wednesday is a weekly meme based on the Wannabe Writer meme hosted by Sarah at Confessions of the Un-Published. This meme is what prompted me to start Writer Quirk, so I am thankful to Sarah for creating it and allowing ANYONE (even a quirkster like me) to join up. So go visit her site and the others who participate. Do it.

Where I am in the writing process:  Still not anywhere I haven't been for a while.  I've determined I won't be able to really focus on my novel until after the wedding.

My current problem(s):   Wedding
                                    Church
                                    Family
                                    Wedding
                                    Friends
                                    Summer
                                    Wedding
                                    Work
                                    Harry Potter
                                    Blog
                                 + Wedding                   
                                  What do you think?

Sarah's ???: Drugs and sex and language. How much is too much in Young Adult?

My answer:  Oh boy. *takes deep breath and jumps off the high dive*

I personally feel overtly explicit writing (detailed descriptions of sex, how to make or use drugs, and the foulest of words) should not be used.  It is not that I don't want YA to be realistic, I just believe it can be realistic without having to delve into the dirty details.  If I was that age again, it wouldn't matter what I was doing in my own life, reading these things in a book would either not interest me or make me blush furiously.  I don't remember knowing anyone in high school who cussed like a sailor all the time or spoke in detail about their sex lives or drug use.  I'm also from The South, so that probably is a factor.

I understand mentioning these things, especially when these things have bearing on the story or the characters.  Also, if something is only mentioned once, like a detailed scene of sexual violence, however difficult it would be to actually read it (I probably couldn't - I can't watch Law & Order: SVU) that is not as objectionable as continued and prolonged exposure within a novel to overtly explicit material.  Drugs don't bother me so much unless the lifestyle is being glamorized, and the curses don't much either, as long as they are sparing or in a context that makes sense (i.e. not just cursing to be "edgy").  But even the most graceful depictions of sex (I'm thinking along the lines of Graceling by Kristin Cashore) make me uncomfortable as an adult.  I feel like sex is private, even between fictional beings, so I'm not into hearing all that stuff, especially if the act is between teenagers (kid porn much???)  I'm all for talking about sex in the right context or in vague or "fade to black" terms, but the nitty-gritty I don't need.  This may be due to how, IMHO, television sort of sets the standard for "normal" in the US.  Sex is only truly graphic on stations like HBO, but language and drug stuff show up on every cable and network channel at one point or another.

Another factor that ties in to my view is that I'm a firm believer in "garbage-in, garbage-out," mainly because I have seen it in my own life.  I don't feel that teens need to see an f-bomb in every paragraph to know that people curse.  What you see every day can cause you to create habits that are not part of you naturally (think of all the beautiful = skinny garbage we are fed on nearly every TV commercial) so I'm not really comfortable with giving an age group of people who are growing into their bodies and minds (and won't fully develop physically at least until late teens and mentally/emotionally until sometime in their twenties - blame it on my educational psychology class) excesses of anything, no matter what media (books, TV, etc.) it may appear in.

But, as my dad pointed out to me once when we were almost hit by a semi-truck and he spouted a couple curses of his own, in certain intense or horrifying or shocking situations, intense expletives fit and can come out of even the cleanest of mouths.  I've seen used needles on a city street and know people who have used various narcotics (and seen what they were like under the influence), so I know drugs do happen, and it is likely most teens will encounter them.  Sex also happens more than most parents would be happy about.  But if a teen or tween (since most book stores categorize YA as between 12-18) is really interested in reading about that stuff, or learning about it or seeing it, they don't have to get it from the YA book section.  I would prefer them not to.  Novels are about stories, about characters, and if drugs or explicit language or sex happens in those stories like it happens in real life, then fine.  Life and people aren't perfect so neither will the lives and personalities of characters in novels.  But it is not necessary in YA lit to be explicit.

One final thought:  Of the many YA books I have read, most are not explicit enough to comment on.  But one series always sticks in my mind when it comes to this issue, and that is the House of Night series by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast.  In several places I've seen it shelved with adult books.  I think this is telling because some in the bookselling and library industries recognize that even though there are teenage characters in the books, the story within goes beyond what I would consider reasonable for YA.  I would not at all want this series near a shelf where a twelve or thirteen or fourteen or really even a fifteen year old person could expect to find novels.  I actually liked the story and was highly interested in it, but I quit reading because I felt like I was having to wade through a sea of muck to reach an entertaining story.  And I was 21 and just past my crazy college days. Maybe I'm just more sensitive, but I think there are more constructive, meaningful ways a teen or tween can learn about sex and drugs and the other crazy things that people get up to.  I probably could go on, but I'm going to stop there.  ^_^


My ???:  Have you ever not been able to finish a series or book because it was too explicit?  Do you think overly explicit books that are normally considered YA should be shelved elsewhere?  Let me know your thoughts!


That's it for this time!

Thanks for visiting!

Book Blogger Hop & Follow Friday! [9]

Welcome blog hoppers!

I hope you enjoy your visit here at Writer Quirk!

^_^

 

Today is Captain Italian's birthday so I may be a little invisible this weekend.  
But don't worry, I will catch up with you guys later!

FFQ: ?????

WQA:  ?????

BBHQ:  ????

WQA:  ????

If you enjoy what you see enough to follow, please also 
 "Like" the Writer Quirk Facebook page!

Thanks for visiting!

Working Writer Wednesday [8]

Working Writer Wednesday is a weekly meme based on the Wannabe Writer meme hosted by Sarah at Confessions of the Un-Published. This meme is what prompted me to start Writer Quirk, so I am thankful to Sarah for creating it and allowing ANYONE (even a quirkster like me) to join up. So go visit her site and the others who participate. Do it.

Where I am in the writing process:  Still not much of anywhere.  Life is getting in the way.  >.<

My current problem(s):  I haven't felt like writing.  I've been thinking about, planning stuff out in my head, but with so much going on, I honestly just don't want to.  I think I'm scared to go back and look at the mess I left for myself and I'm so zapped I just don't have the brain power to deal.  I've been coming up with a lot of great scenes/conversations for the next book in the series, like that helps me any right now.

Sarah's ???: How do I get back my motivation?

My answer:  I understand this dilemma all too well.  The only thing I can think, if you are really wanting to push yourself on through this slump, is to set goals and give yourself rewards.  The National Novel Writing Month spinoff, Camp NaNoWriMo, is finally open.  So now you can have the same benefits of NaNoWriMo any month you want.  Part of that is the knowledge you have a deadline to meet.  Also, have rewards mapped out for yourself for when you reach certain goals.  If it is buying a new book, going shopping, taking a nap, watching TV, whatever, just give yourself something for all the effort.

Word wars are another great thing you can do.  Find someone, whether in person or online, you can compete with to see who can write the most words in a given amount of time.  Set up a word war session and get typing, even if it is against your own personal best record.  Once you are doing these things, the true motivation should return.  I found NaNoWriMo to be exhilarating and word wars super-productive, and getting so much accomplished made me just want to do more.

My ???:  Have you ever thought about entering into National Novel Writing Month?  Have you participated in the past?

That's it for this time!

Thanks for visiting!

Book Blogger Hop & Follow Friday! [8]

Welcome blog hoppers!

I hope you enjoy your visit here at Writer Quirk!

^_^

 

FFQ: ACK! Your favorite book/movie character (example Hermione Granger played by the Emma chick) just walked into the room! Who is it and what would be your first reaction? You get extra points if you include visual stimulation.

WQA:  Ack!  I don't know!  Let me think...oh yes.  It would be  
Captain Jack Sparrow 
and my first reaction would be to squint at him to make sure he is real.  Especially if I am seeing multiple Jacks.

BBHQ:  What keeps you reading beyond the first few pages of a book, and what makes you want to stop reading a book and put it back on the shelf?

WQA:  What keeps me reading is a unique/distinct voice, a bit of mystery, good storytelling and atmosphere, and an outside-the-box quality when it comes to premise, settings, and situations.  
Great writing, wit, humor, and snark also help.

^_^

As for what makes me want to stop reading: flat/irritating/stupid characters, lack of forward motion, overkill of agenda, and supreme unbelievability.  The writing would have to be ridiculously bad for me to give up on it due to that (I did get through Twilght after all). 
*dodges tomatoes*

If you enjoy what you see enough to follow, please also 
 "Like" the Writer Quirk Facebook page!

Thanks for visiting!

Working Writer Wednesday [7]

Working Writer Wednesday is a weekly meme based on the Wannabe Writer meme hosted by Sarah at Confessions of the Un-Published. This meme is what prompted me to start Writer Quirk, so I am thankful to Sarah for creating it and allowing ANYONE (even a quirkster like me) to join up. So go visit her site and the others who participate. Do it.

Where I am in the writing process:  Revising what is written and planning on finishing my re-write by October.

My current problem(s):  I had another epiphany, but haven't figured out how to get it in there and make what is already there work around it.  It was not as big an epiphany as the last one, but still, it needs to be done right.  I'm still all over the place with my time.

Sarah's ???: How do you make time?

My answer:  Poorly, at the moment.  Honestly, I haven't felt like writing much, so I've not been trying very hard to sit down and do it.  My head is a little full with wedding plans and need of sleep.  Usually, though, I basically tell whomever it may concern that I am going to be out for the night, go to my favorite local cafe, pick a table and stay there until they close.  I actually have fewer interruptions out in public than at home.  That's how I was able to complete NaNoWriMo last year, by being away from my actual life as much as possible.  And when I really want/need to finish writing something as soon as possible, I take my laptop everywhere, including to work where I would write on my breaks (usually in the bathroom...I know...terrible and TMI) and on my lunch break.  When you really want to, you can find the time.  It usually requires cutting out reading, TV, friends, significant others, family, and such, but that is sometimes the price we pay (not to mention those around us) to do what we love.

My ???:  Do you have any secret/weird spots where you catch a little extra writing time?

That's it for this time!

Thanks for visiting!

Book Blogger Hop & Follow Friday! [7]

Welcome blog hoppers!

I hope you enjoy your visit here at Writer Quirk!

^_^

 

FFQ: What is your favorite fairy tale or story that revolves around the fae?

WQA:  As for fairy tales (which typically lack actual fairies) I love Beauty and the Beast - the Disney version.  I also love the story of the Twelve Dancing Princesses.  As for fae stories - I've not had much luck there.  Even though I didn't have a chance to finish it, I liked Julie Kagawa's The Iron King best of all the ones I've read.

BBHQ:  When did you realize reading was your passion and a truly important part of your life?

WQA:  Probably in the first grade. I had no trouble reading ahead in our story books at school and reading every book we had at home and bringing stacks back from the library. I was so into reading that growing up, my parents would get worried I'd disappeared because I would be so quiet due to sitting in a corner reading for hours on end.

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Working Writer Wednesday [6]

Working Writer Wednesday is a weekly meme based on the Wannabe Writer meme hosted by Sarah at Confessions of the Un-Published. This meme is what prompted me to start Writer Quirk, so I am thankful to Sarah for creating it and allowing ANYONE (even a quirkster like me) to join up. So go visit her site and the others who participate. Do it.

Where I am in the writing process:  Feels like nowhere.  Planning on finishing my re-write by October.

My current problem(s):  Still not been able to write much.  Between work, wedding, blogging, and trying to actually read, I've not gotten anything new written in a while.  I was able to implement some of my epiphany in my first and second chapter, and sent some of that off to an open critique in which I labeled myself as a coconut, basically asking for a very blunt and thorough critique.  We'll see how that goes when I get it back.

Sarah's ???: Length?  How long do you like your YA novels to be?

My answer:  When I finished my NaNo project, it came out at about 67k words.  I thought that was a pretty decent number.  I feel for what goes on in my story between 60-75k is about right for me.  I think stories with a fantasy, supernatural, sci-fi, or paranormal element tend to be longer because there is stuff that has to be explained or shown to the reader where contemporary or normal historical novels don't really have to do that.  I do feel a little besieged when a YA novel is 100k or more.  The story has to be pretty darn good to warrant all those pages and keep me from moving on.

My ???:  What is the longest YA book you have read?  Did it need all those words or could it have been cut down?

That's it for this time!

Thanks for visiting!

Book Blogger Hop & Follow Friday! [6]

Welcome blog hoppers!

I hope you enjoy your visit here at Writer Quirk!

^_^

 

FFQ: Genre wars!  What's your favorite genre and what book in that genre made it your favorite?

WQA:  That is actually kind of tough!  My initial response would by YA Paranormal, but that isn't the whole story.  I like paranormal in general, but I like some things (magic) more than other things (creatures). And I like for there to be some kind of mystery involved, too. I guess Harry Potter would be one that really typifies my interests (though I believe it is considered fantasy, which would be my second favorite.  Go figure).

BBHQ:  How many books are currently in your To-Be-Read (TBR) Pile?

WQA:  I have a very small physical TBR pile (like 3) but I have a long list of to-reads that get added to the TBR when they come into my possession. I get most of my books from the library so that is why my physical list is so short, unless you consider the entire YA section at my library to be (sort of) within my possession! Then my list would be HUGE! ^_^

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