10 Writerly Things I Accomplished in 2008

Okay so this is a fun list of things that I managed to do this year that involve writing. (Aside: I also write nonfiction and I get paid for it--so this is going to include those accomplishments.)

1--I raised my hourly wage by quite a bit. I made a goal to average at least 20.00 an hour freelancing this year. I've got jobs that pay me a lot more, and one that pays me less, but my average rate is $25.00.

2--I diversified my income for writing, which means I went out and got more jobs. This was a goal I set, but ignored until I lost one of my two steady jobs. Yikes--I won't make that mistake again. Currently I work for five, yes five companies. Good thing too, because work is decreasing in two of those, so I can shift stuff around.

3--I wrote my novel. I guess that should go at the top, but I didn't make it a goal until mid-July. So I wrote my novel in about six months.

4--I attended my first writer's conference. All right so it was online, still I learned a ton and I was grateful that I got to learn all of that information.

5--I started my own blog--well two blogs, one on my family and this one.

6--I joined/co-founded a writer's group. This really has been beneficial to me in so many ways. Never mind that I made myself sick--literally--at the first meeting or that I still shake when I read out loud. It's given me motivation to write, and direction when I needed it. Plus I've gotten to know some really great people I might not have otherwise.

7--I've joined forum discussions, found blogs by agents, writers, and editors and basically I'm starting to get a feel for the industry and understand it a bit more.

8--I started my second novel. All right so it was on December 30th, and only like 300 words, but hey, I started. It counts for something--right?

9--I finally put my creative writing first. Creative as in what I want to write about, not what I'm getting paid to do. And I don't think my freelance gigs suffered for it either.

10--Heck I'm going to say I wrote my novel again. It was a pretty big accomplishment for a mom of three who also freelances. I'm so proud of it.!

Vote for Your Favorite in Fantasy This Year

Urban Fantasy Land is offering awards for the best books and authors in the land of fantasy for the year 2008. This is a lot of fun and a great way to show your support to your favorite authors.

Vote now!

Rewriting Round One

Well writer's group was this week--I managed to get each of the members a copy.

So the consensus is that I need to develop my main character more, and her relationship with Love Interest more. And more fully define the bad guys.

Sounds easier than it is. So I'm heading off to rewrite.

The truth of the matter is that I've never really written anything. Mostly I'll run a grammar check, read once for major typos and off it goes. I never even did that in college with my papers. I had a good average--not 4.0, but honor roll. So this is going to be hard. Very, very, very hard.

I noticed in my first read that I need to clean up adverbs, but the thing that is going to be most difficult is my first chapter, which needs to be totally rewritten, and then adding everything else, while still moving the plot forward.

The thing is I've a got a plot. It gets really tense at the end. I need to be able to carry that forward.

Also I need a title. Really I do.

I'll keep you updated.

Plus I started my next novel. Totally not related to this--this one is more of a teen romance/coming of age. And it has the best title. But I'm not going to share it, until I have finished the book. It's not been taken by anyone yet, and I want to keep it for myself.

So I guess I'm on my second (well third) really novel. But since I haven't gotten published yet--oh well.

Sitting on the edge of my seat!

So this week, I've been sitting on the edge of my seat waiting to hear back from my beta readers (people who read my book and give my advice to make it stronger).

So one person has gotten back. She said she loved it and can't wait to read the sequel---but she's also my sister. So I take it with a grain of salt, but she also did get into it and read it in two days--which is fast for her. So that's a good sign!

My brother who will be a true beta reader is still reading it and taking notes. This is what he told me. I think the notes are on things I need to work on, which is a good thing. So aggh!

I gave out two copies today, and I should hear some stuff at my writer's group meeting this week.

I've got to mail two copies, and then I'll get those back and go into my first round of revisions.

I've felt at loose ends in the evenings without the thought of a novel, so I decided to start the other project I have on the back burner. It's not the sequel to the first one, though that is a planned series. My new novel is more of a romance--kind of in the style of Sarah Dessen meets Meg Cabot. In case I never said my first book is a contemporary fantasy--though I may change it to a more urban fantasy in later revisions. And I intend on only writing young adult books.

So I need a title for my first book--do you have any suggestions? Since no one actually reads this blog, I guess not.

Later!

Whoot! I'm Finished!

For all those that are reading (and no one really is at this point--I know I have a stat checker)--I finished, I finished, I finished my novel.

Well okay, so it is just my first draft, and I know that I have a lot of stuff I need to flesh out---a lot. But this makes querying by March that much more feasible. And I am so happy--I got it done before the year was over.

I'm ready to start on my next novel. Totally unrelated to this one, although this one is the first of a planned trilogy. I didn't feel like the story was over when I finished writing--which my husband pointed out is a good thing, since it is a trilogy. But I'm at a good stopping point!

Now I just need to send stuff off to my beta readers. Please like it--oh please. But at the same time be brutally honest. My story needs to be STRONG!

Later.

The Last Five Chapters

So I let my parents read my novel when they visited me last week. And they liked it--but they are my parents so what does it count for? I did notice they fought over reading it. One person would put it down to play with the kids and the other would pick it up right away. But maybe they were just anxious to get it over with since it was so awful. Gosh it's hard to put your work out there. 

Anyway I still have about five chapters, and I wanted to be done by writer's group this week. I doubt I will be. It would take major writing time, and I've got deadlines for work that I'm paid to do. Oh the conflict. Seriously. I want my novel done by Christmas so I can send it to my first batch of beta readers while they are all on break from school. 

So that's not going to happen I bet--maybe I just won't sleep. 

The thing about these last chapters is that I've been wanting to write them since September when I hit the middle of my novel. They are full of action and action and more action and a little kissing--not a lot, a little. Sigh.

The writing isn't the hard part--finding the time is. I will do it, I will! I will! I will!

Nearing the End

I'd say I have between five and six more chapters and then I'm done with my book. I've made it through the middle, and I'm running down the the story peak now. I'm so excited for these chapters too. The book should be finished quickly. I'll end up short by about 16000 words (57 pages) of my original goal (75,000 words or 280 pages), but I need to flesh out the beginning and I might need to add a few scenes to make my character arcs stronger. But I'm almost done with my first draft!

Yipee! Yipee! Yipee!