Thursday, April 30, 2009

Writing Update

It's been a busy writing week for me. Comes with the whole "get up at 4:30 a.m. because I am a crazy woman" territory. Here's where my projects stand:

1. SHADOWING FATE: Finishing the revisions requested by my agent. The last two scenes were just not working, no matter what I did, so I finally opened a new doc and started typing from scratch, rather than trying to work within my existing material. I think I've got it now.

2. DYING TO REMEMBER: Because so many people (both on and off line) have requested this book, I submitted a query for it to The Wild Rose Press, an e-pub that also sells paperback copies of their novels through Amazon. If they offer me a contract for DTR, I can post a link on my site after it's published and all interested readers may purchase a copy and read to their heart's content.

3. Super Secret Project: I'm really excited about an idea I have for a Middle Grade novel. My agent wants to see a chunk of it when it's ready so I have the green light to write it. (Much better than sending her an idea and having her gently inform me that in no way would THAT ever sell.) I'll be working on this after meeting my weekly writing goal for the Fate series.

4. Workshops: I finishing critiquing a few additional queries sent to me by members of the query workshop I taught the first two weeks of April. I'm now planning a workshop to give at May's Music City Romance Writers meeting. I will be taking three methods actors use to get into character and translating that into tools we can use to write authentic characters. Because I've had requests, I'll be setting up a class loop off this blog in June or July to run a Query Workshop for any writer interested in joining.

5. Critiquing: Besides the queries, I've critiqued chapters for a CP, brainstormed with another, and currently have 1 manuscript, 1 partial, and 1 query left in my inbox to read for others.

6. Other: I need to get one of those page count stat things on my blog (Yes, yes, that is the official term for it.) for both Twisting Fate and Super Secret Project. Last time I tried to use a page count thingie, it wouldn't work. Somehow, even the simplest pieces of code can sense my innate techno-idiot status and enjoy flaunting failure in my face.

11 comments:

  1. You have been busy! I've been getting up earlier and I'm accomplishing more, too. But my early is 6-6:30am.

    Your query workshop rocked! I wish I needed another one so I could do it again. Maybe by June or July I'll know enough to write my next book.

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  2. I'm glad you enjoyed the workshop. I'll be doing my Writing Authentic Characters as an online workshop as well soon. :)

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  3. Maybe we can figure out how to do that piece of technology together, as I need something similar. Seeing as how we have both been foiled by the Track Changes Comments, I am calling for reinforcements.

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  4. http://languageisavirus.com/nanowrimo/word-meter.html#

    This one worked for me...

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  5. And, BTW, I am also having ending problems. It. is. making. me. crazy (-er than usual).

    How 'bout an ending workshop?

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  6. Oooh! A whole new ending to Shadowing Fate? Now, this I gotta see. I'm sure it will be awesome.

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  7. Are you wanting general blog counts or counts of various pages on your blog? That makes a difference which counter code you use.

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  8. Heather - I'll check out Myra's counter and see if it works for me. If so, feel free to pilfer for yourself.

    Myra - Lol. I'm not sure I'm qualified to teach a workshop on endings yet. :)

    Keli - Same stuff happens--just happens w/a lot more action and a lot less exposition. Better. :) (And yes, I'll send it your way)

    Kait - I want one of those things that tracks page count progress in my WIPs.

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  9. And do I know about this Secret project? If not, please fill me in... =)

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  10. I liked the Zokutou word meter for looks, but that appears to be defunct.

    Similar (ha, now that I look, it says "based on Zokutou"):

    http://www.feath.com/aprilfools/wordmeter/

    Unpretty but easy word meter:

    http://languageisavirus.com/nanowrimo/word-meter.html

    Little bit better looking, little more complicated:

    http://www.leighforbes.co.uk/wordmeter/index.html

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  11. Paul - Check your email. :)

    Kerry - Alas, I tried all three widgets and had errors (Different ones! Because I like variety!) with all three. Bah. Humbug. Who needs word count meters anyway?

    Grr. Argh.

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