Friday, July 14, 2017

Writing Update: Falling Behind


Well, I've fallen very far behind on everything. Having no power and no internet made it hard to get some work done. So, this weekend I'm working strictly on critiquing. I want to be able to get back to my critique partners.

I haven't been doing a great job with my writing either but I have the week off so I'll be focusing on writing for most of the week and building a schedule to help me be more productive. A lot of it has to deal with holding myself accountable for my actions. I do tend to get really lazy from time to time but I'm going to try to be more active. If I want to publish Survival Agreement before the end of the year, I'm going to have to step up my game. I need to hire an editor by the end of the month.

There is just so much to do. During the weekday, I'm going to be working on creating a more solid schedule that I can follow daily. Time management and balance are things I'm working on. I'm going to have to force myself to be productive so I can move forward with my goals.

Friday, July 7, 2017

Writing Update: It's Been Slow

Well, this week has been a bit slow. I didn't get a good start on Hourglass and this week has been crazy. My internet has been out and now I don't have power. It's just been hell. I'm actually behind on my critiquing. I'm hoping to get more done when I babysit tomorrow. If I babysit tomorrow.

It's just been and awful week for me.

So here is my small update.

Next week, my goal is to catch up on my critique. I can catch up on writing on my week off.

Tuesday, July 4, 2017

Romance Trends That I Can't Stand



Romance is a common genre people tend to dip their toes into. Some say that it’s easy, while some say it’s the hardest part they had to write but a good portion of romances aren’t even that good. There are many trends that I find to be annoying but my opinion might not be the most popular when it comes to this genre.

These are the trends/tropes that I absolutely hate to see in stories that have any kind of romance in it:

  • Insta-romances – An insta-romance is when two characters meet for the first time and then they automatically fall in love. This isn’t realistic. Some people believe in love-at-first-sight but how often does that actually happen? Even if it did happen, things shouldn’t just fall into place for your characters. There are awkward stages to relationships, and even uncertainty. If you happen to be writing a story where your characters know when they find their soulmate, you still need to add in some kind of tension (not sexual tension either) between the two of them. They aren’t just going to instantly fall in love with a stranger.
  • Perfect Couples – Couples that don’t have any issues with each other. There is always going to be something that annoys the heck out of your partner. A weird quirk or a habit that they have, might be a huge pet peeve of yours but you learn to deal with it. Give your MC’s love interest a quirk that he or she can’t stand. It might be something that causes a bit of conflict or tension in the relationship. Also, allow your characters to get mad at each other. It’s okay to have your character get angry at the love interest. That’s normal and it happens in real life. To be honest, your readers will really connect with your character(s) if you add some realistic elements.
  • Love Triangles – Love triangles are dreadful things.  They are overused and seem to be an excuse to add needless drama. If anything, it shows that your main character is indecisive. Just pick a lover and move on. Using a love triangle as a method for tension when it wasn’t something planned or needed in the plot, it going to seem like a cop-out or the easy way out to your readers.
  • Badass to Simpering Idiot – This is where it usually goes south. You start off with some badass main character who your readers really love but then the love interest appears. Suddenly, your character turns into some sappy little puppy that shows no resemblance to the character that was introduced in the beginning. Your character now only does everything the love interest asks of him or her. This is where people decide to read something different. Love interests should change your character but not to an idiot whenever he or she is involved. Changes need to help the plot (as in, push the plot forward) not hinder it.
  • The Romance Takeover – You know, when the plot started off awesome and intriguing then suddenly, it’s all about the romance. The main plot of the story takes the backburner until they remember that there is supposed to be a climax at some point so they can finish up the novel. This could make the readers feel a little cheated. It’s a waste of their time and that could make them a little resentful.
  • Cheesy Lines – This isn’t in all romances. Some have great dialogue but writers can go a little overboard with the “romantic” parts of the story. Think about what the character is saying. Would you really say half the crap that comes out of your character’s mouth? Would the love interest really enjoy hearing it or would they get embarrassed. Last of all, does it fit the personality of your character? Ask yourself these questions before writing the lines. Unless of course you want your character to sound embarrassing.
  • Unnecessary Romances – Some stories just don’t need to have romance in it. If you added romance to bulk up your novel or because you think that romance is the only thing that sells, then you are sadly mistaken. Adding unnecessary romances can ruin your story. Don’t add anything that won’t help the plot (or character development).
  • Joined-at-the-hip – Couples who don’t leave each other’s side. There are some cases where separating them might be hard but they will not do everything together. Even if it’s some fantasy novel where they are traveling, your characters will not spend every waking moment with each other. Let them have their separate lives too.
  • Dominant Lovers – There are some stories where this might be acceptable but I’m talking about having that character that basically rules the relationship. If your MC is in a relationship with someone who it consider an “Alpha’ and they bend over backwards to do whatever that partner says…then you have an unequal relationship. There is no balance there and probably feels like there is very little respect for one of the people in this relationship. Again, there are cases where this might be a plot element and that is different. Trying to say that one person dominating the relationship is healthy…is wrong and kind of has a run in with my next topic…
  • Abusive Relationships – Now, some abusive relationship, if it’s considered a conflict, can work. This is more about the relationships that are portrayed as “romantic” when it’s really just abusive. If you are uncertain if your characters are considered abusive, look it up. Research “signs of an abusive relationship” and look at the collective lists. If one of your characters or both of your characters show several signs, you might want to fix it.

So here are the 10 things that drive me insane when I read books with romance in it. I'm not saying that these can't be turned around and made into some damn good plot lines. It's all about how you use them. Unfortunately, I'm still looking for people to use these to benefit their story. Or for some good satire.

Saturday, July 1, 2017

Bimonthly Goals: July - August

Since it's the first of the month and the end of my other set of bimonthly goals, I thought it would be best to post my new goals for the months of July and August. The list will usually have about ten or so goals for me to try to complete.

So here they are:

  • Write 70k of Hourglass or finish
  • Keep up with critique partners
  • Post on social media daily
  • Blog twice a week
  • Work on District Pluto series
  • Save money
  • Contact an editor
  • Start up my newsletter
  • Unpack Boxes
  • Clean out car
These are my goals. I may add some later on, depending on how the months go. Let's see if I can get a little more than half finished this time around.

Friday, June 30, 2017

Writing Update: Life Gets in the Way

This week probably hasn't been my best week in terms of writing/editing. I've been trying to get used to a new schedule at work and I've fallen behind. And tomorrow is CampNaNo. I'm actually really excited about it, and I'll be finished up my novel Hourglass. My goal is to read 70k by the end of my month.

It's going to be hard to hit with my other obligations. I have work, of course, and then there are my critique partners. I have to edit their things. I will probably put my work on hold until the end so that way I can edit what I have so far. I really need to work on it.

Lately, I've been behind on my critiquing, and even emailing my critique partners back. Work has picked up and I'm trying to adjust to a new schedule...it isn't working. It will take time. I don't know what I'm going to do when I start school up again. That's just going to be a mess. I'm working on a schedule. It will sink in eventually.

Tuesday, June 27, 2017

Writing Buddies



Writing buddies are exactly what they sound like. People who are your friends and they write too. I have several of them and they are wonderful. I've never actually met them in real life but they are my favorite people to talk.

What you can use writing buddies for:
  • To talk to them. They are there for you to talk to. You're both going on some kind of journey with your writing, why not commiserate with each other? Share your ups and downs.
  • Bounce ideas back and forth. When you get stuck, Writing Buddies are the best way to get over the bump you are stuck on. I love helping my writing buddies figure out their novels. It's always nice to be helpful when needed.
  • To point out mistakes. Writing buddies help you with almost ever aspect of your writing. They can be a beta reader, a critique partner - anything. Your writing buddy could help you in many areas.
  • To inspire. They can inspire you to continue writing or editing. Whatever task is daunting to you. Tell them and let them help you find the inspiration that you need.
  • To be a friend. This kind of ties in with talking to them. This person isn't just going to know about your writing life. They are going to know about you too. You learn to connect with them and trust them. You become friends with them.
  • They have your back. They are going to be a support system that is a bit different from the people who support you and aren't writers. They might be the only support you have when it comes to writing. They have the same goal and want you to succeed. If they warn you about a scam, you should probably heed that warning. They aren't being jealous. If they are, then you got yourself a shitty writing buddy. 
These are only the simple things that they can do for you. But you have to be willing to give as much as you receive. You have to be willing to put forth an effort for them as well. Also, don't get pissed off at them for giving you their opinion. When you ask someone for help, they are just telling you how they see it. They are allowed to have their own opinion. If you don't want to hear negative feedback, then don't ask.

Friday, June 23, 2017

Writing Update: Critique Partners


So this week has been interesting. I've been participating in a lot more Twitter chats and meeting other writers. Putting myself out there. It's strange, but I like being able to talk to other writers. They are fun to talk to and it interesting to see what everyone is writing. 

Earlier this week, I decided to post something on Goodreads about needing a critique partner. And I found two. I'm so excited to be able to do this. One of my CPs already sent back the chapters I sent him and gave me great advice. Admittedly, I was a bit nervous. I knew there were things that were lacking. I'm not a perfect writer, after all. I already see where I need to improve and I can't wait to get started on fixing my mistakes. Which I have a lot. 

Whenever I got back and edit a sentence, sometimes I forget to make sure it all fits right so my sentence ends up being a mess. Yeah. Well, that's something I need to be more aware of. Unfortunately, I can't go through and make my changes until after I finish with his work. It won't take me long but these last few days have been crazy. I need to get these to him by tomorrow. At least I started on them.

I did notice my use of filter words has increased. It's bad. Though, I do use them a lot in daily life, especially when working with kids. Small kids. I emphasis on certain things with the use of these filter words. I'm getting better - kind of. I'm making a conscious effort to not transfer it into my writing. That's easier said than done. Oh well, I'm working on it at least.

Next week, I'm hoping to have my first two chapters of Survival Agreement polished and ready. I'm planning on publishing one of them here on my website after I clean them up. 

Tuesday, June 20, 2017

WriYe Blogging Cricle: Characters and Names


Characters: How do you come up with your characters? Do you pull from real life and people you know or someplace else? Do you have a hard time with characterization or find it a breeze? 
Bonus: Names: How do you come up with names? 

They kind of just come to me. I usually figure out the plot first and the characters fall into place. Sometimes a name really sticks with me or a picture I see on Pinterest and it starts an idea that grows. My character develops with it. There are times when I have the characters in my head but they don't have names so I give them a temporary name until one finally fits the character.

I don't pull characters from real life or people I know. A character might have a certain trait, but I would never base a full character off of someone I knew. It would be too weird for me because I don't feel like I know people well enough to actually write about them in my story and it makes me a little uncomfortable. So, I stick with creating my own characters with maybe a trait or two from someone I know. Do this makes it less complicated.

Sometimes I do have a hard time with characterization. My MC for Hourglass was a lot harder for me to get into his head but after a few exercises I was able to do some. Also, the writing group I'm a part of really loves doing character building so I pulled a lot from that as well. I might not have joined them for their fun but I certainly learned by reading back on what they did. Maybe next time I'll join them. 

Bonus Answer: Sometimes I meet someone with a really cool name. I work with kids and some of the children that pass through the center have some interesting names but I don't always use them. I usually get my names from a baby names website. The one I've been using a lot has been Nameberry. I've also been "collecting" names in a file called "name bank" that I can reference if I need a name quickly. I can access it anywhere so it makes it easy to add more names to it as I hear them.

Friday, June 16, 2017

Writing Update: Beta Readers


This week was pretty productive. I finished Survival Agreement. I'm actually pleased with the turn out and the changes I made to make it more logical. I have one person beta reading at the moment and giving me great feedback. I think I'm going to be looking for another beta reader or two before I schedule a time with my editor. Yay!

One of my goals it to have my brother illustrate parts of my novella. It would be a nice touch to the world and I know a few people who have read the novella would really like seeing parts of it. This is somethings I have to ask him about. He's a very busy man.

I'm currently working on some character development things for Hourglass. Which I plan on finishing the rewrite in July for Campnano. This is going to be a real pain in my ass when it's over and the edits will be awful but the novel will be where it needs to be for the most part. I won't have to do another overhaul. Just revisions and edits.

Well, that's all I have for my update. I'm hoping to have a very productive weekend...I probably won't.

Saturday, June 10, 2017

Writing Update: Coming To An End


I've had a pretty productive week. I managed to fix the plot for Hourglass and I'm working on finishing up my edits for Survival Agreement. I'm actually pretty excited about this getting to the point where I need betas. Hopefully by Tuesday's post, I'll have it finished and I'll reveal the new cover I created for it as well as a link for becoming a beta reader. I'm pretty excited about getting this out there.

Another thing that has happened this week is that I contacted the people I want to edit my work. I'm going to send them Survival Agreement when I'm done with the beta process. The person I talked to was very friendly and I feel like I'm going to have a great time working with them.

I've also been in contact with the people who are going to create the cover for Hourglass and I'm excited to work with them as well. I'll be sure to leave a link to their website when I do my cover reveal for that.

Well, I'm going to continue on this these edits on Survival Agreement. So they will be finished by the end of tomorrow.

Tuesday, June 6, 2017

Timed Writing


Timed writing is probably one of my favorite ways to get over writer's block. It can be used in various ways and you get to set the time limit. My personal favorite for trying to get over writer's block is 10 minutes.

The method is pretty self-explanatory. Set a timer and write. Don't allow your brain to stop you. Some people may think that it's not worth your time to force inspiration but I don't think it's really forcing inspiration as much as it is figuring out how to get over your writer's block.

Some people get writer's block because they have too many issues going on in their life and it's uninspiring them. For some people, it's motivation. There are various ways to get writer's block and there isn't a way to list them all here without this post being too damn long.

Timed writing is one way that helps me get over writer's block or just to get me over my lack of motivation.

Here are some of the ways I use timed writing:

  •  Writing a scene that I am stuck on. Usually, after this point, I can write again. I'll have to change it later but I've figured out what exactly it was I was stuck on and revising it won't be a problem.
  • Writing Prompts. For those times when you are just feeling so uninspired, use a writing prompt. There is no shame in using them.
  • Brain dump. Sometimes, your life is what's holding you back and you just need to vent. Use that in your timed writing. Just release it onto a document that you can delete later. It's a good way to relax as well. 
  • Writing anything about my novel. It doesn't have to be the novel itself. It could be a backstory for a minor character or something about the world I'm creating. That can help.
  • Start something new. It happens. Sometimes, there is an idea just stuck in your head that you can't write anything else. You'll be able to write down what you need and either continue it or you'll find a reason to start and finish your other story.
There are various other ways you could use this method but this one is one of my most used writing tools.

Friday, June 2, 2017

Writing Update: June Goals


May is gone and I managed to complete so many of my goals for May. I'm doing really well on my revisions for my novel, Hourglass. I'm hoping to call for beta readers by the end of next month. The one thing I'm struggling with is coming up with a back cover blurb. This might be due to the fact that I don't have everything figured out yet. I don't have an official outline (which I need to work on) and that's my goal for the weekend. I want to create a formal outline.

On top of the other things I need to work on, the formal outline will be key. I also realized that I was focusing on the wrong thing. Hourglass is my first character driven novel that I have ever written. Usually anything character driven is a subplot. This one is so heavily character focused. I overlooked that. This is all good to know for when create my outline and work on my blurb.

Another story I'll be working on is Survival Agreement. I'm giving the story an overhaul and hoping to polish it up a lot.

Well, I'd better mention my goals before I get a little bit ahead of myself. After this month, I'll only be posting goals bimonthly instead of every month.

June Goals
  • Finish Editing Hourglass
  • Finish Editing Survival Agreement
  • Write the summary for Hourglass
  • Look for Betas Readers for Survival Agreement
  • Be more active on social media
Well, that looks like a good set of goals. I'll leave it at that for now.

Have a good month of June!

Tuesday, May 30, 2017

Writing Software


There are several kinds of writing software out there and deciding which one works best for you might be hard. Sometimes you just don't need these things and can stick with good old Microsoft Word...if you have it. Some of the programs are actually a lot cheaper than getting Microsoft Word. You just have to explore and do research on what is the best suited.

These are the ones that I've used or heard of over the last several years:

  • Scrivener: When I first heard about this product, it was made strictly for Apple products so I wasn't able to get it. Once it finally became compatible for Windows, I decided to give it a try...and I hated it. There were too many issues and it didn't work the way I wanted it to. It wasn't worth the price in, in my opinion. Though, just recently, I decided to test it out again to see how it worked for me. I have to say, I love the program. It's simple to use it has the basic functions I need and helps me stay organized. It's definitely worth looking into. If you are a NaNoWriMo winner, you'll have a coupon to get a good chunk of the price knocked off. That makes it even better.
  • Liquid Story Binder: I used to use this program but it stopped updating and there were some functions that needed some work. I still love the heck out of this program though. It's versatile and I can use it for almost every aspect of my life. This program isn't as easy to use as other programs but it has a lot of functions that an author tends to use. You don't have to use them all either. Pick which ones you want to use and it will be in your binder. It does cost money so it's best to test it out first. It might be too much for you or you might fall in love with it. Even if it's not being updated, it really helps keep things together. 

  • Focuswriter: This program is as simple as it gets. The goal of this is to make a distraction free work space for a writer. I've never used this one personally but some of the people I know seem to really enjoy it. This is free to download.
  • Writermonkey: I've never used this before. I've only ever heard of it once or twice but I thought I should mention it. It's free to download and might be something you are interested in.
  •  LibreOffice: For people who like Microsoft Word but just can't afford it. This is an alternative for that. It's free too!
  • yWriter: I used this a long time ago. This software is free and it's pretty simple. It gets the job done.
These are the ones that I've seen and some I've used in the past. Don't forget to research your other options. You could simply just use Google Drive and keep everything like that. You don't have to spend money to find good writing software. While I prefer Scrivener, I still tend to go back to using Microsoft Word or even Google Drive when I need something simple or I just want to write something out. Just get a feeling of what you want. Don't spend money unless you think it's worth it. Maybe try the free trial to see if you like it. That's always another option. 

Friday, May 26, 2017

Writing Update: Write, Rewrite, Revise



This whole week has been filled with revisions and rewrites. My first three chapters are being rewritten and it's taking me a long time. I'm probably going to spend the weekend working on creating a new outline with index cards because that's how I work. Hourglass is coming along nicely though. It's a bit slow but I'm taking my time. Beginnings are usually really hard for me to write.

I'm starting on another project - not another novel - and I'm getting pretty far with it. I have a few things that I need to do first though. It's going to cost a bit of money but, it's going to happen.

This weekend, I'm going to be contacting the people who I want to do my cover art with. I already picked out the service and I've been stalking the hell out of their website. I'm so excited to be asking them to do my cover for me.

I'll be looking for Critique Partners and Beta Readers soon. Probably at the end of June. It's strange to be doing this. I've written so many novels but this is the first time I've tried to publish.

Tuesday, May 23, 2017

WriYe Blogging Circle: Decisions On Publishing


Publishing: Is it something you aim for? Why or why not?

Bonus:

Which route would you choose, self-publishing or traditional publishing? 

Hell yes! Actually, it's something I'm working on at the moment. I'm currently going through my new outline for Hourglass and starting to revise it. It's a slow process but it's coming along...especially since I don't have classes this semester. It took me years to decide whether or not I wanted to publish my novels. I finally decided to give it a try, especially with the way that things have been going these days.

Self-publishing has always been something I wanted to do. After a lot of research on the topic, I knew that traditional publishing wasn't something for me. Now that self-publishing has grown, the appeal of publishing my novels has also grown. When deciding to publish, it's important to do your research to find which path is best for you. 
 

Friday, May 19, 2017

Writing Update: Getting Ahead


This has been a good week when it comes to my novel Hourglass. I'm ahead of schedule and want to remain that way. I'm debating over one plot twist at the moment and that it something I'm going to have to layout in front of me to see how the outline will come together. And in order to do that, I'm going to need a large open space to spread out my plot cards. Something to work on this weekend, I guess.

I'm going to be honest, I've been doing a lot of my revisions at work when I have the time and it's been working really well. It's helped me get ahead of schedule and that means I'll be doing the type-ups much sooner.

It's amazing that I'm actually managing to do anything this week. I've been sick but I've been working through it. For the first part of 2017, I've been slacking on these revisions but I'm making up for it. To hold myself accountable, I gave myself a deadline and have put everything in my planner.

The revisions for Hourglass will be done by the end of the summer (type-ups and all). I'm determined to finally finish this. 

Tuesday, May 16, 2017

WriYe Blogging Circle: The Beginning and Now


Why did you start writing?

Bonus:

How has your writing improved since you first started?

When I was in the 2nd grade, my teacher encouraged me to write stories. I've always scored pretty high in reading and comprehension since I was younger, I just didn't enjoy reading. My teachers would always start me off in the lowest Language Arts class because I showed no interest in the subject, but then I would get pushed to the highest class...even then it was too easy. So, my 2nd grade teacher wanted me to write my own stories. 

I'm going to assume this was a way for her to gauge my interests because I can't really see any other reason why she pulled me aside and encouraged me to start writing. Well, let's just say, that I ended up loving it. I've always been into writing. Even research papers (I love research papers and essays). It's easy and I like the research behind it. Though, even after discovering my love for writing, I really hated reading...it took until I was in the 6th grade (11 years old...ish) when I actually found something that I actually liked. 

How has my writing improved since I first started writing...? Um...well, my grammar, syntax, and organizational skills definitely improved. I think my plots have improved too...I mean, I was 7 years old when I started writing. Needless to say, there was a lot of improvement from the time I was 7 until now (I'm 27 years old now).  

Friday, May 12, 2017

Writing Update: Making Plans


Well, I'm back in the swing of things. I just printed out all of Hourglass because I discovered that I can't revise on my computer. I'm not sure why. I just have a really hard time focusing on revisions. So, I printed my manuscript...which took a lot of paper but it was worth it. I kind of like not having to stare at a screen all day and my foot really appreciates me not sitting at a desk all day.

The revisions are going along smoothly. I want to try to finish everything by the end of the month but considering that it's already the 11th of May...It might not happen. I'll keep working on it though. I've been doing some research into some cover artists and I think I found one I really like and could possibly be a good fit for my series. While I'll still be making the cover art for my Wattpad stories, I kind of want my published novels to be professionally done until I get used to the new program I got or until I get better in general...Improvement is always nice.

I've been looking into making my own publishing company and it looks relatively easy. I'm going to look into it more though. I still have to come up with a name for it and do some more digging to figure out if it's what I really want (it probably is). There is just a lot to do for that.

Once I'm about halfway through my revision process, I'll be looking for Critique Partners. I want to make sure that I have something that I can actually give my partner(s) so I want a good portion of Hourglass finished by then.

Since I'm off school for the summer, I'm really hoping that I can continue to work on my novel and start working on my stories for Wattpad (which I've been procrastinating on). I think I'm going to take down my story Spliced until I'm done with my edits for District Pluto: Morality Sentence. Which I want to publish on the site next. I've been thinking about it a lot lately and it's something that I've been really interested in working on.

Another thing I started up again was reading. As much as I would love to go through and re-read the Tamora Pierce novels, I don't have them available for me right now. They are in my dad's basement waiting to be transferred to my apartment. I just need to clean it first. So, instead, I'm reading Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas. I will get through this story...I will. This book has been sitting on my shelf for a year now and I still haven't read it.

I'll probably write a review and post it...just to prove I actually read it. 

Tuesday, May 9, 2017

WriYe Blogging Circle: Editing Isn't All That Bad


What’s your plan of attack for editing? Is it a chore for you? Do you enjoy it? What's the hardest thing for you in the editing process?

Bonus:

What's the best and/or worst editing advice you have ever received? 

Editing can be a very daunting task. I tend to get really frustrated once I actually dig into my manuscript and try to fix what needs to be fixed. I guess that would be more of revising. Revision is the biggest pain in my ass to date. I love it and I hate it. 

I love figuring out what needs to be fixed/removed/added in my story. Filling in plot holes and fixing characters are all things that I like...in theory. I guess. I usually read through the entire manuscript first and figure out what needs work. I then rework the outline, make notes on the side of what needs to happen.

After I'm done with that I get into gutting my novel. This is the painful part. Not because the novel is something I worked hard on (it usually is) but because this part is so time consuming and I feel like I'm rewriting everything (though I'm not). Though, in the end, this is where it all comes together and I have something decent to work with. This is where I'm struggling right now with Hourglass. The beginning of my stories are always my hardest and I have to rework them a few times before I'm pleased with it. 

The best editing advise I have ever received is: "Know what you wanted to write." Seems a bit silly right? You should know what you wanted out of the story you've written...but sometimes writers tend to veer off into a whole different kind of novel. That is when the writer needs to decide if the novel they wrote is even better than what they planned, or if the novel they planned is much better than the one they wrote. I tend to lean toward my planned novels. Though, that doesn't mean some good things haven't come out of my out of control novels. 

While they don't venture too far off the path, they do tend to change the mood a bit and sometimes that's okay. Sometimes I find good background information that will help with a plot hole or I find a good dialogue that can work well in a different scene. There are still some little treasures buried in the mess that was created.

Another good piece of advice that goes along with this: "Never delete your drafts." You'll be surprised at what you can pull from a discarded draft. It's also fun to look back from time to time to see that changes that were made and how much it improved over time. 

Sunday, May 7, 2017

Writing Update: A Free Semester


I'm finally getting back into the swing of things. I'm typing up my outline and changes on my computer and I'm getting everything ready for when I actually start editing again (tomorrow). I fell behind a lot since the beginning of the year. I'm not even close to being finished. School and work kind of took over my life. I do work full time and I have to maintain my grades for the scholarship I got. I'm 27 and still in school...but I did switch my major. Now I'm working on my degree in Early Childhood Education rather than English (though, sometimes I miss it).

After a really terrible winter/spring semester, I decided to take the summer off of school. It will give me more time to work on my revisions and push toward my end goal. Since I fell behind, I decided to push my deadlines back to sometimes more reasonable. I want to be finished with the revisions by the end of the summer. That is the absolute latest.  I know when the Fall semester rolls around, I'm going to struggled with balancing my time again. Some of my classes are demanding and I have to give them priority.

So, other than that, I'm also going to be working on getting the next chapter of Spliced up and possibly work on the next installment of District Pluto. I don't plan on publishing these professionally. These are just stories that I wrote for a challenge or for experimental purposes. They are still stories I would want to share. Maybe one day I'll take them down and fix them up for publishing but not any time soon.

Tuesday, April 11, 2017

WriYe Blogging Circle: Genre Preference



















What does genre mean to you? Do you have a "home" genre? Or are you a genre hopper and are comfortable in just about any one?

Bonus:

Do you read the same genre you write? Yes or no? If yes, why? And if no, why not?  

Genre is how to categorize books (or media). My "home" genre would have to be both Fantasy and Science Fiction but I tend to go from genre to genre.

I like coming up with worlds and creating races. I like making governments and societies but mine always end up a little messed up and dark. Oops. My District Pluto series is a good example of that. There are times when I try other genres because I don't want to build a world from scratch or I just want to write something different. I do like a good change of pace, and sometimes it's needed. It usually happens between books in a series. So, say I'm writing a fantasy series and I just finished the first book. I won't start on the next book right away. I tend to write something else in a completely different genre.

Reading for me in pretty much the same. I tend to lean toward Fantasy and Science Fiction but I do read in other genres as well - for a change of pace. I find that General Fiction is faster paced and I won't get so sucked into another world like I do with Fantasy and Science Fiction. That doesn't mean I don't get sucked in. I just don't try to piece the world together to get a bigger picture.

[I'm a little behind on the blogging circle so I'm working on catching up.]

Friday, January 13, 2017

Update: Revising and About Hourglass



I'm pretty sure I said something about this before, but I put Call of the Piper on the back-burner for a bit so I can break it down a bit better and fix the plot holes and just the big mess I made with it. Instead, I'm writing a novel called Hourglass. Well, it's written, I'm just revising it now (because it's a mess).

There isn't a synopsis right now. I'll be working writing one soon. I'm currently focusing on revising the first few chapters before sending it to my critique partner...but I'm finding a hard time fitting it in. I need to revamp my schedule because classes started up again and the professors this semester aren't messing around. I can't slack off like I usually do. I'm currently working on fitting everything in.

For my WriYe challenges, I decided to jump in on one (like I didn't want to do) and participate in the Genre Challenge. It's Origin Story. It's such a good pick for the month. I couldn't pass it up. I decided to write an origin story for someone in the novel I'm currently working on. It's really good to know the backstory of this character, though I can't tell you without giving some kind of spoiler.

Other than that, I have to say, revising is probably one of my least favorite steps in the process. It's long but it's worth it.

Tuesday, January 10, 2017

Character Driven vs. Plot Driven


It's amazing how many people don't know the difference between character-driven stories and plot-driven stories. It's pretty self explanatory. To make it as simple as possible, character-driven stories usually always deals with more of an internal focus. This is where the story is more about the character changes throughout the book more than the outside forces. Plot-driven stories are more external. The things happening around your character are what drives the story.

There should be a good mixture of both aspects in a novel but writers tend to lean heavily toward one compared to the other. Knowing which one you tend favor can really help you direct your story.

I'm the kind of person who tends to favor plot-driven stories especially for my fantasy and science fiction novels and novellas. I like  having the external conflict be the main drive of my story. Getting to a deep emotional level and having that drive it, is really hard for me but with the novel I'm currently revising for publication, I've discovered that it's heavily character-driven.

How can I tell? Well, my characters emotional and mental state are huge factors on what's going on around him. I color-coded my main plot, my series plots (over reaching plots) and my subplots. So when I outlined, I could see how it all fit. My character's emotional and mental state ended up being huge and crucial for the story and his development also becomes a cause of some of the events that happen in this series. (I will probably write a blog post about this Friday.)

If I had to compare it to my novella The Survival Agreement, I would have to say that they are completely different in terms of style. The story is being moved by the plot and the situations that my characters have to go through. Their internal conflicts aren't prominent. They are important but not heavily brought up. (Does that make sense?)

Normally, I write lists for these blog posts but I feel like this one is fairly simple. I mostly wanted to bring up this topic because I struggled creating an outline for my novel due to the fact that I didn't realize how character-driven it was. So, it's good to know your style.

Tuesday, January 3, 2017

WriYe Blogging Circle: More and more goals




What’s your Wriye Word Count goal and why did you chose it? What are you going to be focusing on this year? What are you doing differently this year compared to last year?

Bonus:

What are you most excited about for in 2017? Writing wise or not. Let us know!

The Blogging Circle for 2017 is up and thought I've already written a post about my goals, I'll be a little more specific on my writing goals and there are things that I didn't talk about. 
My WriYe word count goal this year is 250,000 words. I might raise it later but I'm uncertain at this point how much writing I'm going to complete but 250,000 words sounds like a manageable  goal to me. 

This year, my focus is on publishing. I after many changes, I've decided to nix the Call of the Piper as the novel to publish and just start working on Hourglass. I have a lot to work on for that and I've already figured out my plot and start working on my new outline. Hopefully, I'll be able to start revising by this weekend. 

The biggest thing I'm doing differently this year is having a critique partner or two.  I'm actually part of a critique group in one of the writing groups I'm a part of...but I haven't sent anything to them yet. Maybe this will be a good chance to send them something. I also have a few beta readers and a deadline. Some of the other things that I've done differently is join a writing contest. I might join more or try to write for an anthology. Just trying to get my writing out there is important.

I'm most excited for publishing. This is a goal I've been working toward for some time. After lots and lots of research, I finally feel like I have everything ready to publish this year. It's probably not going to go smoothly, but it will be a good experience.