50,000 words in 30 days. That's the challenge of National Novel Writing Month and I FAILED. Not just failed by a little. We could call this one an epic fail.
I started out with a story that I thought would excite me and evolve into something amazing. I challenged myself to do something different from my usual genre and it didn't end up working out.
I'm glad I failed because it was a nice lesson. Deadlines are not encouragement for me. Deadlines are stress and more stress in my life is debilitating to my writing process.
Since giving up on NaNo I've written 3,000 words of a project I had been telling myself I needed to get back to. I spent dinner a few nights ago explaining the entire plot to my husband which totally proved to me that I had a beginning, middle and end (and even hubby thinks it's a good story!).
I'm not going to give myself a deadline for this project. I'm just going to tell myself that I can get it done. I can write a little (or a lot) every day until it is complete.
NaNoWriMo is clearly not for me but that doesn't mean it wasn't a good challenge and a good lesson learned.
Friday, November 30, 2012
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Top Ten Tuesday : Thanksgiving
It's been a while since I had a T.T.T. on here! With Thanksgiving just a few days away I thought it would be a great time to list a few things I'm thankful for this season.
10. My Day Job : Some of you may not know that I spend the majority of my days making a living as a hairdresser. I have a great group of amazing clients and I truly enjoy the creativity that hair styling allows me. I'm thankful for the fact that I enjoy my job, the people I see every day and that I have been able to be successful.
9. Fellow Authors : Facebook and Twitter have helped me 'meet' some incredible fellow authors who are supportive and helpful with tips. I have a few authors I call 'friend' and those relationships are even more treasured. I am thankful for Britni Hill, Julie Young, Christine Johnson, Adam L. Garcia, Caitlyn Duffy, Katie Andrews Potter, all the Rebels and tons more!
8. 2012 : This year has been so full of amazing opportunities and exciting endeavors. I'm thankful that in a year that is supposedly ending on December 21st I've been able to make sure I beat the clock on achieving a few of my dreams.
7. Readers : It's sometimes still hard for me to wrap my brain around the fact that people are reading my book! From getting emails, reviews and requests for more novels I am beyond thankful for readers of The Low Notes.
6. Words : I'm thankful for words. Simple as that. Words are my life and without them I would have a lot less joy.
5. My Friends : I have an astounding group of friends. They are some of the most fun, strong, hilarious and supportive people I know. I am thankful for relationships that feel like family created by fate.
4. My Family : Two siblings, three sister-in-laws, one brother-in-law, three nieces (and one on the way), one nephew, mom and dad, the in-laws and everyone beyond that--you are all amazing and I would be so much less without you.
3. Sampson : My first (and for right now, only) baby! He puts up with me typing away and he sits by me for long hours while I drink my coffee and work. Thankful for my furry child.
2. My Husband : Unending support, unconditional love and unpredictable fun! Adam makes me a better person and he has treated me to an amazing marriage for five years. I am so thankful to have found and married my best friend.
1. My Health : Without this I would be nothing. I am thankful I can stand on my feet all day and do hair. I am thankful my fingers work tirelessly writing novels. I am thankful my mind is clear and full of ideas. I am thankful to see the beauty in the world, smell the fragrances of the seasons, hear and be inspired by music, feel the keys beneath my fingertips and eat, sleep and breathe love, life and passion.
This holiday season, no matter how you celebrate, take a moment to ponder your own top ten list of thankfulness. Bonus : I am thankful for anyone who takes the time to read my blog, so thank you :) Happy Thanksgiving!!!!
10. My Day Job : Some of you may not know that I spend the majority of my days making a living as a hairdresser. I have a great group of amazing clients and I truly enjoy the creativity that hair styling allows me. I'm thankful for the fact that I enjoy my job, the people I see every day and that I have been able to be successful.
9. Fellow Authors : Facebook and Twitter have helped me 'meet' some incredible fellow authors who are supportive and helpful with tips. I have a few authors I call 'friend' and those relationships are even more treasured. I am thankful for Britni Hill, Julie Young, Christine Johnson, Adam L. Garcia, Caitlyn Duffy, Katie Andrews Potter, all the Rebels and tons more!
8. 2012 : This year has been so full of amazing opportunities and exciting endeavors. I'm thankful that in a year that is supposedly ending on December 21st I've been able to make sure I beat the clock on achieving a few of my dreams.
7. Readers : It's sometimes still hard for me to wrap my brain around the fact that people are reading my book! From getting emails, reviews and requests for more novels I am beyond thankful for readers of The Low Notes.
6. Words : I'm thankful for words. Simple as that. Words are my life and without them I would have a lot less joy.
5. My Friends : I have an astounding group of friends. They are some of the most fun, strong, hilarious and supportive people I know. I am thankful for relationships that feel like family created by fate.
4. My Family : Two siblings, three sister-in-laws, one brother-in-law, three nieces (and one on the way), one nephew, mom and dad, the in-laws and everyone beyond that--you are all amazing and I would be so much less without you.
3. Sampson : My first (and for right now, only) baby! He puts up with me typing away and he sits by me for long hours while I drink my coffee and work. Thankful for my furry child.
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| Photo of Sam courtesy of Eliza Marie Photography |
2. My Husband : Unending support, unconditional love and unpredictable fun! Adam makes me a better person and he has treated me to an amazing marriage for five years. I am so thankful to have found and married my best friend.
1. My Health : Without this I would be nothing. I am thankful I can stand on my feet all day and do hair. I am thankful my fingers work tirelessly writing novels. I am thankful my mind is clear and full of ideas. I am thankful to see the beauty in the world, smell the fragrances of the seasons, hear and be inspired by music, feel the keys beneath my fingertips and eat, sleep and breathe love, life and passion.
This holiday season, no matter how you celebrate, take a moment to ponder your own top ten list of thankfulness. Bonus : I am thankful for anyone who takes the time to read my blog, so thank you :) Happy Thanksgiving!!!!
Friday, November 9, 2012
NaNoWriMo Day #9
Nine days in and I have to say I feel like I'm losing a bit of my momentum. As of last night I was just 15 words over where I should be which I know I should be happy about but starting out I was a good 1,000 words ahead. That was a nice buffer to have!
I like my story. I like a handful of my characters. Others I could probably do without and some, quite honestly I feel like I don't know at all. It's a very different type of story for me and though I like writing about something a little darker and with a little more meat to it I still find myself getting the most excited when I'm developing the love triangle. DUH.
I'll check back in at the halfway mark and hopefully I'll have a better handle on things. But even if I don't I still believe this is a positive experience, a great challenge and I think it spark me to keep writing quickly and consistently through the end of the year. You never know, there may be another book out by The Low Notes' one year anniversary!!
I like my story. I like a handful of my characters. Others I could probably do without and some, quite honestly I feel like I don't know at all. It's a very different type of story for me and though I like writing about something a little darker and with a little more meat to it I still find myself getting the most excited when I'm developing the love triangle. DUH.
I'll check back in at the halfway mark and hopefully I'll have a better handle on things. But even if I don't I still believe this is a positive experience, a great challenge and I think it spark me to keep writing quickly and consistently through the end of the year. You never know, there may be another book out by The Low Notes' one year anniversary!!
NaNoWriMo word count as of 8:50am 11/9/2012 : 13,345
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Split Personality
I've been writing since middle school but for a period of time after I left college I stopped writing consistently. Then in 2008 I had my first idea in a very long time. That idea was NOT The Low Notes. Before The Low Notes I was working on a paranormal romance. I adore the genre of paranormal and I've always liked writing and reading it.
The idea started out as a vampire story (because what was hotter in 2008 than vampires?!) but eventually morphed into a story about angels who walk the earth. The story is still collecting dust on my hard drive and every now and then I take a look and edit it a bit. One day I'll finish it. After I took a course on novel writing it became clear to me that the first novel I had in me was The Low Notes.
But I haven't yet lost my love of paranormal. Specifically, young adult paranormal. Last night I was inspired and started working on something of the YA para variety and I have to say I'm a little scared. I know there are lots of authors who cross genres but it's a scary jump. I just keep telling myself that I can't be confined by a certain genre...I have to tell the stories that strike me. And trust me readers, I've been struck.
J.K. Rowling's latest release, The Casual Vacancy, is certainly a different kind of book for her but she has already made more than a name for herself so she's in the category of I-do-what-I-want. Stephen King is in the same boat. He writes less and less horror all the time even though that's what he's known for.
I suppose I could classify what I'm doing by looking at Meg Cabot. She started writing romance (under pen name Patricia Cabot) and then made the leap into YA, middle grade and paranormal. She writes across genres successfully.
So here's hoping my readers have split personalities just like me. An eclectic taste for an eclectic author.
The idea started out as a vampire story (because what was hotter in 2008 than vampires?!) but eventually morphed into a story about angels who walk the earth. The story is still collecting dust on my hard drive and every now and then I take a look and edit it a bit. One day I'll finish it. After I took a course on novel writing it became clear to me that the first novel I had in me was The Low Notes.
But I haven't yet lost my love of paranormal. Specifically, young adult paranormal. Last night I was inspired and started working on something of the YA para variety and I have to say I'm a little scared. I know there are lots of authors who cross genres but it's a scary jump. I just keep telling myself that I can't be confined by a certain genre...I have to tell the stories that strike me. And trust me readers, I've been struck.
J.K. Rowling's latest release, The Casual Vacancy, is certainly a different kind of book for her but she has already made more than a name for herself so she's in the category of I-do-what-I-want. Stephen King is in the same boat. He writes less and less horror all the time even though that's what he's known for.
I suppose I could classify what I'm doing by looking at Meg Cabot. She started writing romance (under pen name Patricia Cabot) and then made the leap into YA, middle grade and paranormal. She writes across genres successfully.
So here's hoping my readers have split personalities just like me. An eclectic taste for an eclectic author.
Monday, October 22, 2012
NaNoWriMo
November is National Novel Writing Month! The challenge is to write a 50,000 word novel in thirty days. Can you do it? Should you try?
A few years ago I tried NaNoWriMo but failed pretty miserably. That isn't stopping me from taking the plunge this year. I'll be working on a YA novel that I've been thinking about for a while. Fifty thousand words by December 1st or bust!
I love the idea behind the challenge. It's a fantastic way to jump start an idea and to get the creative juices flowing. There's no rule that says the finished work has to be ready to publish. It's just about accomplishing a goal.
Writers tend to have a lot of ideas about what they need to do to be able to write. I'm one of them. I make excuses as to why I'm not able to work. But it's as simple as this...just write. If we take the time to sit and write, a little every day, we can accomplish what we set out to do.
Now, editing is a whole different story.
I'll be posting my progress throughout the month of November and fingers crossed I'll have 50,000 words just after Thanksgiving. If you are interested in learning more or signing up for the challenge you can visit the official NaNo website here.
Get your pens or keys ready!
A few years ago I tried NaNoWriMo but failed pretty miserably. That isn't stopping me from taking the plunge this year. I'll be working on a YA novel that I've been thinking about for a while. Fifty thousand words by December 1st or bust!
I love the idea behind the challenge. It's a fantastic way to jump start an idea and to get the creative juices flowing. There's no rule that says the finished work has to be ready to publish. It's just about accomplishing a goal.
Writers tend to have a lot of ideas about what they need to do to be able to write. I'm one of them. I make excuses as to why I'm not able to work. But it's as simple as this...just write. If we take the time to sit and write, a little every day, we can accomplish what we set out to do.
Now, editing is a whole different story.
I'll be posting my progress throughout the month of November and fingers crossed I'll have 50,000 words just after Thanksgiving. If you are interested in learning more or signing up for the challenge you can visit the official NaNo website here.
Get your pens or keys ready!
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Release Day : From the Rubble by Britni Hill
From the Rubble by Britni Hill
In the wake of a terrible
betrayal, Taylor and Layla bury their feelings for the other, good and bad,
just to get by day to day. Forced together because of their daughter,
Taylor struggles to forgive Layla so he falls into the role of fatherhood,
naturally striving to be the best father he can be.
Layla’s guilt overwhelms
her as she fights herself over her feelings for Taylor. After all, she
doesn’t believe she deserves another chance. She’s already had too
many.
Making a family out of a
broken relationship won’t be easy, but with both Taylor and Layla pushing
forward, will they ever find a new normal? Will they ever confront their
feelings for one another?
Hop over to Britni's blog to find all of the purchase links or go to her Amazon page for Kindle purchases. Best of luck Britni! Can't wait to see what comes next.
Monday, October 15, 2012
Where Do I Fit In?
When I was first writing The Low Notes and even after it was first published I could never quite give an accurate title to what genre I thought I belonged in. I would say things like, "It's romance but not in the bodice-ripper-Fabio-on-the-cover way." I'd say, "It's young adult (YA) but a little more dangerous."
I felt lost in a way. It was as if I didn't have a genre to fall into. Until one day I was having a chat with someone in the business and she said the words 'new adult'.
Eureka! That's exactly what I write! NEW adult. Adults who can drive, vote, maybe even drink but they sure as hell don't have a handle on grown-up life yet.
Author/blogger JJ said this about the genre, "YA is about a certain time of life, when you are no longer a child but not quite an adult and one can write about this period of time through less literal genres like historical fiction or science-fiction and fantasy. Similarly, New Adult is about young adulthood, when you are an adult but have not established your life as one (career, family, what-have-you)."
I couldn't agree more! And I'm completely in love with the fact that I can claim this new category as my genre.
What I'm working on now would certainly be considered 'new adult' as well but I'm happy to say I also have a few other genres up my sleeve including YA romance and paranormal romance.
Stay tuned to more info on what I'm working on next!
I felt lost in a way. It was as if I didn't have a genre to fall into. Until one day I was having a chat with someone in the business and she said the words 'new adult'.
Eureka! That's exactly what I write! NEW adult. Adults who can drive, vote, maybe even drink but they sure as hell don't have a handle on grown-up life yet.
Author/blogger JJ said this about the genre, "YA is about a certain time of life, when you are no longer a child but not quite an adult and one can write about this period of time through less literal genres like historical fiction or science-fiction and fantasy. Similarly, New Adult is about young adulthood, when you are an adult but have not established your life as one (career, family, what-have-you)."
I couldn't agree more! And I'm completely in love with the fact that I can claim this new category as my genre.
What I'm working on now would certainly be considered 'new adult' as well but I'm happy to say I also have a few other genres up my sleeve including YA romance and paranormal romance.
Stay tuned to more info on what I'm working on next!
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