Goals are great things, right? The best part? They’re self-imposed and can change 🙂
Instead of moving ahead with my manuscript and working on those 3 scenes like I wanted, I’ve been preparing my first 7000 words for the Emily contest (deadline is next week). I got my CP’s comments back and eagerly began incorporating some of her ideas as well as tweaking here and there.
I also spent a lot of time last week learning more about the query process. Yes, I am only 1/3 of the way finished my manuscript, but I thought practicing a few sample querys for my own work could help me as I move forward. For queries, you have to summarize your story as succinctly and interestingly as possible. Since I have a thorough outline, and know where I’m going with my story–even though it isn’t finished yet–I had the material to work with to create my summary.
I found highlighting what I thought were the important parts an education of sorts. Now I have a workable query and summary and can go forth in my writing, making sure the book I write is in fact the story I wrote about in my query–and the story I want to write. (I also realize that while writing, I could potentially decide a whole new ending and if that happens, I’ll follow it if it’s better than my current trajectory. But, right now, I know the story I want to tell)
That being said, onto my status!
Current Word Count: 23,030! I am now at the point that as my word count dwindles, I’m getting excited and looking for places to cut more words, because what is happening is I am finding one word to replace two, and eliminating extraneous dialogue or narrative. Oh and I have been really attacking any extra adverbs, uses of the word ‘was,’ and the word ‘that.’ (even editing this blog post, I cut a zillion ‘that’s. What is up with my love of THAT word?)
Little Hints: My main character and I share an affinity for Mexican cuisine–in particular Chicken Fajita Nachos. YUMMO!
Soundtrack Song of the Week: I’d Come For You by Nickleback. WOW, as always I have attached the Youtube video in the post (email subscribers click through on the link to watch it on my blog since it doesn’t want to include itself in emails, grr) BUT this video was totally unexpected–and ROCKS!
I meant this song as my two main characters ‘theme song’ of sorts for their friendship BUT this video applies it to a father-daughter relationship . . . and I loved it! I was totally cheering for the dad to kick that boy’s butt in the end! Also my sentimental misty-eyed self got all teary at the ‘7 7’ message on the cell phone . . . You’ll understand when you watch it.
Writing or Editing Trick Used This Week That Worked Particularly Well:
Really diving into my characters motivations AND making sure they are clear to the reader. Stepping into their heads, closing my eyes and pretending I am in the scene, imagining saying the words I wrote, seeing the things in the scene–I try to do this the entire time anyway but I took it up a notch this week and made several changes I am very happy with. Also, I finally decided to cut that scene I was confused about last week and was surprised how easy it was to fit the important plot and character points in other scenes!! See Personal Low for an editing trick THAT DID NOT WORK lol.
Personal High: I had fun putting together my query letters and focusing on what is important and unique about my story. I also had a ton of fun with technology this week, getting a twitter account and figuring out how to link it with facebook. Another high was seeing how many blog readers I have that live outside the United States–there were 4 people from Russia the other day, which made me UBER EXCITED because I have always wanted to visit there! I know I’m showing my dorky side telling you it made me feel closer to my goal just by seeing the name of the country under ‘audience’ on my blog stat sheet, but–well–I’m a dork! 🙂
Personal Low: Totally confusing myself yesterday with tenses. I finished Meg Cabot’s How To Be Popular—which I am ashamed to admit was my first Meg Cabot novel, but it won’t be my last–and noticed while it was told in past tense, she frequently used present tense when writing about physical traits, personality descriptions, setting and relationships . . . things that were fixed. Within a paragraph, she would change back and forth between past and present and it totally made sense. So while sitting at McDonald’s yesterday while the girls played (vaccine day–yes I bribe with McDonalds Playplace! Anything to get through it) I took my first 25 pages and started to play with tenses–and got all types of confused.
When I got home, I emailed author/agent extraordinaire Mandy Hubbard who despite being chin deep in revisions for her latest novel, Ripple, emailed back right away! She said to not worry about it, people do it both ways and that it can be confusing. WHEW. I knew I loved that girl! If you haven’t read her books, you have to. I loved Prada and Prejudice and my copy of You Wish should be in the mail today or tomorrow.
Writing Goal For the Coming Week: I’m gonna now do those 3 scenes from last week, including the biggie third scene told from both POV’s.
What about you? What are your goals for the week? Anything particularly work — OR not work– this week?
HAPPY WRITING!
