I've seen this done on other blogs and thought I would give it a try. I don't know that I'll be able to do this every Tuesday--I don't think I have enough teasers--but here's a snippet for today.
This is from EMBROL, my young adult science fiction novel. Enjoy!
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Removed. Check back for other Tuesday Teasers. :)
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Critiques and Rewrites
Yes, yes. I know. I'm slacking again. In my defense, Thursday and Friday of last week were spent in bed with the stomach flu and a fever. I was pretty useless for two days. The weekend was spent trying to get a handle on my housework. Not an easy task, considering I was already behind before I got sick.
I spent Monday morning (and early afternoon) doing my first formal critique of someone else's writing. I joined a writing group with the hopes of getting some valuable feedback from other writers. The feedback from friends and family is very encouraging and much appreciated, but unfortunately, most don't know what an agent or editor might be looking for, so it doesn't really help me improve my writing. Sure, it stings a little being told something is wrong, but constructive criticism is always wanted and appreciated. Especially when it really makes me reconsider something I've written.
Anyway, in order to participate and have my work critiqued, I have to critique other people's work. It's only fair, but I have to say that it's exhausting. I procrastinated doing it, because I was really nervous about ripping apart someone else's baby, but now I'm glad it's done. And I don't have to do another one until next week. Yea!
Now I just need to get my manuscript to the point where I feel like it’s ready to submit for critiques. Feels a little like cleaning my house so the housekeeper can come over. Whatever. I will always be a perfectionist and try as I might, that will never go away. And no, I do not have a housekeeper. Maybe someday…
While I was procrastinating, I stumbled upon this video and thought you all might enjoy it. Have a great Wednesday!
I spent Monday morning (and early afternoon) doing my first formal critique of someone else's writing. I joined a writing group with the hopes of getting some valuable feedback from other writers. The feedback from friends and family is very encouraging and much appreciated, but unfortunately, most don't know what an agent or editor might be looking for, so it doesn't really help me improve my writing. Sure, it stings a little being told something is wrong, but constructive criticism is always wanted and appreciated. Especially when it really makes me reconsider something I've written.
Anyway, in order to participate and have my work critiqued, I have to critique other people's work. It's only fair, but I have to say that it's exhausting. I procrastinated doing it, because I was really nervous about ripping apart someone else's baby, but now I'm glad it's done. And I don't have to do another one until next week. Yea!
Now I just need to get my manuscript to the point where I feel like it’s ready to submit for critiques. Feels a little like cleaning my house so the housekeeper can come over. Whatever. I will always be a perfectionist and try as I might, that will never go away. And no, I do not have a housekeeper. Maybe someday…
While I was procrastinating, I stumbled upon this video and thought you all might enjoy it. Have a great Wednesday!
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Priorities
Those who know me well, know that I can’t function unless I have some sort of creative project brewing at all times--cross-stitching, crocheting, scrapbooking, digital scrapbooking, etc., etc. I'm addicted to learning new things. It’s how I deal with stress and helps me escape from all the craziness that is sometimes my life. Usually these projects don’t overflow into the rest of my life, but my most recent project seems to have taken hold of everything and it’s not letting go.
I’ve always enjoyed writing. In fact, journaling is better therapy for me than anything. I especially enjoy writing down everything that I’m stressed about but can’t control, and then I just send it through the shredder. It’s very satisfying.
In high school I used to write some really bizarre, nonsensical poems that my English teacher thought were brilliant--little did she know, they were all concocted as a joke between a friend and me, and really held nothing of the meaning that she perceived. This is the same teacher whose obsession with 3-prong essay perfection almost eliminated my desire to write anything, ever again. Ugh! I loathe 3-prong essays.
Then came blogging. Blogging rekindled that desire I felt so long ago. (Much, much too long ago.) I started looking for things to write about, but my life kept getting in the way. I couldn’t seem to find the time.
Somehow, in September, I decided I wanted to write a novel and had a pretty basic idea of what I wanted it to be about. With a little effort, I was sure I could complete it in two to three months, give or take a week. I didn’t have a clue what I was getting myself into.
My three month timeline was seriously unrealistic. Especially after I decided to change something major at the beginning and had to rewrite a good portion of it. It was all for the best though, and I think it’s much better after the rewrite. That was back in December, when I was only half way done. I got a little stuck in January and for a while there I thought I might never finish it, which I am notorious for doing--starting something and then getting bored with it and never looking at it again.
Strangely, I never got bored with this project. I’ve really enjoyed the whole process and can’t express in words how awesome it felt when I wrote the last words and thought, ‘Holy crap! I just wrote the ending!’ It was a good day. (Yes, it was just like that. I stressed for weeks about how I was going to end it, and then it just ended itself. Very surreal and just a smidge anticlimactic.) That was three weeks ago (six months after I started) and since then I have been through it three times to do edits and some rewriting.
I think I’m driving Jason crazy. It seems to be all I can think about anymore, thus, it’s all I want to talk about. He’s been very involved in the plot development, helping me when I got stuck on certain points, and pointing out when my male characters were acting too girly, but I think he secretly wants to kill all of my characters off so he doesn’t have to hear about them anymore. Not really, but I know he’s tired of hearing about it.
So, needless to say, my priorities have been a little out of whack for a while. A lot of things have been put to the side until this project was done. And now that I’m finished, aside from doing more editing and rewrites, I’m working on getting my query letter ready and writing a synopsis. Not to mention, the two books that are now floating around in my head that I feel compelled to write in order to finish the major plot arc that is hinted at in my first book. This just gets more and more complicated the further I go. *heavy sigh*
That’s about it. I’m going to try to pry my brain away from my imaginary world enough to get in a blog entry every day, but that might be pushing it. We’ll see.
Now, I just have to figure how to cram five or six more hours into each day so I can have the time and brain power to get all of my mom and wife duties done, go to work, and still have time to write and sleep. Any suggestions?
I’ve always enjoyed writing. In fact, journaling is better therapy for me than anything. I especially enjoy writing down everything that I’m stressed about but can’t control, and then I just send it through the shredder. It’s very satisfying.
In high school I used to write some really bizarre, nonsensical poems that my English teacher thought were brilliant--little did she know, they were all concocted as a joke between a friend and me, and really held nothing of the meaning that she perceived. This is the same teacher whose obsession with 3-prong essay perfection almost eliminated my desire to write anything, ever again. Ugh! I loathe 3-prong essays.
Then came blogging. Blogging rekindled that desire I felt so long ago. (Much, much too long ago.) I started looking for things to write about, but my life kept getting in the way. I couldn’t seem to find the time.
Somehow, in September, I decided I wanted to write a novel and had a pretty basic idea of what I wanted it to be about. With a little effort, I was sure I could complete it in two to three months, give or take a week. I didn’t have a clue what I was getting myself into.
My three month timeline was seriously unrealistic. Especially after I decided to change something major at the beginning and had to rewrite a good portion of it. It was all for the best though, and I think it’s much better after the rewrite. That was back in December, when I was only half way done. I got a little stuck in January and for a while there I thought I might never finish it, which I am notorious for doing--starting something and then getting bored with it and never looking at it again.
Strangely, I never got bored with this project. I’ve really enjoyed the whole process and can’t express in words how awesome it felt when I wrote the last words and thought, ‘Holy crap! I just wrote the ending!’ It was a good day. (Yes, it was just like that. I stressed for weeks about how I was going to end it, and then it just ended itself. Very surreal and just a smidge anticlimactic.) That was three weeks ago (six months after I started) and since then I have been through it three times to do edits and some rewriting.
I think I’m driving Jason crazy. It seems to be all I can think about anymore, thus, it’s all I want to talk about. He’s been very involved in the plot development, helping me when I got stuck on certain points, and pointing out when my male characters were acting too girly, but I think he secretly wants to kill all of my characters off so he doesn’t have to hear about them anymore. Not really, but I know he’s tired of hearing about it.
So, needless to say, my priorities have been a little out of whack for a while. A lot of things have been put to the side until this project was done. And now that I’m finished, aside from doing more editing and rewrites, I’m working on getting my query letter ready and writing a synopsis. Not to mention, the two books that are now floating around in my head that I feel compelled to write in order to finish the major plot arc that is hinted at in my first book. This just gets more and more complicated the further I go. *heavy sigh*
That’s about it. I’m going to try to pry my brain away from my imaginary world enough to get in a blog entry every day, but that might be pushing it. We’ll see.
Now, I just have to figure how to cram five or six more hours into each day so I can have the time and brain power to get all of my mom and wife duties done, go to work, and still have time to write and sleep. Any suggestions?
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