Writing Process Blog Chain

Thanks to the fabulous Michelle Tran who tagged me in the Writing Process Blog Chain last week. Be sure to check out what she has to say about her process on her blog, here.

1. What am I currently working on?

I just started editing my second draft of my YA retelling. It's a loose retelling and I hope to share more details later. It has elements of science fiction. I would classify it as light sci-fi as it's set in our present world. The first draft took almost 2 years, a long time compared to my other books. Partially this was due to the massive amount of research I had to do, part of the trouble with having a hyper intelligent main character. I also suffered from a rough bout of writer's block for a while and I couldn't be happier to have that behind me.

I also am working on a YA Fantasy about a girl struggling to accept and make sense of her own abilities while the magic community she lives in is rife with political drama and civil unrest. So far I have the complete outline and the first two chapters written, but it'll be on the back burner while I edit.

2. How does my work differ from others of its genre?

There's no clearly defined villain or evil force at work. My characters do a fantastic job of ruining their lives without outside help. Likewise, there's not a hero. My main character is not a bad person, but I wouldn't say he's a great one when the story starts either.

Another thing that sets it apart is that my main character is a teenage boy. While that's not unheard of it is rare in YA. Many books with male MCs still focus on a female character, such as the Caster Chronicles which are told from Ethan's perspective but he shares the story with Lena. Maybe YA books with male MCs don't sell as well? Obviously, I'm hoping that's not the case.

3. Why do I write what I do?

I'm going to sound like a total hippie (because I kind of am) but I write what comes to me. I can't force plots or characters to reveal themselves, I've tried. I get an idea, I don't know where they come from. Usually it happens when I'm in that fragile place between sleeping and wakefulness. When an idea grabs me I try to make sense of it the best I can.

I've always been partial to fantasy and all kinds of speculative fiction, though I have written short stories that were contemporary Adult fiction. I read a lot of fantasy and I think my brain is tuned in to that genre. I like the examination of ordinary people forced into extraordinary situations which is common in fantasy novels. For better or worse, it forces the characters to evolve.

4. How does my writing process work?

• Get idea-Thank the gods of inspiration for choosing me!
• Type frantically in fear of losing idea
• Outline the whole book-I've been getting better at this. 
• Write the rough draft- Sometimes I know I'm writing crap. I need to do so to get through a slump or a difficult scene. I know this doesn't work for all writers but this is the best method I've find for me. 
• Edit rough draft-This is when I smooth out the rough parts until I have a clean first draft.
• Send the first draft to my Betas-My friend Ashley has been the first to read each of my completed books. Jess is a close second and helpful grammar guru.
• Edit with Beta feedback into a polished second draft.

After that I decide if I think the book is worth working on or if it's time to give up. That might sound harsh or even like I'm calling it quits too soon, but the truth is I've written a lot of crap. I'm undoubtedly going to write a lot more crap in the future. It takes a long time to write something that you're proud of. And while editing can improve a book drastically, there is a point when it's clearly time to move on. For me it's usually around the second or third draft.

My first two books were great learning experiences and those characters will always be with me, but I wouldn't want them to be published because I wasn't proud of the stories or the writing. I knew I could do better and so I shelved them and moved on to my next project.

Currently, I still feel good about my YA retelling, but it's too soon to say anything. If I feel good after I'm done with this round of edits, I'll send it to be critiqued and keep editing from there. I've never queried agents, because none of my books have ever been ready, but I imagine after lots of editing it would be time to query. Of course, then there will be more editing. Basically, the editing doesn't end until the book is published or the writer surrenders.

***

I'm passing the chain along to fellow blogger extraordinaire Cindy R. Wilson, check out her blog and see what she says next Monday. Thanks for letting me tag you, Cindy!

Cindy R. Wilson grew up telling her siblings stories she invented every night before bed, and realized quickly she wanted to be a writer as an adult. As a mother of three girls, YA drama is a big part of her life. Writing for young adults gives her the opportunity to combine her passion for romance with elements that are more out of this world. Cindy resides in Colorado near the foothills, where the mountains and forests often inspire settings in her stories.

The Dangling Carrot vs The Stick

Deliciousness brought to you by Kickass Cupcakes

Confession: I'm horrible about sticking to self imposed deadlines.

It's weird because I have an excess of will power in most areas of my life. If I can logically explain how a thing is bad for me, I have no problem giving it up. Yet when it's crunch time for reaching my own writing goals I make new deadlines rather than scramble to finish on time.

Who cares if I push it back again? I don't have an agent and no one will know...

Last year I got a bottle of really nice champagne for my birthday in August. I told myself I'd open it when I earned it. I landed a new job I really wanted in October, wrote over 10,000 words in November but still didn't pop the bubbly. Once the goals were attained, I didn't feel like a reward was in order. I do see how this is insane reasoning and it isn't that I didn't think what I had done was impressive. For me, getting the job and the satisfaction of a productive month of writing were enough.

It comes down to whether someone is after the carrot or dodging the stick. Some personality types are driven by threat of the stick or repercussions of failure. Others are enticed by the carrot or the reward that success will bring. My dog* for instance, he's definitely after the carrot.**

He was willing to do anything for this PupCake

I realized that when I was in a critique group, I got my pages reviewed and out to my critique partners on time...okay I cut it close occasionally, but I got the pages and my critiques out.


I'm not actually interested enough in the reward. In fact, I have been known to procrastinate cashing in the rewards I have earned for myself. Even the cupcakes in this post, which were a post-5K run reward, weren't my idea. My friend who I ran with suggested it.

What really gets me to follow through is fear of letting someone down or of embarrassing myself by not doing what I promised. This makes my problem with writing deadlines apparent-I don't have anyone holding a stick.

The solution, which may be obvious at this point, is that I need to someone to be my stick wielder and hold me accountable if I don't get my pages done. Of course, I could do another critique group, but I want to get my first draft complete as soon as possible and as much as I like critiquing I don't really have much time to spare for that right now. So, I volunteered a friend to be my beta and first line of defense against awful grammar, typos and crummy plot lines. I'm going to send her 50 pages every two weeks. I sent her my first 50 pages on Sunday. The theory being that by August I should have a complete draft that's fairly clean. Then I can beg for critiques and send a polished draft to the rest of my betas.


Now if only I could get someone to force me to eat cupcakes...





*All dogs are like this, which is why it's best to punish your dog with the lack of a reward. They'll figure out what they have to do to get the reward, especially if it's a delicious puppy cupcake.

**My dog would like you all to know that he hates carrots and doesn't appreciate this analogy.

The Return

As much as I wanted to continue blogging regularly I couldn't find it in me to make the time for it over the last eight months. It's been a long while since I've been active here and I've had a lot of guilt about that. Life got in the way. I still read lots of books and blogs though I did not write as much as I would have liked, but I couldn't harness the energy to blog.

I switched my day job and quit Philadelphia for Boston. Leaving my job was hard, I'd been there for almost 6 years and I was sad to say goodbye to many of my coworkers, but I wanted to relocate and I am happy that I did. The move was an adventure for sure but it took a long time to come to fruition.  I've had the desire to flee to New England for years. I primarily credit Alice Hoffman, maple syrup, and the Autumn season for this desire. In theory it sounds dreadfully romantic, doesn't it?

Picking up and moving however involved a lot more steps, planning, and frustrating apartment hunting than they show in books and movies. Though I enjoy planning, list making, and employing excel spreadsheets to pave the way so I'm not complaining. Also, the most frustrating piece of apartment hunting was getting a landlord to accept my 50 pound dog and I would never complain about that. I knew what I was signing up for when I adopted him five years ago and I'm happy I found a place with a fenced in yard.

I think he likes it.

We arrived just in time for our new city to be attacked on Marathon Monday. My family was not entirely pleased to see me relocating so far away, but they understood it was something I needed to do. I live alone and I think that stresses them out to a certain extent. The Marathon Bombings, which occurred half a block from my new office, did not help assuage their worries. Boston, however, is a strong city and the response to the attacks have only served to affirm that I made the right decision.

Yesterday when she was over my friend, Liz-who played a vital role in my move, said it looks like I've lived here for years. And I do feel settled now. With the to do lists put aside and the stress of moving ebbing, I find the words come easier. The itch to dust off my last project and breath life into it is stronger than ever. Writing playlists are revamped. Deadlines are updated in spreadsheets and I feel the writer inside of me nudging herself to the forefront again. I'm more myself when I'm writing regularly and though I was too occupied to feel the hole not writing left in my days I can sense the completeness that was not there over recent months. It's a comfort and I'm beyond grateful for it.

Hopefully, I'll get back on track with a blogging schedule soon. I know some folks have missed my Book Reports and I have definitely missed some folks.

Book Report Tuesday: Marcus of Umbria

Title: Marcus of Umbria: What an Italian Dog Taught and American Girl About Love

Author: Justine van der Leun

Genre: Travel Memoir

Synopsis: Tired of laboring in city cubicles, Justine van der Leun sublets her studio apartment, leaves her magazine job, and moves to Collelungo, Italy, population: 200. There, in the ancient city center of a historic Umbrian village, she sets up house with the handsome local gardener she met on vacation only weeks earlier. This impulsive decision launches an eye-opening series of misadventures when village life and romance turn out to be radically different from what she had imagined. Love lost with the gardener is found instead with Marcus, an abandoned English pointer that she rescues.

With Marcus by her side, Justine discovers the bliss and hardship of living in the countryside: herding sheep, tending to wild horses, picking olives with her adopted Italian family, and trying her best to learn the regional dialect. Not quite up to wild boar hunting, no good at gathering mushrooms, and no mamma when it comes to making pasta, she never quite fits in with the locals who, despite their differences, take her in as one of their own. The result is a rich, comic, and unconventional portrait about learning to live and love in the most unexpected ways. (from Goodreads)

Why did I pick it up?: I studied abroad in Umbria and I am obsessed with my dog. It was like this book was marketed specifically for me.

My Review:  Perhaps I am too familar with the topic, and that is why I was let down by this book. I expected more information about Italy and more about Justine's relationship with Marcus. Still the book is an entertaining, light read. I probably would have loved it, had I read it before I spent four months in Italy. Justine's stories about the tiny town of Collelungo and its inhabitants succeed in capturing the image of rural Italy.

Food plays a big role and she comes to appreciate the completeness and simplicity of Italian cooking, as well as a love for eating local. Italians are all about eating the best and freshest foods. They are also very proud of not only their country but of their region, town, and family. So, of course, the best tomatoes come from their own garden and the best wine from their neighbor's grapes.

The book begins with Justine searching for her dog, Marcus, who she finds in a neighbor's yard. A neighbor's chicken clamped firmly in her mouth. I had to laugh at that.

The town I studied in, Perugia, is about 40 minutes from Collelungo. Though the center of Perugia is vastly more populated than Collelungo, the surrounding countryside is not.

My friend Laura divides her time between Pennsylvania and Perugia where, with her boyfriend, she runs a farmhouse hostel for traveling students and visiting friends, like me. During my last visit in April 2010 we took a long walk through the countryside complete with plastic cups of white wine and a cute Italian dog named Diana. Yes, Diana, as in the Roman Goddess of the Hunt, more widely known by her Greek name, Artemis. 

Like Marcus, Diana had previously been caught slaughtering the neighbor's chickens. So when we lost sight of Diana on our walk, Laura feared she was on such a mission. We shouted for her and whistled to no avail. Finally we heard barking.

Diana had found her way into the neighbor's yard. A fenced yard. Naturally the fence was locked. She must have snuck in behind an entering car, but we were too late and the gate had closed automatically. So we were reduced to shouting loudly in Italian for the owner to come out.

Meanwhile, the owner of the house had a small terrier which was barking like mad to alert everyone in a five mile radius of the intruder. Diana paid this dog no mind whatsoever. Though she drank its water and stole a sizable dog treat directly from its bowl.

We weren't too mad. Probably because of the aforementioned plastic cups of wine. Then again, it could just have been her adorable face. Look how happy she is after her adventure. Even Laura who carried her 25 pound dog back through the picturesque countryside isn't annoyed. Rather she was glad Diana didn't kill any chickens.

Recommendation: Anyone with an interest in Italy and dogs would find this an entertaining read.

Next Week: Back to fiction, beyond that I have no idea.

Thanksgiving, A Prequel



Pumpkin pies for tonight


Just in time for The Season of Pumpkins and Giving Thanks my sister graduated from her medical professional program last night. Woo hoo! Congratulations, Sister!

She has already been seen using her LPN certification (as an excuse) to jab little kids with needles and explain to confused family members that Nana's hearing is perfect, she's just been ignoring you.

Our parents came from Florida to celebrate and we decided it would be efficient to also have a Pre-Thanksgiving Dinner while they are in town. I mean who doesn't love efficiency? And getting two Thankgivings isn't bad either. 

It's our tradition to go around the table and say something for which we are grateful. Usually I make a funny joke. I have given thanks to everything from inky pens to wonder bras. Don't worry, jokes will still be made but a Virginia Woolf quote came to mind. It's a good one, writers, so get out your inky pens and jot this down.

"A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction."

-Virginia Woolf, A Room Of One's Own

Well, Ms. Woolf, I have both of those things and am so grateful. Without them I wouldn't be able to write my fiction. And if I wasn't able to write my fiction...well that would be dark times, dark times for me and all who know me. Of course, I am grateful for more than that. Here are some fun pictures of things I am thankful for...



Why yes, I bought these flowers myself.



 

Only four short weeks until The Gaslight Anthem returns to New Jersey with a show in Asbury Park.

Upcoming Travel Plans...


Massachusetts in December



 

Albuquerque in February





Lake Geneva, Switzerland in May...more on this later.



Double Shot of Disaster

This was originally posted a year ago on my now defunct Wordpress. I was over there deleting my former blog when I realized a few of my posts were really pretty funny. Here is one about a fateful morning at the end of last November.

I was up early to take a friend to the airport. When I got home it was 6:45 that is earlier than I normally would be awake, alert and dressed. But alert and dressed I was. Well whether I was alert, is to be decided. I chose to be productive. My plan was to do yoga, make espresso, have a healthy breakfast, walk the dog, shower and be on time for work. That sounds uneventful, I know. Really it was supposed to be uneventful, it was Tuesday morning. 

At first my plan was going well. Plans are deceitful that way. I love doing yoga in the morning. My mind is cleared, my body is energized and I feel wonderful. By 7:02 the espresso was on the stove and I was just moving from downward dog into some abdominal stretches. I had enough time to think, “This is nice, isn’t it?” when it happened. There was a sound like rapid fire. A steamy, sputtering, dangerous sound. My first thought was that the espresso was ready but it was too soon and far, far too loud for simple percolation.

My dog was in the dining room. From where I stood I saw him glance at the kitchen warily and then run away with his tail between his legs.

I entered the kitchen and first I only saw the stove, covered in coffee. My first thought was that the espresso overflowed and the sound I heard was the excess espresso burning on the gas flame. I was wrong.

My second thought was that I failed to properly tighten the espresso percolator and that some leaked out of the sides and into the flame. This turned out to also be not only wrong, but a gross underestimation of the catastrophe. Once I allowed myself to take stock of the whole kitchen, I realized something. I should not be allowed to make espresso. But we will get back to that.

It turned out that I forgot an important piece of the espresso maker. The piece which would have prevented the catastrophe from happening is a small round filter. It holds down the coffee grinds when the water and steam are forced up through the espresso. Without the filter, the grinds had free range to be literally blown out of the sides and top of the espresso maker.

It was as if an espresso bomb went off in the kitchen. Please note: I am not exaggerating. Several tablespoons of espresso were now stuck to my walls. Also, several tablespoons of coffee will make a gargantuan mess.


I felt like a member of CSI examining the scene. “Based on the grind splatter here and here, I would say that the majority, 80-90 percent, of the coffee came out through the sides of the machine in question. Somebody really had it in for that kitchen.”

Rather than spending my morning focusing on my breathing and tightening my abs which would be beneficial in between Thanksgiving and Christmas, the two most fattening holidays, I spent it scrubbing chunks of espresso from the white walls, cabinets, stove, floor, refrigerator, blender, oh and the half-dozen boxes of Christmas decorations that I was going to take to storage after work.

I also spent that time contemplating the health and safety benefits of herbal tea. Most of Britain survives on tea. I wondered if I could make the switch. Unfortunately, I am a hopeless case. Even as I loathed the mess on my walls and my utter lack of ability to make coffee I still loved the smell of the grinds and I knew I’d never be able to give them up.

 

 Please note (again): I know I have a tendency to exaggerate and that is why these pictures are so important. I am in no way exaggerating. It took me an hour and fifteen minutes to get the walls, fridge, table, floor, and stove clean. Under the microwave still needs more attention as does the top of the fridge. I knew if I came home from work and saw coffee on the wall I would have a fit. It was very overwhelming. Everywhere I turned there were more grinds in more places. However, I began cleaning one section at a time and soon it wasn’t as hopeless. Soon it began to look like a kitchen again.

 

I had to clean coffee splatter from espresso cups, coffee containers and a large framed poster for what? Why, espresso, of course! This is hilarious, I haven't laughed yet, but I am sure I will. The situation is still too close. It hasn’t yet made the leap from stressful ridiculousness to pure comedy. But I guess that’s partially because I didn’t get to have my coffee this morning.

Word Count: Bigger in Texas

I am back! Wait, you didn't know I was even gone!

Well, I spent Thursday thru Sunday in Austin, Texas. (yee-haw) I got a lot of work done on my wip. I am on track to have a rough draft completed in May. This is credited to my willpower to not log in to the free wi-fi in the hotel room.

Unfortunately, I didn't get anything else done. I didn't prepare blogs, I didn't read any blogs. I barely followed Twitter.

The result-I am lost in a sea of industry news. I will be back to blogging with regularity this week and I will share the good and the bad of my trip.

Can't wait to read what y'all* have been up to!


*I didn't fit in much in Texas.