Okay, this is more for me than anything else, but it brings me a measure more motivation by making it public.
So, here are the goals I made for 2009 and their present status...
Write new outlined book by May or June:
Hard to say if / when I'll achieve this, but I'm working on it. If I can write 3,000 words a week or so, I beleive I'll make it.
Edit / Revise / Beta-read by September:
Working towards.
Start querying in September (if ready):
Working towards.
NaNoWriMo 2009 through November:
Still planning on it.
Continue querying and working on NaNo manuscript if I'm happy with it.
Up in the air until then...
Buy and read at least two or three books a month:
This one has started off bad. I've re-read three books and started one new one but I won't have two *new* books read by tomorrow. I plan on catching up in February.
Continue to learn about writing / publishing:
Check. Ongoing.
Continue blogging regularly:
I think I've been pretty good about this.
Start doing book reviews on blog:
I haven't done one yet but I still plan on it.
Post a teaser or something for critique every few months at least:
I posted a small "teaser," which I've since changed a bit. My first. Woo! Thank you for all the input that was given.
Focus on overcoming weaknesses and issues found in 2008:
The main one is finishing what I start. I'm trying!
Review this list every month:
Done for January!
***
It's only the first month, but I think I'm relatively on target so far.
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
I just read this blog post over at Rhonda Stapleton's blog and had to copy it over to here because, well, I'm a pretty big Austen fan and, well...
Holy heck! Have you heard about this?
This is a book that is coming out April 15th. You can read the blurb on Rhonda's post.
I can't even imagine what the Austen fanatics are going to say. I hope the author is prepared...
As for me, I'm SO reading this.
Holy heck! Have you heard about this?
This is a book that is coming out April 15th. You can read the blurb on Rhonda's post.
I can't even imagine what the Austen fanatics are going to say. I hope the author is prepared...
As for me, I'm SO reading this.
Wednesday's Word Count
Happy Wednesday! Can you beleive January is almost over already? Yikes!
Prior Goal: Smooth out plot issues. Write a chapter.
Achieved: Plot issues resolved. Tweaked chapter one.
Goal for new week: Write a chapter.
Excuses / comments: I think I have my plot mostly figured out, but I fidgeted with chapter one so much I didn't end up writing a new one. Like with NaNo, I need to turn off my inner editor and just push forward - get it written. Erg. I'm certainly starting off slower than I had planned, but I thought I would have my story all figured out by now too. Ideas keep swimming around my brain and I can't figure out which direction to go!
Your turn! Time to spill your goals and accomplishments for the week.
Prior Goal: Smooth out plot issues. Write a chapter.
Achieved: Plot issues resolved. Tweaked chapter one.
Goal for new week: Write a chapter.
Excuses / comments: I think I have my plot mostly figured out, but I fidgeted with chapter one so much I didn't end up writing a new one. Like with NaNo, I need to turn off my inner editor and just push forward - get it written. Erg. I'm certainly starting off slower than I had planned, but I thought I would have my story all figured out by now too. Ideas keep swimming around my brain and I can't figure out which direction to go!
Your turn! Time to spill your goals and accomplishments for the week.
Word of the Day
Here's a fun word that I rather like. Might even be able to use this one eventually. I've never heard anyone use it in Cali though. I'm curious if it's a common word (phrase?) elsewhere.
Shilly-shally: "in an irresolute, undecided, or hesitating manner."
Essentially, it means to procrastinate...
If you're a geek like me and interested in word origins, here's what the Etymology Dictionary has to say on it:
"Vacillate," 1703, earlier shill I, shall I (1700), fanciful reduplication of shall I? (cf. wishy-washy, dilly-dally, etc.)."
Wishy-washy and dilly-dally are much more common around here!
Shilly-shally: "in an irresolute, undecided, or hesitating manner."
Essentially, it means to procrastinate...
If you're a geek like me and interested in word origins, here's what the Etymology Dictionary has to say on it:
"Vacillate," 1703, earlier shill I, shall I (1700), fanciful reduplication of shall I? (cf. wishy-washy, dilly-dally, etc.)."
Wishy-washy and dilly-dally are much more common around here!
So Tell Me: Backstory
If you need to include a certain amount of back story rather early in the story, what, in your opinion, is the best way to go about it?
Dialogue?
Narration?
Flashbacks?
A combination?
Or, does this signal that the story should start elsewhere?
Dialogue?
Narration?
Flashbacks?
A combination?
Or, does this signal that the story should start elsewhere?
Fabulous Query Examples
In case you've been missing out, agent Jessica Faust at the BookEnds, LLC blog has been posting the query letters that jump-started some of her clients careers. Totally worth checking out, especially if you're presently querying or working on your query letter.
Check it out!
Today's good news? I've come up with a new plot and did a quick outline for it. I think I'll throw a practice query together and see how it holds up!
Check it out!
Today's good news? I've come up with a new plot and did a quick outline for it. I think I'll throw a practice query together and see how it holds up!
Word of the Day - Tawse
I used the word tawse in the excerpt I posted on Tuesday. Not one you hear everyday, so Shelli suggested I use it as a Word of the Day. I'm taking her up on that. Before doing so, however, I feel like I should establish that I do not personally support Corporal punishment where children are concerned. It is a part of my character's back story and is significant in only that it pertains to some of the internal conflict he must face later in the story.
Now...
Tawse: "A leather strap slit into strips at the end and used especially for disciplining children."
Per Wikipedia: "A tawse (the plural of Scots taw, a thong of a whip) is an implement for physical punishment, called tawsing. It was used for educational and domestic dicipline, primariliy in Scotland. Scottish schools used the tawse to beat pupils on the palms. In the 1980s a European court judgment led to its use being banned in UK schools in 1998."
Ouch! Can you imagine?
Now...
Tawse: "A leather strap slit into strips at the end and used especially for disciplining children."
Per Wikipedia: "A tawse (the plural of Scots taw, a thong of a whip) is an implement for physical punishment, called tawsing. It was used for educational and domestic dicipline, primariliy in Scotland. Scottish schools used the tawse to beat pupils on the palms. In the 1980s a European court judgment led to its use being banned in UK schools in 1998."
Ouch! Can you imagine?
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