Reviews

So, what does a writer do with the reviews she gets from editors? I'm facing this challenge right now, as I revise N2 for the next submission (opening date just a week away).

One ABNA reviewer wrote

I can understand why the author would designate it as a MG book because of the age of the characters, but the writing is a little too sophisticated for MG readers--it actually reads like a YA novel.

What should I change? The language, to make it more appropriate for MG readers? Or the characters and plot, to appeal to YA readers?

After much hand-wringing, floor-pacing, and teeth-gnashing, I've decided to keep it at MG level, which means looking carefully at my sentences. I know that some tend to go on too long, with too many embedded phrases, clauses, asides, etc. But this will be a good writing exercise, right? I have to look at vocabulary, too. All those old-sounding words (some from Middle and Old English) will have to go. (The other reviewer wrote that "some of the language was a little off-putting".)

I ought to read a few more MG novels, to develop my ear for the appropriate linguistic complexity, but time is of the essence here. Just one week, to go through nearly 70,000 words. I can -- and will -- do it.

I'm trying not to complain and moan too much here. That gets boring fast.

So, imagine me smiling wistfully as I say that N2 was cut from ABNA. (But an on-line writing partner made it to the next round -- way to go, girl!!)

What now? Happily, this particular rejection came with some useful and encouraging feedback, which makes me want to drop N3 (with its waiting-to-be-written ending) and go back to N2. I can tweak and stretch it some more, and it will be ready for an intensive submission campaign this summer.

Also, a small fantasy publisher is opening its doors for un-agented writers on 16 April. Can I address some of the suggestions by then? I'm going to try.

Will send the famous writer my PB MS tomorrow. I promise.

Birthday news

Yep, it's that time of year again, when I look at the calendar and think, Really? Seriously? I'm supposed to get excited about this? [That image looks more like a cruise ship shooting off roman candles than a birthday cake. A clue to what I'd rather be doing.]

But, as I've been saying for several weeks now (and driving everyone crazy with it), it sure beats the alternative.

Now, as to the news.
1) N2 made it past the first round of ABNA (yay!). 2nd round results will be announced on 20 March.
2) N3 has hit a snag (see below).
3) Someone very important has asked to see N2 (eek!).

The snag: On finally re-reading the last third of the MS, I discovered that it's all horrible and has to go. 30 pages of crap. I'm not exaggerating. N3 now has no ending, and only a rough outline of the lead-up to the (non-existent) ending. The poor thing needs major surgery, which I've been assiduously avoiding. But my writing group expects to see another 20 pages in 2 weeks. What's a girl to do?!?!

I have to drag myself out of my birthday funk and get back to work. I took the first step -- printed up what remains of the last 2 sections, so that I can blue-pencil plot notes.

And re that someone very important -- all I can say is that he's a hugely popular writer. I hope he was serious, because when I get the nerve to actually send him something, I hope he remembers asking me to do so. I won't send him my novel -- that's too much to ask/expect of anyone. But I have a little picture book MS, just a touch over 600 words, that he might enjoy. I'll let you know what comes of it.

Once again, dear friends

I have met the NaNo challenge, conquered the inner editor, and crossed the finish line in time to qualify.

I have no shame in reporting that the first 100 pages are pretty good, and the last 90 total crap. There may be a few jewels hidden inside, but it's crap all the same.

But, at this point, quantity, not quality, is what counts. (I'm quoting a NaNo buddy.)

The crappy parts don't worry me. I know from earlier experiences that a good portion of even the good parts will undergo massive revision if I decide to spend more time working on this effort.

Whether I do that depends on many things, including inspiration. Right now, I'm sick of the characters and the story, and I never want to look at it again. Perhaps a month of reading -- just reading -- will cure me. I also need to get back to N2 to add another chapter and start the submission process.

The life of a would-be author: If it's not one thing, it's half a dozen others.

It's all downhill from here

At least, that's what I hope. Stopped writing today at 40,047 words. So I have only 9,953 words to go. That feels like nothing compared to what I've done.

It's all just mind games.

When I took my first class in my doctoral program, the instructor told us on the first day, "You are all now completing your PhDs." We laughed, but he wasn't being funny. You want to look at big projects from the end point, not from the starting point. At zero, 50K looks like a lot of writing, but at 40K it doesn't seem like so very much.

NB: Discovered one of my characters has a sibling -- yesterday the character was an only child, but today she has a sister. Funny how putting the words down makes things happen.

Reporting in

See the colorful calendar on the right? Here's the explanation (from the NaNo site):

Light green and red show where you were above or below the goal for the day, bold green and red are reserved for days where you did exceptionally well or monumentally badly. 

The Cone of Silence worked, for I did exceptionally well today: 3,273 words (nearly twice the daily goal). That means tomorrow I start only 6K behind on word count, but if I can maintain this amount of writing, I'll catch up by Monday. But no more for today. Time to prep for sleep. Night all!

Cameo appearance

My guest-blogger post is up at Samantha-Stacia's blog. And now I enter the Cone of Silence, to write write write.

Please note that, while in the Cone of Silence, I'm Maxwell Smart, and my novel is the Chief.

At least, that's the plan for now. If necessary, we can always switch seats.

Just who are these people anyway?

Oh the joy of creating new characters! And I do mean JOY.

My MC is a woman on a mission from god, so to speak. But, unlike the Blues Brothers, this MC didn't get her assignment from a nun. She's a self-starter in the vendetta business. No need to lose sleep in order to plot revenge -- no need to plot at all. Vengeance lays itself at her feet and says 'I'm yours. Use me. Please."

Her husband is very sweet, too.

Another character is a fan of Charles Fort, a kooky 19th-20th century guy with a thing for UFOs and astronomer-bashing.

A third spends his evenings participating in a killer bowling league where he met and lost the woman of his dreams.

Plus four conniving secretaries push the plot along.

Yes, I'm having fun.

Writing group update: first 20 pages passed inspection with helpful and encouraging feedback. Sigh of relief.  NaNo update: just a tad over 30K words yesterday. Minimal writing today, and then the non-stop work begins for the hols: 20K words in 8 days. I can and I will.

The pleasure of to-do lists

P Finish the dinner scene

P Get to 29K words, come hell or high water

P Whip up a week's worth of risotto

P Write guest blog and email to SS

P Put clean sheets on bed

P Wish I had some idea about how to end the novel

See what I mean? Don't you feel better now? I know I do.

Assignment: Guest blog post

So I got my guest blogger topic, and it'll be a challenge. I'm going to write it today (no other time slot is available before the due date).

Then shopping (for today's risotto: caprese).

Then make the risotto.

Then quick clear up.

Then try to come up with other delaying tactics.

Then, at last, write 2500 more words for NaNoWriMo.

What you can do when you put your mind to it

2495 words written today, before 8 pm! Dinner scene finished -- to my great relief. And, surprise, right at the end, I discovered that one of the male characters had had a fling with one of the female characters many years earlier. Goody. Complications make writing easy (please don't ask me why).

Now I just need to average 2K words per day to win, so I'll need to get a good chunk done tomorrow.

And now I think I'm done for the day (unless inspiration smacks me in the forehead).

Just one more thing: Next Wednesday, I'll be guest blogger on Samantha Stacia's blog. I hope she gives me an assignment -- so much easier than trying to pick my own topic from the universe of topics.

Nano nineteenth day already?!?!

OK, so here's some good advice for everyone: don't get sick if you're participating in NaNoWriMo.

But that's only part of the reason I'm 7500 words behind. In the middle of last week I got to the big dinner scene and ran out of ideas.

I insist this wasn't writer's block. I just could't figure out where to take the characters. I tried skipping the scene, to work on some later chapters, but that didn't work -- too much depends on what happens at the dinner.

The biggest problem was that my internal editor had been dialed to eleven, and I kept deleting everything I wrote. That's no way to get to 50K words in 30 days.

I'm resolved now to dial my editor down to one and crank out the dinner scene, today, no matter what. Tune in later for an update.

NaNo seventh day: Whoa

It can never be said too often: Save and back up your work. Often.

In the old days, before computers, I heard a nightmare story while I was writing my dissertation. Some poor slob and printed the five copies needed for his committee, put these and his original into the rear of his hatchback, and then took off west on the Long Island Expressway. Somewhere between Ronkonkoma and Hauppauge, the hatch sprung open and all six copies flew out the back end. It was a literal blizzard of research. A sobering albeit possibly apocryphal story.

So, I email copies of my MS to myself, sometimes as often as 3 times in one day. I have thumb drives for when I can't get online, and a hard drive I put copies onto once a week during November. You can never have too many backup copies.

Tomorrow's post: Always ready for the next great idea.

NaNo sixth day: NaNo pep talks

So, when you sign up for NaNoWriMo, you sign up for the pep talks. You get two or three per week. Here are excerpts from the two I've received so far.

Erin Morganstern, a former NaNo-er who is now a published novelist (may I follow in her footsteps), wrote:

I like to think of NaNo-ing as excavating. You uncover different things at the 30K mark than you do at 10K. Things that felt like desperate, random nonsense on page 72 (the abandoned broken pocket watch, a partially obscured tattoo, that taxidermied marmot on the mantelpiece) are suddenly important and meaningful on page 187. Everything could hinge on the fate of that marmot. Or the marmot may be a red herring. Or perhaps the marmot is just a marmot. You have to keep writing to find out. 

 Another Erin, my regional liaison, wrote:

They say Week 2 is the hardest. The initial euphoria has worn off, the deep sense of "wait, what did I get myself into" foreboding takes over. And I'm here to tell you: Don't Panic! You can totally do this! 

But how? you may ask. We're six days in and I'm already behind! Do not despair! Here are some handy tips for cranking out that first draft: 

1. If you're busy, give yourself a break. If you find yourself with some extra free time, make the most of it. Write what you can on the busy days and make it up on less busy days. Try not to sweat the milestones, such as, "I should have had 10,000 words done by today!" Not there yet? It's cool, you've still got time. ...

4. Keep in mind, too, any progress you make on your novel today is more novel than you had yesterday, and that alone is an accomplishment!

I realize these people don't know me from a blank computer screen, yet I get the feeling they care. They want me to succeed. So, I'll let that thought carry me through the rough spots.

Thank you, NaNoWriMo, for having my back!

PS: Want more of Errol Elumir's NaNoToons? You have to join the site to see them! But you can see more of Elumir's work at DebsAndErrol

Tomorrow's post: speaking of "back," don't forget to back up your work

NaNo fifth day: Procrastination Station

Procrastination Station is where you go on the NaNoWriMo site when you want to delay writing the next tough scene. I've never actually checked it out, because I have my own avoidance techniques:

1. Check my email/facebook/twitter/blog/discussion boards 
2. Fix something to eat, or go shopping for something to eat, or read cookbooks and/or take-out menus to plan next meal/shopping trip
3. Reorganize my desk
4. Reorganize my notes
5. Watch clouds, or traffic, out my window
6. File my nails

The thing is, even when I'm not writing, I'm still thinking about writing. Sometimes I need that time away from the keyboard to allow the ideas to bubble up from their mysterious source. When I get back to writing, I can push through that tough scene and feel like I've won something.

That's why I don't feel bad when I procrastinate -- unless, of course, a quick nap turns into a 3-hour snooze and I wake up at 6:00 wondering if it's the same night or the next morning.

Tomorrow's post: NaNo pep-talk emails.