Ugh, so I've just discovered something about my WIP. I'm halfway through it word-count wise, but not halfway through plot-wise, which means when it comes time to edit I am going to have to cut out a lot. I'm trying to tell myself that this is a good problem to have because at least the story is flowing and I'm not worried about it not being long enough (which was an original concern with the novel I'm currently querying, and I actually had to add about twenty pages to that in the second draft). I also have an idea of which scenes are extraneous and can go, but a lot of those scenes reveal things about the main character and side characters, so it will be tough to edit. Basically, the novel I'm querying now is 78,000 words, which is good for the young adult market (which agents suggest, for a first novel, should be 60,000-80,000 words). Right now, I see this book hitting the 90,000 word mark if not higher. To be safe, I really don't want it to be more than 85,000 words, and to get it down to 80,000 would be even better.
It's going to be tough, but it's actually a more comforting problem than not having enough plot.
On a side note, my hubby and I watched Paranormal Activity for the first time the other night, which was a lot scarier than I though it was going to be. At first, it just looks like a really badly acted home movie, but as the plot progresses it gets better. Even though there were moments that freaked me out, I was able to fall asleep just fine. That is, until my computer mysteriously turned itself on at 3 in the morning!!! Weird, right? Okay, so it's not that weird since there are a billion explanations and most likely it was just doing an update or something, but after seeing that movie it was a little freaky.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
A couple updates!
Hey everyone, I have a couple exciting updates for you : )
First and foremost, I am a married woman now!!! The wedding was beautiful and I couldn't be happier to be a Sadie Lady (hopefully most of you get that reference). I really don't get why December isn't a busier bridal month considering we didn't have to do much at all in the way of decorations; the church and the reception site had already put up a lot of Christmas decorations on their own. Anyways, it was a day to remember, and we had a great time on our honeymoon at The Inn and Spa at Cedar Falls in Hocking Hills, Ohio. If you're interested in a serene setting and a relaxing day at the spa, check it out:
http://innatcedarfalls.com/
I have to admit, it was kind of weird to go so many days without writing though.
Secondly, I've had two other agents ask to look at partials! Yay! Keeping my fingers crossed that they both ask for fulls off of the partials. I still haven't heard from the agent with my full, but I don't expect to hear anything until after the holidays. After reading some more advice, I'm not going to send a status query until the four month mark, which will be January 30th.
Well, that's all for now. I hope everyone has a wonderful Holiday season : ) Merry Christmas and Happy New Year (if I don't post till after then)!
First and foremost, I am a married woman now!!! The wedding was beautiful and I couldn't be happier to be a Sadie Lady (hopefully most of you get that reference). I really don't get why December isn't a busier bridal month considering we didn't have to do much at all in the way of decorations; the church and the reception site had already put up a lot of Christmas decorations on their own. Anyways, it was a day to remember, and we had a great time on our honeymoon at The Inn and Spa at Cedar Falls in Hocking Hills, Ohio. If you're interested in a serene setting and a relaxing day at the spa, check it out:
http://innatcedarfalls.com/
I have to admit, it was kind of weird to go so many days without writing though.
Secondly, I've had two other agents ask to look at partials! Yay! Keeping my fingers crossed that they both ask for fulls off of the partials. I still haven't heard from the agent with my full, but I don't expect to hear anything until after the holidays. After reading some more advice, I'm not going to send a status query until the four month mark, which will be January 30th.
Well, that's all for now. I hope everyone has a wonderful Holiday season : ) Merry Christmas and Happy New Year (if I don't post till after then)!
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Getting To Know Your Characters
One of the best things about writing is discovering your characters. Like most writers, I spend time working on character worksheets for the main characters before I delve into the actual story. But I don't care what anyone says, it doesn't matter how much time you spend on character worksheets or character interviews, you'll always discover new things about your characters as you write your story. That happened to me last night, and it is such an amazing feeling. It's truly like these characters are real people, letting you into their innermost thoughts and feelings; there's no other way to describe it.
Now, don't get me wrong. Character worksheets, interviews, and any other method to get to know your character before writing the story is VERY important. But also don't stress yourself out about knowing every little detail of your character's life before you start writing because there are some things that just will not come out until you start the story.
I know there are a lot of writers out there who say they know everything about their characters before they start writing, and that their characters don't do anything they don't want them to do, but to me that's half the fun of writing. When I plot, I give myself a beginning, middle, and end, with very important scenes I know I have to have, but how I get to and from those pivotal scenes is an adventure. My current WIP (work in progress) has a major fight scene on a train that I never intended to write. It just sort of happened (again, this ties back into letting loose on first drafts. Let whatever you want to happen happen. If I decide later this train fight scene isn't needed, I can always get rid of it. But, the point is, I would never have had this scene if I didn't let myself explore). By all means, it's important to have a road map, but don't limit yourself either. When you let your creativity roam free, you'll be surprised by what can happen.
If you're looking for good character worksheets/interviews, this is a great site: http://www.booklaurie.com/tips_interview.php
Also, just a great writing site in general: http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/index.php
Countdown to Wedding: 7 days!!!
Now, don't get me wrong. Character worksheets, interviews, and any other method to get to know your character before writing the story is VERY important. But also don't stress yourself out about knowing every little detail of your character's life before you start writing because there are some things that just will not come out until you start the story.
I know there are a lot of writers out there who say they know everything about their characters before they start writing, and that their characters don't do anything they don't want them to do, but to me that's half the fun of writing. When I plot, I give myself a beginning, middle, and end, with very important scenes I know I have to have, but how I get to and from those pivotal scenes is an adventure. My current WIP (work in progress) has a major fight scene on a train that I never intended to write. It just sort of happened (again, this ties back into letting loose on first drafts. Let whatever you want to happen happen. If I decide later this train fight scene isn't needed, I can always get rid of it. But, the point is, I would never have had this scene if I didn't let myself explore). By all means, it's important to have a road map, but don't limit yourself either. When you let your creativity roam free, you'll be surprised by what can happen.
If you're looking for good character worksheets/interviews, this is a great site: http://www.booklaurie.com/tips_interview.php
Also, just a great writing site in general: http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/index.php
Countdown to Wedding: 7 days!!!
Thursday, December 2, 2010
First Drafts
Hey everyone! Happy December : ) This is going to be a really busy month for me...my wedding is in 9 days, so I'm getting ready for that (which includes procrastinating on writing those thank-you cards) and then we'll be going on our honeymoon, then the next week is Christmas, so I don't imagine I'll be able to get as much writing done this month as I would like. Also, I probably won't be blogging much. I hope to start blogging more often after the wedding and holiday season. But, I thought I would talk about my feelings toward first drafts today.
As you all know, I'm still waiting anxiously to hear back from the agent that has my manuscript. I've also sent out more queries to other agents, but so far no one else has bitten. In the meantime, I've been working on the first draft of another YA manuscript, and so far it's been a really unique experience. In some ways, it's easier than my first book because I can say to myself, "Hey, you already wrote one book! That's the biggest hurdle of all." At the same time, you can't help but suffer from the dreaded Sophomore Effect, where you wonder if you really can do it again. First drafts are by far the hardest to write, but they shouldn't be! The most important thing to remember is this:
First drafts are supposed to suck!! It's a RULE.
Okay, so I can pretty much guarantee your first draft is not going to suck as much as you think it does, but the point is you need to let yourself off the hook. Don't worry about writing the Great American Novel during the first draft. Don't worry if you feel like a scene has too much description or whether you can come up with a better word for "realized." The most important thing about the first draft is to JUST WRITE THE BOOK. That's it. When you look at it that way, it actually becomes the easiest draft to write because it doesn't matter how great or sucky it is, no one ever has to read it. Now, the second and third drafts will be more difficult because that's where you start to go through it with a fine-tooth comb, but they shouldn't be that terrible because, guess what? You've alrady finished the book. You wrote "The End." It's done. Now you just have to perfect it.
This is what I've learned from several writing classes, author's blogs, as well as from my own experience writing my first book. Just keep reminding yourself that you'll never have anything to perfect if you don't get through that first draft. Even though I've already done it once, I have to keep reminding myself with this second book.
So, good luck everyone! And if you've been nervous to start writing, or if you're struggling with that first draft, I hope this helps. *in my best Dory voice from Finding Nemo* Just Keep Writing! Just Keep Writing Writing Writing!
Sidenote: My puppy (who is seven months old today and 65 pounds) got to play in the snow for the first time yesterday, and she loved it! Granted, it was only a dusting so I can't wait to see how she acts when we get a couple inches of it. Hopefully I'll get a good camera someday and post some pictures of her on here : )
As you all know, I'm still waiting anxiously to hear back from the agent that has my manuscript. I've also sent out more queries to other agents, but so far no one else has bitten. In the meantime, I've been working on the first draft of another YA manuscript, and so far it's been a really unique experience. In some ways, it's easier than my first book because I can say to myself, "Hey, you already wrote one book! That's the biggest hurdle of all." At the same time, you can't help but suffer from the dreaded Sophomore Effect, where you wonder if you really can do it again. First drafts are by far the hardest to write, but they shouldn't be! The most important thing to remember is this:
First drafts are supposed to suck!! It's a RULE.
Okay, so I can pretty much guarantee your first draft is not going to suck as much as you think it does, but the point is you need to let yourself off the hook. Don't worry about writing the Great American Novel during the first draft. Don't worry if you feel like a scene has too much description or whether you can come up with a better word for "realized." The most important thing about the first draft is to JUST WRITE THE BOOK. That's it. When you look at it that way, it actually becomes the easiest draft to write because it doesn't matter how great or sucky it is, no one ever has to read it. Now, the second and third drafts will be more difficult because that's where you start to go through it with a fine-tooth comb, but they shouldn't be that terrible because, guess what? You've alrady finished the book. You wrote "The End." It's done. Now you just have to perfect it.
This is what I've learned from several writing classes, author's blogs, as well as from my own experience writing my first book. Just keep reminding yourself that you'll never have anything to perfect if you don't get through that first draft. Even though I've already done it once, I have to keep reminding myself with this second book.
So, good luck everyone! And if you've been nervous to start writing, or if you're struggling with that first draft, I hope this helps. *in my best Dory voice from Finding Nemo* Just Keep Writing! Just Keep Writing Writing Writing!
Sidenote: My puppy (who is seven months old today and 65 pounds) got to play in the snow for the first time yesterday, and she loved it! Granted, it was only a dusting so I can't wait to see how she acts when we get a couple inches of it. Hopefully I'll get a good camera someday and post some pictures of her on here : )
Thursday, November 11, 2010
nothing much : )
Hey everyone!
I know I haven't written anything in a while, but that's because not much has been going on. I've been working on my second book and still waiting to hear back from the agent that currently has my full manuscript. It's only been about six weeks and from what I read there's no reason to send a status query until 8 weeks. My biggest fear is that she didn't get the manuscript and I've been waiting six weeks for nothing. I never received a confirmation that she got it, so that worries me a little. At the same time, I know agents are really busy and waiting 6-8 weeks is nothing because they have so much going on with their own clients, reading more queries, going to conferences, etc. So, my plan is to wait until the 8 week mark, then just send her a little e-mail to make sure she got the manuscript. Hopefully I'll hear back before then so I don't have to do that.
Besides all of that, I am getting married exactly one month from today, so I've been really busy with the final details of wedding planning. Between writing, wedding planning, taking care of the house, taking the dog outside, cooking dinner, watching college football every Saturday, and doing laundry, it's hard to find time to blog. Hopefully I'll be back soon with news on the agent front! Wish me luck ; )
I know I haven't written anything in a while, but that's because not much has been going on. I've been working on my second book and still waiting to hear back from the agent that currently has my full manuscript. It's only been about six weeks and from what I read there's no reason to send a status query until 8 weeks. My biggest fear is that she didn't get the manuscript and I've been waiting six weeks for nothing. I never received a confirmation that she got it, so that worries me a little. At the same time, I know agents are really busy and waiting 6-8 weeks is nothing because they have so much going on with their own clients, reading more queries, going to conferences, etc. So, my plan is to wait until the 8 week mark, then just send her a little e-mail to make sure she got the manuscript. Hopefully I'll hear back before then so I don't have to do that.
Besides all of that, I am getting married exactly one month from today, so I've been really busy with the final details of wedding planning. Between writing, wedding planning, taking care of the house, taking the dog outside, cooking dinner, watching college football every Saturday, and doing laundry, it's hard to find time to blog. Hopefully I'll be back soon with news on the agent front! Wish me luck ; )
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Too Many Ideas???
One of the toughest (and most exciting) parts of writing a book is having too many ideas swirling in your head. And, no, I'm not talking about too many ideas for your book (which can also be a good or bad thing and will possibly be the subject of a future post). I'm talking about having too many ideas for other books that I could be writing. On the one hand, it's exciting because every new book idea presents so many possibilities and, before you know it, you're thinking of the plot and the characters and wondering about the story these new characters have to tell. On the other hand, it's really tough because it can take your attention away from your current work-in-progress (which is where your attention is most needed). I am currently having this problem. Usually, taking ten minutes to write down the idea and saving it in my "Ideas" file helps, but this is the first time that I've had a manuscript in front of an agent that is meant to be a series, and it feels different. I've tried writing a new story completely (as posted in my last blog) and it was going really well until I hit a little writer's block. It isn't a big deal because I know why it's happening and how to fix it, but the second that writer's block hit, I started thinking of other stories that seemed more compelling. And all the while this is happening, I am in love with the manuscript that is front of the agent, and what I really want to be working on is the next book in the series. So, basically, I feel like I'm in limbo right now. I can't work on the next book in the series (well, I could, but I want to wait until I hear back from the agent that is reading the first one), and I can't seem to focus on a different story completely because I'm thinking about the series idea that I'm in love with.
I've heard of other writers working on 2 or even 3 books at once, but that doesn't seem like it would be productive for me. So, for now, I'm just going to keep filing those ideas into a folder for later and, hopefully, I'll feel like I'm out of limbo soon.
Btw, I know it sounds like I'm complaining about having too many ideas, but I am thankful for it because I would rather have too many ideas than not enough. I just needed to rant about feeling like I'm in limbo, because I know there are other writers out there that have been in the same spot or are in the same spot now.
Thanks for letting me rant : )
I've heard of other writers working on 2 or even 3 books at once, but that doesn't seem like it would be productive for me. So, for now, I'm just going to keep filing those ideas into a folder for later and, hopefully, I'll feel like I'm out of limbo soon.
Btw, I know it sounds like I'm complaining about having too many ideas, but I am thankful for it because I would rather have too many ideas than not enough. I just needed to rant about feeling like I'm in limbo, because I know there are other writers out there that have been in the same spot or are in the same spot now.
Thanks for letting me rant : )
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Just a quick post to say I'm a little over 20,000 words now on my second story, and I'm feeling really good about it : )
I do have to say, it's amazing how many things go through your mind as you're waiting to hear back from an agent that is reading your full manuscript. First, I wonder if she even received my manuscript because I never received a confirmation on it. Then I start to worry, because what if I don't find out she didn't receive it until it's too late and she's no longer interested because it's been so long? After that thought goes through my head, I wonder if she's read it yet. I know that agents are extremely busy and for all I know she might have a stack of fulls to read and mine's at the bottom. Then I think, what if she's read it and has put it aside to consider it? I've read that a lot of agents do this to see if they still like a manuscript as much a couple days after they've read it. Or, the option that makes my heart drop a little, she's read it and hasn't had time to send me the rejection letter yet.
All I know is that, even if she rejects it, I am going to keep writing because it's what I love to do. And, to me, it's just amazing that someone in the publishing business actually wanted to read something I wrote. I am so honored, and it only makes me more certain that, no matter what the outcome, I want to keep writing and keep trying to get published.
I do have to say, it's amazing how many things go through your mind as you're waiting to hear back from an agent that is reading your full manuscript. First, I wonder if she even received my manuscript because I never received a confirmation on it. Then I start to worry, because what if I don't find out she didn't receive it until it's too late and she's no longer interested because it's been so long? After that thought goes through my head, I wonder if she's read it yet. I know that agents are extremely busy and for all I know she might have a stack of fulls to read and mine's at the bottom. Then I think, what if she's read it and has put it aside to consider it? I've read that a lot of agents do this to see if they still like a manuscript as much a couple days after they've read it. Or, the option that makes my heart drop a little, she's read it and hasn't had time to send me the rejection letter yet.
All I know is that, even if she rejects it, I am going to keep writing because it's what I love to do. And, to me, it's just amazing that someone in the publishing business actually wanted to read something I wrote. I am so honored, and it only makes me more certain that, no matter what the outcome, I want to keep writing and keep trying to get published.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Pet Peeves and Book Recommendation
I made it to 15,000 words on my second story today! Yay! I wish I'd had a little more time over the weekend to write, but we were pretty busy. Still waiting to hear back from the agent, but I'm keeping my fingers and toes crossed every second of every day : )
So do you want to hear about one of my biggest pet peeves? Well, I'm going to tell you anyway. Loud music on TV shows and movies that completely drowns out the dialogue. My fiancé and I watched the first episode of the second season of Friday Night Lights this weekend, and it had this problem. The background music was so loud that we could barely hear anything that was said during this episode and we pretty much had to guess what was going on. I don't know how the people that produce and edit these shows do not realize this is a problem. Luckily, the second episode was much better and we haven't had any more issues so far, but it was still really annoying.
Book recommendation of the day: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson. I finished it over this weekend and, while it is an amazing book and a fun read, I have to warn you that it starts out really slow. There's enough mystery in the beginning to keep you reading, but I got to a point within the first eighty pages where I would have put the book down if I hadn't heard such great things about it. Luckily, the book has had so much popularity that I decided to read a little more, and I finally got into the main story around page 86. I have to say that if you are having this same problem of being bored in the beginning, please keep reading because it really is worth it. However, the last one hundred pages have the same problem as the first one hundred pages: it slows down considerably. Which on the one hand is great because it's the resolution and it's okay that it's slower, but a resolution that takes one hundred pages? That gets to be a bit much, which is why I am going to wait a while to read the other books in the series so that my brain has some time to relax. But the main point of all of this is that I am going to read the other books in the series because the writing is wonderful, the characters are lovable and memorable, and the mystery unfolds beautifully.
So do you want to hear about one of my biggest pet peeves? Well, I'm going to tell you anyway. Loud music on TV shows and movies that completely drowns out the dialogue. My fiancé and I watched the first episode of the second season of Friday Night Lights this weekend, and it had this problem. The background music was so loud that we could barely hear anything that was said during this episode and we pretty much had to guess what was going on. I don't know how the people that produce and edit these shows do not realize this is a problem. Luckily, the second episode was much better and we haven't had any more issues so far, but it was still really annoying.
Book recommendation of the day: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson. I finished it over this weekend and, while it is an amazing book and a fun read, I have to warn you that it starts out really slow. There's enough mystery in the beginning to keep you reading, but I got to a point within the first eighty pages where I would have put the book down if I hadn't heard such great things about it. Luckily, the book has had so much popularity that I decided to read a little more, and I finally got into the main story around page 86. I have to say that if you are having this same problem of being bored in the beginning, please keep reading because it really is worth it. However, the last one hundred pages have the same problem as the first one hundred pages: it slows down considerably. Which on the one hand is great because it's the resolution and it's okay that it's slower, but a resolution that takes one hundred pages? That gets to be a bit much, which is why I am going to wait a while to read the other books in the series so that my brain has some time to relax. But the main point of all of this is that I am going to read the other books in the series because the writing is wonderful, the characters are lovable and memorable, and the mystery unfolds beautifully.
Friday, October 8, 2010
New Story
So, I read some advice a couple days ago on sequels on a published author's blog, and it made a lot of sense to me. This author said that it's smart to write out a synopsis for the sequel to your book, but that you should write a new book until your first one gets picked up by an editor, even if you already have an agent (still no news on the agent front, btw). This is because, in case your first book doesn't sell, you'll have another book already waiting in the wings, and you would not have wasted time writing another book in a series that didn't sell. It made sense to me and even though it made me sad to temporarily put my beloved characters away and start on something new, it was also very exciting. I had a lot of other story ideas already written down, so I thought I would choose one from those, but this new idea just suddenly popped in my head while I was walking the dog, and I've been excitedly writing it since. The thing that amazes me is that I've fallen in love with these characters already, too, which is a great sign because if you don't love the story you're telling or the characters you are writing, then you are definitely heading down the wrong path. As of this moment, I am almost 9,500 words into it : ) I had just started writing the sequel a couple days before I'd read that advice, so I was only a little over 7,000 words into that one. I might keep adding to the sequel on the weekends, but it all depends on how my other story is moving, and right now it is moving so fast that I can barely type fast enough!
On another, completely unrelated note, I just have to tell you that the TV shows I can watch anytime and that always make me smile are Friends, Gilmore Girls, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Frasier, Happy Days and I Love Lucy (if you are a Lucille Ball fan and you've never visited the museums in Jamestown, NY, you are missing out! Here's the website if you want to check it out: http://www.lucy-desi.com/) I've seen all of the episodes for all of those shows already (except Happy Days, although I believe I've seen most of them) but it still makes me happy when I catch reruns of them even though I already know what's going to happen. What brought on this unrelated note, you may ask? I've been catching reruns of Gilmore Girls and Friends a lot lately, and it made me think of the other TV shows I love to watch no matter how many times I've seen all of the episodes.
On another, completely unrelated note, I just have to tell you that the TV shows I can watch anytime and that always make me smile are Friends, Gilmore Girls, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Frasier, Happy Days and I Love Lucy (if you are a Lucille Ball fan and you've never visited the museums in Jamestown, NY, you are missing out! Here's the website if you want to check it out: http://www.lucy-desi.com/) I've seen all of the episodes for all of those shows already (except Happy Days, although I believe I've seen most of them) but it still makes me happy when I catch reruns of them even though I already know what's going to happen. What brought on this unrelated note, you may ask? I've been catching reruns of Gilmore Girls and Friends a lot lately, and it made me think of the other TV shows I love to watch no matter how many times I've seen all of the episodes.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Dinner/Friday Night Lights
No news on the agent front yet, but hopefully I'll hear something soon : )
Last night I made a Barefoot Contessa recipe that was delicious and easy to make: cheddar corn chowder. I would highly recommend it, but make sure you have enough chicken stock. I was in the middle of cooking when I realized I didn't have enough and my fiance had to run to the store to get some. Here's the recipe if anyone's interested:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/cheddar-corn-chowder-recipe/index.html
And since there is no news on the writing/agent front, I feel the need to tell you about my latest tv obsession: Friday Night Lights. I had seen the movie (which is also really good), but I never managed to catch the show until it began airing on ABC Family. The first episode is a little slow until they get to the football game, and it actually took me a couple days after to decide if I wanted to watch the second episode. Then, with nothing else to do, I decided to give it one more try and became obsessed! I cannot recommend this show highly enough; it's funny, exciting, and, most importantly, dramatic.
Another thing I will recommend is the new The Karate Kid movie. I know, I know, it's not the same as the first and Ralph Macchio is the true Karate Kid and yada yada yada, but it is still a great movie. And it takes place in China which provides beautiful scenery. Anyways, give it a try, and as long as you're not obsessed with comparing it to the first movie, you'll enjoy it.
Last night I made a Barefoot Contessa recipe that was delicious and easy to make: cheddar corn chowder. I would highly recommend it, but make sure you have enough chicken stock. I was in the middle of cooking when I realized I didn't have enough and my fiance had to run to the store to get some. Here's the recipe if anyone's interested:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/cheddar-corn-chowder-recipe/index.html
And since there is no news on the writing/agent front, I feel the need to tell you about my latest tv obsession: Friday Night Lights. I had seen the movie (which is also really good), but I never managed to catch the show until it began airing on ABC Family. The first episode is a little slow until they get to the football game, and it actually took me a couple days after to decide if I wanted to watch the second episode. Then, with nothing else to do, I decided to give it one more try and became obsessed! I cannot recommend this show highly enough; it's funny, exciting, and, most importantly, dramatic.
Another thing I will recommend is the new The Karate Kid movie. I know, I know, it's not the same as the first and Ralph Macchio is the true Karate Kid and yada yada yada, but it is still a great movie. And it takes place in China which provides beautiful scenery. Anyways, give it a try, and as long as you're not obsessed with comparing it to the first movie, you'll enjoy it.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
My first blog post!
Okay, so I wasn't entirely sure about this whole blogging thing. I mean, who wants to hear about my life? But then I realized how much time I was spending reading other authors' and agents' blogs and how much they've helped me keep my spirits up in this crazy process of trying to get published. So I thought that maybe my blog could help someone else out there, or at the very least entertain someone out there.
So here’s a little bit about me:
I live with my fiancé and our 5 month old german shepherd/lab puppy (who, by the way, ate a dried up dead bird yesterday. I didn't even know she had something in her mouth until I heard the crunching, yuck!), and right now I am a full-time writer, but unless I get a book deal really soon, I think I am going to look for a part-time job after the wedding. And, although I would love to be a full-time writer for my entire life, I may go back to school next summer to get my Masters in Education depending on whether I get that book deal that, for now, still seems a bit out of reach.
I finished writing my first young adult (YA) novel in September, and I have been sending query letters out to my dream agents. So far, I've sent out 14 queries, received 6 rejections and 1 request for the full manuscript from an amazing agent! I sent her the manuscript last week and I've been anxious to hear back ever since. To keep myself occupied, I've been working on the sequel to my first book and doing a lot of housework. Unfortunately, there's nothing I can do now but pray that she loves it!
So the point of this blog is to keep everyone updated about my experiences and adventures in trying to become a published author, but as I'm sure there will be slow days in the writing business with not much to talk about, here are some other things you can expect me to comment on:
-book recommendations/reviews
-movie recommendations/reviews
-Dancing with the Stars and other great TV shows
-My puppy, Dee (named after Sweet Dee from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia) and, apparently, her adventures in eating carcasses.
-my hubby to be
-complaints about housework
-whatever else I may find amusing/interesting on that day
Well, that's it for now, but I promise to keep you updated on my search for an agent! Keeping my fingers crossed! : )
So here’s a little bit about me:
I live with my fiancé and our 5 month old german shepherd/lab puppy (who, by the way, ate a dried up dead bird yesterday. I didn't even know she had something in her mouth until I heard the crunching, yuck!), and right now I am a full-time writer, but unless I get a book deal really soon, I think I am going to look for a part-time job after the wedding. And, although I would love to be a full-time writer for my entire life, I may go back to school next summer to get my Masters in Education depending on whether I get that book deal that, for now, still seems a bit out of reach.
I finished writing my first young adult (YA) novel in September, and I have been sending query letters out to my dream agents. So far, I've sent out 14 queries, received 6 rejections and 1 request for the full manuscript from an amazing agent! I sent her the manuscript last week and I've been anxious to hear back ever since. To keep myself occupied, I've been working on the sequel to my first book and doing a lot of housework. Unfortunately, there's nothing I can do now but pray that she loves it!
So the point of this blog is to keep everyone updated about my experiences and adventures in trying to become a published author, but as I'm sure there will be slow days in the writing business with not much to talk about, here are some other things you can expect me to comment on:
-book recommendations/reviews
-movie recommendations/reviews
-Dancing with the Stars and other great TV shows
-My puppy, Dee (named after Sweet Dee from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia) and, apparently, her adventures in eating carcasses.
-my hubby to be
-complaints about housework
-whatever else I may find amusing/interesting on that day
Well, that's it for now, but I promise to keep you updated on my search for an agent! Keeping my fingers crossed! : )
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