Look Challenge – thanks to Karen at Different Corners in My Life who tagged me in this challenge. The rules are to find the word ‘look’ in my WIP and then post a few paragraphs around that word. This is from Ink: A Permanent Love Story. My MC, Emilynn, is moving to New York City after inheriting a lot of money from her father who recently passed away. She has serious trust issues to deal with along with trying to reconcile how she feels about herself with how others see her. Not sure if you will get that from this passage, but it is kind of funny. Oh, and, they are sitting in an airplane.
This may be a strange thing to admit given my circumstances, but since I have determined that most guys are liars, my confidence when talking to them has risen. Like the knowledge they are untrustworthy in general makes me more able to be myself. It is a weird twist to my behavior that I have noticed, lately. And, it seems guys that I have never been attracted to are the ones hitting on my. I must be giving out some pitiful sad girl vibe that these type of guys are attracted to. Even this guy senses it. “It is nice.” I said as I lean in and offer him my glass, “taste for yourself.” “David.” We both turn to look across the aisle and there is the guys wife and kid. And, the wife looked pist. At me. She needs to check her husband. It could be a symptom of my new found wealth, as well. I mean, lets face it, having a million dollars in the bank makes me walk a little taller. Makes me talk with a bit more confidence. Having money makes me hot.Tag: WIP
My Weekly Update – Reflections on Campnano
Well another writing challenge done and another win. Yea me. Not an enthusiastic win, but a win, nonetheless. It was not as easy or as successful content wise as June. But, again, I won. I have to keep reminding myself there are more words on the page today then there was 30 days ago.
I learned a few things about myself as a writer during this challenge. I learned I can write even when I’m not 100% certain whether the story will work, not 100% certain that the story even makes sense and not 100% certain there is enough content to even be a story. Those concerns were rolling around in my head all month and still I won.
I missed not having the daily connection and support from other challenge participants during the process. I just felt more connected to other writers during Junowrimo. You could always go online and find a sprint to participate in. It wasn’t as easy to nail down writing groups this month. I also enjoyed getting to know the other participants during June. My cabin mates were not the most talkative people. I guess they were busying writing.
But, I now except the fact my mind seems to like deadlines. And, the 50K in one month challenge is still the best opportunity to get a novel written in one month for me. Now I am looking forward to finishing this story in September and on to the next one in November.
I have to admit, after November, I hope no one creates another monthly writing challenge. I think I will need a break until Junowrimo starts next summer.
Here is a small excerpt from my 2nd novel. Enjoy, because that’s all you are going to get:
“Be careful getting up.” When the blood rushed back to the rest of my body and I was pretty sure I wasn’t going to pass out I walked over to the mirror. I couldn’t speak. And, I couldn’t take my eyes off of it. It was beautiful. I looked beautiful.
“I look fucking hot.” The shop started howling. I turned to Thomas. “What do you think?”
“Wait, what the hell are you asking him for?” Sebastian said. He looked defeated, like I kissed his best friend.
“You don’t like girls with tattoos.” Bass scrunched up his face and shook his head.
Two of the shop guys high fived, laughed and pointed at me. “She’s got you down, Bass.”
“Shut up,” Bass said and walked over to me. “Who told you I don’t like girls with tattoos?”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you.” I was enjoying myself. “Ok, what do you think?”
Bass was standing to close behind me. To close for someone who I just meet and I realized I was standing in the middle of shop with no shirt on and my bikini top tapped on. “This tattoo was made for you. You look beautiful.” We held each others stare in the mirror to long for two people who really didn’t know each other. But, I wasn’t going to look away first.
Post to Watch
Ironic because two posts that caught my attention this week were on people watching. It is one of my favorite past times. When I move to a new city, I always scope out the best locations to people watch. It gives me such insight into characters, dialogue and even the nonverbal way people interact with each other. Plus, I am a nosey person by nature. You can learn a lot about people just by watching them.
Snotting Black is one of the first blogs I started to follow and last week she posted an interesting letter to the guy whose date she observed from a distance. Check out Notes I Took While Watching Your Date.
Carol Kilgore wrote an interesting guest post on My First Book blog about people watching, event watching and names that as a writer I found helpful.
My New Followers I hit over 4,000 followers on twitter last week. How cool is that? Thank you to my tweeps and to my new followers; The Inner Wild Kat & E.K. Espinoza. Next Weeks Schedule Monday – Summer: Fact or Fiction – Post #1
Wednesday – Summer: Fact or Fiction – Post #2 & Insecure Writer’s Support Group
Friday – Summer: Fact or Fiction – Reveal Post
Sunday – My Weekly Update
*Tattoo Tuesday will return next week.
My Weekly Update – September is Almost Here
September means a break for the hot temperatures in China. Even though the weather is perfect to be outside exploring Shanghai, I have a busy month in front of the computer as well. Here are a few items that are on my to do list for September:
- Finish the first draft on my second novel. Campnano will only get me about two-thirds done. I will have another 25,000 – 30,000 words to go before it is completed. Happy dance will have to wait a few more weeks.
- Start edits on, I’m Coming Home, my first novel. Can anyone recommend a good book on editing? I am a ‘step by step’ kind of person, so I am looking for something that gives good instructions to follow on the editing process.
- Edit my short story for the Burrst Writing Contest. The only prompt given was ‘Blue’.
- Pick one out of the three ideas I have for Nanowrimo. I want to start outlining in October.
- Find more Tattoo Tuesday stories. If I have to crawl over mountains and wade through lakes, I will find them. Highest views of the week for me for those looking for exposure (nudge, nudge, wink, wink).
- Participate in a few Blogfest. Click on the badges for more information and to join me.
Hanger and Hangers Blogfest – The Hanger Section
We are back with the second half of this blast of a Blogfest with our Hangers this time. The last sentence of each chapter is just as important as the first. Check out my Hangers; the last lines of each chapter of my WIP – I’m Coming Home.
- So much for 36 hours to herself.
- And, she was pretty proud of herself, too.
- She didn’t remember reading it before falling asleep, but she must have because she dreamed about him all night.
- That was Sydney’s heart talking, her head was singing an entirely different tune.
- She decided that it was probably just the alcohol; liquid courage.
- From the way he kissed her good night, she had no doubt that he felt the same.
- The rest of the day was pretty uneventful.
- After the first song, Sydney was having such a great time all the negative, bad, anxiety fueled stuff in her head pretty much disappeared.
- “By the way, my nature is not all that delicate.”
I like my hangers. They convey the series of emotions that my MC pretty well. Let me know what you think.
You can find the other blogfest participants by clicking on the Hookers & Hangers badge at the top and join me in thanking Cassie, Hope, Jade, Jenny & Kelley for hosting the Hookers & Hangers Blogfest.
A Letter to My Pre – JuNoWriMo Self
In the tradition of “A Letter to my Younger Self”, I decided to writer a letter to my pre-JuNoWriMo self.
Dear Writer in Training,
Congratulation. You did it. You completed the first draft of your first novel. I am so very proud of you.
Now I realize that when this month started you were all worried about if you would even be able to write a single page. And, your brain was focused on getting 50,000 words no matter what, but I am happy to say you learned so many more lessons this month then you even thought possible. The most important lesson will be that you are going to fall in love with writing. So, be ready for it and enjoy the process.
At the beginning, I don’t think you understood how the process of writing was going to make you feel both mentally and physically. It is not going to be easy and it will not be automatic, but over the course of the month you are going to get an idea of what being a writer is all about.
You will have goals and deadlines and people depending on you and if you are open to that, you writing life is going to be very fulfilling.
You will get an education in understanding the difference between the craft of writing and the business of writing. Pay attention, it will be important someday.
You will dare to put your writing out there for the world to see and you will get some feedback. Just take in any and all criticism because you can always learn something. Even if the criticism sounds harsh, suck it up. It will only make you better.
In addition, understand that your writing process is very much like your personality. You are an organized and focused person, but you like to know the answers before the questions are even asked. It is the lawyer in you. But, be open for the surprise twist and turns that your characters are going to take. It is a blast when your MC does something you didn’t expect them to do.
And, while you may have thought writing was a lonely pursuit, you will be pleasantly surprised that over the course of the month, you will make some great writer friends who are supportive and want you to succeed. Don’t take that for granted.
I am really excited about the month you are going to have. Although you need to get more rest and exercise, in the end your will achieve your goals and most important you will have finished what you have started.
Enjoy the journey,
New Writer
If you knew then, what you know now, what would you have done different?
My deepest and heart felt thanks to:
A.E. Howard, Becca J. Campbell, James Eggebeen, EM Castellan, Morgan Hyde, A.M. Schultz, Amanda Fanger, Charlotte Stevens, Juliana Haygert, Felicia Wetzig, Wendy Lu, Angi Black, and the other JuNoWriMo participants. You are all awesome.
Sydney Aaliyah Michelle 