Monday, August 31, 2015

And it feels like the first time...Can you feel it?

It is the first time... The first time I've written the teenage male pov. I started the chapter and then took a step back to do some more research. After finding a few good blogposts on writing from the male pov when you're not male, I dove back in. I tried really hard not to over think it and the words just flowed. There was only one point when I thought I might be untrue to the male stereo type but that's why this is a first draft. I'll come back later and figure out if those thoughts were realistic for Him and not just based on his gender.
So I finished his first chapter! Now I've got five more before it's time to wrap the book up. That will be a whole 'nother mess! Because I'm writing this from three different characters pov and haven't decided exactly how it ends. As I write this, I think I just realized I do at least know whose voice will end the book.
Fight the fight; keep on keeping on!
Ps Best piece of advice I found was in fiction, every character is made up! If you are a female writer, you aren't your female characters. So write your guys with the same dedication and made-up-it-ness you would your female characters. Make them all REAL to your reader.

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Success despite stress

So last Monday I started sleep training my 10 month old. She sleeps pretty good at night but I held her the whole time for her naps. I finally got selfish and decided I wasn't going to hold her for 3-4 hours a day! And so the nightmare began. After 5 days it finally started to straighten out on the road to where I want us to go. In the past two weeks I finished draft 3 of A! I may not have done the second half enough justice, but too late now. Too late because I handed over to my beta reader. I am anxiously awaiting her thoughts! In the mean time I can go back to WIP R. I'm letting it marinate a few days, keeping it on the front burner, to get back on track. I had actually stopped at a sticky point for me. I'm really hoping the break will have proved to be a blessing.
Keep on!

Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Classic

So I searched up classical music today for my son. He's having a hard time decompressing after school and I found a tip that recommended classical music. So I of course went to You Tube and searched up the big wigs, Bach, Mozart, Beethoven. I found a couple songs I remembered from high school band and headed over to good 'ole Pandora.
OMG! I made a station and it's now my go to for editing WIP A. This wasn't what I was expecting out of this but I am so so grateful and in love. (Which I need right now due to nap issues with my little one.)
Keep at it!

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Multiple WIP's

I'm facing a bit of a dilemma. I currently have two WIP's. I finished the 2nd draft of WIP A and despite wanting to jump right back in to complete draft 3, I set it aside to simmer. In the meantime I started a new WIP(R) and have made it a little way past halfway in just over a month. Obviously A is closer to querying than R making me feel I need to focus on it again. But I am afraid to leave R unfinished. And now you're wondering why I don't do both? I've got a ten month old, a 6 year old, husband and lots of animals. What does that matter? I usually only write after the kids go to sleep. At that time I also shower(hallelujah!) and take care of other tasks I couldn't while the wee ones were awake. In other words, my writing time is limited. So at the moment I'm working on printing A(the ink isn't cooperating.) School is starting in two days so I am sincerely hoping there will be some more time I can devote to writing which will perhaps a allow me to do the two projects at once, rather than alternating them.
Wish me luck ;) and please keep on trying!

Monday, August 3, 2015

Reading while Writing

Reading while writing is something I've tried not to do before now. I'm okay with reading while on break in between drafts but not while actively writing. In the past I have found it not only distracts me but I also have a fear of stealing from the books I might read. While writing my current WIP I was tempted by the Inheritance Trilogy. I have finished Eragon and Eldest. I have also managed to slog my way past the halfway point of my word count goal, and I'm about to start chapter 11. It is true that I find reading while writing is distracting. It is much easier to slip into a finished novel than to be carving your own book out of nothing. I have found though that I'm not afraid of stealing, but only because I was very careful when choosing something to read. Eragon is fantasy while my current WIP is more contemporary YA. Also, my first two mc's,both of which get their turn at being the pov character, are female. Had I been writing from a male pov I might have found a little trouble. I will soon face this dilemma because my third mc to steal the pov is male. I will consider pausing the Inheritance trilogy if it interferes with my writing. But for now, I will continue to read and write ;)
Keep on keeping on!