Month: September 2009

My Critique Group (aka call to action)

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Work can get us all down at times, draining our energy and provoking us to the couch upon arriving home. This has been me for the last three weeks. My writing has been down (reading up however). My creative muse has disappeared. My conscience screams “help, this can’t happen.” Then comes Thursday night.

My writing critique group has pushed me to write and edit even when the rest of my being is trying to sloth on the big comfy couch. Critique groups are invaluable. Every group has an Irene (crazy/fun lady) that makes even a slow meeting peppy like popping corn.  If you are a writer without a critique group, you need to get one and fast.

It will improve your writing!

Finished for her Birthday

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So, I kicked my own butt this past weekend. It was well worth it. I finished the first edit of my second novel, Treasure Hunter Tales: The Spirit of Steel. It was a great feeling to see the story come together. When you’ve been writing something for the past year, you forget a lot of the details that you included early on. Now my first reader (wifey) can start her editing.

And the best part is that I finished it for her birthday. She’s been bugging me for months. Write on people.

Writing Journal

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Now is when I test my writers mettle, having precious little time to write at the beginning of the school year. Then on the weekends there is the temptation to watch football instead of writing. And, of course, the house needs cleaning etc.

If you let all of those things get in the way of writing on a regular basis then stop torturing yourself and admit that it isn’t really important to you.  For me, I’ll just be efficient and keep wifey happy by taking breaks from editing today and helping her for a few hours (you can dust, vacuum, and pick up while watching football).

 I’m working on: Editing Treasure Hunter Tales: The Spirit of Steel, book two of my trilogy. Only eighty pages to go.

I’m listening to: Annie Lennox: Into the West

I’m happy because: It’s the weekend and I have time to write.

The devil on my shoulder says: Pull an all-night-write and you might finish this edit of your book.

Why I love writing for middle grade readers and young adults

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The more I work with middle schoolers, the more I like my audience. I don’t appreciate the occasional rudeness (sometimes often), and I slowly burn inside when I ask a student to stop doing something and he/she does the same thing five minutes later. But the beauty of this group lies in their only predictable behavior…

UNPREDICTABILITY

I value this as a writer because it is much more fun to make irrational, sometimes crazy, characters in my stories. That is what this readership expects. Not neat and perfect characters, but people who have outbursts, sarcasm, evil thoughts, and an underlying sense of invincibility. Come and visit a middle school classroom and you’ll know what I mean. Write on.

Writing has been on my mind!

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When I awoke this morning, hauled my drowsy self out of bed, and lumbered down the stairs at 6:00 a.m. I decided that I need to diversify my writing. I currently focus on novels and occasional short stories, but it is all or nothing with them in terms of making a living.

I have always enjoyed writing essays since my first years in college, and I have a descent background in prep sport and education. If I am ever going to write full-time, I need to tap into all of my skills to build a platform. My writing mind is at its sharpest at night. But, for the next nine months I have to sleep during those hours to give my middle schoolers the best I have to offer. 

Ahh to set my own schedule as a full-time writer.

Stop your laughing (I can hear you through the monitor).  A person can dream, right? That’s probably all it will ever be. Unless…well…we’ll just wait and see.

You Love Writing? Better Love Editing!

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Writing is the fun and creative part, while editing is the crucial step in the craft. One must consider every word, sentance, paragraph, and line of dialogue while editing, and they all have to be polished if anyone is ever going to consider publishing the novel.

After the first edit, one will have readers make suggestions and then edit again. Then, one might have a critique group help and thus we have another edit. Finally a professional edit takes place and the novel is rewritten again. Now a story might be ready to send to editors and agents (and they will probably have you edit it at least once more). The amazing part is that as one improves his/her writing, the last edit that felt so good might seem amaturish a year later. That’s when you know you’re working and improving.

I’m 66 pages into the first edit of my second novel. I will be done editing hopefully by next summer. Then I’ll have the third book finished and begin a first edit on it. If writing is your passion, editing had better be too.

Writing Journal

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I’m working on: The first edit of Treasure Hunter Tales: The Spirit of Steel. It is slow going, but my beginning needed a serious makeover.

I’m listening to: Loreena McKennit: An Ancient Muse

I’m happy because: I’m back to school and will be amongst my intended audience for 182 days.

The devil on my shoulder says: Another cup of evening coffee won’t hurt.