Can’t I Just Stay Home and Read All Day?

I grew up being the type of bookish nerd who wouldn’t eat dinner until I had a battered, well-read paperback or a freshly checked-out library book propped against my plate. I would stay up until the wee hours of the morning, devouring as many words as I could. My mom even grounded me from pleasure reading once because my grades were slipping. But somewhere along the way, I became distracted by social media, Netflix, and trying to write my own words, and I lost my love of reading. 

Well, I guess I can’t say I LOST my love of it, because I stil inhaled books by my favorite authors the day they hit the shelves—but it just didn’t have the same spark that it used to. Maybe it was because Writer Stefanie started to internally edit every book I read, or maybe I felt the very strong doubt of Imposter Syndrome, which made my own work (which was beginning to be rejected by more literary agents than I’d like to admit) feel dull and lifeless. 

But recently, I regained that love of reading that I first found so long ago. I’ve been devouring as many books as I can, and I can’t seem to get enough. In fact, I’ve read three 300 page books in the last 72 hours. It’s like I am trying to catch up on all those years of only reading two or three books here and there. And thankfully, I no longer feel like it’s making my own words less shiny—I actually feel the opposite. Reading every day again has begun to refill my creativity well, which I’ll admit was getting a bit dusty from the sting of rejection. 

Thank you, writers, for creating worlds for us to escape to, especially in light of our current political situation. Books make the hard days a little easier to bear, and even if I never get traditionally published like I’ve always dreamed, I’m glad that I get to be a part of that group of dreamers. 

“They say that dreaming is free, but I wouldn’t care what it cost me.” -Paramore, “26”

Trying (and failing) To Get An Agent

When I first decided that I wanted to be a novelist, finding the time to write was the hardest thing.

Then when I figured that out, getting past the halfway point on a story was the hardest thing.

Then when I made it to the end of my first novel, editing was the hardest thing (it was too hard to take a step back and see my first novel for what it was--a steaming pile of crap).

Then when my manuscript was finally polished, came the hardest thing so far, which still rings true seven years later: 

Querying Agents

I gave it my favorite Jurassic Park .gif and put it in huge, bold letters because it is the scariest, most nerve-wracking thing I have ever done (so far, at least). I have written 12 different versions of the query letter I sent for my first manuscript, and 5 versions for my second manuscript. No particular one seemed to pull in more requests than the other, which made me come to a scary realization: it's all based on the agent's taste. All you can do is extensive research on what each one likes, of course--but what if I waste my ONE shot? Because that's all you get: one shot with each agent, per manuscript.

HOW TERRIFYING IS THAT THOUGHT, WHEN YOU KNOW HOW MANY HUNDREDS OF QUERY LETTERS AGENTS GET PER WEEK? Literary Agents work SO hard to find new clients, while still editing, and submitting, and reading contracts for the clients they already represent. I have so much respect for what they do, don't get me wrong. I'd actually really like to be an agent if my writing dreams don't pan out the way I hope (or maybe even do both!).

But from what I understand, your first sentence has to immediately catch their attention, or you go straight into the "deleted" folder. Some agents like you to dive right into the plot details. Some like you to start with a personalized greeting. Some don't specify anything at all about what they prefer on their website, so you're driven to scouring the web for interviews about what worked for clients of theirs. 

When I read those kinds of posts, I am equally parts jealous and hopeful. 

(Maybe a teensy more jealous than hopeful.)

I wanted to write a post like this before I get an agent, because as a querying writer, reading posts like that makes me drink more wine than I probably should. 

"So you have an agent now, but you received 12 rejections beforehand? And we 'need to just keep trying?' Yeah. I am trying. 

I know it sounds bitter, but those are the thoughts I have every time I read a "I snagged an agent!" post. First off, agents aren't fish for you to snag. They are your hardworking allies in the publishing business. Secondly, it stings to open Twitter every day and see an agent that just rejected you tweet, "I am proud to announce I have a new client! Welcome to my team, *insert writer's twitter handle*!" 

It stings a little bit deeper when that writer is someone you know. You want to be (and ARE) so, so happy for that person, but you can't help but wonder what they have that you don't?

Is it their story hook? Their prose? Their plot twists? Their character's voice? Their query letter?

I try SO hard not to be jealous as my fellow writers get agents and book deals, but some days it's really hard to watch people achieve the dream I want over and over again, while I rack up more rejections. I have sent SO many query letters over the course of seven years, and have gotten nine total requests, with eight rejections (one is still pending, and I'm super excited about it, while trying not to get my hopes up at the same time).

 I know I am not entitled to ANYTHING in the publishing world, and I am grateful to have the friends I have in the business. I love each one, and they are all *amazing* writers who have earned every good opportunity they've gotten. But deep down, under my intense excitement for their successes, it makes each rejection of my own hurt a little bit more. 

But those writers I have befriended on Twitter, and at workshops/college, are my TRUE allies. They will be the ones who are there for me to talk to when I am finally in the business with them, and querying is no longer the hardest thing I am facing. I know publishing is a fickle, sometimes terrible business, but if your dreams don't scare you, they aren't big enough.

This twisted dream I have of being traditionally published is terrifying to me, but I still want to accomplish it more than anything. I am never giving up! It's just hard to fight through all the "Nopes" and "Not yets" to get to the one "YES THIS IS AMAZING GIVE IT TO ME NOW I WANT TO PAY YOU FOR THIS." I know my rejections mean I'm not quite ready, or that I (hopefully) just haven't yet found the one agent who will love, love, love it. 

I just needed to write a post that I can someday look back on, and realize that all the Agented Writer posts about how you just have to keep writing and keep trying were all REALLY SPOT ON. Also, I am NOT complaining about not being agented, because again, I know I am not entitled to one. I just needed to voice my inner struggles because I know there are people out there who feel the same way and are experiencing the same things, and hopefully we can band together while we work for what we want!

So here's to all my writer friends that are facing YOUR current "hardest thing"--whether it's finishing a draft, editing, writing a query letter, searching for an agent, waiting while your agent submits it to publishers, or any other tough things that are keeping you from your dreams! Don't get discouraged. It may not seem like it, but there are people going through the same things you are. 

We just have to stick together (and keep drinking wine)! 

**Also, for querying writers: If you haven't tried QueryTracker.com, PLEASE do so! It will make your life so much easier, and the basic features are free! I made an excel spreadsheet with my first MS, and it was more tiring than querying itself. This website has been a lifesaver for me this go-round.

And just FYI, because I love reading things like this on other writer's blogs:

WICKED ILLUSIONS, my 1st manuscript:

• Queries sent               = 94 
• Full/partial requests   =  7 (all ended in rejection)

*this manuscript was shelved for four years, but I am rewriting it now.

I am currently querying a different manuscript, SOUL RAIDERS, (which sparked the angst to write this post):

• Queries sent (so far)                = 37 
• Full/partial requests                 = 2 (one rejection, one still out with agent)
• Query rejections/no response  = 26

SMASH AND GRAB

My sweet friend and critique partner, Amy Christine Parker has a new book out this week!

So....

HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY-WEEK, AMY!!

*confetti*

*cupcakes*

*champagne*

 *girly screams*

How much do you LOVE this cover? I mean, I work at a bank and I think we should display this on the walls in the lobby. It's almost as beautiful as what's inside, so you should definitely go buy it, and read, and love it as much as I do. (CLICK ME TO GO TO AMAZON, but buy local and Indie if you can!) I have been reading and fan-girling over Amy's stuff for years, and she never fails to disappoint with suspense, twists, and loveable characters in her stories. 

She is an amazing writer, and I am a lucky girl to be able to call her my critique partner and friend!

Amy is doing a release-week-giveaway on her blog, so go check it out by CLICKING HERE, and enter to win some great books and other swag! 

And in honor of SMASH AND GRAB's release, I am going to choose my ultimate heist crew!

1.) Amy Christine Parker, obviously - since she spent a couple of years researching bank robberies while writing this book, and because I know she's pretty diabolical *cough* I mean, creative, she'd probably be a pro at planning the whole thing.

2.) Morgan Biggs - Morgan and I have been best friends for a long time, and I know that she would help me do anything. Also, Morgan is a very meticulous planner. She would go over our plans step by step and make sure we weren't missing important details!

3.) Travis Ebert - Travis is my boyfriend of two years, and he is one of the smartest people I have ever met. He's also super muscly, so not only could he figure out the more difficult parts of the heist, he could be my bodyguard if I needed one. Plus he's got a sock-it-to-em smile that could be a distraction if needed. :) 

4.) Miranda Green - Miranda is my other best friend, and she is the type who would help me bury a body and not ask any questions. Not saying my heist would go in this direction... But whatever mischief I get into, she'd be riding shot gun with a smile and a bottle of wine. My kind of girl! We'd "Thelma and Louise" it all the way to the desert.

5.) Carolyn Haines - Carolyn is an author who started as one of my creative writing professors in college, and eventually became a good friend. She is one of the bravest people I've ever met. I keep telling her that she NEEDS to write a memoir, because her life sounds like the greatest adventure I could ever imagine going on. She is devious, and delightful, and wicked smart--she'd be on every girl's dream heist team!

6.) Rachel Redding - Last, but certainly not least, is my big sister. It goes without saying that she would do whatever she had to do to protect me (much like our mom), but she is fearless and amazing, and she never gives up on anything. She never complains, and she succeeds in whatever she puts her heart into. She would be the perfect leader for our team!  

I hope all of you have friends who are as adventurous, creative, and intelligent as mine!

And, um, please don't actually go rob any banks. Just buy Amy's book and live it vicariously through her characters!

Smash your mouse clicker on that link above, and Grab it today!

Today I Became A Published Writer

Well, hey there! See that headline? It's true. My writer pants grew one size bigger today. There is a published article on the everlasting-internet with words that I wrote, and my name attached under the title. Cue the heart-eyes emoji. Cue the confetti and cupcakes. Cue the 12-year-old girl squeals.


Part of my daily routine is to read news sites like CNN and The Huffington Post when I have free time. While reading an article about divorce on the latter website one afternoon, I saw a call for new divorce bloggers.


Divorce is always such a touchy subject to write about. It's a very personal thing, and many things happen throughout the relationship and the breakup that most people don't know about. I went through a divorce at a young age, and it was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do to this day. But writing about things helps me deal with them and get closure-- so I sat down and poured my heart out to my keyboard. I was so nervous, but I submitted the article anyway while I was still feeling somewhat brave.


Months went by without a response, so I put it out of my mind and chalked it up to another rejection letter. I'm getting used to those, as every writer should. Then one day, I saw the glorious, "RE: Story Submission," subject line in my inbox. The Huffington Post was interested in my article!


So I edited it down to half the word count of what I'd originally submitted, and created my HuffPost blogger profile. I finally felt like a real writer, and it was one of the most exciting days of my life. That excitement was doubled today when the article went live, but only for a moment.


The realization of what I'd just posted hit me like a ton of bricks when strangers started to give their two cents on my life, mental health, and marriage like they knew me better than I know myself. That always comes with being published though, and I was aware it would happen when I submitted. And honestly, it's good people are commenting, because that means people other than family, close friends, and agents are finally reading my work.


But I panicked for a moment, worried about who I might offend or hurt with my words, not to mention I was basically walking naked out into middle of the internet, waving my arms like a wacky-waving-inflatable-arm-flailing-tube-man.

E.g.

I just wanted to say that I am proud of myself for telling this story, because my nine-year relationship with my ex-husband was a big chunk of my life. I don't regret any of it, and I still care about his well-being. I mean no hard feelings towards anyone, but there are always two sides to every story. This one is mine. Or what I could condense into 800 words, anyway.


The most important thing is that we are both happy now, as he is getting married this month, and I am blissfully living with the most amazing man I've ever had the pleasure of loving.


I have never been happier in my personal life, and now I have a published article on a national website. Life is pretty good today. :D

Here it is!  

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stefanie-marks/rang-in-25th-birthday-with-divorce-papers_b_8210454.html

Life Is Beautiful

 

Dear Julia,

I just want you to know that you are so loved. I've thought about you at least 1,697 times today. I found myself crying in the middle of Target this afternoon because it seemed like every time I turned around, there you were. Pieces of your beautiful soul are everywhere. 

I've only known you for two years, but you have no idea what an impact you made on me in that short time. 

1.) The fact that from Day 1 of meeting me, you called me Stefani ("you know, like Gwen?") and never called me anything but.  

2.) The way you shared your addiction to chewy sweet tarts with me (thanks for that, by the way. Those things are like crack). 

3.) The way you sang "Georgia" every time anyone did a Waffle House deposit. 

4.) You were the only person I knew who shared a slight obsession with me over Leonardo DiCaprio, because he has somehow managed to get MORE good looking since Titanic. "Can't repeat the past? Oh I assure you, old sport, you can." (You can pretend to die in the ocean as a poor guy and then come back as a rich guy, only to actually die in a pool--our Great Gatsby/Titanic conspiracy theory!)

5.) Even though you sort of tortured Jade's cat (let's not forget the time you shaved him), I know deep down you really loved him. 

6.) And then there was the night that we both drank too much, yet you still rubbed my back while I threw up hot wings in some guy's driveway. 

ALL things I will never forget. 

But the way you lit up every room you entered was my favorite. I could have been having the worst day, and you would walk in and change the atmosphere of the entire building, making it impossible to not be happy. You had a presence about you that will continue to live on for years and years to come, because nobody that knew you can think about you and not smile. 

Not only could you always make everyone laugh, but you had the biggest heart. I'll never forget the day you told off the man in the doctor's office because he was making fun of his autistic son. And the little boy you bought Christmas presents for because he told you that Santa wasn't going to come see him this year. And even the day you insisted I take your hair tie because you couldn't stand to see me wad mine up with a rubber band, because you knew it would "hurt like a bitch" later, taking it out. You always saw the best in people (with that one exception that we'll just keep between us, because I totally agree with you) and it rubbed off on every single one.

You came from one of the most amazing families I've had the pleasure of meeting, and I know that they had a huge part in making you who you were. You can take comfort in the fact of knowing that virtually every one of the people who you have made friends with have been there to help, or have offered to help them get through this rough week. I have never seen so much food in one kitchen in my life. You are treasured by SO many people, sweet girl.

The day you stopped breathing was not the day your life ended. I am just ONE of the hundreds of people you have touched. Every time someone has a memory of you--and believe me, you are not the type of girl people will EVER forget--your life is carried on. Life IS beautiful, as you loved to say. And you can bet that none of us will ever take for that granted. Because after all, "YOLO, baby!" I love you, Joo-Ya!! You will be with me, always. 

               

NaNoWriMo 2013 Vlog!

HAPPY NANOWRIMO!!!!!!!

(Sorry for the crappy quality of the video. I didn't want to take the time to charge my camera and such.)

It's Not All True!

*squints* Blogger? Is that you??

HI!!!!

This is indeed NOT a mirage, but ME actually posting a new blog!

I have had several people become worried about me after reading my past few short stories (in combination with everything I’ve been through the past year, I kind of don’t blame them.) Yes, it’s true that writers channel their aggressions, fears, and sadness into their writing, but here’s the thing: WE’RE WRITERS. Our imaginations are INSANE, and we take our feelings and put them into stories or songs, and they tend to get elaborated in the process.

Take Taylor Swift, for example. Just by listening to her past three records, you would think she’s a batshit crazy, obsessive, “I’ll-boil-your-bunny” type of girlfriend. I think she’s actually a really nice girl. But she’s a writer. It’s the only way we know how to get our emotions out of our bodies so we can move on.

Writing is the most cathartic thing in the world to me. It is better than any kind of professional therapy, because when I write, I literally feel whatever it is that’s bothering me leave my soul.

Last week, I had quite a terrible break-down-and-cry sort of day.  It was thanks to a culmination of things—work, student loans, lack of sleep, and a sinus infection (among other things)—but I was feeling completely overwhelmed and stressed out with my life. I had a short story due, so instead of working on my manuscript, I opened a completely blank page and just started writing.

 I never know where I’m going with my short stories until they’re almost done, and when I got to the end of this one, I realized that I wanted it to have a happy ending. But I couldn’t bring myself to end it happily because of everything I’d put up with that day. So I tortured my character emotionally, and IT MADE ME FEEL BETTER. My mood took a complete turn in the opposite direction, because not only had I just found a way to get the sadness out of my head, I’d just written something I was pretty proud of.

So even if you aren’t a writer, YOU SHOULD WRITE. I am FIRM believer that saying how you feel on paper will always make you feel better. When I’m mad, I’ll open a blank word document and just type until I’ve said everything I want to say. Who cares about spelling or punctuation or correct grammar? It doesn’t matter. I’m telling you that getting it out of your mind—where it’s poisoning your thoughts—is the key to staying happy. Type it up, read it, delete it (or save it if you want to!) and I promise you’ll be able to move on with your life and forget about whatever it was that upsetting you.

So go write your feelings! Now!

I'm Still Here!

HELLO WORLD! I'M STILL ALIVE!!!!

I know I have been missing from Twitter, my blog, and The Fiction Femme Fatale for quite some time, and I wanted to let everyone know that I'm still kicking.

My life has changed quite a bit over the past six months, and unfortunately, no it's not anything good and exciting like getting an agent or a book deal. Actually, I haven't really written anything at all since, oh, about August.

YEAH.

You may have noticed a name change on all my pages, and if you're as smart as I know you are (because if you're reading my blog, you're obviously a smart cookie) you can put two and two together without me having to spell it out.

But I'm moving on, I'm doing.... better, and and I'm writing again. So look for a new short story by me at FFF this month! Also, I'm buckling down and I WILL finish my work in progress by the end of the summer. I lost a lot of valuable time while I was figuring things out and having my quarter-life crisis, and I'm ready to get back in the swing of things!

I'm sorry this blog post is not funny or amusing.

Here is a cute picture of a moose to make up for it.

Love Your Neighbor

I have tried my best to hold my tongue over the whole Chick-Fil-A thing. But I have found over the past few days that I feel very strongly about this, and since this is my blog, I am going to use it as an outlet to say how I feel. Read it or don't, I am not trying to change anyone's mind or beliefs. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and I do not judge anyone who believes anything other than what I do.

What Do You Do When Your Book Idea Isn't Unique?

WHY, OF COURSE YOUR IDEA IS UNIQUE!!!

I recently came across this problem while reading a new book. My work in progress is something that I've  been planning for about three years. It's a concept that has always intrigued me, and I'd never read any other YA book with this storyline. As I plotted the story out, I wanted to pat myself on the back and congratulate my genius brain for being so awesome because NO ONE HAD EVER THOUGHT OF THIS BEFORE.

Then I sat down to read Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi. My first thoughts:

• Oh my gosh, y'all this book is so good. 
• Her prose! ACK! ENVY! Beautiful! I want to pet the pages!
• This character is so beautifully broken that I want to jump inside the novel and give her a hug! (Even though, you know, Juliette would kill me... But she wouldn't feel good about it.)

Then I got to a part that completely shattered me. (You see what I did there?) One of her main plot points is EXACTLY like mine. I was crushed. Here is this amazing writer, already agented by one of the top agents in the industry, published by one of the most prestigious YA houses in America, and to top it all off, her prose could suffocate mine like a sugar coated boa constrictor. 

I stopped writing for weeks. I mean, what was I going to do? I was already halfway through my WIP and what was the point of continuing it? Surely no agent is going to want to take on a copycat project. I felt so defeated that I considered scrapping the 20,000 words I had and starting completely over-- even though I LOVED those 20,000 words like WHOA. 

This project was SO different from my previous manuscript that is now shelved, and I just KNEW that it was going to be the one to get me an agent. It had a unique plot and it was science fiction (which is wanted in the YA market right now), so I was going to have to no trouble finding an agent this time. 

But someone got to the finish line before me.

So what DO you do when you see your genius book idea written by someone else? YOU WRITE IT ANYWAY. 

After five weeks of abandoning my manuscript and feeding my depression over it, I said, "You know what? I'm going to write this novel anyway!" My main character is nothing like Shatter Me's Juliette. Actually, my main character is what classifies the novel as science fiction. THAT was different than Shatter Me. 

And that was just the first of a string of things that I realized made my novel unique from Tahereh's. It really is true that the execution of a concept is what makes you different from everyone else who has thought of the same thing. No one thinks exactly alike-- it's what makes us all unique. (There I go, sounding like a kindergarten teacher. Everyone join hands, let's sing Kumbaya) 

So even if you have an idea for the NEXT BIG NOVEL and then see it a week later on a Barnes and Noble shelf, write it anyway! I promise that it will turn out 97.6% different than anyone else's similar idea. (My math may be off by a bit. It's not my strong suit). 

(NOTE: If for some reason Tahereh Mafi ever reads this post, please know: I am a huge fan of yours! No disrespect was intended for you or your amazing book. And how cool is it that Tahereh Mafi is reading my blog right now?)

When It's Time To Shelve Your Manuscript...

The Raven Boys

I've made it no secret that Maggie Stiefvater is my #1 author crush. I've loved everything she's ever written, whether it be a novel, short story, or blog post, so imagine my delight when she posted the trailer for her upcoming book today:

SQUEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!

Among her talent for writing, she is an artist and a musician. So not only did she write the book, she wrote and recorded the music for the trailer AND drew and animated it. She's totally crush worthy, am I right??? (Insert teenage girl scream).

The book looks amazing (I would expect nothing less of a Maggie Stiefvater novel) and I can't WAIT for September to hurry up and get here so I can read it!!!

Without further ado, here is Maggie's gorgeous trailer for her upcoming novel, THE RAVEN BOYS:

SQUEEEEE!!!!!

My First Vlog!

HEY! I filmed my very first vlog! It's kind of boring, but I do randomly break out into song...

Writing Marathon Days 4-6

So the writing marathon has kind of turned out to be a fail...

 But I have a good excuse! I was at the beach, fishing and swimming and getting majorly sunburned!!! We stayed with my husband's awesome aunt, and there was never a free moment for me to crack open my computer (or notebook). Seriously, besides that first day when I sat by the pool for like 15 minutes and wrote 300 words, I never had the chance to take my laptop out of it's protective case. On the day we took the boat in the Gulf so I could finally catch one of the giant fish my husband always brags about catching,  I took a notebook and a pen with me with the intent to write while he fished (because fishing only holds my interest for about one hour). But I got sea sick after 10 minutes of being out there, so we came back to the beach and swam instead.

But am I sad about this fail? NOPE. Trying to write a book while being in college/having a job/being a human is hard. If you're a writer, you know that well. Life doesn't slow down for you to write your book-- you have to make time for it in between all the everyday things. And yes, I start back to school on Tuesday and won't have another long break until December, but I wrote my last book while I was in the midst of exams, piles of dirty money (I'm a bank teller), and dirty dishes and I can do it again! I needed that vacation and it was AMAZING to not think about anything except for, "what bathing suit should I wear today?" and "is it time to put on more sunscreen yet?"

I'm back home today, but I slept in, then watched the Glee season finale. And in a little while, I'm going to see The Avengers (FINALLY!) with my husband, and I'm not going to feel guilty about that either. (Though I do plan on taking my laptop to sneak in some words while he shops for boat parts before the movie, because what woman wants to tag along in a boating parts store???) But every time I watch a good movie, it seriously motivates me to go home and write ton (and I've heard from like, virtually EVERYBODY that The Avengers is kick-ass) 

So anyway. I'm not completely giving up on the 5,000 words a day goal for the next few days, but I've hit a wall in the story. The plot is going well, but I need to go back to the beginning and rework some of the world building and character motivations before I go much further. That's my plan for today! 

And yes, I promised y'all a vlog when the marathon is over, so I am trying to decide what in the world to talk about for 3-5 minutes. ANY IDEAS??? Throw 'em at me!  

Writing Marathon Day 3

Well. Today's word count was an epic fail. BUT! I've had a busy busy day!

1.) Had a follow up appointment from last week's kidney stone removal. I'm good, btw!

2.) Drove an hour and a half to the beach

3.) Launched our boat

4.) hung out by the pool and wrote some words!

5.) went on a boat ride

6.) GOT EPICALLY SUNBURNED. Seriously, redheaded-fair-skinned people like me were NOT made for the beach. This happens to me every time I go out in the sun for more than 30 minutes though, so it was expected.



7.) I am so tired that my plan to write in my awesome little bunk bed is dead. I can't even muster the strength to type this on my laptop because that would mean having to find out the wifi password, and THAT would mean going back downstairs. My sunburned limbs can't take it.

So my word count of the day ended with a total of 382. Not even close! But I told y'all I had no faith in myself while I'm at the beach. Sunday and Monday I'll meet the goal for sure, though!!! If the fish aren't biting, I'm going to shoot for hand written words tomorrow. So we'll see how that goes!

I bid you farewell dear readers. Pass me the lidocaine-aloe gel if you don't mind.

Writing Marathon Day 2

There were tears. Blood. Sweat. Callouses. (not really)

BUT I WROTE 5,000 WORDS TODAY. Actually, 5,149 to be exact!

(I deleted 1900 of the words I wrote yesterday because I changed directions a little bit, but I'm learning to let that go)

What did I learn today? That writing 5,000 words in one day when I am in the middle section of the book is HARD. Sure, I could do it easily near the climax, or even in the beginning when the story is begging to fall out of my brain. But the middle? Jeesh. For a couple hours there, it was like plucking my eyelashes out one by one.

True, I won't keep all these words, but like the saying goes: You can't edit a blank page. At least I now have some WORDS, even they'll be deleted and revised for prose later. (And I did get a good couple thousand words that I really like. :-D)

Fun highlights:

- I wrote a kissing scene that I've been dreaming about for months, ever since I heard this song:

WEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!

- My favorite line of today was this (from a scene where my character-- who's been shot before-- shoots a gun for the first time):

"Being on the other side of the gun is delicious."

-I have "tweerleaders"on Twitter!

*Rob Kristofferson ( @Kristoffrable ) gave me some wise words on writing suckage: "Suckiness leads to greatness. If you can't get it out there to begin with it doesn't even have a chance to suck."

* Paul Adams ( @adamspaulr )-- who is doing this with me and wrote 5052 words today!-- made me laugh after I complained about trying to "squeeze out my last 600 words" with this:

*Megan Whitmer (@MeganWhitmer ) promised to be awkward on the internet and post her very first vlog if I meet my 5,000 words a day goal. She's even filmed it and everything! But I have to break it to you Megan, I don't think it will happen. :-(
Today took everything I had to type 5,000 words, and I was at home doing nothing but writing. I am going to the beach tomorrow until Saturday, and I think I'll be lucky to get 2,000 a words a day. But I'm still going to try!

I'm going to try handwriting some of my words for the first time-- I've never handwritten a manuscript before, but I'm not going to bring my laptop on a boat out in the Gulf of Mexico. That would not end well. But my critique partner, Amy Christine Parker, does this everyday (handwrite her novel that is, not fish in the Gulf of Mexico) so I'm going to give it a try!

Oh! I promised on twitter yesterday that if I met my word goal today, I would also make my very first vlog. But since it's late now, and I'll be out of town for the next few days, I think I'll wait until my last day, and make it about this whole project. Sound good? Awesome. See you back here tomorrow! (I might not have internet where I'm staying, so I may be posting from my iPhone. I've never done that before, so we'll see how that goes. Hopefully I'll have wifi...)

Happy writing!

WRITING MARATHON DAY 1

Right now in my WIP I am at 24,632 words. I REALLY wanted to finish the rough draft before I start the summer semester of school-- before I get bogged down in papers, quizzes, and exams. I COULD have finished had I not stopped writing for a entire month (thanks to final exams and the fact that I got really, really stuck). But anyway, it is what it is, and I am still only a third of the way finished with this manuscript.

I am writing this blog post because I HAVE A PLAN.

I think it will take me about 70,000 words to tell this story, so that means I have about..... 45,368 words to go. Are you catching on yet? You are so smart!!!

Yes. I am going to attempt to write 45,000 words in NINE DAYS. Now, to do this, I will have to write at least 5,000 words a day.

I am already laughing at myself because I know this will never happen.

I am on vacation this week, so at least I don't have to worry about work stress making me too tired to sit down and write. BUT my husband and I are going to the beach Wednesday-Saturday and I'm pretty sure he'll be mad if I spend our whole vacation on my computer.

But I am going to write as much as I can in the next nine days and blog about my progress. Will I write 45,000 words in those nine days? PROBABLY NOT. I mean it's already 2:00 pm and I haven't written anything but this blog post (but in all fairness, I didn't wake up until noon, so... Yeah.)

But I think that by blogging about my progress, I can keep myself honest and motivated to at least write half of my goal. I borrowed this idea from Frankie Dianne Mallis, who is attempting to write 33,000 words in ten days. We are going to cheerlead each other towards our goals!   *\0/*

Here is a little info about my WIP:

Name: SOUL RAIDERS
Genre: YA Science Fiction/Thriller
Blurb: After transporting her soul into a stolen archetype body to save her own life, Ruby finds out that her best friend has joined a resistance group that's planning to overthrow the United States government to save the world from imminent destruction at the hand of the U.S. president. (Sorry that's very vague, but I just wrote that off the cuff.)


So, does anybody else want to join us? We can all motivate each other! I'll post an update tonight with my final word count of the day.

(And in case you were wondering, YES, I might be a wee bit crazy for doing this.)

*takes a deep breath... opens document... READY, SET, GOOOO!!!!*


***UPDATE: Okay, it's 12:38 am and I am throwing in the towel for the day. Wordcount:

I didn't get 5,000 today, but for some reason I have been stuck on this one chapter for the past three hours. I finally reached a stopping point, though-- I needed to write a press conference in the POV of the U.S. president, but he refused to come out of hiding in the depths of my brain. I could've skipped it and moved on, but honestly, I can't bounce around like that. I have to write chronologically.

So anyway, maybe I'll make up the extra extra slack tomorrow since I got a late start today. I plan on writing half my goal in the morning and half in the afternoon, so I'm not trying to force it all out at once like I did today.

Good Enough

Lately I've had the writing blues. Wicked Illusions has not done well in the querying process and I hit a big bump with my work in progress (until today I haven't seriously worked on it in a month and a half). With all the rejections I've gotten for Wicked Illusions I started to wonder if I was ever going to be good enough to get an agent, let alone get published. It's hard when you see friends and other writers getting requests when you're not, then getting an agent, then getting a book deal, and so on.

And then it's even harder when you see a terrible book like Fifty Shades Of Grey make millions upon millions of dollars, and then your own book-- which you KNOW is better (sorry E.L James)-- is never "good enough."

I've not seriously considered giving up yet, but I was getting close. I really wanted to abandon my WIP because it didn't feel "good enough." I was going to start on something else, but I'm pretty sure I would have abandoned it too for not being good enough.

WHAT IS GOOD ENOUGH, ANYWAY?

Who knows?

But when I get to feeling this way, I start scouring the internet for blogs, vlogs, and stories from other writers who have been in my shoes. I watched these two videos this morning and they jump-started my motivation. How will I ever know if I'll be good enough if I don't sit my butt down and just WRITE THE DANG BOOK ALREADY?

So my first book wasn't "good enough"? That doesn't mean that the next one won't be. I'll get that first book polished enough to publish one day, but I've got to branch out and push myself to do something better first. Anyway, these two videos inspired me to get going, so maybe they'll help you too if you need a little boost like I did today. (I've written 3500 words and counting today. Yay for getting over the hump!)

Thank you Shannon Messenger and Jackson Pearce!

What's In A Name?

The first thing anyone ever learns about a book is almost always the title. That one little phrase/word can be the make it or break it point for your book: it can lead a reader to decide whether or not he or she wants to read the book or to just put it back on the shelf. No pressure, right? Right.

The perfect title should convey three things to a reader: it should introduce the tone, represent the main topic of the story, and intrigue the reader—all while being short and easily pronounceable. It’s one of the hardest parts of writing a book in my opinion. I am sort of terrible at naming things. (Especially characters' last names, but that's a whole 'nother blog post)

So how do you come up with a good title for your awesome novel?

Get ready to groan, because my first example of a good title is Twilight. I know, I know. TWILIGHT? But seriously, I think the title sets the tone for the book perfectly. On the outside, the book is about a human girl who meets a few vampires. But underneath the surface, the story is really about helplessly falling in love with the wrong person—it’s about being afraid and excited at the same time. In nature, twilight falls just after sunset, which is the time of day when all the light has just disappeared from the sky; when you’re still reeling from the magic of the setting sun, but yet wary of all the things you can’t see in the dark. The book is full of angst between the two main characters, and I believe that the word, “twilight,” correctly sets the tone. With the myth that vampires can only come out at night, it also poetically represents the main topic of the story.

 A book that is dead on with presenting the plot to the reader is my favorite middle grade book, The Thief of Always by Clive Barker. Just by reading the title, the reader knows that something is going to be stolen from someone, which of course, makes for an interesting plot. With the use of the word, “always,” it leads the reader to wonder what exactly is it that is going to be stolen? Time? Life? Afterlife? The possibilities are infinite, and it makes the reader want to crack open the cover to see what the synopsis is. 

 Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor immediately caught my attention when I first saw it on shelves at the bookstore. The possibilities of magic, voodoo, and family issues all ran through my head, so I picked the book up—I wanted to learn more about it. A play on words with a popular phrase, using a single word that provokes strong feelings, or choosing a few words that create a compelling thought are all good choices for choosing a good book title.

Another important part of choosing a title is that it must be easily pronounceable. I’ve found that I’m less inclined to pick up a book that I can’t pronounce. If I can’t even say the title, then what is awaiting me inside?

You also want to make sure that if you choose a phrase from inside your book, that it doesn't sound forced. I tried that with Wicked Illusions, and everyone that read the sentence, "I knew it was just a wicked illusion" told me that it sounded forced-- and that's because it WAS. I'm not saying that you can't take a nicely worded phrase from your novel and use it as your title, just make sure that it flows well in the context. Don't make the reader roll their eyes at you.

All in all, the title is the first impression for the reader. If the title is no good, then the reader is most likely going to think the book is no good. It may be a hard feat to execute all the things I talked about in just a few words, but with hard work—and often suggestions and opinions from friends and critique partners— you can do it! 

(I actually got the title for my work in progress from someone's personalized license plate on the car sitting in front of me at a red light. Inspiration is everywhere, you just have to look for it!)

Why Won't It Sell?

Today on Twitter, several writers and I have been debating the topic of what will and won't sell in today's marketplace. Since I've been querying Wicked Illusions over the past seven months, five agents have requested the full manuscript, and two requested a partial-- which both turned into full requests. All of these requests (except for one particularly mean rejection and one agent yet to respond) have ended in a "nice" rejection:

"Your writing is beautiful and the story is great, but I don't think there's room for it in today's overcrowded market."


"Your prose is fantastic! I loved the main character, but unfortunately, I don't think the story is a topic I can sell."


"I really enjoyed this manuscript, but I'm going to have to pass."  <---- This agent didn't even give me a reason why she was "passing," but I assume if she was being honest and "enjoyed" it, then she didn't think she could sell it to a publishing house.

I COMPLETELY understand that an agent's job is not just to praise your work and hope it sells. They are kind of like literary lawyers. They negotiate a deal for something YOU did-- if you don't get paid, they don't get paid. It's all a business transaction.

I also know that when choosing an agent, you need to find someone that IS in love with your work and is confident that he or she can sell it and make all your dreams come true. (They're also like fairy godmothers.) So it's kind of like choosing a spouse. You have to find someone that will love you and the twisted inner workings of your brain forever, no matter what the market is doing at the moment. He or she needs to be so confident in your abilities that no matter the trends, they can guide you and help you and sell ALL of your books. All this is fine and dandy and is something every writer hopes to find (though some agent/author relationships end in "divorce" just like marriages).

But the problem is, what if BEFORE you find your agent-soulmate you keep writing in the "I can't sell this" genres? We already know that books about vampires, werewolves, and dystopian societies are dead, but today, I was surprised to find that books involving ghosts and dead people is the new no-no. I can't think of very many ghost YA novels that are published, so this must be the next "new trend" that's pending for future release.

On twitter, I asked if anyone had any idea as to what there IS room for in the YA market, and the answers were:

• Sci-Fi
• Contemporary
• Anything Funny
• Thrillers

Now, my WIP is Sci-Fi, so WOO HOO!!! I'm in the "in crowd"! BUT it will probably be five to six months before I'm ready to send out queries for it, and I'm terrified that by the time I send it to agents, Sci-Fi will be the next YA no-no. 

I know you can't chain yourself to trends and that you need to write what you love, but how will I ever get an agent if he or she sees the topic and immediately deletes my query because the marketplace is already full of this sort of thing? 

I know what y'all are going to say: "Don't worry, if the writing is good, there's an agent out there somewhere that will love your work and pick it up."

And maybe that's true. But it sure is an aggravating process to get to that point. I guess that's why artists are temperamental, huh? *shakes fists*