Writerly things

Last night I attended my second RWA chapter meeting. I have to say it is tons of fun and great seeing other folks who are working at the same goal as me (some far more successfully.) I am starting to wonder if God/Fate/the GoogleMap wizards don't want me to attend. This was my second meeting and the second time I have gotten lost. Oy. But I digress.

The Chicago North group is a critique heavy chapter. Members read excerpts from their current projects aloud and the other give feedback and suggestions. I can see why so many of the Chicago North writers are published. Having that many individuals provide feedback (in the nicest possible way) would be amazingly helpful. Not that I am jumping at the chance to be in the spotlight. There is a waiting period for new members to share, but I would completely freak out. ZOMG!

One of the things they did last night was to have the published writers in the group read from their contracted work. I have to say, I was impressed and now have titles to add to me TBE pile. A couple that really stuck out in my mind were...

Title: What a Scoundrel Wants

Author: Carrie Lofty

The quick and dirty: Will Scarlet. Need I say more?

Seriously, you all need to purchase this book. I will be released the first week of December. Christmas present to self, anyone? Her language and descriptions were fabulous. "flacid corpse" Ew!!!

Title: The Brass Bed

Author: Jennifer Stevenon

Why should you read it?: There is magic and pigeons that smoke cigarettes. Also, the author is on the local roller derby team. How cool (and slightly scary) is that?

Title: Girl of My Dreams

Author: Morgan Mandel

Plot device: Boss/secretary. Add in a Bachelor type reality show and highjinx will ensue. It is also an ugly duckling story. I'm a sucker for both.

There were a few more and others will be reading from their published work next time. Apparenty, the chapter has something like a 46% publication rate. Amazing.

If I ever want to be one of the folks reading aloud at a meeting I need to get cracking here. This darn book isn't going to write itself. I need to get 2000-4000 words written today. No school means butt in chair, fingers on keyboard. I just need to figure out what my hero is going to do when he turns around and sees the heroine staring at his naked, sweaty chest... "we're just friends, really!"

Writing soundtrack

I've seen it mentioned numerous times and by numerous writers: the writing soundtrack. I didn't really get it at first. Being a music teacher, when I hear music I am conditioned to listen. I can't tune it out. I have found music to be a hindrance rather than a help when trying to write.

This has all changed.

I don't know if it is the particular story that I am writing, but this puppy has a list of songs that is continuing to grow. It all started as I completed the first chapter. By the end of it I knew my H/h theme song: Bleeding Love. Yup, this is one angsty couple. As the words have been flowing, so have the song ideas.

For those interested, here is what the ever growing list currently contains:

Bleeding Love/ Leona Lewis
Taking Chances/ Celine Dion
Look After You/ The Fray
What's Left of Me/ Nick Lachey
Almost Lovers/ A Fine Frenzy
Apologize/ Timaland & One Republic
Dancing/ Elisa
Lost/Anouk
Fix You/ Coldplay
Dreaming With a Broken Heart/ John Mayer
Feeling Good/ Michael Buble
Gravity/ Sara Bareilles
Lost Without You/ Robin Thicke
Love Song/ 311

Yeah. Super emo. But it fits for the story. With the music going, the words are flowing. I am currently 17,667 words and 55 pages into this bad boy (just since Nov. 1st Woohoo, NaNoWriMo!) My other WIP was going alright, but this one has a momentum that is simply stunning. I am just holding on for the ride. Hopefully I survive. Hopefully it doesn't suck. Let me tell you, it is putting me through the ringer emotionally. Sometimes writing what you know is not an easy thing.

UPDATE: 20,253 words!!! More than I have ever written on one story ever!

NaNoWriMo

I am SOOOOO not ready for NaNoWriMo to begin. Hell, I can't seem to focus on my current WIP. I need to buckle down and get some serious planning done tonight and tomorrow. I want to make November worth the insanity.

That being said, I will probably disappear a bit while immersed in the NaNo challenge. I hope you will all forgive the likely neglect here at What Women Read. For a while life is going to be all about what this woman is writing. I will try to keep you updated.

No worries, though. The book club post goes up tomorrow and I have a review of Lord of Scoundrels scheduled the first week of November. Man, I loved that book!

See y'all when I surface!

Taking the plunge

Yes, that's right my friends, I am taking the plunge into NaNoWriMo.  For the past few years I had seen my friends (both of the RL and Internet variety) blogging about participating in this mysterious NaNoWriMo thing.  I was not sure what it was.  Eventually I figured out it had to do with writing, but that was about it.  Now, since entering the wonderful world of book blogging, I have finally figured it out.  So here I am officially signed up for my first year of participation.  At first I was excited that I would have a challenge that could help me finish my book.  Then I read the fine print (you really should do that before signing up for things.)  I can't use my current writing project for NaNo!  I have to start fresh with something new.  Oh noes!!!  My lighthearted paranormal romp needs more work.  It is not nearly done.  I am focused.  I am determined. And they want me to start something new?  Crazy talk! 

::deep breath::

OK, I can do this.  I can make this work.  So now I have a plan for the month of October: write the heck out of my current project (let's see how many words I can get up to) and plan out writing project #2 for NaNoWriMo.  That is a ton of writing.  I just hope I don't burn out before November 1st.  I wrote a little over 4500 words over the past two days.  Tonight I have decreed that there will be no writing.  I will take a break and work on developing my hero for the NaNo project.  Tomorrow?  Writing.  Thursday?  Develop heroine.  Friday?  Fun time with the girls!  Saturday?  See Friday :)  And then back to the writing.  A little bit of fun. A little bit of planning. Some decent writing time.  Hopefully it will all balance out to me being ready to go full tilt on November 1st.

The really exciting part is that I think I have convinced a couple of the teachers at my school to have their students participate in the NaNoWriMo Young Writer's Program.  It looks like tons of fun.  The kids get to set a personal word count goals.  There is a writing workbooks that even I want to use to plan my book.  Seriously, this thing has writing activities to develop their characters, setting, internal and external conflict, plot, and just about anything else you can think of.  The only drawback is that they only have a PDF file of the workbook.  You can't purchase hard copies for the students.  Each book is 85 pages long.  That is a whole lot of copies to make.  It will take some creative planning, but I think it is doable between using the overhead projector, power point, and selective copying.  I am considering telling the students that I am participating and challenging them to try and beat my word count.  It would certainly give me the drive I need to write.  How embarrassing would it be to be out-written by a 6th grader?

A writing question

OK, my friends, I need your help.  I have been playing with a story for a couple of months now and I am finally getting some words down on paper (over 10,500 now!)  I'm in the groove a bit and realize I need some feedback.  Sarai was fabulous and looked over things when I first started (thanks, hon!), but I think I am ready to enlist a critique partner.  This question goes out to all of you currently writing, how did you go about finding your CP?  How exactly does this all work?  Any advice for a writing newbie?