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Monday, January 7, 2013
Back To the Grind
Happy New Year!!! I hope your holidays were as relaxing as mine and that you're well-rested for all of the writing we're going to be doing this year. I know I am! Basically I sat around for a whole week stuffing my face and watching movies, including The Hobbit (loved it, of course; it felt like coming home) and Les Miserables (in which I got teary only ONCE - must have been an off day).
I got some writing done, but I have to be honest... I really didn't do as much as I wanted to/should have. I won't punish myself because I did need that mental break, but I'm trying to be as productive as I can this month so I can catch up a bit.
This past weekend, I had some free time and debated whether I should continue revisions on PPP or write ELEGY. I'm glad I went with ELEGY, because I ended up pounding out nearly 8,000 words. That's one of the things I've learned over the course of writing novels - to never push myself on a project when I'm not feeling it. I have been a little burned out with PPP lately, since I've looked at it SO many times in the past few months. It was nice to work on something else!
ELEGY is going well. I'm a little worried about Stella, my main character, being too unlikable, because she's... well, kind of a stuck-up snob. But I'm hoping to show her growing out of that as the story progresses, and I want readers to discover a better side of her right alongside her new friends. Yesterday, I got to indulge my inner music geek when I wrote a scene in which Stella and her friend Paul are investigating a dark wing of the music school, and all of a sudden a loud burst of music breaks out into the silence and they recognize it as the devil's chord. (Also called a tritone... listen to the beginning of the Danse Macabre and you'll hear it.) How often do you get to write about someone threatening someone else through music? (/nerd)
Eventually I will get back to PPP, but I want to make sure I'm inspired and excited to do the revisions so that it'll be in perfect form for the agent.
I also really, REALLY want to get back to writing FOTL. I just need to keep pounding out ELEGY until it's done, and then it'll be full-speed ahead!
Are you juggling projects too? How are they coming along?
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34 comments:
Definitely juggling projects, and also not trying to force them, so I fully understand what you're saying.
By contrast, I wrote 5 chapters and 14k words over my Christmas break -- but in so doing, I think I burned myself out. I haven't written anything for the past week.
I've only got this one project going, the second book in my MG fantasy series, but I was thinking today that maybe I ought to dabble with something else, just to provide a needed mental break.
The MG book isn't due to the editor until August 1. I'm the only person pushing myself so hard.
Good luck with your projects. It sounds like juggling them has been good for your creativity!
woohoo for 8k words! obviously you were supposed to work on that project! :) I'm semi-juggling... A critique partner and I are working on a joint project, but it's her turn so i'm 100% focused on my own WIP. I'm over 21k finally! I was stalled at 18k for a couple months o_O
By the way, you won some books in my last giveaway, so please email me (I don't have an email for you...) at kristinraewrites(at)gmail(dot)com :)
If I managed to make my main character likeable, I know you can do it!
Glad you had some down time over the holidays. And your description of The Hobbit is exactly how I felt.
Congrats on the 8k words!! That's awesome in weekend--I've never been able to write that fast.
I did some writing over the holidays. Not a ton, but more than I expected. But now it's time to get serious--I hope to have a first draft of my current WIP finished by the end of February.
I'm juggling multiple projects too - and one of the best parts is that we can switch to the one calling to us the loudest! :)
I'm not juggling my own projects, but I am juggling my writing, class, and reading my CPs books...oh and then there's that day job. ;)
I can usually only work on one thing at a time ... but now since I'm starting to wrap up my current WIP, I'll probably start plotting out my next one. Congrats on the 8k!
Happy new year, Julie! 2013 is looking in good shape for you. :) Good luck with all of your projects!!
I have so much I want to get done; but I needed my break from all the pressure too. And I've let myself focus on the day job for a while - at least until the over time runs out :)
......dhole
Ahh, I watched Les Miserables, too! I cried lots. I thought Russell Crowe was awful, though.
I'm totally in juggling mode. I just finished on WIP, but want to dive into at least one round of edits, before I start my next project. I'm crossing my fingers I can fit it all in.
8000 words is AMAZING! You must have been so energized and excited for the rest of the weekend! :)
Welcome back, Julie!! :D
I'm always juggling--not so much writing projects (though that will come this year, as I work on revisions to the NaNo project as well as other things), but life in general (writing, reading, family, work, etc.). Hopefully I'll hit a good balance. :)
Sweet! Glad you got some writing done. Even a little bit is more than you had before. Keep up the good grind! :)
Kudos on the 8,000 words. I let my writing get shoved to the back burner during the holidays - lots of catching up do to.
Stella sounds interesting; I think it's good that she has flaws, because it's important for characters to be multi-dimensional. I don't like characters who are too perfect, because I think that they're the ones who are unlikable.
I'm always juggling projects, because that's how I roll. On the other hand, do watching all the Law and Order reruns and Criminal Minds episodes on my DVR count as a project? :)
I've juggled lots in the past, but I'm so close to a decent 2nd draft of my YA SF that I've been good about sticking to it.
Yay! You watched the Hobbit! I just posted on it.
I am forbidding you from working on FOTL until Elergy and PPP are put to rest! *crosses arms and stomps foot* :)
Keeping things fresh is one thing, but that agent can't find you until something gets submitted!
Good luck with your goals. I did some writing over the holidays, but not as much as I wanted to.
I tend to be a juggler, usually with 2-3 projects.
I'm very monogamous with my books - I have to be otherwise the voices and plots and situations will bleed.
So, um, I think you need to come to L.A. 4 of the 6 ladies of Tiger Tea Tent met up this weekend - Linda was in town FROM TAIWAN. If she can do it, you can! Me, Krispy and Alz would love to host you and meet IN REAL LIFE
I had the same issue of deciding to move away from a project I didn't have enough love for. I loved it, just not enough. Plus I want to focus on my NA novels for a while. I might, though, go back and tackle it (YA horror) later this year.
I was more productive over the holidays than I expected, especially since all three of my kids were home.
Tony: It's a tricky balance! Good luck juggling your projects!
Dianne: That's awesome! You totally deserve a break now :) I like the idea of having two different novels at the same time. My first two were written by themselves, and it was SO hard to stay motivated.
Kristin: Congrats on getting over 21K, that's amazing! Good luck on your collab, that sounds really cool.
Alex: Thanks for the encouragement! And I did like your MC!
Connie: I think the 8K was my guilt writing... haha! But whatever works, right?
Jemi: Absolutely. Two projects keeps things fresh!
Hannah: You're a world-class task juggler, my friend!
Tiana: Can't wait to read your draft! I'm so excited :)
Laura: Happy New Year to you!!! Thanks for the encouragement <3
Donna: Yeah, sometimes we need to let the writing sit on the back burner for a while. As long as we come back to work on it!
Linda: I only got teary during Fantine's song. And I think they should have had Alan Rickman play Javert!
Nicole: You can do it!! Good luck with everything :D
workofheart: Yeah, it felt pretty darn good :) I just wish I could keep up that pace EVERY weekend!
Colin: I'm sure you will hit a good balance! It's all about making lists and figuring out priorities. Fingers crossed for us both!
David: Thanks, buddy! Appreciate the kind words.
LD: We're in the same boat, then! Hopefully January will be productive!
Workaholic: Absolutely - that counts as research! LOL. I always try hard not to write perfect characters, but they're always generally nice people. So it's kind of fun to write about a girl who's a little bit of the opposite. We'll see what happens!
Margo: Congrats!! Stick to it. And I LOVED your post on the Hobbit.
Don: *salutes* Sir, yes, sir!
Medeia: Thank you, and the same to you! I've grown into the juggling technique and I like it.
Sophia: HAHAHA! Well, as I said on Twitter, it will happen one day. And you guys need to post pictures of your adventures!
Stina: It's such a wrench to do that, but sometimes we're doing the story a favor if we choose not to work on it. Good luck with everything!
I really like stories with characters that begin as stuck up snobs and grow into likeable people! Good luck to you. Ooh, haven't seen Les Mis yet, but looking forward to it :)
Allison (Geek Banter)
8,000 words...wow! I think it's very clever that you're using music as a weapon in your story.
Agh, definitely juggling projects right now! I'm with you about letting WIPs be instead of forcing them. But I tend to procrastinate, so I'm attempting to push through on my first draft (especially since I know it will get revised unrecognizable later). Welcome back, and happy new year!
Wow! All those characters vying for attention.
Elegy sounds fantastic! Good luck with all your projects.
You cried once at Les Mis? I cried at least 3 times. My husband even teared up and I've never seen him do that at a movie! ;) 8000 words? I'd say that's a pretty productive and impressive weekend!!!
Pounding out 8k words is impressive. How's it going now?
I am working on an upper middle grade. I think I'm near 20k. Don't know much about what's going to happen next. Since I'm doing a website content job for a co + my day job, I can't write as much this past week. And I did a critique for a friend, so that took time too.
Pounding out 8k words is impressive. How's it going now?
I am working on an upper middle grade. I think I'm near 20k. Don't know much about what's going to happen next. Since I'm doing a website content job for a co + my day job, I can't write as much this past week. And I did a critique for a friend, so that took time too.
We saw the same movies! I'd never seen any incarnation of Les Mis before, so it was quite an experience. Loved the music!
That was a productive weekend with the 8k. Sounds like you're back in the swing of things!
Still working on the juggling. I fear I'll get confused if I try to work on more than one thing!
Definitely juggling, though recently I was able to put a few balls down...but I know I'll be picking up new ones soon. lol
Congrats on the wordage!!
We're very busy these days. But we took the month of December to clear out the junk in our loves and de-clutter and catch up. So even though we're busy, at least we are organized.
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