Wednesday Weedings

Here it is Wednesday and I realized that it had been a few days since I posted to my blog. Uh...can we say busy? :)

I spent the weekend writing. Went over the 60,000 word count on my Blaze targeted story. Got the climatic scene finished up. Now have the final scene where my couple talk and admit they're in love with each other. I love writing those kinds of scenes. Not just because it is The End, but because I get mushy. My first WIP ending had me tearing up.

But that was the weekend. Haven't written a single sentence since there. Been busy with reviews, but should be done by next week and I can concentrate on my ending. In the meantime :::big sigh::: I need to polish up the synopsis and submit it and chapter one to a contest. Won't take much to finish the synopsis since I wrote it up in July when I had OBSESSION only partly going.

Then it's time for revising DON'T GO BREAKING MY HEART. I have a fairly good idea what I must do, but it will take some dedicated work on my part.

When is the Right Time to Submit?

I think that's always a question new writers ask themselves. When is your work of art, the pride and joy you've put so much hard work and effort into...when is it ready to be sent off to a publisher or agent to be read and determined if it's "the one" they want?

I'm sort of going through this right now. Nearly a year ago, I finished DON'T GO BREAKING MY HEART. Yes, I did set it aside for a few months and then worked on polishing it, but still, I see other writers who will type "The End" and then send it off the next day to a publisher. Keep in mind, I'm referring to the unpubbed writers, not the contracted ones who are so good at what they do, that when it's done, it's ready to be sent off. Am I the only one who has to go through her work and make sure that passive is changed to active and there are no dangling modifiers? The other part of me says that my writing must be lousy and why am I trying to fool myself into thinking I'll ever be published? Especially if my rough draft is just that--rough.

But then the other part of me reminds me that I did final in two contests, something that is rarely done by rookie writers like me. Not that I can compare myself with a brilliant, about to be published rising star, but gosh....maybe do I have some talent? Perhaps enough to get me published? Or, did I just have a good scene that caught the eye of the judges? I don't know.

However, whatever happens, when I do submit my work to a publisher, it will be because it is shined and spiffed up and done to the best of my abilities whatever that may be.

The merits of local RWA chapters...

Are RWA chapters important?

I belong to three different RWA chapters, but really don't feel like I belong to any of them. It's not that I haven't tried, but like a lot of groups, there is a lot of close-knit groups who tend to shut out anyone else from entering their realm. Have they helped me? In each their own way, yes, but not largely.
I've had people tell me to go join such and such landline chapter, but it would be hard to go to meetings. I would love to have the face to face meetings, but the ideal thing I want is a small group of supporters/critiquers that help each other.

As the months go by, I'm questioning whether I should continue RWA chapter membership. Shall I keep one or drop one? I don't know. I love RWA as a whole, but I need to get something from my memberships in other groups. In fact, I've also thought about the past few days of just taking a break from writing. Writing has to be fun and the stress of the past few days makes it hard sometimes to concentrate.

Ah, these melancholic times...

Writing Progress and Distractions

After writing nothing over the weekend, I've managed to write a few pages the past couple of days. Not a lot, but moving forward is better than no pages at all. What happened with the weekend? It just got funky busy. I had my nails done and got a pedicure. But then I got into the cleaning mode and also bought a new shelf (which I had to put together) and before I knew it, it was Sunday evening. Did have a plotting chat with a friend of mine who's stuck in her manuscript after contest feedback. We had a nice chat that was dominated by discussing our craft. I would love to get a weekly writing chat going where anyone who needs to run writing stuff by can do so.

Another thing that distracted me was a book I was reading. I got swept away by SWEPT AWAY by Toni Blake. Omigod! I loved it and could not put it down. I guess I like stories where they not only once knew each other, but they end up stranded together. If you don't have this one, then please go out and pick it up.

Not So Cool to be Crass

Why do people think it’s cool to be crass? I’m talking about the yelling, get in your face and think it is smart type of person. I come across these every so often. Usually they’re annoyed about something and want to right the wrong they imagine someone has done them. Of course, they start talking out loud and soon it becomes “oh, yeah, I’m going to tell them a thing or two!”

Recently at a meeting, someone got annoyed with another person. She told her friends she was going to show him a few things and where to go. She indeed do all this. Her friends whooped it up and cheered her on. I felt sorry for the poor guy to have to put up with the embarrassment and the lady’s umm…crass behavior. She could have asked him to resolve the issue or better yet, thought of her own solution, but nooooooo….her response was to be CRASS. Get in his face and let it all hang out. I’m more of the avoid a confrontation type person and the lady’s behavior angered me. But her friends shouldn’t have cheered her on. One should have calmly told her to resolve it without rancor.

Next time you hear someone bitching about somebody and inform everyone they’re going to get back at that person, step in and remind them how childish it is to act that way. Life is about compromises and goodwill toward others.

What does this have to do with writing? Remember that what goes around, comes around. That person you just dissed could be a potential editor or agent.

Recommended Reading

Growing up, I was weaned on the gothic novels penned by the likes of Victoria Holt and Mary Stewart. This led me to reading mysteries and romantic suspense, but the true gothics eventually went away. In the past couple of years, they have began to make a comeback.

Now Harlequin Blaze has jumped on the bandwagon, and I was pleased to hear that the fantastic Leslie Kelly was signed to pen one. ASKING FOR TROUBLE is the result and once again, Ms. Kelly has a winner. She brings readers Lottie Santori from the Santori family of Chicago and introduces her to Simon Lebeaux, who has spent the past several months tortured by a death he was involved in. The chemistry between the two is hot--and the suspense will keep you on the edge of your seat.

ASKING FOR TROUBLE comes out in October and I recommend picking this one up!

Saturday Happenings

Update on writing. Now have 52,000 words. Actually have written quite a bit today. I guess having a stated goal (finish by end of September) is putting a bit of fire under me. :)

I also worked on Chapter One the other night to get it ready to enter a contest. Dropped it in the mail this morning. Contests can be scary, but since the first one literally had me shaking while I prepared it, now it's more 'get the packet together and mail it off.'
Not that I'm not nervous, but it's like driving a car--it gets easier and better.

I'm hyped on my writing now. I guess I'm getting the energy and drive back. I feel like a klutz, dimwit, or smaltz when it comes to writing, but I can also watch myself get better at it.

Maybe I will get published.

Oh, on a side note, this is Holly's birthday weekend. She's now two.

Happy Birthday Holly!!!!

Of Cats and Writers

When I mention at times that my cats prevented me from writing for a while, I sometimes get those "oh, sure" comments. I happen to have two lively animals, especially one feral born cat. Like tonight. here I am, sitting at the computer and Holly comes along and lays down next to me. Next thing I know, she's pushing the printer with her feet. Argh! Stop it Holly!

Of course, that is actually mild for some of what she does. This morning I tried to read the newspaper and Holly proceeded to tear off pieces of it. While I'm reading it! Winter is almost as bad. She'll start climbing on top of stuff and the next thing I know, she's about to knock something expensive or sentimental down to the floor.

Now, you might ask, what does this have to do with writing? Well, we have so many distractions going on sometimes, you have to figure out ways to work around it. In my case, I write either away from home or pick a time the cats are sleeping.

Hard to believe such lovable, innocent creatures can be a nuisance. :)

Monday Madness

Today was a good day of writing. Wrote 9 pages and am now 80% completed. Two things helped me to write. One was signing off the internet and the second thing was that both cats napped while I wrote. Tomorrow I go back to work and it's doubtful I'll get any writing done. I checked and I am pretty much on target.

Today I hit the "black moment" and it was so so. I need to work on that issue a bit. Thinking of creating a story which has a good, solid black moment and then workring the rest of the story into it. I love romantic suspense, but hate the technicalities of researching guns, knives, or other means to kill. :) If it's dialogue or action, or even love scenes, count me in.

First thing a writer discovers is that they are constanting learning. Never say you know everything, because you don't!

Sunday Sundown

It's Sunday and winding down. I've been working a little on my current WIP. Reached the 77% completion mark. Yeah! Now about to get to the black moment. I had to think why the heroine would be there. (No, not saying where is)


You know, I've heard a few things in the past couple of days about "just write and worry about the editing later." That is true, I suppose, but sometimes I write something and realize that what I had written two chapters earlier doesn't fit now. So.....back I go to rewrite the older scene. But keeping on writing seems to be the best way to write. Last year, I participated in RWA Online's KIA challenge. It was write till you drop marathon that lasted most of October. It was fun and got DON'T GO BREAKING MY HEART mostly written. I'm seriously challenged now to join in again this year. The most pages I wrote during a week was 52, but man, if I keep that up during the whole month, I could be close to 200 pages! And I was working full time during most of it.

The closest I ever came to that was this past June when I started out on OBSESSION and as you can tell, I'm still plodding along on it. I stopped mid-July due to RWA and it took until August 4th or so to get back to it.

What was the most pages you've ever cranked out?