Three cheers for the end of the holidays! Oh, and some goals

It is finally over....

My blog absence is directly tied to the holidays---and it isn't just the blog, I haven't written a word that wasn't on a shopping list or related to work since December 3rd. I haven't critiqued anything. I haven't even finished reading a book. That's just how the holidays are when you are a pet sitter.

Oh, my writing life, how I've missed you.

So as I get back into the writing, I thought I'd spend some time reviewing last year's goals and planning for this year.

On this exact date last year, I planned to:

1. Finish a draft of Protected, edit and get to CPs. (Mostly! Finished draft, edited and sent out first chunk to a few CPs before heading back into edits).

2. Do first edit of The Last Crane, get to CPs. (Nope. I edited a few times and then tossed this in the darkest, deepest drawer I own.)

3. Finish rough of some other TBD novel. (Done! And out to alpha read.)

4. Finish rough of yet another TBD novel. (Kinda. Does writing half of three different novels count? No? Then, I guess I didn't complete this one).

5. Be querying. (Sadly, nope.)

6. Read 30 books. (Easily completed.)

7. Keep blogging. (Technically, I've blogged. But I haven't put in the amount of effort I expect from myself).

So, not great, but not that bad either. I really wish that I had queried this year, but I'm not going to rush anything either. This next year, however, querying is at the top of my list.


Writing Goals 2012

1. I will be querying!

2. I will finish edits and CP rounds for Carbry's novel.

3. I will finish planned edits for Protected and decide (yet again) what to do with this crazy creation.

4. I will rewrite Meta from the very, very beginning.

5. I will write a TBD novel that is completely out of my comfort zone.

6. I will write a TBD novel that has an amazing, intriguing voice.

7. I will read at least 35 books (and not all of them can be YA).

8. I will keep some sort of a blogging schedule.

9. I will become a better critiquer by finding a solution to my difficultly returning critiques in a timely manner. Some ideas: create a critiquing tab on my blog I can update with my status, bi-weekly emails to CPs giving status updates, set days on the calendar for critiquing...any other ideas?


So, there's my list. I better get to work.

What are your writing goals for 2012?

Teaser Tuesday: Break

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!
Share the title and author so that other TT participating can add book to their to TBR Lists if they like your teaser!

This week is: Break by Hannah Moskowitz

Leigh Ann recommended this on her blog, and I was intrigued because I love reading male POV YA.

Teaser sentences--

The crash flashes though my mind like an awful Claymation film. I see my body melt into the pavement, into Naomi, see it filling the empty pool.

What are you reading this week?

RTW: How far would you go?

Road Trip Wednesday is a blog carnival where YA Highway's readers post answers to weekly questions.

This week's question: How far would you go to get published?

The question was broken into four sections. Would you...





1. ...jump onto a trend train? (yes)
2. ...switch to a well-selling genre? (yes)
3. ...do minor revisions to sign with an agent (hell, yes)
4. ...do major revision requested by an editor (absolutely)



None of these situations seems very far our there for me. I'm fairly fluid about my writing, as in I am willing to change anything about a story in order to make it better. I've written in a variety of genres before and would happily try on a new one.

As for trends, if an agent or editor asked me to write about a particular topic, I'd give it a try.

So the real questions is--what if I am uncomfortable with a suggested change?

The answer to that depends on another question: is the change about the text or about the critiquer?

For example, if the critiquer suggests changing a character's sexual orientation--why? Is it about the text--for example a distracting subplot? Or is it about the critiquer--the reader is uncomfortable with the specific sexual orientation?

If the change is about the text, I am very open to making changes. If it is about the critiquer, I am more reluctant.

In the end, it is all a balancing act--how significant the details are to the core of the story and how much the writer trusts the critiquer. It is a question that can be answered only when there are specifics.

I will say that I've become much more open to changes, even those that I'm sure about, as my writing journey has continued. Perhaps because it is easier for me to distance myself from a novel now--to see it as a piece of text rather than an extension of myself. Is this growth? Does it make me less passionate about my writing? I don't know.

How far would you go to get published? Has what you are willing to do changed over your writing journey?

Anti-Procrastination Live Blog

A few of my CPs have tried this--I've been avoiding it, but I figured I give it a try today (my first real day back to life since Nano).

Today I'd like to do the following:

-A few hours of critiquing for Erika (I'm radically behind)
-Laundry (always)
-Pet Appointments
-Prepare monthly statements for clients
-Bath for little guy
-Read a few chapter in Crossed since it is past due at the library
-Sand 2-3 door casing in our plight to remodel
-Clean bathroom
-Check out comments on Protected from Gina
-Make a plan for how to proceed on Protected
-Check in with Marie--I haven't spoken to her in weeks
-Find out where Marie is on Gone--should I edit? or has she stared alpha reading?
-De-ice driveway
-Replace filter on furnace, find out why it's making those funny noises
-Write 1000 words for Meta
-And, my number one everyday: lots of playtime, reading time and snuggle time with the little guy

7 AM--get up, shower, get the little guy up, change diaper, brush teeth and get him breakfast

7:30 AM--Prepare client monthly statements while he eats, check emails, etc

8AM--Open up Meta and read a few chapters--thinking about overall plan and what direction it need to go, write 22 really lame words

8:15 AM--Time with the little guy, reading and playing

9:30 AM--Manage to jot down 500 words for Meta between during the little guy's trips to the toy box.

10 AM--Mid-morning snack and bundling the little guy up so we can head off to work.

12:30 PM--Back from work, threw in some laundry, bath for little one (cleaned part of bathroom during bath), lunch (got in another 250 words on Meta) and then lots of time playing with Megablocks.

2:45 PM--Naptime! Finished the last of the 1000 words for Meta. Read Gina's awesome and helpful comments for Protected. Came up with plan for Protected: going chapter by chapter and making serious cuts, hoping to cut 10-15k out of the first act. Critiqued 3 chapters for Erika (but still hope to do more tonight). Emailed Marie. Critiqued a little more, read a few chapters, emailed some clients, and then played a few quests in Skyrim since my brain is mushy.

5:45 PM--Finish cleaning bathroom and laundry while Riley grabs a snack. Call DH and find out he's not going to be home for at least another hour, so sneak some writing while Riley plays with the cat. Supposed to snow tonight, so de-icing the driveway is pointless. And with DH coming home late, won't have time to sand any casings. So I guess that's it! List done!

I found this obnoxiously useful. I might have to do this once a week.