NanoWrimo first day

Today was rough.  I don't know if I had stage fright or what but I had a difficult time beginning this morning on the new story.  My character kept wanting to talk about things that didn't need to be in the story, at least not yet.  I wanted to start with action.  Then I saved the file....but not to the flash drive but to the desk top....I got to work only to find out it was at home.  I think this was my blessing in disguise because I started over and it began where I felt it needed to and my character began talking about the present....I wrote 1,718 words for the first day and I am more excited than ever.  I even managed to end so that tomorrow will be the beginning of a new story.  Next up...Aiden and Ebon meet.  What will they think of each other, these two enemies?

Nano News

In Nanowrimo news, I am working on a new novel, a paranormal romance set in New York.  Aiden, member of a secret society, a clan of wraith hunters finds his life turned upside down when he falls for one of the creatures that his family hunts.  Ebon, Enenra, shadow demon, finds himself unwillingly attracted to one of the men who hunt his kind.  Will they be able to find love or will Aiden's family destroy them both when their relationship comes to light?   

I have done more prior research on this than anything besides my Urban desert story, Coyote Weavings, and I think in future, I really do prefer to plan before I begin writing.  I know there will be more that I need to find out as I write but I think my writing will be better for it.  And I have loved looking up all the information and putting together the details. I've looked up everything from colleges to a houses in New York to the history of Japanese trade in an attempt to set everything up.  And I'm not finished yet.  But I am extremely excited!!!
Only a few more days to go.....

Planning vs Pantsing

Hmm, it's been a while....
I have been working on a new project for NaNoWriMo.  I thought it might be cool to add to my millions of project by getting another rough draft done, this one a paranormal romance.  Yes, I know romance, I see you rolling your eyes out there but that's what the concept called for.  In any case, I've been doing a lot of research and prep since I can't actually start until November and wasn't trying to do all of it last minute like I normally do and I've discovered something in the process.

I like research.  I like planning.  I love watching a story unfold and the characters come to life before I've even begun to write their story.  I feel more comfortable with a plan and plot and trying to answer all the questions the readers would ask before I start writing.  I don't want to everything everything nailed down nor do I intend to have all of it together...I'm not that good a planner but a little preparation will help immensely when I begin writing.  I will have to see how it pans out at the beginning of the month when I begin writing but at this moment, I'm feeling better about this story than any other since my Tower story, another I spent a lot of prep on.  I obviously need to plan and outline somewhat before I begin writing.  I am not a pantser, I am not a gardener.  I am also not quite an architect where I have everything planned out but I do need some structure.  Nice to know yourself a bit better and hoping this translates into better writing as well as an easier time with editing.

Character development

Wow!  It's been a while.  Can I just say that work has been super busy and this is my only excuse?  Well, that and lots of exciting stuff on tv.  On to more interesting tidbits of my life, although not that exciting since work has been ever present.
   I am taking a few days off work to....work on writing.  Heh...you know you are a writer when that really is all you want to do.  I need to edit two works in progress.  I'm excited about both stories but I need more research and I do need to dig out a lot of repetition and tighten up the stories in general.  Then the story I am currently writing needs the characters fleshed out.  I am hoping by writing up the background details that will enable me to have them jump off the page more.  If that doesn't work, I may scrap it entirely and start over, just using the bits that might be salvageable.  Last, I need to plan and set up for November.   I have an original story that I think would make an incredibly interesting romance paranormal story.  I wrote a scene out of it as a short story but that is all I've done.  It involves shadows and smoke.  That's all anyone gets for now.  In any case, lots of work to do and I am excited to begin.  But first the mundane task of taking the car to get an oil change....  :)

Copper Con

It began with my drive out on Friday night.  Traffic was heavy and I thought I would never get there in time for the first panel I wanted to attend.  But I made it!  Thus began a weekend of excitement and networking.
   The first panel began with laughter but also serious advice for would be writers from Gini Koch and Marcy Rockwell.  It was exciting to see two of my favorite authors who always give the best advice!  We talked a lot that weekend and in fact, I actually got to spend a lot of time with them as well as Terry Smith and Jordan Summers who also were attending, both also published authors who had a lot of information.  I even got to sit down for meals with them and get to hang out!  I am looking forward to more time and Gini even offered to give me information on RWA, the Romance Writer's Association which is very helpful to beginning writers.
   I also got many opportunities over the weekend to meet a variety of writers.  I encountered interesting people and enjoyed James A. Owen's inspirational speaking again.  Every time I hear him, it leaves me weepy.  The man has done so much and accomplished so many things in his lifetime.
  Saturday was workshops and panels and I got a lot of information.  I have all written down and at some point will need to convert that to a separate blog.  I learned when to kill off a character and just learned that sometimes it is important to the story.
  Sunday was my field trip day.  After meeting Chris Dickensen and Debbie Boudian and their respective partners and also listening to them reading their novels, I went up to Estrella Mountain Regional Park.  Once there, I almost turned back as it costs $6 to enter.  Now mind normally that is not a lot but money was tight since it was rent time.  Still I went up to the gate and explained that I was an aspiring writer and would like to at least get a map as I have a story I am placing at Estrella.  The gentleman was very nice, brought me the maps, and then gave me a temporary gate pass for 30 minutes so I could drive around and take pictures, thus proving that if you ask, you never know what you will get!
  I went to the Filk concert which was quite nice.  I loved the singing although the actual filk circle later bothered me a bit with off notes but the concert was quite good!  I had to restrain the urge to sing along.  I went to several panels after this which gave more useful information, the best being the erotica which signaled me that the type of writing I like is highly in demand.  I was also given a couple good small publishers that put out erotic romance at least one of which I was familiar with and will check out submission guidelines.
  I stayed quite late and then only went out Monday to enjoy the reading by Gini and Marcy of two of their latest works, both as expected quite good.  Gini's made me laugh and I was grateful I already have the novel.  Marcy's was beautiful descriptions and immediately had me hooked.  However, I will have to wait to read hers.  The final part of the evening was not spent at the convention but rather out to dinner with Duncan to spend some time together after I had been away all weekend.  We went out to dinner at The Melting Pot.  Yummy food and a relaxing evening and as always great company!  I thoroughly enjoyed my weekend!

Writing, work and editing

It is incredibly busy at work, so busy that last week, we almost had no time to breath.  Why do I mention this, you ask?  Because, for the last month, I have been attempting to whittle out time to edit White Guardian.  I feel in my bones that this could be a good story if I could just find the time to work on it and improve it.  I can see many of my flaws as a beginning writer and I have a plan but have been unable to execute it.  I have found little bits of time to write a tiny bit each day but the longer, more involved work still remains tabled.  When it is busy, there is a lack of time to focus, a lack of time to think, which since editing is all about analytical thought instead of pure creative energy equals no editing.  Solution= I am going to have to take the time at home to work on this.  I have vacation at the end of September.  Come hell or high water, this is my editing time.  I can plan 3 whole days to work and at least make some progress.  Here I come!

Contest News

So disappointed.  My short story did not win and from the sound of the feedback I received, didn't even come close.  I was told that they were looking for something more original and that it was too easy for the characters.  And the worst part, is thinking about it objectively, they are right.  It is cute and the character is interesting but the story could be developed more and the situation could have been more work for the characters.  Ah, well, live and learn and if I want to continue to hone my craft, I need to take the good with the bad and learn from the feedback I am given.  Not to say I have to like it but learn from it, yes, or I will never make it as a writer.  At least they did give me feedback and were quite kind in how it was phrased.  I also was given a couple links to e-zines to submit to and I did at least take the risk.  Can't win if you don't ever try...