Three Things Thursday

1. I had no idea the blog had changed. I like The Vermilion Christmas Theme.

Cool Ann Dee and Cam.

🙂

So Ann Dee and I have about two pages of our book written.

I haven’t read her part.

But I know we both talked about breakfast. Ann Dee told me.

That’s hat happens when you write a book with someone and don’t read each other’s stuff.

Soon we will be able to read each other’s stuff and then . . . well, we will write a book that falls in the genre that editors aren’t supposed to want any more of. Yup. Dystopian. Plus there will probably be a lot of food stuff going on. Like breakfast.

2. One Hour On, One Hour Off

It actually worked. I was able to write a chapter of the book I’m working on with Cheri and work on my own novel, too. I had to do about 30 minutes of research for the historical fiction. Some people do love research. Yes. Some people do.

:I

I haven’t perfected the timing yet. But on days where I must get writing done AND do several other chores, this is good for me.

One thing I found was when it was time to stop writing, I could do that easily.

When my hour was up and I was maybe helping my mom or Carolina, I couldn’t just stop.

Maybe Two and Two would work.

3. Cheri and I are signing this Saturday at The King’s English, 2:00 in the afternoon. Manelle, our illustrator, will be there, too. It’s weird to think we are writing the fourth book of this series. It’s also weird to think it’s going to be cold for a long time.

Boo.

Kyra Leigh, Queen Bee

Happy blog day.

Are ya’ll about halfway through your amazing novels?

How’s the nano going?

I have been super slacking this week. Stress and insomnia have made me turn into a zombie that doesn’t eat people.
But that will change tonight, because I am going to change up my writing schedule, piano schedule, re-arrange my room {Sometimes I have to do that} and clear my head by drinking tea, and of course going to the gym for two hours. {ha ha oh I don’t really work out that hard.  Half that time I complain and my roommate gives me dirty looks for being a complainer.}

Mom had an amazing book signing yesterday with Cheri Pray earl at the library. It was a lot of fun, if you were there, good job, if not. . . .SHAME ON YOU!

Well, I have to go back to counting inventory, but good luck everyone. Let’s keep the good work going.

😀

Three Things Thursday

1. I have a book signing! (This is Carol.)
Yes, mark your calendars–please. I hope you can come to The King’s English bookstore on June 23 at 2:00 where I will do a signing for WAITING.
This IS the day after WIFYR. That Saturday after.
I hope everyone in the whole wide world can come.
And guess what? I’ve never done this before, but I am going to actually advertize that I am doing this signing.
Why? It’s embarrassing when the Amazing Ann Edwards Cannon comes to the signing and feels so sorry for me (because it’s just her and Rachel and Margaret and they are all store employees) she buys two books!
(I love Ann. Thank you for buying those two books. She would have bought all the girl scout cookies if her sons had been daughters.)
🙂

2. I am doing a final rewrite of a book set in 1969!
Yahoo! Historical fiction that I lived through.
Way way way back in the olden days.

So, I think we, as writers, put our books in the places and times–with the just-right characters–they need to be set in. At least I do.
THE CHOSEN ONE would only have ended up as it did with KYRA as the main character. Another girl might have married her uncle.
When I write, I find a character and follow her to see where she leads. And maybe I know a tiny bit about something to do with the story, but usually it’s all about whoever has decided to be the mouthpiece of the story.
Florida in 1969–well, I was hardly alive, but I have done research.
And it was so Southern.
And so is this little girl and her family.
I’ll send it off this afternoon to my most amazing agent.

EXERCISE–Switch up PLACE for the story you are working on. If your story is modern-day fantasy, change it to something set back in time like Kathryn Duey’s SKIN HUNGER.
If it’s contemporary young adult, play with the setting and make it 1800’s.
Take your time and just experiment. Complete 750 words. I’d love to read them.
Then ask:
What have I learned from my character in this setting?
How is she different now than she was when I started this experiment?
What is one thing I can take for her back to the current WIP?

3. Another writing exercise–
You need paper
timer
pen or pencil

Set the timer for 40 minutes.
Take a deep breath.
Start writing.
Write EVERY idea you have or think you have, of books you can write in the future.
So maybe you have already outlined 7 books for your series. Sure, count those.
But I want you to think of ideas where there is just the germ of an idea and go for those.
Don’t stop and ponder.
Put it all down, even if you don’t think it’s your genre.
Write the whole 40 minutes.

So I have a file with lots of ideas in it.
And those ideas include non-fiction, LDS non-fiction, stuff I could sell on my own if I ever got my website going, picture books, a paranormal idea, historical fiction, things American Girl should buy, nothing fantasy, middle grade starts to stories. YA beginnings.
I have years worth of work waiting for me.
And I’m glad.
Why?

I’m a writer.

And
so
are
you.

So Exercise.

Hey Ann Dee . . .

. . .what do you say to another marathon?

I’m calling you sometime today so we can plan our March Madness Marathon.

The rest of you–we want you to start preparing for the three days we’ll all write together. It’s still a weekend or two away but . . .

 

Here’s what we want you to do:

1. In 25 words or less, write a simple plot of what your story is about–even if you haven’t much of an idea. If I had done this before for Miles from Ordinary, I would have said, “A girl is left to care for her crazy mother and her dead grandfather keeps showing up.” That was sort of the idea of the story when I started the book. I think.

2. Write up a list of characters that might in the book. Remember that big long list we had you do some time ago describing everything about a lot of people you know? Well, that’s gonna come in handy now. Draw from that list.

3. What is it your character wants? Spell it out–even if you’re kind of vague. In my book it might have been Lacey wanted to get rid of the ghost, or that she didn’t want to do things alone.

4. Jot down several subplot ideas that you might use for the marathon. Writing them down doesn’t mean you have to use them. But thinking things through a bit might help you as you write. These ideas will help you as you plump your story up. They’ll offer the main plot support and get you through the icky middles.

5. Finally, write yourself a letter. This is a letter of congratulations before you even attempt the writing marathon. In the letter, write down how you see the story unfolding, the pacing of things, the events, the climax and then the end. Keep the letter to about two pages. Don’t fill it with all your beautiful language. You’re jotting a note to yourself saying you know you can do this and here are some ideas of how things might turn out. You’re writing a word-map.

 

Whew! Are you excited??? Well, I should hope so.

 

If you get the chance, come see me at the Barnes & Noble at 2 pm on Saturday (the one in West Jordan).

Don’t forget to wear green today.

Hug your family.

Do something for those in Japan.