Ten Things I Like about Writing x Two

What You Might Think

1. New cover reveals. Just saw the newest cover to my book coming out from Zondervan called Never Said. It’s beautiful.

2.Being asked to blurb a book. I’m reading something terrific right now for S&S.

3. Talking ideas with Kyra Leigh, Queen Bee.

4. Writing. I also hate this part of being a writer.

5. When the book is coming along and I am happy.

6. Getting a nice review.

7. Teaching others about writing. There is something about watching other people succeed that is very familial.

8. Talking to my agent/editor.

9. Holding that new book.

10. Thinking about the next idea when I have no idea what I might write. At this moment, as I near the completion of two books I am working on by myself, I feel like I might never write another novel. This is kinda scary. Will I settle on something new? Will I be able to write it? What am I going to do?

 

What You Might Not Think

1. Reading Dear Abby. Even though sometimes she doesn’t know what she’s talking about.

2. Driving past homes at night where you can see inside and people are being a family. (That happens around here in UT.) Or things are just in there. I have never seen a dirty house at night. This is one reason I keep my blinds shut in the evenings.

3. Listening in on other people’s conversations. All kinds. The old lady swearing up a storm at the man in Village Inn. The newly married couple in the freezer section of Smith’s. The kids playing outside across the street (those beautiful girls were the first to sing a song from Frozen to me).

4.Watching students on campus at BYU. Once I saw a guy grab a girl up in a tight hug and she checked her phone over his shoulder.

5. Hearing stories from my mom. They come few and far between, but every once in a while  . . .

6. Talking to my writer friends about their writing troubles. Don’t get me wrong. I am happy for their successes. But I like working out worries together.

7. Looking through homes for sale for the place with the perfect office.

8. Watching my daughters make choices when times are truly tough. I don’t always like the results. In fact, there are times when the results are hart breaking. But.

9. Once my beloved grandmother said, “And who would read somebody else’s letters? Who? Or look through another person’s drawers.” I couldn’t answer her.

10. Thinking about the next idea when I have no idea what I might write. Will it be found somewhere mentioned above?

Three Things Thursday

Didn’t I just write on Tuesday?

Okay, so November 1 is just six days away (if you count today). Are you prepared to play the NaNoWriMo game with us? If so, make sure you let us know so we expect you at the party afterwards. Also, please post your writing goals. If you do the posting, you may feel more like writing on days when you don’t feel like writing. Why? Because the thirty of us know what you’re doing or not doing. If you don’t post, make sure you put your goal up several places at your home. And don’t be afraid to try. Last year I fell behind on day one and quit on day two. There’s something lovely about quitting so soon. I’m just saying. Below are some suggestions to help you get prepared for next week.

! Write a detailed letter to your character.
@ Receive a detailed letter from your character.
# Set your NaNWriMo goals.
$ My goal right now is 2273 words per day because I’m hoping for weekends off.
However, we have a big change coming in our family and so maybe this isn’t be best thing. I’ll see the first days of the month. I’m thinking, in advance, of ways to be more flexible. I’m also thinking, DON’T GET BEHIND. That is a good way to fail.

Guess what? THE GRAVEYARD BOOK is getting a new cover–one for adults. Have you read the book? I’ve just read a few pages so I can’t see this being an adult novel, but what do you think? This made-for-adults cover looks great, that’s for sure.

I have an idea for an adult book. I know the beginning (ish) and the end (for sure). I know nothing of the middle except all the sex scenes. Okay-I’m kidding. That was a sex joke and we have one once a year on this blog.
But
I’m scared of this idea. Not the-no-sex-scenes idea. I’m scared of the adult-novel-thing. Because what if it twists me this way and that the way the DD did (And BTW, Ann Dee is confused by the DD and that makes me sick and I could hardly look at her as she was telling me the problems I just wanted to run away because I don’t want a confusing book and that means that I may have to give my advance back and then will my editor hate me and what will I do and I thought I could do this . . . yes, this is the reason I may not want to try the adult novel)?

Once, in my old house in Springville where I had a huge office, I hung all my beginning of book ideas around my office. I typed up the ideas, a few thoughts about what might happen in the book–one per page and then taped these papers on the bookshelves around the room. I bet I had twenty ideas waiting for me. I’m sure you have many ideas for projects you want to write. Try this. Start jotting own the ideas you have. Write a bit about each idea. And write how you feel about working on this project. Put these up before Nov 1 so you can see them. And maybe, just maybe, another idea will step forward to be written next month.

So, these looked interesting. And guess what? Cynthia will teach the Paranormal class at Writing and Illustrating for Young Readers next year!

http://www.write4kids.com/blog/
http://kidlit.com/
http://sallymurphy.blogspot.com/
http://taralazar.wordpress.com/
http://www.resourcesforchildrenswriters.com/
http://www.cynthialeitichsmith.com/

PS I’ve seen the milk carton skeletons. They looked great!