When It's Not Working

I'm talking from a writer's perspective this morning.
I know all writers are different and they have their own way of doing things. Some plot, some don't.
Some know every scene before they start writing.
Some don't.
I don't.
But I've come to know my progress and it works for me. It really does. For the most part.
Today wasn't a most part.
And this is what I've learned over the years regarding my writing process.
If it's really hard to write a scene--usually it's the wrong scene.
I spent over an hour this morning on a few hundred words.
It's not working.
But, at least I have something down. I will think on what I've written. And I did have a light bulb moment while writing, so I know it was all worthwhile.
I need to take the light bulb moment and create my scene around that.
So, I will think on this today, then tomorrow get back at it.

How about you? What do you do when things seem like they're not working?

New Ideas

One of my favorite parts of writing, besides writing 'The End' when I'm finished with a novel is coming up with the ideas for a novel. Then, when I get the ideas it usually takes a little time and tweaking to flesh them out enough for me to write. After I write about 3 chapters I'm usually in 'the zone' for that novel, and can somewhat plan a little bit more of it.
I do have to know the ending before I start. But of course it's a happy ending. Nothing else will do!
So, this morning, I've been working away and I've come up with almost everything I need for a 3 book proposal. I have one more item I'm working on, and I will be thinking on that today. With any luck that one part will come to me and I can jot it down. :)
Then I have all I need to keep working on my series.

There's so many things I love about the writing process--what about you?

Lindi P.
Happy Endings Are Just The Beginning

Great Meeting

Usually once a year the Georgia Romance Writers offer a special all day meeting. This year Author Nancy Knight hosted the workshop Well Begun Is Half Done.
First of all there's nothing like spending the day with a group of people who have the same passion you do. I also got to see some friends I don't see very often. All this in a setting that is focused on writing.
The workshop was great! The writing exercises were very helpful. Creativity sparkled around the room.
If you are a writer--or have a passion about anything--do you get the opportunity to share it with others that encourage and inspire you?

Writing Challenge

There is a writing challenge going on over at Christy's blog.

Check it out and join in.

Revisions and Revelations

Well, I went on vacay and I'm back and finally into the swing of things. I'm still not unpacked mind you. Seriously, I have issues there!! But I need to get all these things done and there isn't enough time in the day.

I entered the Golden Heart contest for unpublished authors. You enter online then mail your six copies of the entry and synopsis plus a copy of the completed book. Yes, the book has to be completed. Which mine is but.....

I'm still working on revisions. Revisions so if someone actually reads the book all the plot points come together, the character's arc has arched. You get the drift.

What I have found out is that I'm a very, and I mean very, lean first draft writer. Which means I have a lot, and I mean a lot, of work to do after I've written the first draft. I've even thought of in the future when I'm done with the first draft I should just say, "I've finished my outline. Yes, my 234 page outline." How crazy is that?

At least this weekend I've had some sort of revelation. You can read about it over at the F.A.I.T.H. Blog. Please hop over and say hi!

The Story

Yes, I've updated the blog a little on the side-bar. I've actually got a synopsis of my current wip--Dreaming of You.

Here it is:

Kyla Stewart revists her hometown to find the truth about her very unconventional mother. Ryan Maverick might be able to provide some answers, but he's determined to prove her accusations against his father are false.
Seeing her grandmother and Ryan hold steadfast to their faith gives Kyla an insight to God she's never seen before.
Nevermind that Kyla has been dreaming of Ryan for the past six months. Coming face to face with her dream threatens her resolve to live in reality.
Can Ryan change Kyla's heart? Make her see that sometimes God has dreams for us we don't know about?
Or will Kyla run when she finds the truth and miss out on what God has in store for her life.


This story has been so much fun to write. I really like the characters and the feelings and emotions that are being revealed as I write them.

This picture describes my revision process speed.
Slow.
Crazy slow.
But I think it's making the book better. At least I hope so. I hope I'm not taking all this time with the same results. I don't know.
I've been reading my how-to books as I go through this process, trying to utilize all the tools I have at my disposal to create a novel that people will enjoy reading and want to finish.
I want to create characters that people care about.
I hope I'm not trying too hard.
The thing is I think I can tell if something's working. I'm pretty good at that. I'm just not so good at being able to fix it quickly. It takes me time. Time to process and analyze. Maybe the more I do it the quicker I'll get.
Let's hope.

Making Real Progress

Yes, this morning I am making real progress. The new scene I wrote yesterday fits into the novel like I wanted it to. I'm still rearranging---still trying to get the manuscaript to be as tight as it can be.
Succinct.
So the reader doesn't have time to put the book down. Doesn't lose interest in the relationship forming between Kyla and Ryan.
Because after all, this is a romance.
So the reader wants to feel the connection between these two and wonder why the two don't see it!!
Or maybe the reader sees that Ryan and Kyla get the connection forming but of course they (Ryan and Kyla) aren't acting on it.
The reader keeps reading hoping Ryan and Kyla come to their senses.
It's all about creating emotion. Emotion within the story and that emotional connection to the reader.
With the rough draft I had a sense of story direction. I feel like I had a complete story, a complete puzzle with the pieces scattered across the dining room table waiting for someone to come along and piece it together.



That's what I'm doing. Piecing it all together.
Thank you to anyone who's been praying. I'm praying for you, too.

Revising Revisions

I'm printing pages 61-67 a totally new scene I've written for Dreaming Of You. (further referred to in all posts as DOY.) That's what it feels like sometimes a
DOY!!

Writing brand-new scenes wasn't in my projected revision process. So now, in reviewing the new scene(s) written during the revision process I'm revising the revisions.
Wow.
I guess I can do that. I mean I'm trying.
I'm really praying to God also to keep the desire alive in me. I was so excited about this book.
I started DOY on May 18th. Was about half-way through when I found out the first 25 pages were a finalist in the Maggie Contest. Well that bit of encouragement fueled me on to finish the book. I was extremely excited about revising and the added bonus of getting a request from an agent at the Moonlight and Magnolia's Conference put on by the Georgia Romance Writers fueld me even more. But the more work it's turning out to be the more the fuel is burning out.
If you're inclined to pray, please pray for the excitement to rear it's head again.

Jake the Bachelor and More

Jake is going to be the next bachelor! Yeah! I hope he finds that special woman. I really wanted it to be Reid, but I have my own story for Reid. I've matched him up with a girl named Mandy and my next book is titled, Marry Me Mandy. Still working out all the plot points, but it's going to be a fun book, with six year old twin girls, Reid, Mandy and a dance studio. Fun stuff!!

Well, it will be fun stuff if I ever finished revising Dreaming of You. I'm afraid if anyone is reading this blog you're going to have to journey with me through this revision.
Sorry!!!

Added part of a new scene this morning. Now off to the day job.

Realization

Things I've realized.

I haven't posted in a long time.
Revising my book is A LOT of work.

I supposed that's because I am learning as I go. I learn more and more about my characters as I write, then when I go back I need to infuse some of that in the beginning.
Also, scenes. Wow. I'm combining and deleting. It's a bit overwhelming for me this morning. Mornings are really the only time I have to work on the book. I've been getting up early and today it didn't seem like I accomplished anything.

Although I'm sure I did. The revising is going way slower than I thought it would. But I want the book to be the best I can make it. There are places I could it just like it is, but I know I can make it better. And whatever it is inside of me won't let me just leave it.

The funny thing is this. I promised myself when I finished I'd go out at buy myself the book Revising and Self-Editing by James Scott Bell. You know, to help with my revisions. but as I'm revising I'm still focusing on his Plot and Structure book. Oh well, life is funny.

Dreaming of You

If you look to the sidebar to the right you'll see the word count has gone up dramatically. That's one of the reasons for the absence of posts this summeer. I started this book May 18th and am 5 chapters away from being done. I've spent all my free time working on this story.
I'm still liking it and hope to finish by next weekend.

Cuz, I hope you're ready to read a book. I need feedback.

26,503 and Counting

Whew! I'm rocking right along. Not at the 50,000 pace of the NaNoWriMo, but I'm still rocking. Any pace is better than no pace, right? I'm loving how this story is coming together. There have been a few twists and turns I haven't expected, but that's okay. It's what writing is all about.

F.A.I.T.H. and Word Count

Over on F.A.I.T.H. I'm talking about cities we'd love to visit, live in, or just are interested in. Go visit and check it out.
Also, look to the sidebar on the right. My word count for This Crazy Love I Never Expected is going up, up and up. I've hit the 25,000 mark.
Yeah!!!

Over at F.A.I.T.H. Today.....

We have a lot going on. I've posted a post titled Reality Check. I have a link to a great post from the Seekerville Blog from Tina Russo. I also have a link to Missy's post today on Seekerville.
So come on over to F.A.I.T.H. and check out my post and Missy's Seekerville post.

It's a fun day!!!

I Hit 20,000

Words, that is!!!

I had a vision for my manuscript This Crazy Love I Never Expected. It's a long story, but basically I've written almost the entire book in third person, hero/heroine point of view. Then I decided I wanted to write it in first person, heroine point of view, so I started over. The first chapters have done great in contests, but somewhere along the line I lost my vision of the story. I couldn't decide in which direction to go in. It was truly crazy.
I started another story which I believe God gave me to write. I have a good beginning of that story. Which is where it is stopping for now.

Because I have to finish This Crazy Love......
I just have to.
And I sent my Cuz the first three chapters to read and she was such an inspiration. She gave me encouraing words regarding the story and said she wanted to read more. My mother read them and liked them and said she would like to read the rest of the story.

Well, Cuz, Mother, hopefully before the end of the year you'll be able to read the whole book. I'm moving along,things are coming in place. I've written a synopsis that I have by my laptop as I work and I'm tweaking that as I go along.

Thanks to Missy to who read the synopsis. You guys are very helpful and encouraging at the same time. I couldn't do this without you.

So today I hit 20,000 words.

Keep watching the meter on the right of this blog to check my progress. In other words, keep me accountable. If you don't see it going up, comment!! Ask me what I'm doing and why I'm not writing!!

Thanks!

A Sale for a F.A.I.T.H. girl!!!

Our very own Jennifer Hudson Taylor has sold her first book!!!

Her manuscript Promised Blessings has been picked up by Abingdon Press and will be a spring 2010 release. I am thrilled for Jennifer. She's a great writer and now the world will get to know that too!

A big congratulations goes out to Jenn.

2 F.A.I.T.H. girls down.......

4 to go!!

Winner!!

Just a quick note to say my manuscript This Crazy Love I Never Expected took first place in the Faith, Hope and Love Chapter Touched By Love Contest.
Missy accepted my award for me in San Francisco.
Thanks!!!

How Many Books Can You Read At A Time?

Do you like to read? I love it. I read a lot of different genres. And I've started doing something I've never done before.
I can read two or three books at a time. Yep. I can and I do.
Usually they are different type of books, and whatever I'm in the mood for I pick that one up. Then the next day I may pick up the other one. It's really a different type of thing for me. I never used to be able to do this. It would drive me crazy.

I'm also working on a writing a couple of books. But that's harder for me to switch back and forth. I'm basically working on one, but have started another one to enter in a contest. That story idea has really progressed, but I'm putting it aside until I finish the other story. If ideas come for the second story I'll jot them down in my trusty notebook and keep on plugging away until the finish of previous said wip.

What about you? Can you read two books at the same time? If you write, can you work on more than one story at a time?

Monday on F.A.I.T.H.

We're being creative over at F.A.I.T.H. on Monday. Come on over and be creative with us