March Madness (and other areas I've dropped the ball!) #WIPMadness

For the last several years, I've held a March Madness challenge - one that has nothing to do with basketball - on my blog (and on the blogs of awesome writer friends). Well, as the title suggests, I've dropped the ball this year. I looked at the calendar today and knew it was too late to pull together the organization for this event. I'm sad, because in the past this has been a great time of encouragement and fun for me.

While I don't have time for regular blogging these days (life has taken a ridiculous turn to the hectic lately) I, for one, will be tackling a new project come March 1st. I just wanted to put it out there...does anyone want to join me, set a goal and conquer it this March? Like I said, I can't commit to regular check-in posts, but I would love the camaraderie if anyone is up for it (and my house is overflowing with books these days, so I might even be able to offer some prizes!)

Let me know in the comments if you have any interest in joining me. If not, bless you in whatever you are pursuing these days.

Don't Miss the Last Check-in of the Year for #WIPMadness!

It has been one CRAZEEE month! Besides hosting our #WIPMadness check-ins, I have drafted a new novel this month, run an online class, organized and participated in several homeschooling events, and still managed to make dinner most days. Those are mostly things that were on top of my regular schedule, but I always say a busy person gets more done, and I think it's true.

I believe we have collaboratively decided to take a break from checking in through December. Our wonderful WIPMadness buddy, Kim Baccellia will take over as host for January.

But before you run off and get swallowed by the holiday season, hang back for a minute. I want to talk to you about a couple of things.

1. On finishing well. Whether you will achieve your November goals or not, I encourage you to finish the month well. What does that mean for you? You have six days left of the month. If you were to use those six days well in working toward your goals, what would that mean for you? Writing for a certain amount of time on each of those days? Or spending an hour or two outlining how you might bring this project to completion at a later date?

2. Think about how you will spur on your creativity through December. It can be a busy month for sure, but I think your inner spirit will be much happier through the month if your creativity does not lie dormant. So if you will be writing, what do you plan to write? If you won't be writing, how do you plan to be creative next month? (It may take some creativity just to answer this question!)

Above all, I wish you all a wonderful holiday season filled with much peace and love, and I'm so thankful that I've been able to spend the last year on this journey with all of you. Writing and publishing are no fun to do alone!

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Cheers to all of you! Looking forward to seeing you in the New Year with some shiny new goals!

On Shiny New Ideas and #WIPMadness Check-In!

Well, it happened to me as usual, right on schedule. Just as I reached the halfway mark of #NaNoWriMo and was filled with self-doubt over the project I was writing, a Shiny New Story Idea popped its cute little head up at me in the middle of the night.

This happens to me every year. Sometimes several times within the month of November. I have all these awesome ideas swarming around my brain, but sadly, I have to keep writing this other book, this book that is fraught with problem areas and plot twists and characters that aren't working.

SIGH.

If you have ever been in a similar situation, even if you're not NaNo-ing, I have found an outlook and a game plan for these times.

1. Know that your Shiny New Ideas are not as awesome as they seem at first glance. All stories are fraught with major problem areas once you get into the depth of actually writing them.

2. Take half an hour and write down everything you can think of concerning the Shiny New Idea. Then you're not missing out on ANYTHING by taking the time to finish your current work in progress. You can always come back to this Shiny New Idea once you have finished the book you have made a commitment to.

3. Imagine yourself dropping your current project, starting on your Shiny New Idea, and then getting caught up on some impossible  barrier after about a week. How horrible would you feel if you had to give up on BOTH projects.

4. Stop trying to compare the two stories in your head. As you know, or have known before the Shiny Idea hit, all stories are like apples and oranges.

5. Call the Shiny New Idea exactly what it is: Distraction. It's the part of you that's scared to move forward on your current project trying to self-sabotage. DON'T LET THAT HAPPEN! Your Shiny New Idea could indeed be awesome, but do yourself a favor and finish up your current project before making that decision.

I'm not sure if that helps anyone else, but it's been cathartic for me to get it down and read it over for my own good.

Are you facing any kind of distractions from your current writing project this week? What's getting in your way and how are you dealing with it?

On Criticism, #NaNoWriMo, and #WIPMadness Check-in

Whether you're trying to fast-draft a novel in a month, or taking many years to draft a story, chances are good that you have faced or will face criticism that will threaten to halt your progress. Every writer I know hears criticism from even the most unexpected sources (and sometimes the unexpected sources are the most painful!), and those criticisms can feel like the only thing any one has ever said about our writing when we hear them.

But the truth is, there are many readers out there in the world with vastly differing moods and opinions! Because I think it's ridiculous how much criticism can affect our progress as writers, I decided to make a list, all in one place, of things I've personally heard, or seen in reviews of other authors I love in hopes of shining a light on the ridiculousness of spending any time at all thinking about one person's criticism.

• "There's too little description I couldn't picture it."
• "There's too much description and it slowed down the pace."
• "Cardboard characters, lacking detailed description."
• "Why would I want to know every detail about what this character eats for breakfast?"
• "Starts off too slow."
• "I got whiplash from the breakneck pace."
• "Too languid and boring."
• "Too quick-paced and choppy."
• "Unlikable characters. 
• "Characters are too perfect."
• "Too short. I like my books at least three hundred pages."
• "Too long. Went on forever."
• "Too much sex and cursing."
• "Felt too clean to be realistic."
• "Melodramatic."
• "I wanted to feel more emotional connection."
• "Strange plot. Unbelievable."
• "Cliche. Felt like I've read it all before."
• "Main character is too angst-y."
• "I wish the characters had more passion."
• "Not enough conflict."
• "Too much going on. I wanted a minute just to breathe."
• "I hate issue-driven books."
• "I hate character-driven books."
• "I hate plotty books."
• "It's too simple."
• "It has everything in it but the kitchen sink."

That's a long list, but I'll bet there are many more I haven't mentioned. Seeing them all together helps me at least to remember not to put too much weight in any one thing anyone says. Feel free to add to my list in the comments, and let me know if criticism has ever hindered you from something creative. And how did you get over it?

Also, what are your goals for November? Are you joining in on NaNoWriMo, or do you have your own different set of goals for this month?

End of May #WIPMadness Check-in - What did you accomplish this month?

Surprise, surprise! I made it back for another May check-in! You know the saying, "A busy person gets more done?" Yes, well, apparently it's true.

I have finished up a big writing project this month, as well as started working on my screenplay again, and now I've just received my edits on FOREIGN EXCHANGE, so I'm busy at work on those. It's the end of the school year, so tying up projects and last-minute field trips and reporting in have also kept me very busy.

I've also been reading some FABULOUS novels this month. I'll be back when I have a little more time to share about those, because I want to do them justice, but if you've read anything amazing lately, I'd love to hear about it.

How about you? Did you get more than you thought you would done this month? Did you start something new? Or did you take some much needed time off?

I think our next official #WIPMadness host is scheduled for July, unless anyone would like to take on June??? Not much is required (as you can see by my May jump-in posts!) Just post a check-in on your blog each Monday and tweet about it so we don't forget. Anyone up for that?

Anyway, I hope your May has been wonderful, whatever you have been up to!

MARCH MADNESS: SET YOUR GOALS! #WIPMadness

If you’ve been looking for a challenge to get your writing into gear, you’ve come to the right place! Through the month of March we will be cheering each other on to meet challenging goals with our writing.

Also, this year we've decided to open up the challenge to Readers, Bloggers, and Illustrators. Basically, anyone who wants to challenge themselves regarding books and win prizes for it!

Today is goal-setting day! 

(But if you don't make it here on the first day, not to worry.
Feel free to add your writing goals here any time during the month of March).

March Madness officially begins March 1st, and this is how it will work.

1. Set a goal here (anything writing, reading, blogging, or otherwise book related). It can be as small and simple of a goal as turning off your Internet while you write, or finishing reading a book you've been trying to get through during the month of March. Or it can be as large as writing or revising an entire book.

2. Check in daily through the month of March at our designated check-in points. Let us know how you're doing with your goal. Share your victories and struggles. Encourage others. The key is support and camaraderie.

3. We give you prizes just for stopping by and letting us know how you're doing, and for encouraging others!

Sounds easy and fun, right?! The following will be the check-in points for the month of March. Check in as often as you can, as we will be announcing prize winners throughout the month on all of the different blogs, but we're writing too, so we don't have time to chase around anyone who has won.

We plan to have check-in posts up and running by 9AM PST (noon EST) each day.

Mondays – Visit LS Taylor at  http://lstaylor.blogspot.com
Tuesdays – Visit Shari Green at http://www.sharigreen.com
Wednesdays – Visit Shana Silver at http://www.shana-silver.com
Thursdays –  Visit Denise Jaden at http://denisejaden.blogspot.com 
Fridays – Visit Tonette de la Luna at http://www.tonettedelaluna.com
Saturdays – Visit Carol Garvin at http://careann.wordpress.com
Sundays – Visit Angelina Hansen at  http://yascribe.blogspot.com 

The prizes! We have some truly awesome prizes up for grabs this year! I'll start by giving away a prize to one person who comments below with their goals within the next 24 hours!

Here are the prizes that are up for grabs (these are in no particular order and have been donated by my generous co-hosts for this event!) I've added in brackets where we are able to mail each prize:

First Five Pages Manuscript Critique! (Courtesy of Denise's agent, Michelle Humphrey - International)

3 2 1 BOX of popular and new fiction! (Courtesy of Shana Silver - US Only)

A book of choice (up to $15) anywhere Book Depository delivers! (Courtesy of Shari Green) 

1/2 pound of peanut butter flavored tiger butter! (Courtesy of L.S. Taylor - US/Canada Only)

An autographed paperback of Julius Caesar Brown and the Green Gas Mystery by Ace Hansen (Courtesy of Angelina Hansen - US Only)

A full manuscript critique! (Courtesy of Tonette dela Luna - International)

Audiobook copy of NEVER ENOUGH by Denise Jaden! (Courtesy of Denise Jaden - International)

A Writers-On-The-Go Kit! (Includes various take-with-you stationary, and of course...chocolate!)  (Courtesy of Carol Garvin - U.S./Canada Only)

A previously read and loved copy of ROOMIES, signed by both Sara and Tara! (Courtesy of Shari Green - International)

A first chapter critique! (Courtesy of L.S. Taylor - International)

A $20 Gift Card for Barnes & Noble (Courtesy of Angelina Hansen - International)

Copy of your choice of paperback book by Denise Jaden! (Courtesy of Denise Jaden - US Only)

ARC's (Courtesy of Kim Baccellia - US Mailing Only):
Fire and Flood by Victoria Scott
Big Fat Disaster by Beth Fehlbaum
Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith
Going Over by Beth Kephart
Wings by Elizabeth Richards
Embers & Ash by T.M. Goeglein



Isn't that quite the ARSENAL of prizes?! Wow, thank you all!!

Why do we do this, you may ask. Well, I can only answer for myself. First of all, people who set tangible goals and stay accountable with them are as much as 90% more likely to achieve those goals. And I REALLY want to achieve my goals this March. Secondly, I love the camaraderie. This business makes writers feel lonely enough, so any chance I have to feel like I'm not in all of this alone, I'll take it! I love NaNoWriMo each year, but this group is a little more personal. We get to know each other and care about how we're doing on our projects and in our lives. And if one check-in a day is not enough camaraderie for you, we also hang out on Twitter under the hashtag #WIPMadness, so please join in on the conversations there as well.

As for this year's goals, I have two of them. I'd like to revise the book I wrote during NaNoWriMo last year. I already have a strong vision for what to do with this one, so I'm eager to get going. I also plan to first-draft a very short novel (around 20k) that I hope to submit to a specific imprint of a specific publisher. It's a lot, but I believe with all the support here, I will be able to do it.

How about you? What are your goals for this March? Have you done this challenge with us before, and if so, how has it worked out for you? I'd love to hear!

Don't forget to leave your goal(s) in the comments below, and head on over to Carol Garvin's blog this Saturday for your first check-in! Remember, the more you check-in and encourage others, the better chance you have of winning some awesome prizes! And if you set your goal within the next twenty-four hours below, you have a good chance at winning one right away!

ONWARD, Fearless Writers!