Camp NaNoWriMo or Bust!

April seems like another good month for a fast draft! Whether you're officially involved with NaNoWriMo or Camp NaNoWriMo, I invite you to sign up for my short daily writing inspirations, delivered straight to your inbox through the month of April.

You can sign up here.

My apologies for anyone who was looking for some camaraderie through March Madness. This year has been a little crazy, and I wasn't able to get it in gear in time. But I hope you'll think about joining me through an April writing challenge.

Here's the link again to sign up!

If you're a reader and not so much a writer, I invite you to join my reading group over at DeniseJaden.com. Very soon I will be announcing a very special launch contest for my new Living Out Loud series, launching in April.

Until next time, happy reading and writing!

March Madness, Week 2 - How's Progress?

Have you kept up with your writing so far this month? Have you started something new, or are you plugging away at an older project, determined to get it finished this month? Or, like me, have you gotten a little distracted through the first ten days of March?

I started well, determined to do a little writing every day, whether I felt motivated for it or not. I knew I would be getting edits for a different project this month, but I wasn't sure exactly when. I have not received my edits yet, however, I did receive a heads up of some research I would need to do along with my edits, and also the (very tight) schedule for returning my edited manuscript. So all of this is to say that I HAVE been working, very hard in fact. But mostly on research and I did let my original March project wane a little.

The truth is, research makes me grumpy and creative writing is actually the only cure I've found for grumpiness (that or a glass of wine). This week I plan to get rid of the grumpy, and do a little creative writing on my March project Every. Single. Day. You heard me. It's in writing now.

How about you? How's your progress? What are the well-thought-out excuses you're ready to give me for why your progress has been less than expected?

Or...feel free to brag if you're right on track. The rest of us will look up to you in awe, and follow in your dedicated footsteps!

Onward, March writers...

March Madness, Anyone?

Is anyone else missing our yearly March Madness writing challenge? Unfortunately, I have not had time to organize anything official this year, but I am gearing up to do some serious writing through March.

If you're in the same boat, let me know in the comments. Let's keep each other company...I mean ACCOUNTABLE.

Creating Memorable Characters

It’s been a long time since I’ve written a blog post, and even longer since I’ve written a writing craft post, so I figured it was about time! Today I was reflecting on what is involved in creating memorable characters, and I have a few thoughts on the subject.

First, I asked myself which characters I’ve read over the years are most memorable to me, and on thinking about why these characters are memorable, I noticed some interesting things.

1. Characters whose names I could easily remember automatically felt closer to my heart than characters I know I had loved but whose names I struggled for.

2. All my most memorable characters were quite extreme in nature, or larger than life in some way, or, if they were more average, they felt like friends.

3. Many characters who I thought would be memorable while reading them, are actually completely gone from my memory now. (I read over book descriptions to jog my memory).

4. To be honest, I struggled to come up with many characters that were memorable. In most cases, it was only the plots that were memorable.

So, starting at the top of the list, I spent a while considering character names. Why does remembering a character’s name make them automatically more memorable in every way to me? I decided it’s because they become more personal (and like in number 2, they often felt almost like friends – as though I had been on their journey with them). I never thought remembering a character’s name would be such a big deal. I read about a hundred books a year, and most of them I couldn’t tell you the first name of the main character after about a week. I’ve never considered it a problem, but now that I think about it, even though I enjoyed many of those books, I can’t tell you much about the characters or the plot (except in the case of very unusual plots).

So how do you make your characters’ names memorable was the next question I asked myself. Well...I went back and looked at a few of my favorites. Stephanie Perkins’s “Anna” was an easy one – her name is in the title Anna and the French Kiss. But if having Anna’s name in the title wasn’t enough, Anna’s best friend was constantly sending her bananas (while she sent her friend Bridget bridges), and if THAT wasn’t enough, her name was secured, at least for me, when the hot British boy with fantastic hair pronounced her name in a very special way.

But is a memorable name enough to make a character memorable? Well, Anna was also witty and had a fantastic voice, but I honestly don’t know if that would be enough to bring her, specifically, to mind, and not just the romance of the book in general if I didn’t know her name and feel like I’d been on her journey alongside her. And that, for me, came from knowing and remembering her name.

There are other ways of making character names memorable, of course, and I’ve always unthinkingly employed at least one small device to help readers remember each of my main characters. With Brie in Losing Faith, she talks about how her parents named her after a cheese because she’s the cheesy daughter. Loann in Never Enough breaks her name down into lo and ann – the low man on the totem pole, and Ann – the plain-jane name that she thinks suits her perfectly. In Foreign Exchange, the hot neighbor boy calls Jamie “James” which makes her think she’ll always be like a brother to him. And in A Christmas Kerril, of course Kerril is the title character.

Right now I’m reading a book called All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven. While I don’t know that I’ll remember the female lead, I’m quite certain I will remember the male one – Theodore Finch – mainly because he often goes by his full name, or his last name, which is unusual, but also because he is larger than life with his struggles. But I guess only time will tell if he is a truly memorable character.

I considered why Katniss Everdeeen is so memorable. First, her sacrificial nature made her memorable to me. In a world where we are all out to look out for ourselves, it’s automatically noteworthy to see someone so selfless. And as for her name, I think the cute “Catnip” nickname definitely helped.

I’ve spent a lot of time talking about character names here, and a few extreme qualities, but I’d love to hear your thoughts as well. Who are some of your favorite characters, and what makes them memorable for you? Did you automatically remember their name when you thought of them? What triggered that memory for you?

March Madness Check-In Day 22 #WIPMadness - How Motivated Are You?

Last week I went for a "hike" with my family. I put "hike" in quotes, because, to be honest, whenever I hear about people going for a "hike," they're usually just talking about going for a walk in the woods.

We have a fairly famous "hike" in the Vancouver area called The Grouse Grind. I know people of all shapes and sizes and athletic abilities who have completed this "hike." We have another trail, a little closer to home that is supposedly about half the length of The Grouse Grind, and my family and I decided to try it as a warm up to help decide if we wanted to give The Grouse Grind a try. You see, The Grouse Grind is so busy with people, that you're not allowed to turn back part way and go downhill. Once you've started it, you must complete the "hike."

So we headed out to The Abby Grind, stocked with a bit of water and sweaters, since it was a cool day. Well, the sweaters came off during the first fifty feet. My eleven-year-old son took off ahead of my husband and I, and I was having trouble keeping up to my husband's giraffe-long legs. But soon my husband petered out. I caught up and then passed him as I put one very slow step in front of the other headed almost straight upward.

My husband was a hesitant participant in this "hike" to begin with, so I wasn't surprised when he said he probably wouldn't push through to the top and planned to turn around. However, my son was now so far ahead of us, above us in the woods of this mountainside, that not only could we not see him, we couldn't even get a reaction from yelling to him.

My lungs were burning, my legs were burning, and I hadn't even reached the halfway mark! But my son was out of reach, my husband was going to be no help in keeping track of him, and so the Mama Bear in me emerged. I sometimes had to stop every four or five steps and pray against heart palpitations, but with my concern for my son in the forefront of my mind, I made it to the top of that mountain!

Sometimes the goal doesn't seem worth it, or the reward doesn't seem like enough, or you may doubt your ability to complete it, or you may just feel really, really tired. But just take a moment and think...what if you HAD to complete your goal this month? What if something dire was at stake? No matter how far behind you are, I'll bet you could do it, couldn't you.

I'm behind, but I pictured that scenario for a minute, and the truth is, I can do this. I can make it happen. I just need to reach deep and pull it out of myself. How about you? CAN you make your goal happen this month? How proud would you be of yourself if you did, especially if it meant overcoming some pretty huge lapses and obstacles?

I'm proud of myself for completing The Abby Grind. I'm even considering attempting The Grouse Grind.

Also, I no longer put the word hike in quotations.

Don't forget to check in over at Kim's blog tomorrow!

March Madness Check In Day 15 - Breaking It Down - #WIPMadness

We're just over the halfway mark of March Madness! Woohoo! Congratulations to all who have stuck with it from the beginning, and if you have not set your goals yet for March, what are you waiting for? You still have TWO WEEKS LEFT!

For those who are soaring through March Madness this year and getting tons accomplished, way to go! Keep with it! Keep checking in to inspire the rest of us!

I want to talk today a little about those times when we're not keeping up on our goals, or we're further behind than we'd like to be at certain checkpoints (like the halfway point!)

First of all, you're not alone. I've been there many times, and, in fact, I'm facing that kind of situation right now.

Secondly, this is not an unfixable problem. And maybe the "problem" isn't even a problem at all. Perhaps along the way you've realized that the goal was bigger than expected, or maybe you've realized your story had to go in a different direction than anticipated, and this has required stepping back to discover a new plan of attack.

The most important thing, wherever you're at with your goals, and for whatever reason, is that you're not thinking of your work (or yourself) as a failure.  This kind of outlook is debilitating, and will stop you in your tracks. At first you may think, "Yeah, I'm a little behind, but I'll catch up tomorrow." Then tomorrow comes, and you don't really feel like catching up. The next day rolls around, and you've become so far behind, and you are now so unmotivated, it seems nearly impossible to close your Twitter window and open your manuscript. Sound familiar? Or is this just me?

One solution I've found is to micro-focus until I've built a few small successes to bolster me up again. Opening my manuscript IS an accomplishment when it's hard to do, as is writing one new sentence. Pretty soon, I'm writing an entire new paragraph. Sometimes we miss those small accomplishments if we're focusing too hard on the Big Goal. A question I often ask myself (with writing and with other areas of life) is "Am I going in the right direction?" If the answer is yes, maybe all the little details of when and how and how much are not that important.

Sometimes I think we need to be more like little kids. I love this picture, because it reminds me that kids have no problem celebrating the little things in life, like creating a silly cartoon character or winning a round of a video game. We adults may have more of a tendency to tell ourselves it's not enough, or not good enough, or not worth celebrating. Forward progress of any kind IS worth celebrating. Making yourself accountable to us was a huge step in its own right, so if you're feeling down at all today, remind yourself that you're here, you're doing this, and even though this month may not be looking exactly how you envisioned it, you are accomplishing things! One of my favorite song lyrics is from Avril Lavigne: "I'm waking up to say I've tried, instead of waking up to another TV Guide." That's all of us. We're all trying, and it's a lot better than not trying. 

What do you do when you get behind or feel like you just can't motivate yourself to do anything?

And finally, what's one thing you are celebrating about yourself or your progress today?

Don't forget to check in over at Kim's blog tomorrow!

MARCH MADNESS is Here! Day 1: Set Your Goals!

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, reading, blogging, or illustrating.

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 today, March 1st, and this is how it works.

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 –  Check in with Kim Baccellia -  http://kimbacceliasweblogfantasy.blogspot.com/
Tuesdays – Check in with Shari Green – http://www.sharigreen.com
Wednesdays – Check in with Mary Ann Scott - http://thebrokentree.blogspot.com
Thursdays – Check in with Carol Garvin - http://careann.wordpress.com
Fridays –  Check in with Tonette – http://www.tonettedelaluna.com

Saturdays – Check in with Dawn Ius - http://www.dawnius.com/blog

Sundays –  Check in with Denise Jaden – http://denisejaden.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:

A critique of your first five pages - (courtesy of Denise’s agent Michelle Humphrey – INT’L)

A handmade bracelet - (courtesy of Mary Ann Scott – INT'L)

A surprise book on the craft of writing (courtesy of Dawn Ius – US/CAN)

An audiobook of Writing With a Heavy Heart  - (courtesy of Denise Jaden – INT’L)

A FULL Manuscript Critique! (courtesy of Tonette de la Luna - INT'L)

A Writing-on-the-go Writer’s Kit – (courtesy of Carol Garvin – US/CAN ONLY)

Book of Choice (to $20 Cdn) from Book Depository (courtesy of Shari Green - INT’L)

A swag pack from Anne and Henry and Falling For Alice - (notebook, charms, bookmarks – Courtesy of Dawn Ius – US/CAN)

A surprise box of YA Fiction - (courtesy of Denise Jaden – US only)

A package of fiction books, including KI, SPIRITED, and possibly an ANNE & HENRY ARC – (courtesy of Dawn Ius – US/CAN)

A beautiful Van Gogh Sunflowers Canvas Cuff Bracelet (courtesy of Kelly Calabrese - US Only)

Some popular high-demand advance copies of YA fiction – Choose one or two from the following selection (courtesy of Kim Baccelia – US/CAN)

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

(Also, check back, because in the past I have had March Madness participants so eager about their progress  or about the great camaraderie that they have offered additional prizes during the month!)

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'd like to draft a book that I outlined over a year ago. I haven't even looked back at this outline for months, so I'm still unsure of how it will hold up, but I'm jumping in with both feet anyway! 

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 check in with Kim Baccellia -  http://kimbacceliasweblogfantasy.blogspot.com/  tomorrow! Remember, the more you check-in and encourage others, the better chance you have of winning some of the above awesome prizes! And if you set your goal within the next twenty-four hours in the comments below, you have a good chance at winning one right away!

ONWARD, Fearless Writers!

MARCH MADNESS Writing, Reading, and Blogging Challenge! #WIPMadness

It’s almost March and time for an Almost-Nano Challenge! If you have a writing project you’re ready to start, or a work in progress you’re ready to finish, come and join the fun. Accountability is our main aim and the more support we have, the easier it will be to sail on through the month of March, bouncing along on each others successes!

And, like last year, we're opening up March Madness to readers who want to challenge themselves to read more, bloggers who want to challenge themselves to blog more, and illustrators who want to challenge themselves to illustrate more! Basically, anything to do with books!

And did I mention there will be PRIZES? Prizes will not be awarded based on how much you write, read, draw, or blog, but simply on how involved you are in the Big Accountability Plan. There will be check-in points most days throughout the month of March. Each time you check in and record your progress, your name will be entered into a draw for some great prizes, donated by our fabulous blog hosts, including some high demand advance copy books, audiobooks, and a writer's survival kit! And not only that, but the more you encourage others along the way (in the comments), the more times your name will go into the hat!

Spread the word, and check out http://denisejaden.blogspot.com Sunday, March 1st, to put your goals officially in writing and find out the locations of the check-in points. If you’re ready to get serious, don’t do it alone…Get serious with us!

Now is the time to be setting your Ambitious Goals for the month of March! (Trust me, you will be able to accomplish much more than you normally would with the added camaraderie and support, so don't be afraid to set the bar a little higher.) If you haven't already, start meeting up with us on Twitter under the hashtag #WIPMadness .

Please spread the word about this Challenge. There will be lots to win throughout the month and the more support we have, the better all of our goals will go this month!  If you're interested in being a blog host for one day per week through the month of March, please let me know. We still have room for a couple more hosts!

So check back in here March 1st. If you're such a proud participant that you want to let everyone know, grab the March Madness badge from below, and put it somewhere prominent.

Everyone is welcome and the more the merrier! Let's march into March like the mad group of writers we are!!!

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 Muses, @AvrilLavigne, #NaNoWriMo, and #WIPMadness Check-in

This photo is licensed for use:
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/

If I had a muse, it would be Avril Lavigne. There's something about her Girl Power brand and individualistic lyrics that make me feel like I can do anything and that the world needs my unique words.

I say "if" because the truth is, I don't believe in muses. I used to, before I discovered NaNoWriMo. In 2007, I started taking on the 30-day, 50,000-word challenge, and that changed my thinking. You see, when forcing yourself to write 50,000 words in a month, you don't have time to wait around for inspiration or muses. Most of the thirty days you will not feel like writing at all. At least I don't. But I push myself to meet my goal, and inevitably, words and metaphors and story lines show up on the page that blow me away when I go back to reread. Those nuggets of gold are not the result of my muse, they are simply the result of my dedication.

One of the reasons I'm such a big advocate of NaNoWriMo and fast drafting is because I believe that by pushing ourselves to write, even when we don't feel like it, helps us access our subconscious mind where all of our best ideas are stored. You see, if we take our time and only write when our "muse" strikes, we already think we have the best ideas, so why on earth would our subconscious mind pipe up to tell us any different?

I'm curious if you agree, or if you have some sort of muse that truly helps you get your stories written.

Also, I should mention that if you are fast drafting this month, I'm live-tweeting tips from my nonfiction writing book Fast Fiction, using the hashtag #FastFiction.

Also, NaNoWriMo posted my Top 5 Tips to NaNo Success this week. I hope you'll check it out.

And finally, don't forget to leave your progress on your goals so far this month in the comments. Write on, friends!

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?

Friday Four! #Nanowrimo2014 and #WIPMadness Update!

Happy Halloween! It's been a long, long time since I've done a variety-of-what's-going-on-in-my-life post! Here it goes...
1. I've been exceptionally busy, with the launch of Fast Fiction in February, and then promotional opportunities as we're leading up to NaNoWriMo. Plus, add on top of that my young adult novel, Foreign Exchange, that just came out two weeks ago, and blog tours and interviews, etc, that goes along with that. But it's been a great year, seeing these books hit the shelves and hearing testimonies and reviews about how these books are affecting others.

I just had another testimonial come in for Fast Fiction that I'd love to share with you:

Three years ago I set myself the goal of writing a novel because I have always wanted to see if I could do it.  I quickly found myself completely lost and mired in the unique problems such a large project can create. I was so lost I failed to get very far with my novel until I was fortunate enough to hear Denise speak at my local writing group. Impressed by her presentation, I purchased her book "Fast Fiction" that night and found the encouragement, structure, and practical advice on process I needed to begin, and more importantly, finish the first draft of my first ever novel. I have shared her process with my writing group and encourage anyone else who may be wandering lost in the novel writing wilderness to check out her book. It will help! Thank you, Denise Jaden, for "Fast Fiction"!
 - Kirsten Mah

As you can imagine, I'm thrilled by this response! If you're reading Fast Fiction and/or using it for NaNoWriMo this year, I'd love to hear from you too!


2. Speaking of NaNoWriMo, yes, I will be drafting a new novel this November! The title is tentatively Chasing Waterfalls, and will be kind of a companion/follow up to my outdoor survival YA novel, Avalanche (which is still in pre-production - I should have some good news to announce regarding that one soon!). Also, if you've followed the hashtag #WIPMadness at all on Twitter, you know we hold weekly check-in's throughout the year to keep writers on track. I will be hosting each Monday throughout November right here, so whether you're fast drafting or setting some other kind of writing goal, I hope you'll stop in and check in with us here.

And...if you're considering jumping in on the NaNoWriMo bandwagon at the last minute, check out my Story Plan resource, free to my blog readers, to get all of your important story information quickly in one place.

3. I've been doing a little acting in my "spare" time, along with my son. Nothing of mine has aired yet, but my good friend sent this little screen shot of my so on Strange Empire. He loved seeing himself on the screen!

4. I just got back from the Surrey International Writers' Conference (SIWC) where I learn a huge amount each year. This year, among other things, I took some great classes on settings and photo-use for blogging and social media, reviews for authors, and writing with gusto. I came away refreshed and inspired. I spent much of the weekend live-tweeting some tidbits of what I was learning, so if you're interested in my "Cliff Notes," check out my Twitter feed from last weekend.


That's it for me at the moment (or all I can remember in my harried state!) How about you? What's new this fall? Are you planning on writing during NaNoWriMo, and if so, what do you plan to write?

Guest Post: The 4-1-1 on Writer's Block by Sonia Chopra

I've been working with Sonis Chopra on getting set up on a new writer's platform called Penned (you can download the app through your iPhone/iPad. It looks like a great app, though I haven't had much time to play around on it yet. Sonia offered to write a guest post for writers who follow my blog and since I'm always happy to get insight from other writers, I'm excited to share this with you...

The 4-1-1 on Writer’s Block

by Sonia Chopra

If you’re a writer, you’re no stranger to writer’s block. In fact, he may be your best friend. It happens to the best of us, and can be rather frustrating… Only making things worse.

So how can we politely ask this friend to leave? What are some ways to prevent him from staying too long? From personal experience, I have found some of the most effective ways to combat the enemy, are seemingly silly and even more frustrating. But in reality, I can promise you that at least one of these will ease the writing woes and kick your friend onto the curb of uninvited house-guests.

1.     Step away… Step away from your work. Put it out of sight, and out of mind for a mere fifteen minutes.  Try to direct your attention to another project or task that involves creativity.. Get those creative wheels oiled up again!

2.     Just Dance. It’ll Be Okay. Doo-doo-doo. Just Dance. I’m serious. Yes this is a famous lyric from Lady Gaga… but it’s the truth. Crank up some music (maybe “Just Dance” perhaps?), and get your body moving. This helps ease the stress and frustration of writer’s block, while allowing your mind to have fun in a creative and active way.. You never know.. A song lyric could even inspire you!

3.     Desk. Bed. Desk. Do you always write in the same place? It’s time to switch it up!!! The normal routine setting may just be inspiring normal and routine thoughts.. But no anymore! Go sit outside at your local park, coffee shop, or even in a different room of your house (if you are that lazy).  The change of scenery sparks a change of ideas within our brain.

4.     Exchange Ideas. View Other’s Work. Get inspired by the thoughts and feedback of others. Post your ideas or what you have so far on forums or apps such as PennedApp (a social media platform for writers, that allows readers to like, comment, and share their work). View what professionals and everyday writers are working on… Humans live to inspire other humans!

Whatever you do, just remember that writer’s block is temporary. It’s a mal-function, like when wheels run out of oil and must come to a halt. All that is needed is a little oil (these tips), and they’ll get to spinning again, promise! 

About the Author: Sonia Chopra is a newly graduated student from UCLA, working with founder Brian Sanders on Penned: The new platform for writers. While she spends most of her time working for a startup in Hollywood, she also enjoys reading up on aspiring indie authors, modeling, freelance writing, and being a celebrity publicist. 

End of June Check-In #WIPMadness

I know it's not quite the end of June, but I'm going to be away from my computer for the end of this week and beginning of next week. We didn't have an official host for this month, but YAY, we do for next month! Be sure to stop by Kim Baccellia's Blog to check in through July.

June has felt like a scattered month for me. I have gotten some stuff done - an online course mapped out and I've been working hard on my screenplay - but I haven't had a regular writing schedule in a while and I think that's what is leaving me feeling disjointed about the process. Now that school is done, I plan to schedule in some writing time and take off to a coffee shop a few days per week through the next couple of months.

How about you? How did June go and do you have any writing plans for the rest of the summer?

June Check-In #WIPMadness

I cannot believe it's June. JUNE!!! Where did the first half of 2014 go? Seriously.

We didn't have anyone step up to host this month, and I get it. It's a busy time, tying up different commitments with school and so forth. But let this serve as your little reminder not to forget about taking some time for yourself. Whether it's writing or in some other area, don't let this month slip by without finding some time to be creative. Believe me, that will make all other areas of your life go better.

So what's in the plans for this month?

For me, I have a lot of details to tie up for a course I'll be teaching and a book I have releasing this fall (eek!) But none of that is particularly creative. I'm slowly working away at paring down my first screenplay, but that, too, feels more like technical work than creativity. In my spare thinking time, I have been plotting out a new book I'm pretty excited about...so that works. My aim for June is to at least spend a little bit of thinking time on that project every single day this month.

How about you? Where will your creativity bloom 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!

YAYYYYYY!!! Good News!

You know when you have to sit on good news for a really long time and it practically kills you to keep it to yourself? Yeah, that. But it's finally time. Some of you may have seen the Publisher's Marketplace announcement, but if not...here's the news...

My next book will be out THIS OCTOBER from Evernight Teen! I am over the moon about it, and so far Evernight has been a complete joy to work with. Here is the official announcement:

Author of NEVER ENOUGH, Denise Jaden’s FOREIGN EXCHANGE, in which two teens sneak away from their European class trip to rescue their missing friend and fall in love in the process, to Evernight Teen by Michelle Humphrey at the Martha Kaplan Agency.

I'm working on a longer summary, if you want to know more. In fact, I have two versions. Let me know which one hooks you more, or if you have suggestions, I'm all ears!

#1 - Without the courage of her fearless best friend, risk-averse Jamie Monroe wouldn't normally flirt with a hot older guy or traipse across Europe in search of her Italian absentee father. But when her brave best friend suddenly goes missing in Italy and all signs say she wasn’t on the safe foreign exchange program everyone thought, Jamie is forced to break all the rules—seducing information from her best friend’s hotter-than-hot older brother, and then sneaking away from her European class trip with him. Sawyer and Jamie launch onto a globetrotting mission to rescue her best friend from the web of dangerous secrets she’s woven to keep her real purpose for being in Europe hidden. 


#2 – Jamie Monroe has always played it safe. That is, until her live-for-the-moment best friend, Tristan, jets off to Italy on a student exchange program. Left alone with her part-time mother and her disabled brother, Jamie discovers that she is quite capable of taking her own risks, starting with her best friend’s hotter-than-hot older brother, Sawyer. Sawyer and Tristan have been neighbors for years, but as Jamie grows closer to the family she thought she knew, she discovers some pretty big secrets, not only from her, but from each other. As she sinks deeper into their web of pretense, she suspects that her best friend may not be on a safe exchange program at all. Jamie sets off to Europe on a class trip with plans to meet up with Tristan, but when Tristan stops all communication, suddenly no one seems trustworthy, least of all the one person she was starting to trust—Sawyer.  

Still tweaking these, but they should give you an idea of what the book is like. If you haven't read it. Which many of you probably have, because I've had SO MUCH help with this book! That's one reason I'm so thrilled to see it finally getting out into the world. Another reason is because this is the book that carried me through a very hard year after my dad died. It was kind of a bright spot that I always looked forward to working on. For that reason, and others, I think this is probably my favorite book I have written.

And now... I can't wait to share it with you!

If you are a blogger and would like an early review copy, please let me know (You can email me at d(at)denisejaden(dot)com). Or...if you're interested in helping me spread the word about this book and others (and perhaps reading an early copy), I have set up a small Street Team group on Facebook. Let me know if you'd like to join and your Facebook username, and I'll send you an invite.

I'm so very thankful for all of the amazing people who support me and my writing, and now for a new connection with an awesome publisher. It's going to be a good year...

Surprise May Check-In #WIPMadness

Hi all,

I knew I wouldn't have the organizational skills to keep up on hosting WIP Madness through May, but at the same time, it's really hard to set goals and keep up on them in 140 characters or less, isn't it?

So this post will serve as our at least a one-time check-in for May. I can't promise more, but I will try.

What are you up to this month? Have you already set goals? Have you already achieved or made headway toward them?

As for me, I was in limbo waiting for feedback on a couple of projects. In the meantime, I was working on mapping out an online course I plan to teach this summer. Of course I got all the feedback on my manuscripts at once, so not I'm working hard at figuring out how to best implement it all. I hope to get one manuscript polished off by the end of May.

How about you?

(Also, I wanted to add the little WIPMadness badge that some awesome person made up for us - Was that Mary Ann? I'm lacking in organizational skills, remember?--but I can't find it anywhere in my files. Does anyone still have this kicking around? This one works (thanks, Carol!) but I was looking for the one that said WIPMadness and included the little harried character.)

Okay, now THIS is funny. Carol just wrote and said, "You have a graphic that sounds like that... "#WIPmadness Participant" with a harried guy... in your blog's sidebar already. Is that the one?"

Yes, Carol, that is EXACTLY the one I meant! So there's a little glimpse into my disorganized state these days. LOL. So glad I have you guys around!

March Madness Check-in Day 27! #WIPMadness

I cannot believe the month is almost over! I'm happy to report that I've seen all sorts of "I'm finished" and "I've completed my goal!" comments around the hosting blogs and on Twitter. To that, I say CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

And even if you haven't completed your goals? Guess what? You're still here!!! You ARE diligent. You ARE committed. You ARE going to succeed in life--even if you didn't make your exact goals, your diligence will pay off later in life, I promise. 

We have loved having you here with us, and you've been an integral part of OUR processes. I honestly would not have set such lofty goals (and completed them) if it weren't for all of your participation in March Madness this year. And to that I say: CONGRATULATIONS and THANK YOU!

As for me, I have completed my goals for the month, but then added a few new ones, which I'm still plodding away at and hoping to tie up before the 31st. How about you? If you don't think you'll reach your goals, did you get more done this month than you would have without this challenge?

I still have prizes to give away, so today, congratulations to...

Ghost Girl!

Congratulations!!! Stop by the goal-setting post, choose your prize and then email me at d(at)denisejaden(dot)com. We'll get it out as soon as possible.

I want to send out a HUGE ENORMOUS HEARTFELT THANK YOU to all of my March Madness co-hosts. They have been so incredibly generous, both with their time and with prizes and so very responsible. It was a joy to visit each of their blogs along the way.

The last thing I need to talk about today, on my last check-in post for the month, is CELEBRATION. If you've known me for any time at all, you know that I'm a big believer in celebrating all of the tiniest victories. There's enough soul-crushing, difficult stuff we have to face in the writing world. We need to celebrate ALL of our successes to combat that! Even if you've simply checked in all the way through the month, that deserves to be celebrated!


As usual, I plan to celebrate with some nice red wine, some delectable chocolate, and possibly some guacamole. How about you? 

It's too bad we can't all get together to celebrate, but know that I will be raising a glass to all of you on the 31st!