Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Changing Priorities...

Hi everyone,

I hope you're all doing great and enjoying the holidays. 

I just wanted to let you all know that I'll be posting once a week from now on. My hopes had been to post three times a week but with the last month of pregnancy here, it hasn't been easy to keep up with everything. My writing has also suffered so that's why I'm making writing more of a priority by making blogging a second priority. I'm still working on planning my second novel. At this rate, I might or might not start writing the first draft by January 1st. Not to mention in January I start school again and the baby will get here! Really excited but am also being realistic. I need to focus on getting ready for the baby and writing. I'll post here once a week on what I'm learning as a writer and probably on how my writing life will be changing. 

I'll also be working slowly but surely on getting the Writing Resources page updated. I have already checked out all the resources. Now I need to get the list together along with descriptions. It's a big list!

Be back next week, most likely Wednesday or Friday. Keep writing! 

Friday, December 16, 2011

My 2012 Writing Goals and Three Ways You Can Meet Yours


Hi everyone,

I know I've been missing for a while. Had last minute projects and finals to do not to mention some family issues.

However, while I have neglected this blog, I haven't completely neglected my writing. I've been planning my second novel. Now that I am completely done with school for the semester, I should have lots of time to finish planning and get started on writing.

My plan is to start writing the first draft on January 1st, 2012. If I get done planning before then, though, I will start writing. I can't wait to start this novel. My first novel, the one I did for Nano, was action. I mentioned that I never thought I would do that kind of novel.

Now, I'm shifting gears to fantasy. I have lots of of fantasy ideas in my head, and I think that's what I'll be focusing on for novels to come. However, I don't see magic being the center focus of these ideas. I think what makes these ideas fantasy is that they take place in other worlds. Think Narniaesque kind of places where animals and trees may or may not talk. I think the focus is more on culture. The cultures are way different. But I'm still developing the ideas.

With this second novel, the first thing I did was set my writing goals. Starting in January, I want to write at least 500 words every weekday, totaling at least 10,000 words a month. I'll be doing InkyGirl's 500 Words a Day Challenge to help keep myself accountable. It's a neat thing. There are also the 250 and 1000 Words a Day Challenges. To the left are the badges you can put on your blog or website to show that you are doing your words. There's also a Facebook page to connect with others who are also doing the challenges. You should check it out!

In March, when EdNoWriMo begins, I will revise and edit my first novel. I will also keep working on the second novel, but perhaps at a slower pace. I'm estimating the second novel to fall around 60-80K so hopefully I'll be done by late summer. Talking about summer, I also plan on participating in Camp Nano, maybe as a rebel if I'm not done with the novel by then. Then it'll be on to the third novel and getting beta readers for the first novel. I really hope to eventually electronically self-publish it.

Meanwhile, I'll also be making the Writing Resources page a lot better. There are so many resources I have been looking into that I want to share so be on the lookout for that update.

What are you up to now that Nano is over? Any of you doing Camp Nano? Will you be writing throughout the year or wait around for Nano to come up again?

Keep writing!