Lisa Shearin, author

From unruly ideas to focused novel

2010-01-06T06:17:00.000-05:00

You've got one -- a bright, shiny new idea. You love it, you're excited about it. Then another equally bright and shiny idea comes to you. Then another. And yet another.

How do you pick just one?

Book ideas aren't like children -- you can't love them all equally, at least not at the same time. Whether you realize it at first glance, there's one that you love just a wee bit more than the others. To determine which one that is, ask yourself a hard and realistic question:

Which one can you live with, won't grow bored with, won't run screaming from during the months and possibly years that it will take you to finish writing the book?

THAT idea is the nugget of your book.

Now don't discard your other ideas. Write them down and file them away where you can get to them later. Over the years my "notes file" has grown to about 200 pages. I've mined those ideas, scenes and dialogue snippets for five Raine Benares books. I'll be going to it for plot ideas for the sixth book and beyond to two new series. And COPY from this file, never CUT -- this way your file remains intact. Just because you think you want to use an idea for a book doesn't mean it'll actually make it in the final version. I know this first hand.

Then you start working with that idea, molding it and spinning plots and characters from it. But guess what? What comes out isn't what was in your head; in fact, it's nowhere near as good. Perhaps the idea sucks.

No, it doesn't. A blob of clay doesn't look like a fired and finished work of art, but that's where that work of art comes from -- a shapeless blob. And now for a dose of reality: master potters don't get to be masters from producing one pot. The same is true for writers. You work, you write, you learn from your mistakes, and you write again. And eventually, what's on your screen just might be better than what's in your head.

Draft 1, 2, 3 -- What I do for each draft of my books

2010-01-05T06:37:00.008-05:00

I've had a blog topic quest -- what do I do for each draft of my books? I thought I'd better post on it now, before I forget what I did. Which with the way my brain is right now is completely within the realm of possibility. Heck, I'm even having trouble finishing a sentence. All of my nouns have crawled under brain cells to hide.

A typical sentence from me right now goes something like this: "Derek, have you seen my . . . . " (five-second wait) . . . "keys?" I can visualize what I want to say, but I just can't think of the word and get it out for the life of me. Though it makes me feel a lot better that Ilona Andrews blogged on this recently, and her nouns have flown the coop as well. It's kind of like when your computer is running programs in the background and everything slows down. My brain is working double-time on the book(s), and little is left for basic communication skills.

Or basic coordination skills. Like "remove head from open door space, THEN slam door." Yeah, I got that one backward last week. At least the bruise on my forehead has gone away now.

Okay, back to the blog topic.

So far so good on writing a book from start to finish in six months. November and December were for the first draft. Done. January and February are for the second draft. Going good. I'm on Chapter 5 already. March and April are for the last draft/polish. My actual deadline for Con & Conjure isn't until June 1. So I have a pad built in, but I'm determined not to use it.

The first draft was for getting the story down. It's not supposed to be pretty, it's just supposed to be on the screen. And some chapters came to me out of sequence. Okey-dokey, fine. Normally I don't roll like that, but for the purposes of getting the story down, I went with the flow. BTW -- NaNoWriMo does wonders for your writing focus and speed. If you're a writer and didn't do it this year, do it next year. I can't recommend it enough.

I'm now on the second draft. That means smooth out the story, get the chapters in order, and fill in those plot potholes. Anyplace that I made notes to myself and moved on during the first draft has to be written now. I'm not cutting myself any slack on this. The only thing I'm letting slide are character descriptions and names -- I like to do some careful pondering with those. Those are for the final draft. It's during the next two months that the story will assume its almost final form.

The third & final draft will be for consistency, payoff, and polish. If I say a character has green eyes in Chapter 2, and grey eyes in Chapter 20 -- fix it. If I implied in an earlier chapter that a character will be doing something at a later point in the book -- they'd better do what they're supposed to do. If you put a gun on the mantle early on, somebody better shoot somebody else later on. I also think of this as "don't leave any loose plot threads dangling."

And then there's polish. Make absolutely certain that you use exactly the words that you want to use, and cut out any unnecessary words, sentences, or paragraphs. I have a tendency to repeat myself, or say the same thing two different ways. Slice, dice, and tighten.

Then I'll send the manuscript to my agent (who's also an amazing editor) -- and hold my breath.

Snippet from Bewitched & Betrayed

2010-01-04T06:30:00.006-05:00

In an effort to keep ya'll fed & happy, I'll be posting weekly snippets (probably on Mondays) from Bewitched & Betrayed until you can get your eager little hands on the entire book April 27. Here is the first of many. Enjoy!

Mychael wanted me to stay in the citadel. I had to leave the citadel, and I had a good reason.

Like Piaras, I had lessons.

I was learning how to kill Sarad Nukpana.

And today those lessons would have the added bonus of giving me a much-needed outlet for my growing fear, frustration, and rage. Yes, I could have taken it out on a Guardian in their gym, but that wasn't the kind of workout I needed. Well, it was, but I required a specialist. No Guardian was a master swordsman with the long, curved blades favored by goblins.

Tam was.

So was Sarad Nukpana.

Since Nukpana had oozed his way out of the Saghred, I'd made it my goal to not only know every way that Nukpana, his Khrynsani, or any other goblin could possibly come after me, but have a lethal response ready for each and every one of them.

Tam could help. He'd known Sarad Nukpana at the goblin court, and fenced with him on numerous occasions. Not with deadly intent, but when goblin courtiers crossed blades, blood was spilt. Naturally, it was always an unfortunate accident.

I've "finished" Draft 1 of Con & Conjure

2009-12-30T06:12:00.010-05:00

I've "finished" the first draft of Con & Conjure. And yep, the word "finished" is in quotes for a reason. Technically, I didn't reach the end of the book. I remembered yesterday that I never can write to the end of a book on the first draft. There are too many plot holes in a first draft to support the weight of an ending, too many unknowns in those rough chapters that have to be finalized before I send that story rollercoaster down that last big hill.

I estimate that I have about six chapters left to go to get to the end (I'm on Chapter 18). So I'm doing now what I always do -- go back to Chapter 1 and start cleaning up and filling in. I'll get to the end on the second draft. And then the third run-thru will be to add all the details that make the book come to life.

So . . . when I remembered that I can't write to the end on a first draft, that means that I "finished" it in the two months I had allocated. Woot for me. That gives me two months on Draft 2 and two months on Draft 3. Then I immediately dive into writing Book 6. Which, by the way, I'd like to go ahead and name soon. So after the "Name Raine's world" contest is completed, I'll be announcing another contest to name Book 6. I have to have a title before I can start writing a book, but I apparently didn't need a name for the world it's set in. Hmmm. Odd. Yep, that's me. ; )

I'll be starting to blog over on The Magic District on January 12. My fellow bloggers are a great bunch of authors; pop over and join in.

Over the holidays, I've had time to come up with some future blog topics. Here they are in no order whatsoever:

Hard work leads to inspiration
From unruly ideas to focused novel
Feed your muse
Butt in chair and write
What if? What next? What now?
Notes to novel: The busy subconscious
Why I outline
How to be goal-oriented
Never give up, never surrender!
Stay true to your voice
Drive, Discipline, & Desire
Growing your characters
Writing real people
Hooks & Cliffhangers -- Keep your readers turning the pages
Where you write affects how you write
Why you can't force plot or cajole characters
Setting writing goals
Write what you want to read
Drafts 1, 2, & 3 -- What I do for each draft of my books

Whew. That's it for now.
Lisa

NEW CONTEST! Name Raine's World

2009-12-28T07:19:00.005-05:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday! Mine was great AND productive. I'm hoping to finish Chapter 16 of Con & Conjure today, and if not today, tomorrow. I estimate that I have about 10 chapters left until I have a complete first draft. Yes, I'll be going beyond my January 1 deadline to have it completed, but book schedules change. In fact, I've never had a book go according to my schedule. Books have schedules of their own and they will not be moved. I hope to have a finished first draft in the next three weeks.

On to the new contest. Since my plan is to eventually write books from other characters' viewpoints, I need to have a name for Raine's world so that the tagline on the covers could read "A (name of world) novel."

I don't have time to come up with one, and ya'll are so much better at it than I am anyway. So here's the deal: send in your entries (and you can send as many as you like) to me by Friday, January 15 to be entered. I'll announce the winner on Monday, January 18.

The winner will get their name in the Acknowledgments section of Con & Conjure (I'll use the world name in the book I'm writing now). PLUS, the winner will get a copy of the PaperBack Swap club's cookbook -- "PBS Cooks!" My recipe for Ginger Ale Pound Cake is in there, as are recipes from authors including: David Anthony, Margaret Atwood, Ken Follett, Diana Gabaldon, Philippa Gregory, Joy Nash, Carla Neggers, Beatrice Small, Judith Tarr, Margaret Weis, and more. And to top it all, who doesn't want Dave Barry's recipe for Peanut Butter Toast? Trust me, it's priceless.

So start thinking and email your entries to me by January 15.

Since I know I'll be swamped at the office this week (I have the day off today), I'll be blogging sporatically this week, but will be back to my normal Monday thru Friday blogs beginning next week. And starting then, I'll be posting a weekly snippet from Bewitched & Betrayed.

I think that's it.
Lisa

Christmas Eve morning

2009-12-24T09:30:00.003-05:00

9:07 AM (got here at 8:15) Well, I'm at my day job for a few hours along with a few of our designers getting some last-minute client jobs out the door. I'm having cereal and hot tea. Hope to be able to go home around lunchtime -- Wendy's here I come. ; ) And once I get home, there's a nap with my name on it. Tonight is church, then off to friends' house for some diet-busting goodies. Tomorrow is Christmas Day with Derek's family. Snacks, lunch, presents, more snacks. I love it!

And I love you guys. You're the best fans an author could ever hope for. I hope you all have a Merry Christmas, happy holidays, and a wonderful New Year!

I'm going to work on a little Con & Conjure now.

Hugs,
Lisa

The Publishing Lottery and Other Insults

2009-12-23T11:25:00.005-05:00

My author buddy Jim C. Hines posted a truly splendid post on his blog today that just has to be read. Jim is addressing a point made by a commenter. It begins as follows:

Dear Anonymous Commenter,

Thank you for taking the time to comment on my post about Self-Publishing Myths. While the poor grammar and spelling were annoying, (something you might want to work on as you self-publish that second book), I was struck by this part of your comment:

“Lets be realistic- how many people get published through traditional publishers? When people used to ask me if i was published i would ask them if they had won american idol.
Its not about talent, its about pitching, luck, who you know and the stars aligned!”

I spent way too much time thinking about your words, trying to find a response that would capture the true depth of my feelings. I came up with the following:

Bite me.

For the rest of Jim's brilliant and priceless response, go to his blog.

FYI -- Con & Conjure is going great! I can finally see the end of the book.
Lisa

Today's the day!

2009-12-21T06:05:00.003-05:00

Today's the day. Go to my SAMPLE CHAPTERS page to see your Christmas present! And yes, Chapter 3 ends on a cliffhanger again. Sorry about that. Well, not really. ; )

I had a 4-day weekend this past weekend (I have a vacation day today from my day job). Though for me, "vacation day" means "writing-like-a-mad-woman day." And I got a LOT done this weekend: Chapters 11, 12, 13, AND 14 of Con & Conjure. Needless to say, the story is flowing again. I have another 4-day weekend coming up for Christmas, and I'll be doing the same thing again -- with the exception of Christmas Eve night and Christmas Day. On Christmas Eve night , Derek & I go to church for the Communion service and then we get together with friends to feast on decadent junk food. All diets are off. On Christmas Day we get together with family for food, catching up with each other, gifts, and more food.

So I won't blog this week (well, I may pop in if something important happens). BUT next Monday, I'll be announcing a cool new contest with an even cooler prize, something I've never offered before here.

Enjoy the first three chapters of Bewitched & Betrayed! (And let me know what you think either via comments here or an email.) I write these books for you so I want to know how you like it. ; )

Merry Christmas, ya'll!

Big hug!
Lisa

The Silent Monks "sing" the Hallelujah Chorus

2009-12-17T06:48:00.003-05:00

Okay, okay. I know I said I wasn't going to blog, but this YouTube video is absolutely priceless. It's a group of high schoolers as silent monks "singing" the Hallelujah Chorus. Enjoy! I know I did. I still have a big, dumb grin on my face.

Lisa

Blogzilla

2009-12-16T06:49:00.003-05:00

Okay, here's the situation:

1. I'm behind on the book.
2. My sister and niece are coming into town on Friday for a long weekend.
3. I'm beyond swamped at my day job.
4. And I'm trying really hard not to get a cold.

So, long story short -- blog posts just aren't coming to me right now. I guess my poor brain is strapped into a never-ending loop of the Con & Conjure roller coaster. So my blog posts will have to be sporatic until New Year's. I'll be reading comments, answering emails, and popping in over at Raine's Rangers. I might be a little slower on all of the above, but I'll continue to answer any emails within a day.

I've come to the realization that I just can't do it all right now. And I know having me keep Con & Conjure relatively on schedule is more important to ya'll than hearing me run my mouth every day. ; ) So I'm going to concentrate on the book.

For those of you who have recently started reading my blog, this is not normal for me. So when I say I'll be back to blogging as usual after January 1, I mean it. And actually, during the next few weeks, I'll probably run some of your favorite blog posts from the past three years, so you can tune in for those.

And don't forget that next Monday (the 21st) the first three chapters of Bewitched & Betrayed will be up for your reading enjoyment.

And speaking of B&B, here's the cover again for those of you who didn't see it when I posted it in October. (Click on the pic for a larger version.) AND . . . I finally got the postcards and bookmarks ordered for it. I'll let you know when I get them in, and if you want some signed and personalized, I'd be glad to send them to you. But wait on requesting them until I get them in -- and until I get out of this plot hole I've fallen into. ; )

Workin' & writin'
Lisa

Swamped!

2009-12-15T07:16:00.003-05:00

I'm absolutely, completely, and utterly swamped at work and with writing. Will blog tomorrow. Promise!

Lisa

The Magic District

2009-12-14T06:17:00.003-05:00

Last week, the fabulous fantasy author Diana Rowland (whom I met on Twitter) invited me to join a group blog she started called The Magic District, along with Greg Van Eekhout, Tim Pratt, Margaret Ronald, Rachel Aaron, and N.K. Jemisin. Some of the other fantasy authors joining along with me are Kelly Gay, Jeannie Holmes, and M.K. Hobson.

I'll be blogging over there periodically (exact days to be determined), and getting meet even more people, and spread the word about Raine & Company. I was thrilled to be asked and can't wait to start.

Hopefully within the next month, my website will look like a completely new (and uber cool) place thanks to Webmaster Todd and Designer Elyse. They're using as a design base the colors from the new cover to Bewitched & Betrayed.

And speaking of which, next Monday we'll have posted for your reading enjoyment (and your well-deserved Christmas gift) the first three chapters of Bewitched & Betrayed.

This weekend I was writing like a crazy person on Con & Conjure. Before I had to stop last week to finish the copy edits on Bewitched & Betrayed, I'd gotten stuck on C&C. Thanks to some dilligent work this weekend, I got unstuck, and Raine & Company are moving forward again. While I'd still like to get the first draft finished by New Year's Eve, it may not quite happen. But that's okay. I'll do all that I can, and that's all that I can do. Stumbling blocks happen, life gets in the way, and well. . . it's Christmas. : )

Have yourselves a great week!
Lisa

Vacation day, but not really.

2009-12-11T06:50:00.005-05:00

I have some vacation days left over this year at my day job and I'm taking one of them today. And nope, I won't be lounging around reading and napping (though the nap thing might happen whether I plan it or not). Hey, naps happen. There's no stopping it when it hits -- or when several REALLY warm & snuggly dogs look at you with their big, brown eyes, pleading with their mommy to come and lay down with them. I don't know of any force on Earth that can resist that. And hey, if I've gotten enough writing done before that happens, I won't even try to resist it.

Other than a potential nap, today is all about writing. (Well, and running to the bank and grocery store as soon as they open to get those errands out of the way, but that's beside the point.)

Today is a writing day. Today is a catching up day. The next three days are catching up days. So no blog tomorrow. And sometime in January, or so, I'll start doing my "Saturday snippets" thing again where I post a snippet from my upcoming book (this year, it's Bewitched & Betrayed). Except this time, I'm going to post the snippets on Monday. I think with my new & accelerated writing schedule, that I'll only blog Monday through Friday. Saturday is now completely and utterly a writing day. And I know all of you Raine-book-hungry people will understand. ; )

Have yourselves a great weekend!

Your writing-fiend author,
Lisa

The ultimate you know you're a writer when . . .

2009-12-10T06:29:00.005-05:00

I was relieved yesterday to read Ilona Andrews' blog. In it, she talks about how her brain reacts when full or working too hard. Reading the snippet below made me realize that I'm not the only one who's brain does the "all circuits are busy right now, please try your call again later" thing.

From Ilona's blog:
I do get extremely frustrated and I frequently think too hard. I'm really kind of exhausted at the moment and thinking about anything is too hard. I can usually tell when I've reached the daily limit of work, because I forget the names of everyday objects. Talking to me becomes a trying experience, because I pause struggling to remember things, while narrative related stuff is cycling through my brain.

"Gordon, hey, have you seen my. . ."

Gordon: waits.

Five seconds later, ". . . coffee cup? I know I put it somewhere . . ."

There is only so much RAM in my head and the system experiences slow downs when running at full capacity.

If you haven't read Ilona and Gordon's books, DO IT. Great books, wonderful blog.

What brain misfires do you have while writing?

Christmas gifts that keep on giving

2009-12-09T06:36:00.005-05:00

Money is tight for everyone this year (myself included), and I'm of the mind that a little creativity goes a long way -- both toward getting a great gift for friends or family, and saving yourself a little money in the process.

While gift cards are fabulous, nothing beats an actual gift that they can unwrap and enjoy then and there. So where am I going with this?

Books.

Of course, buying my books for your family and friends would be wonderful, but Raine isn't everyone's cup of tea. If you like or love someone enough to buy them a gift, it goes without saying that you know what they'd like (and if you don't, you should find out). And if you've discovered an author or authors who you think they would enjoy, buy them one or two of their books. Most paperbacks are in the $7.99 range. Perfectly affordable to get one, perhaps two. Or if they love a particular TV series (I'm gaga over Burn Notice and Bones), get them a season on DVD. You can probably get their favorite series for less than you'd think (there are going to be some awesome sales out there this year). Or you can get them a subscription to a magazine you think they'd like. You can buy the first issue for them to unwrap with a card inside saying that more are on the way. Since they'd be getting an issue every month, it's the gift that keeps on giving.

I recently found the coolest site: Shakespere's Den. I mean, how can you not love Jane Austen action figures and Edgar Allen Poe finger puppets?

Or for the writer in your life -- or if you are the writer in your life and your family is asking what you want, here are a few inexpensive options:

A subscription to a writer's magazine. My favorite is The Writer. Another great one is Writer's Digest. There's also the ever-popular Writer's Digest Books series. Browse through, pick a book and put it on your gift list.

And naturally, I have to plug my own store. ; ) I 've added sweatshirts (hoodies and regular) to my CafePress store in addition to the regular short- and long-sleeved t-shirts. For those of you wanting to get an early start on your holiday shopping for the Raine (or Mychael or Tam) fan in your life, pop over to the store and browse the large selection of gifts.

The important thing is that a little shopping creativity on your part can save you a lot of money this holiday season.

Lisa

Coming up for air

2009-12-08T06:49:00.005-05:00

I finished the copyedits for Bewitched & Betrayed last night. I got them last Thursday and had until December 16 to get them back to my editor. Well, since I'm determined to finish the first draft of Con & Conjure by New Year's Eve (yep, that's the glamorous way that authors celebrate the new year), I had to get those B&B copyedits done ASAP. I still have to write the Acknowledgments and Dedication pages before I send it back today/tonight. Then it's back to Con & Conjure -- full speed ahead. And I do mean full speed.

I have some vacation days left this year at my day job, and I've asked to take them this month. They told me just to pick the days and that they would work around me. Do I work at a great place or what? I'm the editor and proofreader, and I review/approve every job that goes out of the agency. While it's great to have incredible job security, it makes it very difficult to be able to take any time off (no one else there does what I do). But they know that I need some writing days this month, so they've said that they'll work around MY schedule. How sweet/wonderful is that?

Oh, and just a reminder (though I'm sure you all don't need reminding) -- we'll be posting the first three chapters of Bewitched & Betrayed on Monday, December 21st. It's my Christmas present to the greatest fans in the world. So be sure to come by and get your gift.

And speaking of gifts, tomorrow I'll give you all some suggestions of what to buy for the writer in your life --and if you're the writer, what to tell your friends/family/significant other what you want.

Lisa

Spider's Bite by Jennifer Estep

2009-12-07T06:24:00.006-05:00

Author Jennifer Estep recently asked me to blurb the first book in her new Elemental Assassins series --Spider's Bite. I read it, loved it, blurbed it. For those of you unfamiliar with the term, a "blurb" is a quote from an author on another author's book that they read and really liked.

It was the first time I'd been asked to give a blurb. Needless to say, just being asked was really cool. But as soon as I started reading, I knew I'd be telling Jennifer that "yes, I'd love to blurb your book." How can you not like a book that starts like this:

"My name is Gin, and I kill people."

Here's a quick plot summary: They call me the Spider. I'm the most feared assassin in the South -- when I'm not busy at the Pork Pit cooking up the best barbecue in Ashland. As a Stone elemental, I can hear everything from the whispers of the gravel beneath my feet to the vibrations of the soaring Appalachian Mountains above me. My Ice magic also comes in handy for making the occasional knife. But I don't use my powers on the job unless I absolutely have to. Call it professional pride.

Now that a ruthless Air elemental has double-crossed me and killed my handler, I'm out for revenge. And I'll exterminate anyone who gets in my way -- good or bad. I may look hot, but I'm still one of the bad guys. Which is why I'm in trouble, since irresistibly rugged Detective Donovan Caine has agreed to help me. The last thing this coldhearted killer needs when I'm battling a magic more powerful than my own is a sexy distraction -- especially when Donovan wants me dead just as much as the enemy.

And here's the blurb that I gave Jennifer for the book: A sexy and edgy thriller that keeps you turning the pages. In Spider's Bite, Jennifer Estep turns up the heat and suspense with Gin Blanco, an assassin who's wit is as sharp as her silverstone knives. When Gin is double-crossed, framed, and her handler murdered, she'll leave no stone unturned and no enemy breathing in her quest for revenge. Spider's Bite leaves you dying for more.

Spider's Bite comes out on January 26, but is available now for preorder at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Whay my dogs do while I write

2009-12-04T06:47:00.005-05:00

Yep, the dogs in the Shearin house have a rough life. Andy & Gracie love our bed. And Andy came to us pretty much straight off the racetrack and had never been on a bed before. And the first time he got on our bed (we had to teach him how), he immediately assumed the head-on-the-pillow pose that you see here. Knowing instinctively how to sprawl like a pasha on a fluffy surface must be in a greyhound's DNA. And with Lucy, our Jack Russell Terrorist, no basket of hot-out-of-the-dryer clothes is safe from her need to curl up & snuggle.

I got the copyedits for Bewitched & Betrayed yesterday. I have until December 16 to send them back, but I hope to get it all done this weekend and send the manuscript back Monday, or Tuesday at the latest. I don't want to lose any more days from writing Con & Conjure. But copyediting a manuscript in a weekend won't be a problem for me. I'm a professional editor -- don't try this at home. ; )

Have a great weekend!

Lisa

The date you've been waiting and asking for . . .

2009-12-03T06:41:00.000-05:00

Today's post is an announcement that a lot of you have been waiting for . . .

The first three chapters of Bewitched & Betrayed will go live on my website on Monday, December 21st as a Christmas present for the greatest fans in the world!

Lisa

Sketch-style writing -- Kicking my muse into high gear

2009-12-02T06:55:00.005-05:00

Producing a first draft in two months and a completed book in six months has kicked my writing brain into high gear.

It doesn't matter where I am or what I'm doing, my muse is firing on all cylinders.

I think a large part of that is due to not only having made the devision to write my next Raine book in six months (and the one after that in another six months), it's that I feel comfortable with the decision. Yes, it's a scary proposition, which is one of the reasons why I did NaNo -- to force myself to write 50K in one month and then 100K (a complete first draft) in two months. (And yes, I made my word count last night.)

And I announced my intentions here -- to attempt to finish Raine books 5 and 6 in one year, as opposed to nine months each.

If all goes as planned, next year this time, I'll be writing two proposals -- for the next books set in Raine's world (that sounds an awful lot like "Wayne's World," doesn't it?) and an urban fantasy/international thriller (kinda like Tom Clancy with magic, monsters, and mages) that's been in my head (and in my computer files) since before getting the offer for MLTF. That project scares the crap out of me, but in a good way. Every time I read the notes for it, I want to start writing it right then. It's a series that's exciting to me, yet kind of like looking off a high dive -- a REALLY high dive. It intimidates the hell out of me.

And I can't wait to get started.

Lisa

Attack of the Blob

2009-12-01T06:56:00.004-05:00

Yep, a blob. That's what chapters 1-11 of Con & Conjure look like. A mess, a convoluted collection of quasi-chapters and scenes -- the beginnings of a book. Yet, it's not like any first draft I've ever written. My normal modus operandi is one orderly chapter at a time, no skipping around, no summarizing so I can move on, no moving on before that chapter is as perfect as I can make it.

This is a completely new way of working for me. With me being a control freak, this should scare the crap out of me. But it doesn't. Why?

I know I can do it.

By writing sketch-style, for the first time, I can see a nebulous form of the ENTIRE BOOK taking shape. I've never been able to capture the entire thing in my head -- too complicated and simply too much. I don't think that what I've written is any less complicated plot-wise than what I usually write, I've just written it so quickly that I've managed to keep the entire plot in my head. A sketch is easier to see everything in one look. It's incredibly cool to me.

I do believe I'm on to something good.

Tomorrow: Sketch writing -- working the brain faster.

NaNo -- The end is just the beginning

2009-11-30T07:00:00.002-05:00

As some of you may already know (if you're a member of Raine's Rangers or follow me on Twitter), I crossed the NaNoWriMo finish line yesterday afternoon with a total of 51,289 words. This was immediately followed by a weak "woot" and the realization of an incoming nap. It was the kind of nap where you lose consciousness and wake up three hours later nose-to-snout with a 70-lb. greyhound, and not sure whether the drool on the pillow is yours or his.

Now THAT'S a good nap.

Consciousness was quickly followed by an intense craving for pancakes -- lots and lots of pancakes. And milk -- lots and lots of milk.

I crashed for the rest of the evening (and consumed a huge bowl of buttered popcorn). My muse was really hungry; I've found she likes junk food. The crashing signaled the calm before the storm. Yes, I reached my 50K word goal, but I'm only halfway there. Now I get to do the same thing through December with the goal of having a complete first draft (or as complete as a first draft can be) of Con & Conjure by New Year's Eve.

Coming up tomorrow: The contents of the Con & Conjure file on my netbook -- "Congratulations, ma'am. It's a Blob."

NaNo -- The Finish Line is in sight!

2009-11-28T07:49:00.005-05:00

A quick Saturday update. Uh. . . it is Saturday, right? (checks computer clock/date). Yep, it's Saturday. 7:50 AM, I've been up since 6:30. That's early for most people, normal for me. Yep, I'm one of those early risers regardless of the day.

NaNo update -- I have approx. 3600 words to go to reach the 50,000 NaNo goal. I figure I'll do 1800 today and 1800 tomorrow. That will give me time to do it in a sane and orderly fashion -- and also have time to dust the house, clean the toilets, and get the Christmas decoration boxes back upstairs. I took some time out after meeting my word goal of yesterday with decorating the Christmas tree. I decorated it while watching a documentary on extreme caving (I couldn't find the Christmas music channel -- danged complicated TV remote!) Derek says it's easy; you just push this, then this, then these two buttons together, which takes you to this menu . . . Oh yeah, easy.

Anyhoo, once I make word count each day this weekend and knock off my chores (Derek gets to vacuum and get the leaves out of the gutters), I can READ. Glorious, lovely, READING. Words that someone else wrote.

For those of you who are close to making your NaNo goal -- write like the wind, people. You can do it! For those of you who know you're not quite gonna get there -- I'm so proud of you for making the effort and continuing to make the effort! I'm also so proud of those of you who had a hellacious November, life got in the way, and you had to stop NaNo. You didn't want to stop, but life gave you no choice, but you're determined to keep going even though NaNo will be over on Monday. You're a writing machine and nothing will stand in your way of finishing this project.

Kudos to every last one of you!! Writing books ain't easy. The process never goes as well as you think it will. You'll always hit snags that screw up your schedule and your word goals. But the difference between people who talk about being a writer, and people who become a writer is persistence, determination, and discipline. If you've got those three, you're most of the way there.

From the time I decided I wanted to become a published author to the time I actually signed my first book contract was 20 years. I kept at it, and I made it. And if I can do it, you can, too.

Lisa
Tired but happy NaNo participant

NaNo -- On the edge of victory . . . maybe

2009-11-25T06:29:00.005-05:00

First of all, for those of you having NaNo problems, scroll down to yesterday's "Quagmire" blog post, go to the Comments and read Tori's comment -- and my response. We're ALL having the same problems -- me included. But we can DO THIS, folks! (The reason why I'm not posting it all here is that I can Copy it, but Blogger won't let me Paste. Grrrr.)

Okay, back to my regularly scheduled post written last night. . .

Tuesday NaNo word count = I dunno. I'm doing the pen & notepad thing right now. Will type it all into my computer once my muse and I duke out our plot disagreements.
Total NaNo word count = Officially still at 40, 996 (see above re pen & notepad).
Words to go to 50K = 9004.

I've been working late at my day job, working through lunch most days, which leaves me about 2-3 hours in the evenings to make my daily word count. Let's just say getting blood from a rock would be easier. But writing a book in six months isn't about easy -- it's about being freakin' crazy.

And loving what I do.

Even though sometimes it dang near drives me crazy . . . and to insomnia, and to the point of exhaustion, and to waking up at three AM. But it all goes back to . . .

I LOVE what I do -- and you do too, otherwise you wouldn't be doing it.

So come hell or high water (or pulling some all-nighters) I WILL make my 50K word count by midnight on Monday, November 30.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving here in the U.S., and I'm going to take the day off from writing (though I'll be hitting it on Thanksgiving night). And since I'm behind, my blogging will be sporatic (perhaps non-existent) until the end of NaNo. I dunno. I can't predict it one way or the other. If it happens, it happens. If it doesn't, well . . . love ya, mean it and I'm here cheering you on even though you can't see or hear me, or possibly not read about me doing it. I'm here for you, folks.

But Friday through Sunday, my nose will be to the grindstone -- or as some of my writing buddies say "balls to the wall" or "tits to the tile" (depending on your anatomical construction) -- until I cross the 50K finish line.

Good luck and good writing.

I'll see you all across the finish line,
Lisa

NaNo -- The quagmire

2009-11-24T06:41:00.004-05:00

Monday NaNo word count = 1330
Total NaNo word count = 40,996

Life (actually day-job work) got in the way yesterday. So I didn't get to write anything until 7:00 last night. But between then and 9:00 I wrote 1330, not bad.

What is bad, though is that I'm on Chapter 9 and am smack dab in the middle of a quagmire. I'm following the plot synopsis that I wrote, but the storylines are starting to blur. And my brain has been going non-stop (literally 24 hours a day) tormenting me until I work out the solution. My sub-conscious must seriously be on something it hasn't told me about (and let me enjoy) because I've also been dreaming non-stop -- funky, bizarre, wacky, and usually not fun kind of dreams. To the point, dreams that are not in the least bit helpful to writing myself out of the mess I'm in.

But, when I'm writing at my old speed (aka a chapter a week. Man, that seems SO SLOW now), the same thing happens. So regardless of how much I LOVE my little Netbook, it's not coming out of its case until I figure this thing out. Yep, it's Mr. Notepad to the rescue. It takes the pressure off to write on a notepad. If any of what I write today is decent -- and I'm determined that it will be -- I'll count it toward my word count. If not, it's just musings on paper.

So to get myself out of this, I'm going to print out two things I've written over the past two weeks: a list of characters that I have to include in this book and my proposed scenes/storylines for them (and I HAVE TO work these characters in, I said so in Bewitched & Betrayed), and I'll also print my short 2-sentence synop of each chapter that I've written so far. These two things will show me where I've been and where I need to go. They've been really useful tools for me in writing past books, and I highly recommend doing them if you tend to lose your way while writing.

Hopefully between the printout and Mr. Notepad, I'll get back on course again.

What problems are you having? Share if you have time; other readers may be having the same problem and will be encouraged that someone else is in the muck with them.

Lisa