WRITING:
More worldbuilding and prep for the fairytale series. I believe this will be the subject of my writing updates for at least the next handful of months. I’m also excited now that I’ve allowed myself to read fairytale inspired tomes. I even watched Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters the other night. I like the feel and the setting, clothing, and even glimpses of steampunkiness are a good feel for what I’m after in my fairytale universe. I think keeping it a nondescript year and do a mishmash of tech that seems to fit with the ‘times’ is a good way to go on this one.
MAY READING CHALLENGE:
THEODORE BOONE by John Grisham ended abruptly, but I gather that it continues in the second book of the series. I’ll get to it after I’ve explored more middle grade marvels. I did like the story though I’m still trying to connect with the voice. THE PECULIAR by Stefan Bachmann brought me to an interesting world that I almost believe to be real. 🙂 However, I’m not sure I liked the way two of the main characters literally bumped into each other in the latter third of the book. I stuck with the story because individually, I was drawn to the characters. I’d like to think that collectively there’s more potential. I’m almost finished this book but wanted to start on the next two already.
Next round of books: THE FAIRYTALE DETECTIVES by Michael Buckley and Peter Ferguson and SEPTIMUS HEAP with MAGYK by Angie Sage and Mark Zug. I literally just loaded them onto their respective apps. Good thing, too, so I can switch back and forth from Kindle to Kobo without having to bookmark and exit out of an opened book. I’ll have more insight or maybe even a full report on Monday’s #middlegrademay check-in on Deb Marshall’s site.
Once #middlegrademay is finished, I’m going to immerse myself in all the fairytale inspired novels out there that I’ve held back on while I wrote the first instalment of the series. I will also treat myself to a Once Upon a Time marathon because my PVR is mad that I’ve neglected my favorite shows. Keeping in the genre will help maintain the writing spirit as this writing journey continues.
BLOGGING:
Speaking of writing… the blog goes well and I’m excited to share my progress and ideas with my fellow writing community. I’m on the hunt for new challenges in the coming months, but I’ll eventually get to fixing up the blog both in content and aesthetics. More on that in the coming weeks.
Hope everyone’s May hasn’t flown by too quickly. 🙂
Textploits of the Writerly Persuasion 
May HAS flown by quickly. How did you know?! Yes, I can’t believe it’s almost the end of the month. Let the panic attack commence.
It sounds like you’re in an intense period of research and brainstorming for your fairytale series. Exciting! Reading about your process makes me wish I’d spent more time (or um…any time) researching and brainstorming for the novel I’m working on, but now it’s too late; I have a mid-June deadline and I’m way behind. Gotta crank it!
Have you been through this researching/planning phase before with other projects? If so, how long do you usually spend in this phase? Do you have a target deadline for starting to write the draft, or do you like to let the book tell you when it’s ready to be written?
Hiya.
Hope your impending deadline isn’t causing you too much strife.
My research/planning phase varies per project. I do like having some structure with the flexibility to make adjustments as the needs arise. I’m somewhere in between a plotter and a pantser. Take JuNoWriMo, for instance. I originally wanted to spend June doing full-on prep work for July’s Camp NaNo because all my prep for previous NaNos had been done in under a week, if that. But something kept nagging at me to join JuNoWriMo. I think it was the overwhelming chorus from my characters wanting me to write already!
I can always do both planning and writing because I’m working on an entire series and not just one book. I develop scenes as they come to me and not be bogged down by linear writing. I do, however, have an overall direction I’m moving towards, so I draft scenes in various places while keeping in mind the chronological flow of the primary story arc for the series.
Aside from the reading and writing challenges for June, I’m also taking workshops to help hone the craft itself. Characterization, scenes, genre elements, they’re all important in the development of my series. Speaking of, I’m always on the lookout for workshops about tackling a series, as well. I’ve enrolled with Holly Lisle’s workshops among others for all the writerly goodness.
Good luck with your deadline. I’m sure I’ll read about it soon. 🙂