Week in Review – 2013/08/12 – 2013/08/18

Posted on 2013/08/18 by Tonette dela Luna

WRITING:

The POV experiment continues with Aaralyn’s Song, so far. AugNoWriMo is more than half over but the progress continues.

READING:

This week I’m continuing K.M. Weiland‘s forthcoming Structuring Your Novel and the WIP excerpts from fellow SCBWI critique group members. I fell behind on the reading but will try and get some of it done today and by midweek. Grrr.

NETWORKING:

Despite the Grrrs, #wipmadness check-ins on Candilynn Fite’s blog and #ROW80 check-ins, along with updates at Ali Luke’s Writers’ Huddle are keeping surprisingly sane and accountable.

LEARNING:

I have a couple of SavvyAuthors classes that shall help in characterization and subplots. While I continue to dig through my already purchased courses, there’s something to be said about real-time feedback. Huzzah.

Later in the Week Savvy is hosting its 2013 Summer Symposium and I’m super excited about that. So much info and it’s free to members! At $30 for non-members (the annual dues, by the by) there’s no excuse for you not to join this fantabulous group of writers and other lovelies in the industry.

As my calluses further develop, I had a lovely day out with the Sisterhood yesterday. Good company, good food and took home my new friend. His name is Bilbo Watson. I’ll give you three guesses as to how I came up with that name.

Once I’m all spiffy on the Uke, I plan on expanding my strumming horizons to the mandolin, lute, and eventually the cello. YUP. Incidentally, I got to play around with a U-Bass. That is SOOOOO cool. I love doing creative things when I’m not writing. Keeps the noggin’ full of ideas. 🙂

Play/Write on!

FRIDAY FORAGE – 2013/08/16

Posted on 2013/08/16 by Tonette dela Luna

WEEK EIGHT: WRITE YOUR NOVEL THIS SUMMER

Aaralyn’s Song is transforming–and in a good way. The POV shift chapters are developing nicely, marinating, as it were. While I haven’t read things over yet, the experiment has been fun, so far.

Our writing challenge this week on Ali Luke‘s Writers’ Huddle involved a ten-minute writing session. I usually do free writing in short spurts. For this challenge I decided to take a scene and switch it to a different POV character just to see how the scene would unfold through their eyes. It’s a fun experiment and think I’ll give it a whirl on a regular basis. Even if I don’t use the words in my WIP, it sheds new light on my cast of characters. Good stuff.

This weekend, it’s a day downtown with The Sisterhood for music, pedis, and a Japanese dinner. Awesometastic.

I’ve noticed that when I take a relaxing weekend to unwind, the following week yields creative output.

Here’s to a supercalifragilisticexpialidocious sort of weekend. 🙂

Week in Review – 2013/08/05 – 2013/08/11

Posted on 2013/08/11 by Tonette dela Luna

WRITING:

I’m digging the POV shift experiment for Aaralyn’s Song, so far. It’s added new depth and helped me view certain scenes differently. It’s also allowed me to get to discover new facets to my characters. Spiffy progress there. That’s good news for AugNoWriMo and for my WIP, as a whole. I hadn’t planned on working on my WIP this weekend, as part of my recharging mode. However, I’m revved up to write because of these new angles to tackle. Love it.

READING:

I read some interesting entries for the 21st Annual Heart of the West Writers Contest sponsored by the Utah Chapter of Romance Writers of America.

This week I’m continuing K.M. Weiland‘s forthcoming Structuring Your Novel. I have WIP excerpts from fellow SCBWI critique group members to work through as well. I like the discovery of other forthcoming awesomeness to this great industry.

NETWORKING:

Tomorrow, #wipmadness check-ins continue on Candilynn Fite’s blog. More #ROW80 check-ins, updates at Ali Luke’s Writers’ Huddle, and SavvyAuthors. Lots of accountability.

I’ve enjoyed blog hopping and visiting various writing sites for my WIP’s research. I’m quickly building a great line up for my FRIDAY FORAGE series.

LEARNING:

One of my favorite writing places, SavvyAuthors, is undergoing some renovations with their new site. As such, I wasn’t able to register for two classes that began this past Monday. While I was intrigued by the subject matter, I think it was a blessing in disguise because it forced me to go to the resources I already have–as I should have done before finding myself intrigued by these new ones!–and I’ve found gold. Better yet, I’m saving money. It’s become a habit to check for new classes and workshops every week.

New Memo to Self: Stop it! Stop. It. Pretty please, stop it!

Repeat Memo to Self: USE RESOURCES YOU ALREADY HAVE!

The good news: Some courses had new classes that posted once a week. Now with some fully available or at least a few months in, I have the option of marathoning lessons or going to the topics pertinent to my WIP. Awesometastic.

I also have some calluses that need tending to. Guitar lessons this afternoon. Sweet.

Ain’t it great that I’m learning my lesson by learning my lessons? 😉

Bring it on, August! I’m ready for ya.

FRIDAY FORAGE – 2013/08/09

Posted on 2013/08/09 by Tonette dela Luna

WEEK SEVEN: WRITE YOUR NOVEL THIS SUMMER

It’s all a matter of perspective. At least it is when it comes to my scenes this week for Aaralyn’s Song. I’m experimenting with 1st person, past tense for my protagonist and 3rd person, past tense for the other POV chapters. Taking this route leads to the necessary adjustment of my outline because I want to make sure the right person’s POV is depicted for that particular scene. It’s been an interesting challenge. I wonder if I should write the antagonist in 3rd person, present tense. Maybe even switch up my protag’s POV to 1st person, present tense, too. Obviously, I need to take into account the flow of the story and see if this method works. That’s the cool thing about the drafting stage. Anything is possible.

Last week, I was eager for the weekend, to take time off from writing. That’s not to say I’m not eager for this weekend.

I. Am. So. Very. Ready. For. The. Weekend.

It’s been that kind of week.

But with all this new interest sparking the synapses in my cranium, I’m excited to keep writing. I did promise myself at least a day off per week, but at least this time around, if I want to write this weekend it’s because I’m ready to push forward rather than playing catch up from the week’s craziness.

How about you? Are you working for the weekend?

FRIDAY FORAGE – 2013/08/02

Posted on 2013/08/02 by Tonette dela Luna

WEEK SIX: WRITE YOUR NOVEL THIS SUMMER

Day Two in my Revised Revamp for Aaralyn’s Song. Interesting how a couple hundred thousand words later and it’s like the entire experience is brand new. A great motivator, psychologically speaking. You know, when everything’s all shiny and new. It’s like the Honeymoon period of novel writing. I should relish this time in the writing process before the Honeymoon period of excitement wanes around Act Two (a.k.a. The Sagging Middle), but I think we’ve all experienced this as some point.

Possibly because I just wrote two posts in the last two days I don’t have more of an update. This might be my shortest post yet. I’m just thrilled that the Series Renovations, as it were, are going well. Yes, it’s been two days, so far, but I’m going to maintain a lighter perspective.

Traveling today and possibly offline during the weekend. I’ll kick it old school and write when I can with those archaic recording implements (i.e. notebook and pen). But since I don’t have the major WriMo pressures looming over my head (thanks to AugNoWriMo‘s flexible word count and my updated specific writing goals), I just might take both Saturday AND Sunday off. Odds are, this will make me all itchy, as I haven’t done that since February.

So, yay for the brand spankin’ newness of it all. I’ll take all the good vibes I can get as the writing journey rolls on.