Week in Review – 2013/08/19 – 2013/08/25

ROW80Logocopy

WRITING:

Happy fun times with my WIP, Aaralyn’s Song, the YA Fantasy wherein I’m playing with POV shifts. AugNoWriMo has been such a success. One week to go and lots more experimentation to enjoy.

Also, I’m submitting some short pieces by the end of the month. More polishing and tweaking and off they go.

READING:

I started reading The Spark by Kristine Barnett awhile ago and I got to finishing it. Such a great book. It got me looking into other inspiring non-fiction. I’m reading Daniel Tammet’s Born on a Blue Day next.

NETWORKING:

I’m combing #wipmadness#ROW80 and other threads to look for great blog posts and websites for my upcoming FRIDAY FORAGE series. I’m excited.

LEARNING:

SavvyAuthors‘ 2013 Summer Symposium blurred by so quickly. I downloaded all the lessons but it happened too fast for me to keep up with every single thread. Great stuff to dig through.

My Uke, Bilbo Watson, is still on the injured list but I’ll get that sorted this week.

In the meantime, I’ve reconnected with Duolingo. I’d like to think I can carry a conversation by the end of the year. I’ll eventually work on all the languages it has to offer. Best. Free. App. Ever!

 

August, we’re in the home stretch. 🙂

#ROW80 Mid-Week Check-In 2013/08/21

ROW80Logocopy

WRITING:

My WIP, Aaralyn’s Song, is a YA Fantasy. Some themes are of the darker variety, but this successful POV experiment has brought out edgier sides to my characters. I’d say AugNoWriMo is going superbly. 🙂

READING:

I’m swamped but getting through my reading:  K.M. Weiland‘s forthcoming Structuring Your Novel and the WIP excerpts from fellow SCBWI critique group members.

NETWORKING:

Accountability continues with #wipmadness check-ins on Candilynn Fite’s blog and #ROW80 check-ins, along with updates at Ali Luke’s Writers’ Huddle. Still, I should be held more accountable for my lag in reading. 😦

LEARNING:

SavvyAuthors‘ 2013 Summer Symposium started today. As if I wasn’t overwhelmed–in a good way–with my current workshops. The next five days are full of ace material to learn from.

My buddy Bilbo Watson is under the weather. I ran some errands yesterday only to come home to find one of his strings popped. Turns out the string wasn’t long enough and the knot unravelled. I made some phone calls and here are my options:

1) Take him back to the store where they’ll restring him for free (labor is free but I’m not sure about the string. Mind you, it didn’t break, it’s just short so the same thing might happen again). Pro: FREE Con: It’s an hour commute.

2) Take him to a music shop nearby (15mins away). Pro: much closer Con: They only sell packs of strings not individual, so that’s around $10 plus another $10 for labor.

Ugh. It’s been 36 hours since I last played. I’ll go grab my sister’s guitar but it won’t be the same. Do I opt for convenience at a higher price or go the cheaper route that makes for a more tiring day? I have some mulling over to do.

Other than that, things are going swell. Swelling, too. Like my arm from where I got my allergy shot yesterday. Oh, the summer drama continues! ;p

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

ROW80Logocopy

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!

#ROW80 Mid-Week Check-In 2013/08/14

ROW80Logocopy

WRITING:

AugNoWriMo is chugging along with my Multiple POV approach. I’m discovering things about my characters I hadn’t originally considered and it’s exciting to include these character layers in the WIP.

READING:

The Mothership’s birthday and Tots extra hyperactivity kept me busy the last few days so I’ll be diving into my reading tonight and for the rest of the week: more of K.M. Weiland‘s forthcoming Structuring Your Novel and the WIP excerpts from my SCBWI critique group.

NETWORKING:

I’m enjoying the check-in posts for #wipmadness on Candilynn Fite’s blog. Maybe she should come up with a series called ‘Yoga for Writers.’ I’ve never quite tried yoga but I think my back will thank me if I did.

LEARNING:

I’m digging the Udemy courses, so far:

Young Adult Novel Writing Workshop

Pain Free at Work

Learn Guitar in 21 Days

Next up, more digging with the recorded webinars and ebooks I bought at the Writer’s Digest Shop.

August is already halfway done. Before I know it, I’m going to start hearing Christmas carols everywhere.

Week in Review – 2013/06/17 – 2013/06/23

WRITING:

JuNoWriMo and Kiwi Writers SoCNoC.  Also tweeting word count updates using #JuNoWriMo and #SoCNoC hashtags.

Fractured Tales Series Running Word Count: 52,999 words

I’m not including today’s total yet because I still have some scenes I want to churn out. My weekend was on the higher end of the blerg scale and my super writing marathon didn’t end up happening.

Speaking of…

The WRITE YOUR NOVEL THIS SUMMER Facebook page has been quiet since the challenge started on Friday, June 21st. I’m hoping that it’s just because everyone’s busy writing. Even if that challenge doesn’t end up happening, I still have JulNoWriMoCamp NaNoWriMoand possibly Savvy Authors Boot Camp in July to keep me busy for at least the next six weeks. That’s triple the accountability. Good stuff.

My word count may not have poured forth, but I’ve done some plotting and more character sketches that will prove useful in the longrun. It’s a writing journey, after all, so I’m looking for that silver lining.

READING:

So, I’ve been psyching myself up for this 30 Books in 90 Days challenge that started today. Of course, I was finalizing my flexible reading list–which kinda makes it anything but final–and forgot that today was the start date. Haven’t read anything from the list yet, but hey, I’ve got 90 days. I suddenly went into panic mode for no reason so I think I’ll just post my list here and do the challenge unofficially, that way, I’m still reading without the added pressure. Here’s the list so far, but I’m willing to make changes and shift the order around.

1) THE GIVER – LOIS LOWRY

2) GATHERING BLUE – LOIS LOWRY

3) MESSENGER – LOIS LOWRY

4) THE STORYTELLER’S DAUGHTER – ONCE UPON A TIME – CAMERON DOKEY

5) BEAUTY SLEEP – ONCE UPON A TIME – CAMERON DOKEY

6) SUNLIGHT AND SHADOW – ONCE UPON A TIME – CAMERON DOKEY

7) GOLDEN – ONCE UPON A TIME – CAMERON DOKEY

8) BEFORE MIDNIGHT – ONCE UPON A TIME – CAMERON DOKEY

9) THE WORLD ABOVE – ONCE UPON A TIME – CAMERON DOKEY

10) BELLE – ONCE UPON A TIME – CAMERON DOKEY

11) WINTER’S CHILD – ONCE UPON A TIME – CAMERON DOKEY

12) WILD ORCHID – ONCE UPON A TIME – CAMERON DOKEY

13) THE FORT – ARIC DAVIS

14) THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER – STEPHEN CHBOSKY

15) THIRTEEN REASONS WHY – JAY ASHER

16) THE SELECTION – KIERA CASS

17) THE PRINCE – KIERA CASS

18)  THE ELITE – KIERA CASS

19) THE SUPERNATURALIST – EOIN COLFER

20) LEAPING BEAUTY – GREGORY MAGUIRE

21) WHAT-THE-DICKENS – GREGORY MAGUIRE

22) SHELTER – HARLAN COBEN

23) SECONDS AWAY – HARLAN COBEN

24) THE EYRE AFFAIR – JASPER FFORDE

25) BEASTLY – ALEX FLINN

26) BEASTLY: LINDY’S DIARY – ALEX FLINN

27) BEWITCHING – ALEX FLINN

28) CLOAKED – ALEX FLINN

29) ANGELFALL – SUSAN EE

30) OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE – NEIL GAIMAN

I might read more than one at a time, I might stop reading one altogether, if I lose interest, but the point is, I want to increase word counts both written and read for the rest of the year.

BLOGGING:

The third round of #ROW80 starts on July 1st. I need to take stock of my goals by then. The next 80 days will certainly be busy (just take a look at the challenges above).

Kim Baccellia’s blog hosts the June check-ins for the fantabulous #wipmadness community. Everyone’s working hard on their WIPs. Two more weeks until we switch hosts but the peer support continues.

OTHERS:

All my ‘gold star’ achievements have dwindled with Duolingo. Apparently, they want you to use the app on a regular basis. I get that. I suppose I was miffed that a glitch ruined my fifteen day streak. I used to get all happy when I’d receive an email saying that I’m doing well. Sure it’s automated but I thought it was super duper progress. Turns out I can learn Spanish beyond my family and my friends Dora and Diego.

No treadmill last week but The Keysmashing Tots did the equivalent of intense cross training with me. I totally believe those studies that show two football players completely spent after taking care of a two year-old for a single day.

June’s almost over. How’s your first half of the year been, so far?