2013 Goals: March Status Report

It was a big month for the first goal I set for 2013. After five months of intense work, revisions are complete on Novel #2! Maybe now the rest of my goals will get some attention!

Special Note: My blog schedule will change during the month of April. Please see notes on Goal #5 for more details!

1) Complete final draft of Novel #2.

Start Word Count: 55,440
End Word Count: 75,808
Total: 20,368

As of three days, ago revisions on Novel #2 are complete! WOO-HOO! I am doubly proud of the fact that I set a personal best word count total for a month’s worth of work. Novel #2 is now in the hands of my beta reader and so far, the response has been great!

2) Work on converting Novel #1 into first person.

I’ve decided to let Novel #1 sit until the summer when I have more time to devote to a total re-write. Part of me still wonders if I should jump into this or just let it go. My muse still pulls me towards Novel #2 and it’s sequel, so it’s become a game of wait and see.

3) Submit 5 pieces of writing.

With revisions complete on Novel #2, I’ll have a lot more time to write entries and research submission opportunities. I plan on using that time!

4) Submit three query letters for Novel #2

Once my beta reader finishes reading Draft 2, I’m going to make a few adjustments and then jump back into my query letter. After spending so much time on revisions, I’m hoping the same gumption will benefit my query draft.

5) Continue building author platform

 Stay tuned to my blog during the month of April for the A to Z Challenge. I will be featuring posts with photography and writing devoted to travel in a series titled, A to Z Abroad.  Essentially, I will be sharing pictures from my global travels and pairing them with historical trivia and creative writing. These posts will start tomorrow, so stay tuned!

As for social media, a busy few weeks at work and a nasty sinus infection meant I didn’t spend as much time as I would have like online. Thank you to my new Facebook followers for giving my numbers a little jump. As for Twitter, I lost a few along the way, but I hope to make up for that in April.

My Facebook Page has grown from 276 Likes to 284

On Twitter, my followers went from 523 to 528

Thanks so much to all my followers. Your support and encouragement means so much!

6)  Read three books on the writing/publishing process.

I’m still (happily) lost in YA urban fantasy. Currently, I am glued to Cassandra Clare’s Clockwork Princess. If anything, I am reading like a writer and learning from the best!

7) Inspire others to keep writing.

As always, I can only hope I am a positive presence!

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Happy Easter!! Enjoy those chocolate bunnies and hardboiled eggs!

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c.b.w. 2013

Novel #2 Progress: All Done!

I’m a little early with this update, but I am beyond excited to report that after five months of relentless work, revisions on Novel #2 are complete!

Word Count Progress:

Draft #1 Word Count:

• Start Word Count: 67,994
• End Word Count: 75,808
• Total: 7,814

Draft #2 Revised Word Count:

• Start Word Count: 70,551
• End Word Count: 79,002
• Total: 8,451

Writing Process Notes:

• A week off from my day job certainly did the trick. With nothing else to worry about during the day, I had the freedom and the time to write!
• I ended up finishing three days ahead of schedule, which goes to show how much determination and motivation can really push a writer to keep going.

Novel Tidbit:

The Title:

Back in January, I stated that I would reveal the title of Novel #2 when I finished revisions. I’m keeping that promise, but with a twist. Ever since the beginning, I’ve had a working title, but I’ve never been dead set on keeping it in place. So, instead of one title, I’m offering up four! One is my working title and the other three are on my brainstorm list. Which title jumps out at you?

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Thanks so much to my readers for  giving me so much support and encouragement. Your comments and advice have all meant so much as I continue this journey!

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c.b.w. 2013

Novel #2 Progress: Crunch Time!

As the end of  March approaches, I feel the pressure of a self-imposed deadline. I promised myself I would finish revisions on Novel #2 by March 31st, which means I will be working like a maniac in the coming week to finish what I started.

Word Count Progress:

Draft #1 Word Count:

• Start Word Count: 63,373
• End Word Count: 67,994
• Total: 4,621

Draft #2 Revised Word Count:

• Start Word Count: 65,883
• End Word Count: 70,551
• Total: 4,668

Writing Process Notes:

• I am officially two chapters away from completing revisions! As planned, I reached 90% completion last week, which puts me in a great position to finish the second draft during Spring Break.
• Thanks so much to everyone that contributed to last week’s discussion concerning the use of epilogues. So many great points were made and they are all helping me decide what to do. I am still pondering whether or not to include the epilogue I’ve written, though I am leaning towards keeping it in place. I like how it opens up a new story line and I think it will make readers really excited for the sequel.

Novel Tidbit:

 The Light Side:

One of the first promises I made during this journey was that Ian would not be a vampire or a werwolf. There are a number of reasons why I avoided this trend, (i.e. it’s overdone and the market is flooded), but at the core of my decision is my desire to prove something I profoundly believe. A good urban fantasy/paranormal story doesn’t necessarily need an element of dark evil to hold a reader’s interest.

As a reader, I’ve grown a bit tired of damsels in distress falling in love with dangerous boys. Not that I don’t love a good bad boy story, but it doesn’t hurt to try something a little different without losing the tension created by the conflict between good and evil. The vampire thing was fun (Twilight) and so are devil fighters (Mortal Instruments and Infernal Devices), but my muse and I want to see if there’s another way to give a fresh spin to the mortal vs. supernatural world. The trick is making sure the conflict is still there and the stakes remain high.

While Ian’s true identity is shrouded in mystery, I can assure you he is not anything remotely sinister. The entities in his world also are not evil or blackhearted. In fact, the so-called villains in my novel would actually be considered the good guys just about anywhere else.

So, how do I create conflict with characters who are technically on the same side? Easy. I added an element of danger beyond everyone’s control. Ian’s world is held together by ancient creeds and traditions that are considered unbreakable. Even those with a heart of gold are bound to carry out the rules and the punishments associated with iron clad edicts. Throw in a life and death situation for those involved, along with a mystical feud and you’ve got a heck of hook for a story.

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c.b.w. 2013

Novel #2 Progress: Benadryl Blues

It’s official, my sinuses hate me. The yo-yo weather of late is turning my head into a ticking time bomb and I swear it’s ready to blow. To preserve my sanity, I’ll be keeping this update rather short.

Word Count Progress:

Draft #1 Word Count:

• Start Word Count: 60,366
• End Word Count: 63,373
• Total: 3,007

Draft #2 Revised Word Count:

• Start Word Count: 62,703
• End Word Count: 65,883
• Total: 3,180

Writing Process Notes:

• It’s been four days since I’ve worked on Novel #2, but I’ve decided no work is better than trying to revise while under the influence of Benadryl. No good can come from the drowsy stupor I find myself in whenever I take those little pink pills.
• My goal for this week is to reach 90% completion. That way I can use Spring Break to complete the final 10%. I don’t like how close to the deadline this is all happening, but at this point I don’t have much choice but to plow through.

Novel Tidbit:

Epilogue or not?

• I’ve been playing with the idea of an epilogue since I finished Novel #2. As a matter of fact, I’ve already written the epilogue as a segue into the sequel. The only thing I can’t decide is whether the segment should stay an epilogue or become the first chapter of the next book.
• The epilogue basically focuses on the morning after the closing action sequence. Everything appears calm and Amanda can finally relax after what can only be described as a traumatizing experience. However, just as everything starts to feel normal, her new reality reminds her that nothing can ever be as it was before. Too much has changed and too many dangers remain.
• So, readers, what is your opinion concerning epilogues? Love them or hate them, share your thoughts in the comments.

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c.b.w. 2013

Novel #2 Progress: Playing With Fantasy

I revised until my eyes burned and the word count totals for this week reflect that fact!

Word Count Progress:

Draft #1 Word Count:

• Start Word Count: 55,440
• End Word Count: 60,366
• Total: 4,896

Draft #2 Revised Word Count:

• Start Word Count: 57,074
• End Word Count: 62,703
• Total:5,629

Writing Process Notes:

• The scenes I worked on this week were so intense they literally left me emotionally and physically exhausted! However, as the conflicts between my character’s escalate, I know that means the climatic end scene is within reach. With that scene so close at at hand, I am happily working through the exhaustion in order to get to the last line!
• A wide divide has developed between the word counts of Drafts 1 and 2. Several new scenes have been added in places where I made notations to expand descriptions and plot elements. So far, I’m loving the changes!
• I am still shooting to complete the second draft by the end of March. It’ll be a tight schedule, but I think I can do it!

Novel Tidbit:

Realistic Fantasy

• I decided to create urban fantasy as opposed to straight up fantasy because I like creating something people can relate to on a personal level. My favorite stories are those that take something honest and give it an elaborate place to breathe. Sometimes the real world is big enough to harness that honesty, but at other times fantasy is in order to create metaphors and imagery that can’t exist in reality.
• While fantasy allows for limitless creation, I also believe in striking a balance between realistic and fantasy-based elements. For urban fantasy to work, the plot and characters need a strong connection to a reality in which readers can place themselves. So, when fantasy elements are introduced, it makes them that much more fantastical and believable. I want readers to allow themselves to think, even if for just a second, that something magical could be real. In a sense, the real world only needs a dash a fairy dust to sparkle.
• The bulk of Novel #2 takes place in Phoenix, Arizona. Most scenes take place in real places, including coffee shops, movie theaters, and Amanda’s home. It’s only in the last quarter that the setting changes to something completely out of this realm.  In doing this, Ian’s realm becomes something even more incredible. I want readers to be awed in the same way Amanda is when they enter this amazing world by her side.
• Ian’s special abilities are the only bit of “magic” until the end of the novel. Part of the reason I did this was to emphasize the unique nature of his identity. That being said, he is not without faults or weaknesses, just like any human.
• Amanda’s mortal status is necessary to make the story work, but I also went out of my way to make her stronger than Ian in unconventional ways. He may be the supernatural being, but she bests him in ways that will ultimately change his fate.

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c.b.w. 2013