All is well at Casa PBW. Family and pets are healthy, writing rolling along, current deadlines met, latest proposal approved, problematic cover art being fixed, new pitches well-received, way overdue letters to loved ones written and sent, house clean, shopping finished, laundry done, blog updated (we will not discuss e-mail) and I got an early copy of the mass market edition of Afterburn from my very kind SF editor, which I think I'll do a little giveaway for next week. The book, not the editor. You can't have her.
I may be a nice boss and give myself half a day off this weekend to take the kids and the pup to the big dog park on the other side of town. We love the dog park. Plus we won't be here when the flaming meteor crashes into the house and levels it or burns it down. Stuff like that always happens any time I get things running this smoothly.
So what's up in your corner of the writing world? Has it been a dog park or fiery meteor week? Any questions for me?
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Wow...I'm in awe of all you've done...that would take me a month of Sundays!
ReplyDeleteA meteor week indeed. I have to testify next week in court because I saw a woman fall in a store.
ReplyDeleteI've just been served AGAIN. Her counsel now wants to question me on the stand as well.
I also have jury duty next week.
And the Irs now says I owe them ten grand. Which I don't. They say I didn't file in 2003. HR Block has the proof I did. Have to send them all the info tomorrow. But could take months to straighten out.
I'm now afraid to answer the door or open the mail. And the phone is iffy at best.
Oh, Debbi, I am so sorry to hear that. I have a friend who calls the IRS the "Legitimate Mafia" EEP! Good luck!
ReplyDeleteAs for me, well, things are busy, that's for sure. My 7th podcast is due to be up on Sunday - I love doing my podcast - but the best news is two-fold: (1) I finally have my NaNo story all outlined and (2) I am 25% finished with my WiP! Hooray!
Oh, yeah, um, a question for PBW: Have you ever been writing a story - that maybe you didn't outline or didn't outline well enough - that got very sidetracked or something, and it began to feel broken, so you just stopped writing it? Did you go back? How did you fix it?
I have one of those. The thing is, I still like what I think is the core of the story - so I really don't want to give up on it.
~PJ~
Thanks for the information, S. - jeez, you're good to us! - I'll be spending the weekend editing and checking out the free website er, sites.
ReplyDeleteAre you considering a website, or is the blog enough for you? (I think the blog's enough, but don't tell anyone I said that, 'kay?)
Bonnie wrote: Wow...I'm in awe of all you've done...that would take me a month of Sundays!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Ma'am. This morning I was thinking about the good old days, when I tried to do all this stuff and hold down a day job with two little ones in diapers. No wonder those years are kind of a blur. :)
Debbi wrote: A meteor week indeed.
ReplyDeleteYikes. Sounds like you're having a meteor shower week.
I'm now afraid to answer the door or open the mail. And the phone is iffy at best.
Writers say these times are when we get most of our inspiration, but I know I could be happily inspired forever without them. I hope things do turn out okay for you. Hang in there.
Meteors were last week, this week has been calm.
ReplyDeleteNot a question - just a prayer - that you don't stop blogging.
PJ wrote: Have you ever been writing a story - that maybe you didn't outline or didn't outline well enough - that got very sidetracked or something, and it began to feel broken, so you just stopped writing it?
ReplyDeleteI have probably an entire box of those; a couple of partial novels and about a hundred short stories.
Did you go back? How did you fix it?
Depends on how important the idea is to me. One reason I frequently try out my ideas in short story form is to get a feel for it on paper and see if that's going to happen without making the huge time committment of writing a novel.
If the execution sucks but the idea is still strong, I'll rewrite the story from scratch while making some major change (making another character the protagonist, different setting, different genre, etc.) I generally give myself three chances to get it right; after that I file it away in the idea file.
If the idea dies on the page due to my poor planning, I'll rework the outline and see if I can fix whatever the problem is. If it's multiple problems and I don't have time, I'll make some notes to myself on what I don't like, file the story, and wait six months or a year to look at it again.
A meteor week, definitely. At least all the sparks flying around are pretty to look at.
ReplyDeleteI have a question for everyone. I'm looking for no or miniscule-cost suggestions for something to do with 2000 postcards that came from my publisher. Half are from my last book and half promote my new book--both YA, BTW.
I don't have the money to mail them to all my fans--and that would still leave me with 1998 cards.
The only idea I could come up with was to make a giant quilt with duct tape, but then what would I do with that.
Thanks, everyone.
Jaye wrote: Are you considering a website, or is the blog enough for you? (I think the blog's enough, but don't tell anyone I said that, 'kay?)
ReplyDeleteI do think web sites are important for writers, and a good one will help sell books for you and serve as home base for your readership.
I put so much into the last web site I did that I'm kind of burned out on them. Since I can update PBW on my own, and it's fun for me to post every day here, I'll probably keep it as my main presence on the internet.
Bernita wrote: Meteors were last week, this week has been calm.
ReplyDeleteNot a question - just a prayer - that you don't stop blogging.
Calm works, too. :) I have no plans to stop blogging. If for no other reason than to keep people from drinking all that champagne, lol.
Darlene wrote: A meteor week, definitely. At least all the sparks flying around are pretty to look at.
ReplyDeleteAnd NASA aims the Hubble at your house. :)
I have a question for everyone. I'm looking for no or miniscule-cost suggestions for something to do with 2000 postcards that came from my publisher. Half are from my last book and half promote my new book--both YA, BTW.
I'd consider boxing up the whole lot and sending it to a tradeshow willing to give them away in goodie rooms or bags. A few weeks ago I found a tradeshow directory site that allows you to search pretty much the entire planet for tradeshows of all types.
I don't have the money to mail them to all my fans--and that would still leave me with 1998 cards.
Another approach might be to pool your resources with other YA authors. Offer to include some of their promo in any mailouts you do if they'll reciprocate. Or ask a YA author friend if they'll take your cards to a conference they're attending.
The only idea I could come up with was to make a giant quilt with duct tape, but then what would I do with that.
Make it a holiday gift to someone you really don't like? Lol.
It's been a meteor shower here for the past three weeks, but I've still been able to work on my WIP. It's not done yet, but it will be- the good lord willing and the creek don't rise (but that's another story).
ReplyDeleteAnn
Nancy wrote: Kudos to you on being so productive!
ReplyDeleteThank you, ma'am. Btw, is Nolan's Dad a double for Brad Pitt? He's one gorgeous baby. :)
Ann wrote: It's been a meteor shower here for the past three weeks, but I've still been able to work on my WIP.
ReplyDeleteHardcore writer mentality: nothing stops us, not even meteor showers. WTG, Ann.
Hardcore writer mentality: nothing stops us, not even meteor showers. WTG, Ann.
ReplyDeleteAs long as the meteor shower doesn't burn your house down.
Ok, it was a wooden garden house, but it did happen here, and the poor man being in the house escaped with grade 2 burns.
I'm working on the @!%&@# short story. Why are characters soooo difficult? I've already tried chocolate, but it didn't appear to soothe them.
ReplyDeleteMay, be glad it you're still at the chocolate stage. I'm going to put mine on the rack now.
ReplyDeleteGabriele wrote: As long as the meteor shower doesn't burn your house down.
ReplyDeleteOk, it was a wooden garden house, but it did happen here, and the poor man being in the house escaped with grade 2 burns.
Lord. I'm glad he got out.
May wrote: I'm working on the @!%&@# short story.
ReplyDeleteHey, I'm working on a @!%&@# story, too.
Why are characters soooo difficult?
Because if they were easy, anyone could create them.
I've already tried chocolate, but it didn't appear to soothe them.
I always offer mine a deal: they cooperate with me, and I won't subject them to a horrible marriage, disease, or death. Which explains the reason for Squilyp's marriage to Le Gran Omorr Beetch. :)
Damn! And I was so looking forward to winning an editor of my very own.
ReplyDeleteAh. Squilyp. I can see where he could move you to new heights in creativity.
My week started out meteorite like but has settled into same old, same old. The beauty is that I haven't really found an end to the things I can do, so if you want to tack someone else's job on top of the ten or so people's jobs I'm already doing, it seems to work out.
I'm pleasantly surprised that I'm nearly done with my !@#$% story.
Enjoy the dog park.
Ok, this is the 3rd time I've tried to post this.....
ReplyDeleteThis week has been a meteor week. Bad, bad stuff. The only positive thing is that I finished the rough draft of my challenge WIP, Broken Wings. The part that stinks is that is needs some major revision, and I finished it later than I had originally projected, and now I'm wondering how I'm gonna fit in a full, good revision in 11 days. Any suggestions? I was hoping to actually have it done by the 31st.
Thank you,
Erin K.
(*crosses fingers and toes that this posts*)
You can do it, Erin. Eleven days is a long, long time. Remember waiting for Christmas or your birthday as a child? It took forever, right? Approach it with that childlike spirit, and you'll be fine.
ReplyDeleteNow, if you approach it like you're in your mid-40s or later, it's too late. We're already there.
Thank you, Jean. :) I will try.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Erin K.
Sorry for the delay and difficulty posting comments, folks. Blogger is again being a pain.
ReplyDeleteJean wrote: The beauty is that I haven't really found an end to the things I can do, so if you want to tack someone else's job on top of the ten or so people's jobs I'm already doing, it seems to work out.
Amen. At times I look at the unwashed laundry (which is now piled up again this morning) and do a revised version of the Serenity Prayer: God grant me the serenity to accept the stains that will not wash out, the courage to pretreat the things I can; and the wisdom to properly sort out the colors from the whites.
Erin wrote: The part that stinks is that is needs some major revision, and I finished it later than I had originally projected, and now I'm wondering how I'm gonna fit in a full, good revision in 11 days. Any suggestions? I was hoping to actually have it done by the 31st.
ReplyDeleteHere's what I would do: divide the WIP pages by 9, and make a committment to yourself to edit that many pages each day. You're going to save the last day for a final, one-pass edit of the entire WIP. While you're editing, don't back track and don't second-guess yourself. Holly Lisle has a great workshop on one-pass revision here that may be of some help with the actual editing.
My corner of the writing world involved a very ugly display as I did the happy dance. Me dancing isn't good.
ReplyDeleteBut I did have a reason for teh happy dance.
Not only did I get the author copies on one of my November releases, I also finished up the second book in my Berkley contract. Now I have time to breathe for a while... and get surgery... before I start on the next one.