What’s Ready. Set. WRITE!, you ask? It’s a summer-long writing intensive that encourages goal setting and accountability, and provides an opportunity for writers to cheer each other on at any point in the process—be it planning, drafting, revising, and/or polishing. The event is hosted by Alison Miller, Jaime Morrow, Erin Funk, and Katy Upperman.
I’ll be checking in weekly to share my progress, and if you’re contemplating joining the fun, there’s still time! Full event details HERE.
How I did on last week’s goals
Revise another 10 chapters of VENGEANCE ROAD — Once again, I only got through nine chapters (~20k), but I’m nearing the end of the book, which is such a relief. This thing is due to my editor next Tuesday, and I still need to read through/proof it one last time.
Read at least one contemporary YA — Success! I devoured E. Lockhart’s WE WERE LIARS. It was just as brilliant and heartbreaking as everyone promised. I also started EVERYTHING LEADS TO YOU by Nina LaCour (I will forever read anything this lady writes). I’m only a couple chapters in, but really enjoying it so far.
My goals for this week
- Finish revising VENGEANCE ROAD, then send it to my iPad for a read-through
- Finish reading EVERYTHING LEADS TO YOU
A favorite line from my project OR a word/phrase that sums up what I wrote/revised
More than a line, but here’s a quick flashback. Kate’s just turned eight, and her father’s given her a rifle for her birthday:
Pa nudged my nose with his knuckle. “There are good people and there are bad people, Kate. Most folk are good. They mean well and will help a friend in need. I really do believe that. But there might come a day when you need help and the only folk round are bad ones.” He lowered his eyes to meet mine. “You gotta be yer own help in those situations. You gotta know how to fire this rifle and not miss. You hear me?”
There were something awful cold in his expression that day. I remember it being the first time I ever wondered if he regretted me being born a girl, if he’d rather’ve had a son.
“Show me,” I said, reaching for the rifle.
He passed it over, smiling. “That’s my girl.”
The biggest challenge I faced this week
Home improvement distractions. We had a wood stove installed (cue a complete afternoon of masonry grinding and other fun noises). The Engineer anchored my finally purchased bookshelf to my office wall (cue several hours lost to unboxing and alphabetizing all my books). We’re also redoing one of the bedrooms (cue pinterest, and shopping trips for paint and bedspreads). Yeah, I need to buckle down this week.
Something I love about my WIP
The historical aspects. Yes, I lose endless hours to research wormholes as I fact-check teeny-tiny details, but I am getting the biggest writer’s high from fitting my fictional story into a very real time and setting. The entire mystery of the Lost Dutchman Mine is also so much fun to play with. What’s fact? What’s merely myth? I love having artistic license where this is concerned. :)
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That’s all I’ve got til next check-in. How was your week of writing/revising?