Oct 26, 2014 |
Sometimes I feel I haven’t done enough to advance my writing, but looking back at the two months since I started my GoFundMe campaign, I realize everything’s a matter of perspective.
Go Fund Me: #DoingTheWriteThing
You can click on the link or photo above to follow my progress with #DoingTheWriteThing, without having to make a donation. I truly appreciate support in all forms!
At the beginning of the year, my only resolution was to do life better.
BETTER! 2014
Of course I haven’t accomplished everything on my list, but I have kept that drive alive to push forward no matter what.
I’ve been diligently working on NOLA for over a year. Almost two, if you count those months I formulated everything before writing a single word, and only worked intermittently. I drafted a few ideas, but only started writing the current story just over a year ago.
NOLA Inspiration
With the help of my writing mentor, my critique group, and the local writers club, the story has become stronger, tighter, and ~ dare I say it ~ more mysterious. In the back of my mind, I always knew NOLA was a mystery, but it wasn’t until a few months ago I realized the fullness of the mystery.
My style of writing is both discovery and intuitive. That means I write the story as it comes to me, letting it write itself, letting the characters dictate their own actions for the most part. I don’t know the technical terms for how I do what I do. I just know what works and what doesn’t. That’s the intuitive part.
For a while I got myself wrapped up in trying to follow a structure. It didn’t work. I ended up writing a new introduction to NOLA that told a good story, but it wasn’t my story. It wasn’t my NOLA. So I took the elements I liked and tossed the rest. I combined the best of the first and second drafts and now I’m working on a new NOLA. Thankfully, I have a clearer vision of how to fill in the blanks so the rewrite should only take me a few more months before this draft is fully completed.
In September, Megan departed from The New Inklings due to scheduling conflicts which means, unfortunately, the writing partnership for The Grenalia Chronicles was dissolved. While I’m sad we aren’t working together, we each have great stories to tell and intend to tell them well. I look forward to getting back to writing a fantasy next year, after NOLA.
Beckie has joined The New Inklings and we meet together at least twice a month. She’s well versed in magazine submissions and query letters. She’s a great asset to the NIP Team.
Nip’s Favorite
I’ve been speaking with Beckie as well as my friend Pam about publishing their works next year. Both have amazing stories to tell for young and old, and I’m delighted that they trust me with these writings.
November will be a busy month for writing. I’m attending three Writing Salons, co-hosting another one with Aaron, attending the writers club and the Howl At The Moon Conference.
My friend Tess has signed up for NaNoWriMo. I participated three years ago, and I applaud her determination. Writing 50,000 words for a first-draft novel in thirty days is an amazing accomplishment.
NaNoWriMo 2010 Participant
NaNoWriMo 2010 Winner
I know my writing limits, and since NaNoWriMo requires a new story, not the furthering of an existing one, it’s not on my radar this year. Maybe next year. I have quite a few stories in my mental queue, just waiting to be put into words.
For now, I’m thankful for the progress I continue to make while #DoingTheWriteThing.
Thanksgiving Table
And Frankly, My Dear . . . that’s all she wrote!
You may also enjoy reading:
BETTER: Thanksgiving
Why I Write. Every Day.
FIVE THINGS FRIDAY: #DoingTheWriteThing
New Meaning to Ghost Writing (Journal, 10/19/2010)
Mar 24, 2014 |
It’s been over a month ~ a month! ~ since I last posted. And before that, it was quite a while too. That’s a far cry from the NaBloPoMo I used to do, posting every day for nearly two years.
I can’t believe we’re at the end of March, and I’ve so few posts this year.
But rest assured, I’m still writing!
My “new” workspace ~ a real desk!
The desk, chair and glider behind the desk are all birthday gifts from my mother. We found the glider and desk at our local Salvation Army. I can’t believe how inexpensive they were to begin with, and we happened to be there on a day when everything was 50% off. I guess the writing gods were smiling that day! The two-tone desk chair was picked up at a discount furniture store. Since it was one of only two left and slightly dinged, yup, you got it . . . 20% off. I know, right?!
The piece de resistance, however, is this wonderfully personal gift from Dot.
Ernest Hemingway Pen Box
Of course, prior to these wonderful investments in my future, Megan and I have been busily adding to The Grenalia Chronicles. We locked up the prologue and Chapter One, and added not less than twenty pages of new material for the next few chapters. I also drafted the next two sections of NOLA, as well as started indexing the two compilations I’m working on.
This Girl is very busy.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: I’m healthiest when I write. The last few months were painful and distracting. Being unable to write ~ really write ~ added insult to injury. But trudge through the muck, I did. Look down into the dark holes and find the glimmer light, I did. Come through it, get through it, thrive because of it . . . I have, I did, I am.
This Girl is empowered.
So while I may not have blogged much in 2014, the words I write ~ whether for the blog, the books, or the grocery list ~ are all sincere. Intentional. And valuable.
I cannot promise you I’ll post every day. But I can promise you, when I do post, it will be worth it.
Here’s to you. Thanks for reading.
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
Apr 30, 2013 |
I have a great writing partner. The kind who knows timing. She knows when it’s a good time to write, and when I’ve too much on my plate. She knows dialogue timing and action writing. She is my perfect writing partner. She. Is. Awesome!
We’ve been working on our series for nearly two years now. “Working” is quite the misnomer, however. The last year has kept us unavailable. But now we’re back on track. We’ve been editing and creating new characters. Ever heard of a Sleight? Or a Marnavo? What about a Weonae? You’ll meet them, in good time.
As a bit of an instigation to keep us on track, and to keep you interested, we’ve decided to post little teasers on Twitter. That’s right: a short, succinct storyline in 140 characters or less. Like this:
We’re tentatively naming our series The Grenalia Chronicles. Grenalia is an imaginary land I made up as a child, where my stuffed animals came to life and ruled over neighboring kingdoms, protecting the weak, fighting with swords and casting magic. I told Megan about it and she liked it. So until (unless) we come up with something better, our series is now The Grenalia Chronicles.
Our first story, Amara’s Light, is the first novel. Accordingly, it’s where you first meet our characters. Humans, dragons, a few Elves and Dwarves, and a few other creatures you didn’t know existed.
Amara is our heroine. I can’t tell you much about her now, but I can tell you she’s worth knowing! Megan brought Amara to life long before we started writing together, and her fullness of character and determination are strong and lifelike.
Now that the Cookbook Project has wrapped up, it’s time to get back to the drawing- err.. writing board. I say, bring on the dragons! And the Elves! And the Sleights! And other mystical, magical creatures who will, in time, introduce you to worlds you never knew existed… and will never want to leave.
Follow New Inklings Press on twitter and Facebook for updates and, you know, other fun stuff!
~From Grenalia,
Molly & Megan
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
