Things are moving. Up, down, sideways, I don’t know. But they’re going, and that’s exciting!
The evidence:
- I am Kiersten’s first Query Week
victimguinea pigwinner! (Er, no, it wasn’t actually a contest… but whatever.) Today both Kiersten and her agent Michelle Wolfson — and several helpful readers! — gave me feedback on a query letter I’ve been sending out for Twenty-Somewhere. Overall verdict: well-written but vague. So I’ve already taken that feedback, revised the query, and will send it to a few more agents. It’ll be great to see how responses compare to the Before and After versions. - I finished my outline!!! That means I’m ready to start writing my WIP! Well, almost ready. See, I’m going to start writing it — today! today! — but I’ll have to stop at Chapter 3 if I can’t think of a name for one of my male characters. I mean, I guess I can put {Insert Name Here} as a placeholder and do a Find & Replace later. But somehow I think that’s not as fun.
- Okay, there is no 3… yet! But hey, how about those Olympics?
No really, how about those Olympics? Is anyone else watching? Who are you rooting for? Do you like how the media turned the Chinese pair skaters Shen and Zhao into a fairytale? I actually did enjoy that, and I cried for them a little when they won gold. (Yes, I am a sap.)
14 responses to “Progress!”
Hey, that’s great news, congrats on “winning.”
I’ve been making some progress lately, too, but it’s more of the “fleshing out” sort and less of the “word count” sort. I’ll get there, though. Progress is progress.
The fact that I’m spending a lot of time watching Burn Notice probably doesn’t help. Now I want to write a spy novel. Argh.
.-= • Recent post by Todd Newton: The Halestorm Interview =-.
That query letter post was so helpful on the other site! I wonder if they would help with my query…hmm…
Congrats on finishing the outline.
.-= • Recent post by Jon: The Short Film: What Works? =-.
Wow… that’s so exciting! I haven’t read Kiersten’s blog today. But I’m headed over there now. Can’t wait to see your query!!! : )
.-= • Recent post by Kimberly Franklin: Querying =-.
Congrats on finishing outlining! That’s something I’ve never done in a physical way. I tried once, but it drained the lifeblood out of the story for me. That’s FOR ME. I wish I could outline successfully, as it seems like a really great tool. Then again, it’s been probably 10-15 years since I tried, so maybe I’d be better at it now. (What I do is mentally come up with an arc with 4-5 main plot points then fill in the rest as I write.)
As for the Olympics, I am into them. And I am surprised about that, as I hadn’t thought twice about the Olympics before they started. I’m not so much into the figure-skating (SHOCKING, I know), but I’ve really been enjoying the speed stuff – you know, who skis, sleds, luges, whatever the fastest. I heard about Shen and Zhao, though, and I am happy for them. :)
.-= • Recent post by Sonja: In which I make six spring rolls =-.
Yay for progress! I’ve never used an outline, but I think I might for my new novel. I feel like it’s going to keep me on track more and allow me to write longer scenes. Hmmm…I’ve never been much of a planner!
.-= • Recent post by Rachele Alpine: Submitting and the Single Girl =-.
Jon-
I don’t know if Kiersten would help with your query, but I imagine you might be able to find other screenwriters with blogs who would. It’s a common thing in the world of fiction writers with blogs, anyway.
Sonja-
I’ve never done it before either — I usually go with your process: a few main plot points and then write to connect the dots. But I really wanted to give this a shot, so we’ll see how it goes. :)
And yay speed skating!! I never really paid attention before, but my mom’s a big Ohno fan, and I love supporting halfies in general (Ohno and JR!) so I started watching, and omigosh it’s so cool! Curling is too, haha. I still can’t get into the skiing as much… But snowboarding/half pipes last night were pretty sweet.
Rachele-
I’ve never been much of a planner either, but that’s what I’m hoping this outline will let me do too (keep on track, write better scenes).
Good for you! I guess all that reading last week didn’t completely sidetrack you after all!
.-= • Recent post by Rebecca @ Diary of a Virgin Novelist: Writers and Gossip =-.
That curling loss was a total heartbreaker.
.-= • Recent post by Todd Newton: The Halestorm Interview =-.
Rebecca-
Lol guess not.
(All kidding aside, reading is often a motivator for me!)
Todd-
Omigosh it WAS! The women’s curling loss to Japan, too. I hope both teams pick it up a bit.
Totally.
I think the hardest thing to watch was Women’s Downhill last night. Seeing all those girls biff it… I cringed every time… and then Lindsey Vonn… just crazy.
.-= • Recent post by Todd Newton: The Halestorm Interview =-.
I thought you did great on Kiersten’s blog. Your novel sounds intriguing, though I’m an awful example of a good critique. Maybe it’s because I only see the positives. Every writer has them.
As per the Olympics I love, love (did I say love?) Shawn White almost as much as my husband (who also snowboards).
Keep up the good work. Oh how I would love to be in your shoes starting anew with another WIP. If only I could get past my current.
.-= • Recent post by Candyland: Contest time! =-.
Thanks, Candyland! The revised version (visible in the comments on Kiersten’s blog) is WAY better. Her advice was so valuable.
Shaun White is pretty awesome. But I bet he constantly scares the living daylights out of his mom. :P
Good luck on your WIP! One word at a time, you know? Every book is written one word at a time.
That’s great about the query letter feedback! I need to get over there and check things out. I’ve been watching the Figure Skating. I loved Shen and Zhao, although I missed their medal ceremony. I felt a little bad for the Russian guy who lose the gold in the men’s competition, but the American guy (like how I remember everyone’s names?) – Ivan – did a great job and was very gracious in his interview about the Russian guy. I was so bored by the ice dancing last night that I turned it out, but I’m excited for the women’s skating next week! I have seen a little snowboarding and skiing here and there (Shaun White’s gold medal performance), but not much else. This is the first time in MANY years that I’ve watched the Olympics.
.-= • Recent post by Meghan Ward: Link Love =-.
I haven’t watched any of the medal ceremonies either. I second your opinions about the men’s figure skating, though. And yeah, I used to religiously watch figure skating as a child, but I don’t think I’ve paid much attention to Olympics in the past decade. (Well, except China’s opening ceremonies.) It’s kinda fun to get back into it! :)