What's Up Wednesday is a weekly blog hop with other folks on this writing journey. With that aim in mind, if you want to join, visit a few other WUW blogs each week, get to know other writers, and spread the writerly love!
What I'm Reading
I started a new audiobook, The Book of Broken Hearts by Sarah Ockler, which is exactly what I needed. It blends themes from my two current WIPs, a Latina main character and her family, and parent with an illness (or in my Nano novel, a grandparent). It's really helpful to see how an accomplished author handles these aspects within YA.Right before this, I ditched another library audiobook (women's fic). This book started slow with mundane details. Literally, grocery lists and wondering when she should buy food since she wasn't going straight to her destination and the food would get warm in the car. I read to escape! Groceries are boring enough in real life, I don't want to read about them! Maybe when you are a multi-published author you can get away with this. But why would you want to? The main character was supposed to be my age or younger (early 30s) but based on her interests and narration she sounded a generation older. With a To Be Read list of 100+ books, sorry. I'm out.
I began Clara Kensie's Run To You last night, which I mentioned a couple weeks ago. I could barely put it down! It's a suspense story, and it's also serialized, meaning it is being sold and debuted in 3 parts, which is a newer trend I've seen going on. Given I've been focusing a lot on first chapters, this one does NOT mess around. Immediately, the clock is ticking and the character begins her journey. And I never felt lost because enough context was hinted at.
What I'm Writing
My Monday post details the #WriterRecharge goals and progress. I'm officially back to working through my agent notes for a manuscript we plan to sub. I already cut 4k words by eliminating my first chapter and reorganizing the next two. It really is stronger for it. First chapters suck, btw. I'm learning to like them more now that I'm getting the hang of what needs to be there and what doesn't.
What Inspires Me Right Now
What Else I'm Up To
Tonight my RWA chapter is bringing in historical romance author Jade Lee. At RWA Nationals, I took her workshop on writing multi-cultural fiction. First of all, she is hilarious. She is loud, a little crass, and very personable. Her workshop gave setting and character crafting strategies I'd never heard before. I've referred to the notes twice already since July. Looking forward to meeting her again.
I also volunteered to put together a themed gift basket for Spring Fling in April, an RWA regional conference in the northern Chicago suburbs (more info here). Last year, YA author Erica O'Rourke did a Dr. Who basket which was so fun--DVDs, kitchy memorabilia. The gift baskets are bid on as a silent auction and then the proceeds go to charity. Anyway, I suggested a Supernatural themed basket. The fandom is huge, and there are books tied in. I've been tagging some ideas, now I have to order the stuff and put it together!
What's Up for your Wednesday?
Posts
Good luck with edits! First chapters do suck. It's so tricky to figure out where to start.
ReplyDeleteThe Olympics are so inspiring. I missed the snowboarder that cracked her helmet, but my roommate told me about it. I'm watching figure skating right now and there was one pair that they said she could only land a double axel a year ago but then she met her current partner and he inspired her. Olympics have pretty much been the only thing on my TV since they started Thursday.
I keep meaning to read THE BOOK OF BROKEN HEARTS I loved TWENTY BOY SUMMER, but then wasn't that keen on her next one.
ReplyDeleteThe Winter Olympics are so inspiring aren't they?
Good luck with those first chapters and have fun at the RWA event, sounds great.
Those speed skaters really did have ridiculously muscly legs, but it really was amazing how fast they sped around. I love watching the ice skating, it always amazes me what they can do.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your editing adventures and your gift basket. It sounds like you get a lot out of RWA. They used to collaborate with Pitch University when it still existed.
ReplyDeleteMy local chapter is very active, so I'm lucky with that. It's why I stuck with them over SCBWI, which I'm sure is a great org, but locally they didn't have much support. I wanted regular writer interaction and not just expensive conferences.
DeleteFirst chapters are the hardest for me - I always have to write several versions until I get it right. Good luck with edits!
ReplyDeleteBest of luck with your revisions :D
ReplyDeleteWasn't that Russian ice skater amazing? I watched her performances in awe. Wow. What a talent!
Have an amazing week!
Agent notes are the best. Glad yours are helping you with the beginning of your WiP. Such a challenging part of the story for me, too! I've been wanting to read THE BOOK OF BROKEN HEARTS for a long time now, but it's one of those that I keep passing over, for some reason. Time to remedy that! Have a great week, Steph!
ReplyDeleteMy library had the audiobook so the book kind of chose me. I read a lot of books I might not have on my To Read list just because I stumble across them at the library. I'm particular with audiobooks so I go through a lot of them!
DeleteI really have to agree about the general suckiness of opening chapters. I'm so not a fan. It's great that you're getting more comfortable with them, though. It's just so hard to know what needs to be there and what is just for you as the author to have stashed away for your own process/use. I guess the only solution is lots and lots of practice, right?
ReplyDeleteI've been watching the Olympics like crazy. I'm always so inspired by the athletes from my own country, but also from so many others. I love seeing the little things like the Canadian coach running out and giving a ski to the Russian skier whose sky busted before he finished his run. That is what this is all about and I love it. Hope you have an awesome week, Stephanie!
I saw that coach run out with the ski! (that was during cross-country right?)
DeleteBest of luck with your revisions and your Writer Recharge goals! I'm with you on those first chapters. It can be so hard to get them just right! I'm going to have to search for some Olympics videos. I've been missing out this year!
ReplyDeleteI've been fighting with a first chapter for weeks. I struggle with wanting to add to much info early on. It sounds like you've been making great progress :)
ReplyDeleteIt's so, so hard to get the balance right. I swore I wasn't adding much backstory but it was so much EXPLAINING. Several people I know have said go ahead and write that bad first chapter to get it out of your system. I guess that's my style, so I will write the intro and it will be completely different later.
Deleteoh my, subbing! That's so cool! You must be so excited (and perhaps a wee bit nervous)!
ReplyDeleteI love the Olympics as well. All the moments you mentioned have been really intriguing. I cannot believe how good that 15-year-old Russian ice skater is. She's remarkable. Can you imagine being that good at something at such a young age? It blows my mind. I hope you have a lot of fun with your RWA!
ReplyDeleteYou have reminded me that I've been meaning to seriously look into RWA--so thanks!
ReplyDeleteAnd congrats on the work on/deletion of your first chapter!! They're so tricky. It sounds like you are on the right track.
I sometimes wonder the same thing about multi-published authors--especially those with a strong, well-established fan base. Do they get away with things that us newbies don't? Do their editors give them a pass on things that we'd get hauled over the coals about because they have fans who'll buy the book regardless? I hope not, but I have to admit, I've read some books where that seems to be the case. If I ever get to that point, where I have an established fan-base, I hope I have enough respect for my readers to not let my standards slip.
ReplyDeleteWow--you're getting the hang of first chapters? Are you interested in Beta Reading for me, Stephanie? :D Seriously, I'm glad your edits are going so well. Have a wonderful revising/editing week! :)