#WriterRecharge: Last Post

Here's my Writer Recharge wrap-up post! (A day late due to Blogger issues yesterday.)

For February I reached most of my specific goals BUT I did not finish my revision as I had hoped. (It might have been ambitious to think I would, but oh well.)

Here are my original goals:

1. Read and score all of my Golden Heart judging entries (I need to do this!).
2. Get through draft 2 of Nano novel SUNSET SUMMER. Write an ending.
3. Organize notes for draft 3 for a targeted approach at changes (draft 2 is not very organized!).
4. Submit next chapter of SUNSET SUMMER for critique group; work in changes.
5. Potentially work in updates to AMELIA (which Agent currently has).

I completed all of the Golden Heart entries by the deadline. The judging does not go into as much depth as my RWA chapter's contest, but after 2 years of judging that, I think I have a good handle on what to look for in contest entries. I like to provide comments though, and the GH doesn't allow for that--it's literally just numbers. I read a few really great entries that got me excited for the writers.

I did not get my goals accomplished for SUNSET SUMMER (Nano novel 2013) because my agent provided notes on my other project (working title: AMELIA).

Next set of goals:

1. Cut first chapter (!); make sure Ch. 2 works as opener. Edit opening two chapters based on notes from my Opening Scenes course.
2. Work in the other proposed changes; expanding some scenes, cutting others.
3. Re-organize the pacing of the novel.
4. Reduce overall word count by 6-7k words; first step is to review structure of novel and cut or reduce length of scenes toward end of book. Closer edit:, reduce filler info, reduce secondary character subplot that take away from MC's subplot.

I have cut 4k + words, added more, cut more, rinse and repeat. I'm still working with the structure which means Part 2 needs more wordcount while Part 3 needs less (these are parts specific to my story and not the Three Act Structure). I'm mainly working to re-purpose scenes that happen later in the book to move them up within a new context, so as you tell, this is taking some time.

Thank you to Sara Biren for organizing, and to the other blog hosts:  Katy Upperman, Alison Miller, Liz Parker, and Elodie Nowodazkij