Ready. Set. Write! Summer Wrap-Up

It's the Ready. Set. Write! summer wrap up! RSW is a summer writing intensive that encourages goal-setting and accountability, and provides an opportunity for us to cheer each other on wherever we’re at with our writing projects—planning, drafting, revising, or polishing.  This year, your RSW hosts are Alison Miller, Jaime Morrow, Erin Funk, Elodie Nowodazkij, and Katy Upperman. All the details are HERE. Also check out #RSWrite on twitter.

Goals for the Summer:

• SHINY NEW PROJECT! If RSW is through the end of August, I'd love to have a rough first draft completed. OR at least 35k - 55k words drafted.
• I have 27k words on Shiny New Project. Not bad considering I did additional edits on another manuscript in July.
• Participate in Camp Nanowrimo for word count goals and motivation/support
• Yes! Though, I did not reach my Camp Nano word count goal. I still managed almost 20k words in July.
• Revisions for contracted work (waiting on these, so I'll need to make plans/deadlines once I know what the editor wants. (Squee!))
• I'm waiting on the publisher/editor since as we know, publishing is all about the waiting. I've filled out some forms for Bloomsbury Spark and the contract is signed, so it's a start!
• Summer Reading Challenge YA Buccaneers
• I read 9 books out of 15 categories! I read a handful more books this summer that did not fit into the challenge.
• Maintain my regular fitness classes each week and add in walking and biking
• I've been pretty good with my regular classes, but I did not bike the whole summer. Why??? My bike is all dusty. Sad. September is usually pretty warm, so I'll see if I can ride yet this year.

Other noteworthy accomplishments this summer:

• Attended RWA National conference in NYC; made new friends & connections
• I'm a Pitch Wars mentor and just selected a writer to mentor for two months (not yet revealed!) prior to an agent round
• I joined Adventures in YA Publishing as a regular mentor/critiquer for their First Five Pages workshop
• I completed edits on a YA contemporary manuscript! Sent to one last reader, polished, and shipped to the agent.

Manuscripts and Manicures:

Here is my nail art inspired by my work-in-progress. I painted my nails to match the cover of Ms. Marvel, a reboot of the Ms. Marvel/Captain Marvel series, that debuted last year. This graphic novel is mentioned in my new contemporary YA and comics themselves play a part in the plot. This also just won a Hugo award! It's a really smart and fun read (especially if you like YA since she's a teen) and a great entry into graphic novels if you haven't read any. 

Thanks to all for the encouragement this summer! Check out the links at the top to visit other RSW blogs.