Keeping Busy Before the Busy Season

Yep. Juggler, coach, and prison warden is what I've felt like over the last couple of months with my tween boys out of school--and not in camp, like most of their friends.

But we've made do with weekly jump-in-the-lake trips upstate. And with them now fourteen, and twelve, I've been able to thrust them out the door toward the YMCA, following my desperate cries for writing time.  It was minimal, but good. It was short lived, but productive.

Since organizing our MGbetareaders group, all of us in the group have made great strides in our WIPs.
We coach each other with our queries, and pitches--very useful for the Pitch Contests that are everywhere right now. I wasn't picked for one, but then another came streaming through twitter, and with seconds to spare, I copy and pasted my pitch, etc. into the next: http://www.writerlyrejects.blogspot.com/

Swing by Monday and check us all out. Turns out there are three of us from our beta reader group.
In any case, you learn by reading other's fine work or churning out your own.


So here's to All of you pitching and keeping on.

And here's an extra toast for the return of mandatory schooling!
Let the writing Commence--Full Force.

Oh--and we have room for more  CPs and beta readers in our MG/YA group. Just message me and I'll send you an invite.

Looking for MG Beta Readers?

I was lost, and now I’ve found -- a few beta readers. Necessity breeds, what it needs to get through, at least the real important stuff, and for me--writing. 

It wasn’t easy, even living in New York City, maybe, because everyone’s so busy? More people sure, but everyone only has so much time, and many were overloaded, in a critique group, or non-responsive through writer’s resources, some friends wrote in different genres. Many reasons—not.

I was inspired after reading Krista Van Dolzer’s Beta Reader Browse on her blog: Mother, Write, Repeat. Where she mentioned a shout out to those looking for beta readers and critique partner, and 

--eureka! MG beta reader’s yahoo group was materialized.

This is probably done all the time, right? But after someone on the thread contacted me for a beta reader, I figured, maybe this is an efficient way to help others, and myself, get the extra eyes we need on our work before submitting to agents, or publishers.

And create a space for beta readers of MG, and ‘upper’ MG—or lower YA—still unsure, to also share our tips, and resources.

So come along… those searching for MG beta readers…leave a comment and I’ll see you get an invite.

There are a few of us, up and reading now. A few polishing still, and we’ve only just begun -- last week in fact. Later on we may move into all types of YA -- upper, lower, in-between. But for now, we’re just getting acquainted.

Happy Inventive Writing!

link to the blog: Mother, Write, Repeat.

Beta Reader Browse. Krista Van Dolzer

Tree and Fence Seam . . .

I found this tree in a neighborhood I pass through often in the West Village. 

But today was the first time I SAW this tree, still flourishing, and appearing fine, and strong. This is the journey of writing, after all, and everywhere I journey, I find inspiration -- on a good day. 

I thought I might write a poem for this image. Then wondered, if someone else wanted to write, say, a haiku?

The image is the juxtaposition of two.

Explained on website Giggle Poetry: 

Traditional Japanese haiku had a total of seventeen syllables divided into three clumps (or lines):

Five syllables

Seven syllables

Five syllables

"Some teachers think children should be taught to write haiku that conform to these rigid specifications. I disagree. The essence of haiku is the way it describes natural phenomena in the fewest number of words, making an indelible impression on the reader. The artistic effect, to me, is much more important than the number of syllables."

To read more: the site is filled with Fun Poetry for kids.

http://www.gigglepoetry.com/poetryclass/Haiku.html

If your Game, leave your Haiku in the comments. 

I'll come back with mine in the comments. Happy Trails! 

Too Busy Writing?

      I told myself that I'm going to stare at this box, and type something--anything of interest, because I must.

 I read a post last week about why fiction writers have trouble writing in their blog journals, me being one of them, and now I understood why--I'd rather write made-up stories.

The other reason being, my book is not out--not sold--not self-published, nada. I wait...but I've been writing, doesn't this count?

My middle-grade supernatural mystery adventure is with my friend, an editor. While I wait for her edits, and instead of continuing the second book in AF, which is a composition book full. I thought I should use my energy/time wisely writing another story, if say, AbeGale Force, is never picked up by an agent. (Yes, I write longhand into composition books--didn't Bill Clinton do this). And I so DO want an agent. I’m not against promoting, I know I’d have to do this anyway, even with an agent—I promote my weekly singing gig—I don’t mind the hustle. I just like direction, especially in unfamiliar waters.

So I began another adventure WIP, where the MC is a fifteen-year-old boy. It's in first person.  

The story is a little darker than AbeGale Force... it's an adventure, and also an adventure for me, because it's something different from what I've done before, it's fun.

Also, real different, was entering a Romance Short Story contest, though I didn't win--I learned that I could write 5,000 words in four days, even after coming down with bronchitis--managed the last 250 words from my sick bed. I'm certain the quality faltered at that point. But I did it! 

This reminds me of another post I saw this week from the Blog: Miss Snark’s First Victim, about writers writing from the Heart or for the Market. Whether writing for market, or from the heart, it must be good to be challenged, writing in genres you aren’t use to. Or is it better to stick with what you're good at? 

Until you find out: experiment, experiment. That's why I love writing prompts, because they throw you somewhere unfamiliar, and you get to it with a fresh perspective.

As an aspiring author—who’s been aspiring since first grade, when I’d bring my diary to class with it’s made up stories, and read out loud. (Yes-my teacher allowed this)

I’d think experimenting in different genres would keep the mind flexible.

I have an Historical Romance, weighing in my mind now, waiting in line—A Victorian Romance—for adults—not as adult as the Romance story was. Hint: It has to do with Alfred Lord Tennyson, and a far-reaching ancestor of mine….shhh. It’s still in the imagination station.

Affirmation for today: May I write a weekly blog post.  Enjoy the week. 

Here's the Blog & post mentioned above. Miss Snark rules on the Blog Waves for writers.

http://misssnarksfirstvictim.blogspot.com/2012/05/market-or-heart.html  

Revisions are off for Critique.

All right, all right. Now, I know it isn't the end of Revisions (yes, must capitalize) I did send them off to my critique partner, with trembling fingers.  It was sent without a hitch. Yeah. But, but...gone.

While waiting, the possibility of working on WIP #3 comes into play—yeah!

The rough draft is so experimental, so exciting, anything can happen.

I've got two brothers, fifteen, and thirteen, lost in the woods, an alcoholic father, who doesn't yet know they're missing.

But who's protecting whom, when they come across a giant hermit living in a cave.

That’s as far as I got. It’s only about thirty pages.  Ha ha.

This is my 'love letter' to my reluctant reader boys, eleven, and fourteen.

Thank goodness they're tough, but not because their avid readers, more like they aren't going for it unless it's thick with intrigue.

The working title is Brothers on the Rim. I like amusing myself. My 11 year-old was holding me to task while I wrote a good chunk of it, awaiting revision comments, before.

He wants to know (this is a good sign).  Guess, I should move along now, got some organizing, and plot tampering to figure.

It's Been Too Long

I've been buried in revisions for a couple months, and maybe, just maybe, I'll close in on these within a week or two. I'm working with a critique partner/editor/fellow writer, and it's good; the process, I mean. The story is moving forward.

My blog has been neglected, and my WIPs are on hold.

This can be tough for those of us eager to get works out in the world and read.

I’m hanging tight, and try recognizing the importance of this journey, especially for a spaz, like me, for whom enthusiasm has never been a problem.

So I eke away, day by day.

I’m off now, to command my muse, 

“Sit Down and Write!”  

But is my muse talking to me, or I to she?

(Rachel Gardner’s Blog today  http://www.rachellegardner.com/2012/04/train-your-muse-like-you-train-a-puppy/

Progress is flowing nicely.

I'm still in the process of finding a critique group through SCBWI. So far only two responded to the email and they're out of town. Must keep inquiring.
A very good writing friend is assisting with the fine-tuning, and over-all critiquing of ABEGALE FORCE  number 1. Super YEAH!

I've put WIP #2 on hold after handwriting over one hundred pages, until ABEGALE #1 is finished, as I'm not sure if I'll need to adjust the story from any changes within the first story. Trying to be cautious--not exactly my forte.

Monday came and I needed something to write. I've had a singular scene in my head for several months; two brothers, in the woods, trying to survive; in a sense, a love story for my two boys, eleven and thirteen. 

My boys are wild, adventurous, creative, and Reluctant Readers. But I know what they like to read. I hope I can nab that.

Both are Big Fans of Gary Paulsen. My older son says, “Gary Paulsen doesn’t talk down to you in his writing.” Hmm. He was reading SOLDER’S HEART for school, about a young boy of fifteen enlisting in the Civil WAR.

We all became huge fans after reading HATCHET, about a thirteen-year-old who goes down in an airplane, and has to survive in the woods, with only his hatchet. Of course, it is a three-time Newbery Honor Winner. Get it if you haven’t read it yet.

Where was I? Yes, Monday came and I needed to write--something. After having that original scene and holding it to my heart for months, I finally wrote, on and on. I got over fifteen pages into that composition book. I was excited to show my eleven-year-old when he got home.

He loved it and wanted to read more. Of course now, he’s my taskmaster, demanding I write even more. Last night he asked if I had anything new to read to him. Ah. No.

I’m giving an hour toward this progress today. It’s about all I can afford. But I’m getting excited. 

I think the flavor and the characters are already getting under my skin.

It started bleak, and sad, in a way. It was that kind of day.

I felt very much in the mix of the universe, and in sync. And now I must go and write.

I have my orders.