When Writing is A Battle

I’m in high school and trying to think of a book idea.

I’d played around with novels in the past and always said I wanted to be an author, but I wanted to sit down and really do it. I mean… I was fourteen years old for crying out loud. SE Hinton had her first book written when she was 15 and published when she was 18. Clearly, I had to get going.

There was the age old advice of “write what you know” and I always rolled my eyes at it. What I knew was so boring. Until my sister points out “you know the story of Snow White better than anyone. Why don’t you just write about that?”

Well… now there’s an idea.

It’s a few years post college and I have an incredibly rough draft complete of this old idea about Snow White I once had.

Having put my writing aspirations aside as a hobby and only participating in NaNoWriMo and toying with edits in exchange for focusing on a different career path, I realize I’m tired of keeping my writing on the side. I have so many other ideas. More characters and worlds to explore. I can’t not write anymore.

But… this book is not good.

For someone who played around with it periodically in high school in college it’s just fine. As an actual publishable novel? Not at all.

And I’m okay with this.

I set the book aside and work on something brand new.

It’s a couple years later.

I’ve completed and revised a book and queried it out to agents. Nothing happened with it. While I’m sad and disappointed, as I look through the manuscript I know there’s so much work to be done on it and to be frank - there wasn’t a market for this genre at the moment. Maybe I can return to it someday.

Yet, I don’t have anything else to work on.

As I sit in my living room watching TV an idea hits me like a lightning bolt. It has to do with Snow White. But… different.

No. NO WAY. I can’t go back to my terrible terrible book from high school. BAD IDEA.

But…

The same skeleton of the Snow White tale is there (obviously) and the same with the love interest. Yet… there’s more. A completely new turn. A new story. Sure, use the same character names if they still work. But this isn’t just revising a terrible old draft. It’s something new.

It’s August of 2018 and there’s two weeks to go until the PitchWars deadline.

My Snow White novel isn’t complete. It’s close, but, there’s so many more words to write than I’m used to in such a short period of time.

Yet… maybe I could do it.

Would it be hard?

For sure.

Is it possible though? Am I crazy enough to go for it?

I set a schedule for myself where I wake up early each morning before my 7am clock in time for work. When I get home, I write even more. Sometimes from the moment I get home to the moment I go to bed only to start it all over again the next morning. I cancel plans with friends and have to back out of meetings. I talk to my supervisor about my goal and they’re kind enough to let me leave early the day before my deadline and have the whole next day off so I can get it done.

With a few hours to spare - the book is done. The last half isn’t perfect. The last quarter is a hot mess. But it’s done. I’m completely and utterly exhausted and I never want to look at a computer screen ever again. I also have never been more proud of myself regardless of the outcome.

Submit.

It’s April 2019 and I’m still revising.

I didn’t get picked for PitchWars - but I later learned I did get attention. Someone helps guide me through how to revise. I read a book about plotting. I outline, write and edit, reoutline then rewrite and reedit. I get started, then there’s times for weeks I can barely look at the page.

Each time I have a break through a roadblock appears. Even if it’s just one I’ve created in my own head. I think I have it all though through then when I go to write my mind completely blanks out.

I’ve cut so many words and added even more words only to have them cut again.

I know this is how the revision process goes, but it doesn’t feel like I’m making any. I know it’s being made, but my heart won’t accept this fact.

Other novel ideas are floating around in my head and it’s so tempting to just say “well… I tried that time for something else.” I want to dig through those stories and characters. I want to take all that I’ve learned and maybe, just maybe, this time around it’ll be better.

It’ll be easier.

But if I stopped one book and started a new one every time it got hard I would never have anything complete. So, I keep going.

Then I doubt myself. “What if this wasn’t such a brilliant idea in the first place? What if there isn’t really anything to salvage out of this? Do I really want to waste my time on a book that’s never going to be great? Maybe you were never meant to publish a book. You’ve been talking about this literally your entire life and you still can’t even get revisions on this one book done.”

There’s a literary agent/writer I follow on Twitter, Eric Smith, and he tweeted several weeks ago “The book of your heart is worth fighting for.”

In case you're a writer who needs to hear this...

The book of your heart is worth fighting for.

— Eric Smith (@ericsmithrocks) March 16, 2019

Is this Snow White novel the book of my heart? It might be. Although, I wonder if there is even a single “book of your heart.” I think you might have a few. They all just each explore a different part of your heart. I think this book is one of the books of my heart.

I keep trying to remind myself that if this is the case, it’s worth the fight and the battle. The days of self-doubt and frustration. All of it will be worth it.

Maybe I should shoot for only 100 words a day. Even if it’s not much progress, it’s at least something on days when my brain can’t work any more. Maybe I should set another hard and fast goal to force myself to get it done and stop making excuses. Maybe if I make one more outline it’ll work itself out.

Maybe this

Maybe that

Try this

Try that

Yet… it’s still not done.

Why isn’t it done?

I know I don’t have a timeline and I can’t compare myself to the routines of other people because every has their own process. In spite of knowing this, I can’t help but keep asking myself “Why can’t I just figure it out and get it done?”

There’s something that’s going to be special and unique about this book. There has to be. Something in me says to keep going and keep digging through the muck and I’ll find something special. For some reason, it’s not coming out yet.

I know writing and revising is hard. Most of us writers know this. But when we’re actually in the middle of it, we (or at least I) start to wonder “Is it supposed to be this hard?”

The book of your heart is worth fighting for.

So, I’m trying. And I’m fighting. Even if I don’t hit my word count goal each day. Even if end up deleting all of the scenes that I’ve already written and I have to start some of them (or all of them) over. Camp NaNoWriMo and spring arriving with it’s sunshine helps. Talking with other writers and my CPs helps. But it’s hard right now. It’s been hard for several months now.

But I can’t stop fighting for this book.

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Creating a Writing Retreat - A Guide

WRITING RETREATS.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve heard about these mystical and magical events where other people emerge from their dark writing caves filled with caffeine, blink into the light, and gather together to…

Lock themselves into a house also filled with caffeine and write ALL OF THE WORDS and actually get things done.

But seriously I’ve seen different writers post about how they and their friends get together for a weekend (or longer) to write and they come out with fifty million words added to their novels or whatever other writing projects they have going at the moment. Or, there’s the ever elusive (and expensive) Writing Excuses Cruise hosted by the podcast hosts that seriously a dream of mine to attend.

Last year, a writer friend of mine, who has more writer friends than I do, decided we all should get together and have one of these magical events. We got on an email thread together and over the summer we rented a cabin for the night so we could write.

It. Was. So. Fun.

Which meant that six months later, we planned another one. This time for two nights and we’re considering making this a bai-annual thing. Now that we’ve done it a couple of times, I thought I’d share some of the insights I’ve gotten while planning these events.

* I have a few links in this post - but it is not sponsored and I don’t get commission from you clicking on them! (But… if people want to sponsor me I won’t say no. Ha!)

Location Location Location

The place you pick is one of the most difficult and important elements of setting up your own writing retreat. There’s a lot of factors that play into what you and your group may need.

• Set a budget. Depending on your group, you might have varying degrees of what people are willing and able to spend. Be sure to communicate with one another about what you’re willing to do. One person might be okay with spending a bit more if you can find a better location, while another person is willing to sacrifice some amenities in order to keep costs down. The AirBnB we used was a total of about $310 and we divided the cost among us depending on how many nights each person was staying.

• Have plenty of beds and bathrooms. We had a group of six and there were a couple of people who were willing to share beds, while others didn’t. Also, some people were fine sleeping on a couch if necessary. (Thankfully, it wasn’t this time around!) Another thing which was great about our AirBnB was how it had two bathrooms. With three out of the six being pregnant… it was helpful.

• Have spacious common areas. Since we made a few of our own meals, it was important we had a good kitchen. There was a full refrigerator, microwave, stove, dishwasher, two coffee makers, and a tea kettle. For counter space there was a long bar area and other spaces to prepare food as well. We had a kitchen table which seated four, several bar stools, and the living room had two small couches and a couple of chairs. To keep that community feel, you need a space where you can all gather to hang out and write together. Also be sure you have table space for people who want to write on an actual table and not just the couch. You need plenty of space to spread out and work.

• Decide how far you’re willing to travel. For our group and all of our different work and life schedules, we didn’t want to travel too far. Especially for such a short weekend. If our retreat was able to be longer (5-7 days vs only 3) maybe we would have been willing to go further. Then, some of us lived in Illinois, while others were in Wisconsin. Our first retreat we did up there and this time around we stuck to the Chicago area. I think the furthest people had to drive was about 1 1/2 hours. If this is going to be a recurring event for you and your writing friends, consider alternating which locations you’re going to so the same people aren’t driving long distances more than others.

• Confirm details about the location with your host. Our AirBnB host was great and so willing to communicate before the trip and even during the trip. (He even replied to our messages late at night!) Clarify details such as parking, Wifi, how to unlock the doors, if there’s anything additional you need to do when you check in/out, and local places to eat.
  
  

ALL THE FOOD

You can’t write all of your glorious and beautiful words without nourishment - right?

• Decide which meals are on your own and which are going to be as a group. For us, we were all arriving at different times Friday night and Saturday morning. Which meant we decided to do dinner on our own for Friday, and play it by ear on Saturday. (Although I ended up bringing donuts and we made a Starbucks run on Saturday cause the store had an AMAZING sale on fresh baked donuts and I couldn’t say no.) Everything else we ate together.

• Divide up who brings and makes what. I’m the actual worst cook ever and volunteered for beverages and snacks along with one of the other girls. I found this easy winter rum punch recipe so I could make a bulk beverage for the group. (And you added the rum after you made the punch and it tasted great both with alcohol and without - which was perfect for our pregnant friends or those who simply didn’t want to drink!) Then, I put together a big batch of classic Chex Mix for us to munch on. Two of the other girls volunteered to make lunch because they were great cooks and enjoyed doing so. (Paninis and soup!) Another two volunteered to make breakfast for Sunday morning. (French toast casserole with all the toppings!) Saturday for dinner we ordered a pizza. Needless to say, we ate very well over the weekend and it was delightful.

• Make a coffee/caffeine plan. This might not be a priority for everyone, but for me and a few other girls in our group it definitely was! We found a Starbucks nearby and it wasn’t too difficult to go to. But, looking back, I can see how perhaps we should have brought our own. Especially since the house had a regular coffee maker and a Keurig. That way, if some people wanted to sleep in or if some people wanted to be up early, they could just make their own or go out as they chose. Thinking it through more may have prevented a few caffeine headaches in our group - haha.
  

Make a Schedule and a Plan

This sounds simple, right? It’s a writing retreat! You go! You write! Have fun! But, it’s good to have somewhat of a plan going into the weekend so you can get into the right mindset. If you don’t, it’s easy to fall into just hanging out and socializing all weekend. This element is super important and you need that for sure! But… you also want to get some work done. Based on the two retreats we’ve now done, here is a sample schedule combining what we’ve done over the two different weekends:

Friday Afternoon/Evening

Goal: Arrive at AirBnB, Get to Know Each Other, Relax, Get into Writing Mode

• Everyone arrive at various times. Do meals on your own.

• Socialize/get to know each other/ice breakers

• Do writing prompts and sprints as wanted

Saturday

Goal: WRITE!

• Early morning: Each person gets up, make/get coffee/tea, get ready, do an early writing session as they want, wait for remaining people to arrive.

• 9am: Breakfast and Introductions

• 10am - 12pm: Writing Session

• 12pm: Lunch, socialize, and check in on progress

• 1pm - 3pm: Writing Session

• 3pm-5pm: Break/Socialize/Free Time

• 6pm: Dinner

• 7pm - 8pm: Writing Session

• 8pm: Break/Socialize/Free Time/Continue Writing in the rest of the night, everyone goes to bed at various times

Sunday Morning

Goal: Finish Any Writing Goals and Check Out

• Early morning: Each person gets up, make/get coffee/tea as they want, get ready, do an early morning writing session in as they want, etc.

• 9am: Breakfast and socialize

• 10am: Clean and pack up

• 11am: Check out

Obviously, you don’t have to stick to this schedule and this is SUPER basic and relaxed. Even for us, the times and activities varied. This is just a sample so you can get ideas of what you want to do.

The key is to know what your main goal of the weekend is. Is it to get to know other writers? To get your word count up? To learn more about craft and get feedback from one another? For us, we mainly wanted to get writing done and get to know each other, vs. forming critique groups and workshops. For your group, you might want something different.

What to Pack

Of course there’s the obvious things like clothes, toiletries, etc. But here’s a few other suggestions based on what I brought.

• Your laptop/computer/tablet - whatever it is you’re writing with! This should be pretty obvious, but it’s also the most important. How are you going to write and be productive without it?

• Extra chargers and extension cords. Both retreats we’ve stayed at a house, so I was confident that we’d have plenty of outlets. However, that didn’t mean we knew where those outlets were. If people were writing at the kitchen table and there wasn’t an outlet nearby and their laptop was getting low on batter, that’s a problem! Whenever you have people who are using multiple devices, it’s always good to have the spares just in case.

• A blanket and slippers/cozy socks. I debated back and forth on if I was going to bring a blanket with me and if I should even bring multiple this time around. I was so glad I brought both a regular throw and my electric blanket. The house we got was nice and had a thermostat - but it was also old and the windows got really drafty which makes it difficult to keep warm. I spent most of the weekend curled up under a blanket so I could warm up! Then, one of the house rules was we weren’t allowed to wear shoes inside. My toes would have frozen off if I didn’t have my slippers with me!

• Journal, pens, markers, pencils, planner, and other writing supplies. This should also be a given, but some people have all their notes and such on their computers or tablets. That’s the case for me and most of my outlines, ideas, and research. However, there’s something about regular old pen and paper that helps to get my mind going.

• Writing Activities, Prompts, and Ice Breakers. This helps with multiple things. One, if you don’t know everyone in the group, it’s a great way to introduce each other and set the tone for the weekend. Our first retreat, someone brought a book themed game that was similar to Apples to Apples or Cards Against Humanity and it was so fun! We really got to know one another and we stayed up far too late drinking wine and playing. This second retreat, one girl and I had arrived early and were sitting around hanging out but couldn’t get our minds switched into writing mode. We found a writing prompt, set a timer, then wrote. Once the time was up, we shared what we did. It had absolutely nothing to do with the projects we’d brought to work on for the weekend, but was such a great way to put ourselves into the writing mindset. Also, they were really fun.

• Your own paper plates, cups, utensils, etc. A lot of AirBnBs provide all of these things for you, and many also have a dishwasher. That’s awesome! Our group wanted to cut back on washing dishes as much as possible though because none of us felt like doing it and wanted to use that sort of time to socialize and write. Just be sure to bring an extra trash bag too though, just in case!

Overall, we had a really fun weekend. It’s great to be able to get to know other writers and work together.

Has anyone else gone on a writing retreat? Did you build your own, or did you join an already established one? What tips would you give to someone who’s planning one?

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NaNoWriMo 2018 Recap

Another year, another National Novel Writing Month in the books. I won, barely making it to my 50,000 word goal. It was a bit of a different November for me. Instead of the usual starting a new book from scratch, I decided to dedicate the month to revisions for White Rose so it would be prepared for at least beta readers - if not to query - at the start of 2019.

Going into November, I was so excited. I was coming off of PitchWars, and while I didn’t get chosen, I still had such an awesome experience (and still am!) learning from other writers. I’ve gotten so much help and guidance, and in preparation for November to get into my revisions I felt like I was taking a class in first pages, structure, voice, and outlining. I took notes, filled out my spreadsheets, and went to reworking my book. I thought I was prepared.

Then the first week of November went through and I realized I wasn’t nearly as prepared as I thought. I hardly knew my characters at all! All of the scenes were still in the wrong place! Everything I wrote on the page felt wrong!

I had what I thought was this amazing spread on my Scrivener doc with notes of what I needed to fix for each scene, the old version of the scene for reference, then a blank page for the new version. That sounds prepared, right?

In a way… I guess I was. There were some changes that were great and I could tell I was going in the right direction. For the most part though, something felt off. But I couldn’t tell what it was.

I sought advice for figuring out my characters and structure and it helped for sure - but something was still wrong.

About half way through the month, I was perpetually behind. Most days I did write, but not enough to keep up with my word count goal. Once I hit a certain word count each day, I was thankful my writing session was over and closed my laptop. But then would feel guilty for not getting more done.

One day, I was listening to the Writing Excuses podcast and they were talking about writers block. They said that sometimes writers block comes from trying to fix words that were already there instead of starting over.

This was the case for me. I kept on going back to my old scenes and chapters, thinking I could just revise and tweak the parts that needed fixing - when I just needed an entire overhaul. In fact, the days when I enjoyed my book the most was when I wasn’t going back to my old work and doing something brand new. That needed to be my new approach!

Easier said than done.

It worked… for a bit.

Then, about three weeks in, I had some down-time in the middle of the day and I took a good look at my spreadsheets tracking out my scenes and the major plot points of my book. Finally - it hit me.

I’d been structuring my book wrong the whole time. I’d been ending my first act in entirely the wrong place! I played and rearranged and all of the sudden - I saw my book. Or at least the first half of it. It made so much more sense!

I put together a brand new outline, rearranged all of my scenes in Scrivener, made note of everything I was going to have to delete later (there’s a lot of it) and got to work. I made a catch up plan (I was around 10,000 words behind) and announced it on Twitter. Which, is a big key to how I was able to keep going. Having other people comment back on my tweets with words of encouragement helped me to keep going. (Thank you!) November 30th, I slid in with just over 50,000 words.

Some things that I learned over those four weeks…

I need to be willing to take the crazy risks. I get worried that if I make THE BIG CHANGE, it’ll ruin my book. But, I’ll never know where my book goes if I don’t try. A lot of times that big change I’m afraid of is actually what I need.

But, if that big change doesn’t work- that doesn’t mean my book is ruined. I can always go back to how it was before and try again.

I also need to stop putting so much pressure on myself to have my revisions done by a certain time. Having goals is awesome - but I have to learn to forgive myself if I don’t make that goal exactly. There’s no rush or time frame I have to query, be signed by an agent, or have a book deal. If I need space to figure out the structure of my book, I need to give it to myself. There’s a whole lot about this pressure I put on myself I could talk about, but that’s another topic for another time.

Ultimately though, as I always learn, I know I am capable of doing this. Of getting those words on the page and telling a story. Most Novembers, I think “what if the other years were a fluke?”, “what if I’m not capable of pounding out a story any more?”, “what if this book just is bad and I need to quit now?” Then, like most years before, I still finished.

It’s not perfect, and there’s still so much work to do. But I’m 50,000 words closer.

How did NaNoWriMo go for everyone else?

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How to Be Productive During the Holidays

So here’s a thing: in the US, Thanksgiving is next week.

Say what?

Yeah, that was my reaction too when I looked at my calendar. I’m already behind for NaNoWriMo but felt pretty relaxed about it. “I totally have time to catch up on my word count!” Then I realized Thanksgiving was next week and all of the sudden reality hit me. My neice’s birthday was this past weekend, this upcoming weekend my family is heading out of town to celebrate my grandpa’s birthday, then BOOM! It’s Thanksgiving. Then we’ll be full swing into Christmas.

I do not have nearly as much time on my hands to catch up on my word count as I thought. On top of it there’s blog posts to write, books to read and review, presents to buy, food to cook… as much as I love the holiday season, it also can be pretty stressful and hectic.

What’s a person to do when they have a to-do list a million miles long, but in reality all they really want to do is curl up with some hot chocolate and watch Hallmark Christmas movies? Here’s some ideas:

Be Realistic

Every year for NaNoWriMo I swear I’ll get writing done on Thanksgiving. “Even for just a few minutes! I can get some words in!”

Do I get writing done on Thanksgiving?

Nope.

It’s just not a realistic goal for me. As you’re preparing for all that you need to do and determine what you can actually do. For me, that means on major holidays I’m not going to get anything extra done, so I need to work extra hard the days before so I can have fun later.

Or maybe you had a goal of reading a certain number of books in one month and you need to cut that number down. Maybe you need to cut back on the number of projects you work on through these next several weeks. Maybe it’s not realistic for EVERYONE on your gift list to receive a handmade item by you.

Work Ahead

Yes, this will require some planning. (Which is why I’m writing this post before Thanksgiving.) But once you get the leg work done, it’ll be so helpful!

For me - this meant planning out and writing all of my blog posts for the remainder of the year. Yup. I have every blog post from now through December (and even the start of January) planned. I’ll have them all written before Thanksgiving hits (if not before) save for the ones which are more time sensitive.

Example: I can’t finish my November Reading Round-Up until November is over. However, I can write each review for the books I complete right after I finish them so I’m not cramming it all in at the last minute.

This way, I don’t have anything to worry about blog-wise while I’m trying to enjoy the holiday festivities.

Be Flexible and Make Compromises

This weekend was my niece’s first birthday, which meant we were busy with presents, decorations, and spending time with friends and family. Good times were had by all! Going in, I had a plan for catching up on my writing. I got a lot done that morning, and once I got home after the party I’d get even more done. Then… friends decided to hang out more afterward and through the evening. I really wanted to go. But, I had words to write.

I ended up compromising.

I didn’t go out with my friends, but I did help watch my niece so my sister and brother-in-law could. I was able to bring my laptop and sit in the living room while my niece slept. (Or rather, played in her playpen because each time we put her down she cried.) I didn’t get quite as many words in as I planned, but I got far more than I would have if I went out.

Then this upcoming weekend, I plan on bringing my laptop with me while my family and I road trip for my grandpa’s birthday. If possible, I’ll be writing while others are driving.

Is it ideal? Nope. But, I’ll still get more done than if I were to skip those days of productivity.

Remember It Doesn’t Need to be Perfect

We get this image in our minds of the perfect holiday seasons. Nothing goes right, the tree looks just so, the presents are all wrapped in a timely fashion, and we can sip eggnog by the fire at the end of each day.

Sometimes, it just doesn’t work out like that. And that’s okay.

You need to learn to forgive yourself for when things aren’t completely perfect. The last sentence you wrote for your novel might not be the most brilliant piece of literature ever written. The tinsel on the Christmas tree might get clumped up a bit. You might not reach your book reading goal for the year.

All of this is okay. As long as you’re taking care of yourself, there’s a roof over your head, the kids are alive, priorities are in order, and you’re spending time with the people you care about, you’re doing a great job.

What goals do you need/want to complete the next several weeks during this busy time? What’s your action plan or any advice for people who need to get through their own to-do list?

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Self Care for NaNoWriMo

It’s been a slightly rough start for NaNoWriMo this year.

With the exception of Sunday night, I’ve hit all of my word count goals - but at the bare minimum and after a lot of procrastination and dragging of my feet. Leading up to November as I was preparing and bouncing back after PitchWars, I was excited to dive back into this book. I’ve learned I like the revision/rewriting stage because you finally start to see your hot mess of a book become something pretty and shiny that you imagined it to be.

I saw VE Schwab speak at a local book store at the start of October and I loved how she talked about the writing process. When you get a new book idea, it’s this pretty shiny perfect sphere. Then, once you start to write you’re essentially throwing that sphere as far away as possible and as you write you’re making your way to wherever you threw it. The problem is, when you’re at the start of that journey you can’t see what the sphere actually looked like any more. Then, as you continue to write and revise, you slowly make your way to the sphere and you start to see what it looks like again.

I was excited to get closer to my sphere again.

Yet, each time I sit down at my computer with my notes and preparation, my mind panics and blanks. When I do eventually get the words on the page, I’m not satisfied in the least other than hitting that word count and being glad I don’t have to write any more for the day. This then makes me even more frustrated and confused. I love this book, this story, and these characters. I was so excited to get back into it. What happened?

It all culminated Sunday evening. I’d been coming down with a cold, I’d had a rough day at work, then had to go to an event right after which was great - but also left me feeling tired and drained, and on top of it all the crimson wave had to hit me that afternoon. I started my day around 5:30am and finally arrived home at 7pm. I tried to open up my Scrivener project but as I looked at the blank screen I couldn’t will myself to put any words on it.

But, it was only the 4th day of NaNoWriMo. This is the time when I’m supposed to be pumped up and ready to go! I couldn’t be burned out yet!

Friends told me it was okay to skip a day and reminded me that I essentially did my own NaNoWriMo in August in preparation for PitchWars. Then, someone on Twitter shared about how taking care of yourself is more important than hitting your daily word count goal sometimes.

If you’re not taking care of you, NaNoWriMo isn’t going to be a great experience. You won’t like or be proud of the work you’ve done. You’ll just be tired and burnt out at the end of November. No one wants that.

Take a Break

I took the night off from writing on Sunday. I got into my PJs, watched TV, and read a book instead. I went to bed with a clearer head and feeling much more relaxed. I even fell asleep almost the moment my head hit the pillow which rarely happens.

It’s going to be a pain to have to catch up on that word count because I know this week is going to be another busy one for me. Yet, when I got up on Monday morning and was drinking my coffee and heading out to work, the ideas started to flow again.

“What if I did this…”

“What if in this scene this happened…” “

I could do this in today’s chapter to prepare for something else in a later chapter…”

Do Something Completely Different

Most of the time on my commute to work I listen to podcasts. Usually writing and publishing based podcasts. Instead, the last couple of days, I listened to music. Your mind can’t be on writing 24/7. Sometimes you need to sit in your car and belt along with some show tunes. (Or whatever music it is that you listen to.) You can turn on the TV and watch an old favorite or start a new one. You’re allowed. It’s okay.

Write in Short Spurts

A friend of mine who is doing NaNoWriMo for the first time this year texted me a picture of her coffee and laptop and talked about how she was so excited to get to writing! As a mom of two kids (both still in diapers) and watching a third kid during the day, she doesn’t have the time to sit for hours on hours to work on her book. Instead, she said that she’s keeping her laptop open and whenever she has a couple of minutes she jots down some words.

Your writing doesn’t all have to be done after you’ve spent long hours at a coffee shop with inspiration pouring out of you. Not many of us have the time or energy for that. Instead, take a few minutes here and there. It’ll make it easier to turn off your brain when you need to, and if you leave off at a spot where you’re excited to go on, it’ll motivate you to write that next time you have a short time slot.

Get A Writing Support Group

It can be other people who write, others who are participating in NaNoWriMo, or simply those who support you in your endeavor. There’s moments you need someone to give you permission to take a break, to give you a pep talk, and listen to you whine and complain about your words. (Or lack thereof.) Writing doesn’t always have to be a solitary act!

Sleep

Here in the US, NaNoWriMo falls in the middle of autumn and we’re on our way to winter. Which means it’s cold and flu season. What helps to ward that off? Sleep. If you’re not getting the rest you need, you’ll be more likely to get sick, and when you’re sick you’re not going to feel like writing. Beyond that, when you’re well rested your ideas are going to flow more and you’ll get more done.

Remind Yourself Why You’re Doing This

In the midst of all of the frenzy of updating your word count, participating in word sprints, and trying to figure out your next plot point, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and forget why you decided to do this in the first place.

Make an inspiration board of all of the things you love about your book and why you made this goal. Keep a motivational quote by your computer or wherever it is you write to help you keep going. Be like Rachel Berry in Glee when she put a star in front of her treadmill to remind herself of what she was doing all of this hard work for.

You can do this my friends, and so can I! Take a break if you need to. Find a distraction. Then it’s time to get back to work.

Here's your #NaNoWriMo Eve pep talk: If @veschwab can completely rewrite Vengeful in two months - you can get 50k words in November. (This is basically what I keep reminding myself every few minutes when I start to panic) pic.twitter.com/aJvaRRikul

— Emily - is NaNoWriMoing -Hornburg (@eehornburg) October 31, 2018

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How I'm Preparing for NaNoWriMo 2018

It was the fall of 2008. I was a few months into my full-time internship and living away from Chicago for the first time. I’d been writing my whole life, but in college it was much more sporadic than usual. I was ready to write more. I had a retelling of Snow White I’d been working on for literally years, but never finished it. A friend of mine from high school mentioned one day “Have you ever heard of this this called National Novel Writing Month? You should try it.”

Okay, I don’t remember if that was the exact quote. But you get the idea.

Looking back on it, that novel was awful. Like… it should never see the light of day awful. But, it was a start.

Since then I’ve participated in NaNoWriMo every single year. 10 wins. 1 Loss. 8 fantasy. 2 contemporary. The first was to complete what I’d already started, the rest were brand new novels starting from scratch.

Now it’s 2018 and low and behold - I’ve come back to that original Snow White novel.

Funny how life works, isn’t it?

Yet, nothing could be more different than that first attempt 10 years ago.

My relationship with NaNoWriMo is vastly different than it was ten years ago. The months leading up to November I lived in the forums looking for inspiration, grabbing character names, and finding writing buddies. When they started the word sprints on Twitter I was there for them all! I searched for write ins (but rarely went due to schedules and some minor social anxiety) and even put together one with a couple of people.

Now… not so much. Instead of going to the forums for ideas and brainstorming, I go to my small writing group or other people I’ve connected with who are also writers. For me, it’s much more effective and helpful. If I need the motivation, I’ll jump in on the writing sprints on Twitter, but not the way I used to.

In fact, I’m not even starting a book from scratch this year.

I used to have a hard time with my changing relationship. Isn’t the point of NaNoWriMo to write a new book? Isn’t part of the joy of NaNoWriMo the community that comes along with it?

Last year, I was listening to the Writing Excuses podcast and they were discussing NaNoWriMo. One of the hosts pointed out that the intent of the event was for new writers. The people who have always said “I’ve always wanted to write a novel” but never did. Experienced novelists of course can participate too, but the purpose is going to be different for them.

When I listened to this perspective, the weight of my changing relationship with the event I loved so much was lifted. It’s okay if I don’t interact on the website as much as I used to. It’s okay if I don’t jump at each Twitter notification that a writing sprint is starting. It’s okay if the book I work on isn’t a brand new project.

This year, I’m focusing on my revisions and rewrites for White Rose. It’s the original Snow White retelling that I started all those years ago. (For those of you freaking out that I’m trying to resurrect a terrible old project full of teen angst- you can calm down. I started this book from scratch last year and the only things that are the same are a couple of character names and maybe one or two plot points. It’s a vastly different book than it was!) I’ll be rearranging scenes, rewriting chapters, and piecing together what’s decent enough to salvage for the new draft.

To be honest, I’m not sure how I’m going to keep track of my word count this coming November. It’ll be an adventure!

How am I getting ready? A couple of different ways.

A Lot of Help and Guidance

While I wasn’t picked for PitchWars, I am fortunate enough to have made some great connections with people who believe in me and my book. I’ve been given tips, resources, worksheets, and excel documents to help me organize my thoughts and look at my novel from an objective perspective to figure out what I need to do moving forward. Pretty much all of my prep resources have been given to me by other people and goodness it’s helpful.

I have writing friends who are loving and patient enough to listen to me ramble about my characters and plot lines. Even if they don’t have suggestions, it’s useful just to have them there to be like “yes, what you’re saying makes sense” or “I understand your pain.”

Character Profiles

I’m attempting to make a detailed character profile for each of my main characters before November. Eventually, I want to have them for my minor characters as well. If I can get them all in before November, that would be great! But, I have so many that I know this is probably an unrealistic goal. I have a couple of them done and it is so helpful for me to dig deep into the characters so I can figure out their story lines and how I need to change things for them in my manuscript.

Detailed Outlining and Scene Trackers

I’ve always been an outliner, but the last few years for my first drafts they’ve been pretty loose ones. When I go into revisions though, I want to have a fully laid out plan so I know exactly what I need to fix and do.

It’s tedious and time consuming, but having everything laid out for me is opening my eyes to what’s broken and how to fit it in this draft. I’m seeing what scenes need to be cut, combined with others, rearranged, and added. If I had done this for a rough draft, I would have been completely overwhelmed. For a rewrite revision? It’s gold.

By the time November is here, I want to have this outline sketched out in Scrivener. That way when I’m ready to write, I can jump in and not worry about “so what am I doing next?”

Or at least I won’t be as much - hopefully.

Honestly… that’s pretty much it. The list is short, but each one of them are so time consuming and helpful, I’m feeling confident for November.

Who else is prepping for NaNoWriMo? Any tips? What kind of project are you working on for November? How are you preparing?

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If We Were Having Coffee

Good morning, friends! 

For the most part, my life lately has been looking pretty much the same. Work, write, read, sleep, repeat. But, when I go out and see friends I still find there's things to talk about. So... a quick life update for you!

If we were having coffee... I'd order my usual iced vanilla latte. Or if I have a sweet tooth, some sort of mocha frappachino! However, as September comes closer and closer you know I have my eye out for when the pumpkin spice latte will be released for the season! I know it's slightly early but... I love me some PSL because I'm super basic. I am over the heat and ready for fall! Or at least temperatures in the 70s. 

If we were having coffee... I'd talk about how my family and I are moving - again. We moved into the condo we're in last year, and now we're going to a rented house. The house itself is nice (needs some updating) and we should be able to stay there for awhile, which is great! But, moving is such a pain and while the location isn't bad - it's not my ideal. It's okay though. I'm warming up to the idea and again the house itself is nice. I'm looking forward to setting up my new room and work space.

If we were having coffee... I'd talk about how I'm slightly taking a step back from reading. I finished two or three books right away at the start of the month, but now I've been working on the same book for almost a week! And it's not even that long of a book! (So basically... I'm reading at the same pace as everyone else, haha.) It's weird, but I've been focusing on writing and other things lately. Which, I think is a good thing. Don't get me wrong- I don't expect this to last long. But, it's different.

If we were having coffee... I'd talk about how unhealthy I've been lately. I completely fell off the yoga train, and I don't have an appetite. Then, when I do have an appetite, I end up eating a whole bag of chips and don't have an actual meal. Then, I feel awful about myself. It's not that I need to go on an extreme diet or work out every single day or anything like that. But, I do need to get out of this bad cycle I'm in. 

If we were having coffee... I'd talk about how I'm on a slight social media hiatus. Mostly Twitter and Facebook (I'm having a harder time letting go of Instagram...) because I'm getting closer to completing this draft. If I can get myself to focus, having it done by the end of August is doable. My direct messages for all social media are still open so people can always reach me there, and I might pop in for things like #PitchWars and #ThursdayAesthetic but my hope is to step back so I can focus. At least for the time being. We'll see how long it lasts. 

If we were having coffee... I'd share with you pictures of my niece because I'm that person. She just turned 9 months, has her first tooth, and pulled herself up to standing in her crib! She's just so stinking cute. 

If we were having coffee... I'd gush about how I'm listening to Johnathan from Queer Eye's podcast, "Getting Curious." I'm OBSESSED. I'm listening to all of the episodes where he interviews the other cast members of Queer Eye and I can't wait to get to the rest of them. Basically, each episode he picks something he's curious about and interviews someone who is an expert in that field. I loved the episode about Renaissance Art and now I totally want to go wander around the Art Institute for a few hours. Can all of the guys from Queer Eye just be my BFFs? Cause seriously. They're amazing. 

Honestly, that's about it for me! Life is pretty steady at the moment, and I have a novel to finish. 

How is your life lately? If we were on a coffee date, what would we talk about?

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Pitch Wars Boost My Bio

Well, hello there! It is Pitch Wars season and I am excited! (Ready? Not so much. But the excitement is there!) Not sure what Pitch Wars is? Click here to find out more! It's basically The Voice for writers and it's amazing. 

I participated in Pitch Wars for the first time last year and submitted my urban fantasy novel, Guardians of the City. It didn't go anywhere, but it was such an awesome experience! I connected with already established authors (one of them I'm now part of her "brigade" on Facebook and months after Pitch Wars another author DM'd me on Twitter to help give me feedback on my first chapter and some other writing/publishing advice) and other aspiring authors like myself. 

I'm currently working on another project and want to submit it this year! To be completely honest - I'm not sure if it's going to be ready in time. It's highly doubtful it will be. However, I am working my tail off to have it done by the end of August and I'm doing everything I can to prepare and connect with the Pitch Wars community. Which is why for the first time I'm participating in Boost my Bio! (You can learn more about that by clicking here. It is 100% optional for Pitch Wars Participants!)

About My Book

Title: White Rose

Genre: Fantasy/Fairy Tale Retelling

Summary:  I've nick-named this project my "fairy tale mash-up" because it is a blend of six fairy tales with four different points of view. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs has always been my favorite, and I've written a few different versions of her tale. But, there's also another story called Snow White and Rose Red. A different Snow White, and this one is about sisters. I wondered, "what if they were the same Snow White?" Then, one by one, Rapunzel, Cinderella, Red Riding Hood, and Beauty and the Beast all found their way in as well. 

Princesses Eira and Rose may be almost as opposite as can be, but they are also as close as two sisters can get. Eira, the poised and elegant heir to the throne, as well as the goddess Luana's Chosen. Then Rose, the wild and temperamental girl with a deformed ankle who dreams of being in the royal guard.  When their father is poisoned and left in a sleeping death spell, they find themselves on the run for their lives from the queen and on a quest to find the cure. 

What to Expect: Magic and interaction with the deities. (Including magic tattoos!) Classic fairy tale elements. Dragons. Wolves. Talking bears. Adventure. Women who kick ass - but aren't always killers. Relationships between siblings, children to parents and grandparents, friends, and romance. (A LOT of romance.)

About Me

My name is Emily, I'm a proud Hufflepuff in my early 30s in the southwest suburbs of Chicago, graduated from Concordia University Chicago, work at a hotel, dog mom, actual fairy godmother, Starbucks addict, and 9/10 times NaNoWriMo winner. You'll usually find me reading, playing my ukulele, binge watching something on Netflix, or belting out show tunes/pretending I can rap along with the Hamilton cast. If you give me any combination of coffee, chocolate, and nachos, I'll be your BFF. I'm also on a constant mission to find the perfect budget friendly lipstick. 

You can see my "official" head shot in my About Me page but... it's also 2 years old and I've changed my hair since then. So... here's a recent selfie.

Favorite Books (Some of Them):

• The Harry Potter Series by JK Rowling
• The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
• The Greatest Knight by Elizabeth Chadwick
• The Chicagoland Vampires Series by Chloe Neill
• The Throne of Glass Series by Sarah J Maas
• The Nevernight Chronicles by Jay Kristoff
• Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
• Song of Blood and Stone by L. Penelope
• The Queen's Rising by Rebecca Ross
• An Extraordinary Union by Alyssa Cole
• A Night to Surrender by Tessa Dare
• The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee
• The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
• Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
• His Fair Assassin Trilogy by Robin LaFevers

Favorite TV Shows:

• Boy Meets World
• Friends
• Glee
• How I Met Your Mother (not the finale)
• Reign
• Vampire Diaries
• Doctor Who
• Sherlock
• Gilmore Girls
• Queer Eye
• Firefly
• The Tudors

Favorite Movies:

• Anything Disney
• Mama Mia!
• 10 Things I Hate About You
• Clueless
• Letters to Juliet
• The Princess Diaries
• Mirror, Mirror
• Rent
• Wonder Woman
• Love, Simon
• When Harry Met Sally
• Love Actually

I can't wait to see everyone else's Boost Your Bio posts and to get to know you all! 

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Finding the Perfect Critique Partners, Beta Readers, and Sensitivity Readers

For days, weeks, months, maybe even years you slave away at your writing project. Agonizing over the plot, developing the characters, and starting into space trying to think of the exact perfect word. Your manuscript has been washed with blood, sweat, and tears. But it is finally complete. 

You think "Yes! Now I can query to literary agents or slap on a cover and self-publish my book! It's all over!"

WRONG.

Please, do not submit your manuscript over to agents or self-publish it just yet. Because as much as you wish it were true, your first draft is not going to be brilliant. Even your second draft won't be a masterpiece. It's not because you're not a good writer - it's simply because that's now how it works.

What you need next are critique partners, beta readers, and sensitivity readers.

As in, you need other people to read your work and give feedback. I know, it sounds terrifying. But, wouldn't you rather get the feedback now from friends, fellow writers, and trusted readers, rather than when you submit to a literary agent or publisher and they give it to you?

There's this image of writers where they are these solitary creatures living in drafty European apartments by themselves typing away by candlelight (on a typewriter of course because there's no electricity), with an overgrown beard, and only the pigeons or a charming squirrel to keep them company. Now, there might be some famous writers who lived that way.

But let's be real - not all of us are Emily Dickenson or Henry David Thoreau. So get that lone writer image out of your head right now. You need other people.

Yes, the writing itself is (usually) a solitary endeavor. Only you can write your book. But, that's the only part of the process that is. 

Your critique partners and beta readers are your cheer squad. The people who have your back. The ones who can dish out the tough love. When you're in "the depths" and wonder why you started writing in the first place, they pull you back up and remind you how awesome you are. Most importantly, they help you to clean up and polish your manuscript as much as you can so when the time comes for you to submit to editors, agents, and publishers, you're confident in the work you created.

While I come from this at a novel writing perspective, I think having people like this in your life is important no matter what sort of writing you do. Non-fiction, blogging, short stories, etc. 

Critique Partners (CPs)

A Critique Partner is a fellow writer or group of writers where you share your work, give each other feedback, and offer support during the writing and publishing process.

I have two "permanent" CPs where we have an almost constant messaging thread going and we are always sending each other chapters and scenes, brainstorming our novels, encouraging each other when we're down, and also talk about what's going on in our lives too. (It's a perk of having CPs who are also friends you've had for several years.) We're each others sounding boards, givers of tough love, and writing support group. Basically, I could rave and gush about how awesome our little writing group is for pages and pages. They're basically my life line when I feel like I should give up on this whole endeavor. 

These two CPs see my work as I'm drafting, as well as after. One of my last manuscripts they saw multiple drafts. They are the ones who hear my ideas and see any of my work before any one else. Other than my family - maybe. 

It can be hard to find the perfect CP. I kind of lucked into my writing group because they were people I've known for a long time. One of them approached me a few years ago because she was starting to take her writing more seriously and knew I wrote novels as well, and was like "we should read each others books and help one another out." A year or two later she suggested we added another girl to our group, and it's been that way ever since. 

But, not everyone is that fortunate. I know I've had to go through a lot of trial and error with other CPs and not everyone you exchange pages with is going to be a good fit.

What to look for in a CP? It all depends on what you need, your style, your schedule, and your genre.

You need to have at least one CP who writes in your genre. Not that people who don't write other genres can't be helpful to you. They absolutely are and it's important to have people who work with other genres to read your book too because you can learn from them! But, you still need someone who writes and reads what you write because they're going to understand the nuances of that genre. My CPs both write fantasy, but they aren't familiar with urban fantasy, so when I was writing that genre, I went out and found another CP or two so I could have their feedback as well. 

Find other people who fit your schedule. Some people are part of dedicated writing groups who meet at a regular time each week or month. Which is awesome! My work schedule though? It would be nearly impossible for me to do this. Even though one of my CPs lives in the same area as I do, the other one does not. So, we have an ongoing chat online and share our manuscripts via Google Docs. Usually, we don't have time limits on when we need certain things done and can be flexible. If you are on a time limit, be sure you communicate with your CPs about this.

Find CPs where you enjoy reading their work as well. The key word is partner. Having a CP isn't a one way street. You need to give them feedback and support as well. You need to have CPs where you feel like you can enjoy reading their work and give the feedback they need. If you find that you don't like their writing style or don't think you're a good fit for feedback, then you need to have that conversation with them. If you don't, you're doing both them and yourself a disservice. Usually, it's a good idea to swap a chapter or two with a potential CP to test out and see if you're a good match before you get too deep into one another's manuscripts. 

As to how many CPs to have? It all depends on what you want and need. I don't think it's a good idea to have more than 2-4 because you don't want too many cooks in the kitchen. But, that's just me.

Beta Readers

A beta reader is someone who reads your manuscript to give you their thoughts and feedback. 

Beta readers are different from CPs for a few reasons. 

• They don't necessarily need to be fellow writers. They can be, and I think there is great value in having another writer or two act as a beta reader. But, it is also important to have beta readers who simply enjoy reading. Particularly those who like to read books in your genre. Ideally, you'll have a mix of both. 
• You don't have to be their beta reader back. You can, and I think there's value in that as well. But, it's not necessary. It all depends on your relationship with your beta reader(s). 
• The purpose of a CP is to give you feedback and critique as a writer. How I see it, CPs can do more line edits, tough love, technical feedback, and digging really deep into the book. While beta readers give you feedback and critique as a reader. How the story flows as a whole. 

What to look for in a beta reader? Like with CPs, it all depends on your schedule, style, and needs. 

Someone who reads in your genre. Yes, you can have beta readers who don't read your genre. But, if you write science fiction and your beta reader reads almost exclusively historical, they're probably not going to enjoy your novel or give the feedback you need. There are exceptions of course. Recently, a friend of mine wrote a book of poetry which had an overarching story line and asked if I could give her my thoughts. I know NOTHING about poetry, but she said she wanted more of my thoughts on the narrative vs. the words themselves. So, I was able to read and give her my feedback. 

Someone who isn't a writer. As I said before, you can absolutely have people who are fellow writers as a beta reader and I think you should. But, you need to have at least one person who does not write and can come at it with a strictly reading perspective. If you plan on publishing, a majority of your audience will have zero interest in having a writing career of their own. Therefore, you need the viewpoint of someone in the same mindset. 

Someone who fits your schedule. If you are on deadline, find readers who are willing to stick to that deadline. (But also be reasonable. If you wrote a 500 page book, don't expect them to give you all their thoughts by the end of the week.) If you want to meet someone in person to talk about their thoughts, find people nearby. Or if you're okay with sharing online, you can poke around to find people who don't live in your area. 

How many? As many as you like and need. Like CPs, I would avoid having too many because too many voices can be overwhelming and make you more confused. But be sure to have a variety of people. 

Sensitivity Readers

A sensitivity reader is someone who identifies with a marginalized group and reads your manuscript to identify any representation issues. 

This. Is. So. Important.

It's not about being politically correct or not offending people or censoring your freedom of speech. It's about being sure you are being respectful and inclusive to people who are different than you.

An article with the Huffington Post states,

Sensitivity readers say to the author, “We exist too, and we ought to exist on our terms.”

Basically, if you have a book which has characters who are somewhere on the LGBT+ spectrum and you are not, find someone who is to read your book. If you identify as one race, but you have characters who are of a different race, have people who are that race read your book. 

Heck, even if you do identify in a marginalized group, have others in that group read your book as well. When I wrote my flash fiction piece, The Living Porcelain Doll, it was about the disability I have. But, I still wanted to be sure I was being respectful and handled the representation well. So, I reached out to a friend of mine who also has a divisibility to take a look in case there was anything I missed. 

Your sensitivity readers can act as your CPs and beta readers as well. So, don't feel like you need to find a separate third group of people. Or, you can have someone look at your book specifically and only for sensitivity reading as well. It's up to you. Just be sure you have multiple because each person is going to come from a different point of view and will have something else to offer. 

Where to Find Them

This is the tricky part. But you have a few options.

People in Real Life

• I was lucky and had a couple of friends from college who were writers and they make up my writing group. They have introduced me to other writers. In fact, in a few weeks we're going to have a small writing retreat and I'll be able to make more writing friends.
• Check out your local library and book stores. Many times they'll have writing groups who meet there and are welcoming new members!
• Take a writing class. It might cost money and time, but it's a great way to know that the people you're meeting are just as serious about writing as you are!
• Go to a writing conference. This is another one that has a price tag and you might need to do research to find the best conferences for you. But, they're great places to network!

The Internet

• I know social media and the Internet can be a big scary place - but it's also a great place to network. Check out my Social Media for Writers 101 post to find ways to connect to other writers via social media. 
• On Twitter, Megan Lally occasionally does some CP matchmaking! She's an awesome resource for connecting to other writers. Wendy Heard also has done forms where writers can fill out information about their novels and writing habits and she'll try to match you up with a CP. I've found some good beta readers and CPs through these!
• A new one I learned of recently was if you search Goodreads, you'll find groups of writers! It might take some digging around, but if you prefer more of a forum style vs. social media for connecting, this might be good for you.
• Some other websites for writers are Scribofile, Romance Writers of America,  Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, and Agent Query Connect where you can connect to others writers and find people to read and critique for you. 

Sending off your manuscript to have someone pour over and read is completely terrifying. I know. You've worked hard on your manuscript and put pieces of yourself into it. Having others read it and give feedback can be difficult. But, it's totally worth it.

You want your work to be the best it can possibly be, and these readers will help you get there. You deserve to have an awesome novel!

Finding the perfect fits for these readers is also hard. You need to be patient and willing to do the leg work to find the best people for the feedback you need. I've had a lot of flops when it comes to this, but it's worth it once you find the right people. And you might need different people for different manuscripts. That's okay!

How have you found your Critique Partners, Beta Readers, and Sensitivity Readers? What tips do you have for others to network? What other questions do you have about connecting with other writers?

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