Uh-Oh Nano!!

The anticipation is way to much. I am so excited and anxious to get started.

         Usually when I'm this excited about anything I start strong but half way through I fizzle out.

So, how do I keep this from happening and ruining my Nano-x-perience. I have plotted, mapped and 

outlined my wip. I've been meeting with my writing group and talking through plot problem and character 

development. Perusing the blogs getting all the info I can from  veteran wrimos.

         So what do you guys think, is that is enough?

            The best advice I've gotten was from fellow blogger Kelly Lynn  on Defeating Nano she says to 

write,write,write. Stop by and read Kelly's post, tell I sent you.


          Good luck to all participating in nano, tic toc are you done with your plotting, or are you a pantser? 

What great advice have you gotten for nano tell me about it in the comment section. You know I need all the 

advice I can get:)

 

Corky Writer Thingy

Okay so we all have our 'thang" when it comes to not only writing but other things like cooking, cleaning etc.

...but since this blog is all about my journey as a writer let's talk about corky writer thingys.
                             
                                                    so me first.

I've always had this thing about how a pen feels in my hand while gliding across the paper, and the better the fit the more I can write, and yes- the more I'm inspired (hence the title of this blog).
Oh and please don't give me a sharpened pencil, my creative juices are flowing just thinking about it.

I know this sounds bonkers, but I think that is a qualifier to being a writer. We all have our idiosyncrasies that helps us make it through our WIP.

Maybe it's not your writing utensil, maybe it's that strong cup of black or designer coffee. Maybe your bottle of water has to be a certain temperature, or you need that big comfy chair. Point is we all have that  'it' thingy, our comfort blanky.

My biggest thing I guess is keeping my hands and mouth busy it keeps my brain turning and my pistons firing. Needless to say I keep gummy bears and cashew nuts on my night table while I'm writing(if I'm not careful, I'll write myself into 2 size larger jeans).

Do you have a 'thingy thang'? Why not share in the comments below....
Thanks for stopping by , don't be a stranger

More Nano Stuff!

More nano stuff, I will probably soon bore some of you with  nano if you choose to skip these post I'll totally understand. That said moving right along...

I was browsing the blog-a-sphere as I usually do( late at night or in the wee hours of the morning), I came across a great blog and I must have spent hours reading her previous posts. I love her blog very informative so stop by check her out and tell I sent you click here to be transported.

She has this progress bar on her blog, which I thought would be cool for nano- now keeping with my I don't want to offend anyone by taking something from their blog lesson. I didn't ask or comment because there was a link to get you own, so I will assume she's cool with it.

At any rate, I thought it would be cool to keep one for nano, and for anyone watching that will be partaking in the nano madness. You can find the progress bar here, if you're at all interested.

Newbies to Writing!

 Note the title Newbie, if there ever were one I'm it, as it pertains to writing anyway:)

         If you are like me an aspiring author soaking up as much knowledge on the topic as possible then surely you will be able to relate to this post.


                                    All over the blog-a-sphere you can find experts or those with a lack of expertise. All this is helpful and entertaining. Getting to the point of this post (because I do tend to ramble...so I've been told) I recently applied ( I guess it was an application ;0) to be a co-blogger on a blog designed to educate,entertain,and update followers on the wonderful world of writing.  Of the gazzillion other applicants I was not amongst the 4 select for the job.



                       I was bummed :(

                                     It got me to thinking, in my already busy life, I have truly come to love blogging and have a true desire to bring my followers not only an  entertaining but informative blog for  YA authors. Something fun and lighthearted.

                     If you ever thought about it, have been planning but for whatever reason have not followed through or wanted to be apart of such a group. Here's your chance.

    I know you might be asking yourself what qualifies me to put such an offer out there. There's a good answer to that question.

                                           PASSION        DEDICATION     WILLINGNESS.

What qualifications must you have? The same.

What are the requirements:
1. Must be able to make a post at least once per month ( it's my hopes to have 4 contributors making one post per week.)

2. Must have a blog.

Short list right? Well we will explore this journey together. If  you think this is a great, crazy, or insanely crazy great idea, leave me a comment along with your email address and we can get together on all the formalities.

Happy blogging!:)

Liebster Award!!

 How cool is this to be award by fellow bloggers. Thank you Tamara and Yolanda for Choosing me

Please click on their names and stop their blogs check them out !!

I hope I don't get my award taking away for what I am about to admit, but until this moment I had never heard of the 'Liebster Award'. I think it's pretty cool another great way bloggers show their love! I am honored to accept!!!!! 

 Because I was nominated twice I have 22 questions also I followed the rules on the blogs of the ladies you gave me the award. There were other rules so I attached them as well

Here are the rules:

1. Answer the presenter's 11 questions

3. Formulate 11 questions for them to answer

4. Plaster the award on your blog

5. Thank your Liebster Blog Award presenter on your blog

6. Link back to the blogger who awarded you

7. Copy & Paste the award to your blog

8. Nominate 11 blogs that you enjoy to receive the award who have less than 200 followers

9. Inform them of their nomination by leaving a comment on their blog

What is your favorite month of the year?  September it's my birth month

What's the number one most played song on your iPod? I don't have an iPod to my husband for his trip back to Africa. Before that it was anything by Sade

Name three writers you admire and tell us why.  I'm thinking about this one.

If you were reincarnated as an animal, what would you want to be? 

A chettah or a lioness

What is one of your favorite quotes? You don't have to see the entire staircase just take the first step

What chore do you hate doing?  All of them...I even hate the word chore

If you could throw any kind of party (money is no object) what would it be? And for who? A mother daughter spa party, with manicurist,massage therapist, estheticians, and world renowned chefs

If you could choose to stay a certain age forever, what age would you stay? Young...forever young

If you could have any talent in the whole world, which one would you choose? singing

Which superpower would you pick if they were up for grabs?  amazing strength and the ability to fly

If you had to change your first name, what name would you want?  I would choose my name, it's me  and  a reflection of  my mom and dad's love for me. I choose Paula

Yolanda's Questions

1. What monster would you choose for a Halloween costume? none because, I don't celebrate Halloween
2. What superhero would you choose to be?Batman, you get to be bad for all the good reasons
3. What is your favorite genre, reading, and or writing? YA
4. What character is most like you in any of your favorite books, read or reading or writing? I'm still thinking about this one
5. What is your most memorable Halloween memory? don't have one
6. What is your most memorable high school memory? High school was good but I choose to forget it
7. What is your favorite holiday and why? Thanksgiving, because my family is all together laughing having a good time over good food.
8. What is your most personal current wish (one that you can share)? My husband and I want a baby
9. If you could choose any man or woman, dead or alive, who would you choose to get our country back on track and why? Jesus...nuff said
10. What do you enjoy or hate about blogging, explain, maybe give a point or two for the rest of us bloggers. the lack of comments. I wish I could get more interacting from my followers
11. What is your favorite day of the week and why? any day I can rest because I can rest

Now for the blog I award, select 11 questions from those above and show me your answer :)

Stacey Nash

Catherine Mesick

All fair with pen and paper

Paradoxgrl

okay so I tried to find 11 but I'm having internet issues. Something that should take a few minutes has taken hours. I'm tired and stressed, but I wanted to get the post up...sorry!

When your WIP becomes controversial in your own HOME!!!!

Whew, that title is a mouth full.

I'm sure there are many authors out there that has dealt with this issue. When the MS you're working on gets thumbs down by your family or even worse your husband.

I'm in the mapping and plotting stage of the MS I plan to write for nano. I am very excited about the premises, but my husband not so much. Let me qualify this by saying we are both Christian and believe in the same thing. But have different views on points of our beliefs...

My  MS is about DEATH..dum,  dum,dummmm(seems like the world should always be followed by the beating of loud drums).
My husband feels that death is negative and morbid and just can't understand why I would want to write about it.
I think society makes death negative. I feel death is just like life if you live you must die. It's the natural order of things.
Well needless to say this debate took us back to when Jesus died on the cross and the death being bad but the Resurrection being good.

My argument is if not for the death as Christians we could not have eternal life.

In short I don't feel death is negative but necessary to the cycle of life. I agree with him that the world depicts death as bad or negative because it's so final. Depending on your religious belief it may not be final. In Christianity we believe "to be absent from the body(death ) is to be present with the Lord" to me that's not negative.


The MS is based on my short story which you can read here.
It's about a 15 year old girl who learns that she is an Angel of Death. the premise will be fun and lighthearted. The moral of the story is that death is necessary and someone has to do it. My MC Wysdom will find herself at a high School for Angels of  Death , Reapers, and Angels who help usher babies through the womb of Life.

It won't be morbid but fun. I'm excited about building this world, but now I don't feel I can share it with my husband. As a writer you need the support of your family. Mainly because they are sometimes the ones who suffer the most because you must dedicate so much time to your craft.

My husband is awesome, he helps me with my research and always encourage  me to keep writing. I want to share every aspect of my writing with him. Has anyone else had to deal with this?
How did you over come it?

I would love to hear your thoughts comment below. Thanks for listening to me I feel better now:)

NANOWRIMO- READY-SET....!!!!

As I mentioned in my last post I plan to do nano this year. This will be my first year, and I must say I am pretty excited. This year I have really immersed myself in my writing and am seriously looking to complete my first novel.

What I'm doing to prepare

I will be meeting with my local writers group twice a week hashing out plots and get mentally ready for this challenge.

I've charged up my Starbucks gold card, for those emergency white chocolate mochas:)

My family is on alert, they've been warned if a women with dread locs standing on top of her head, face twisted as if she just ate a child and is hungry for another emerges out of my bedroom. Run Far and Fast

My fridge and cupboards is stock with mouth and finger busy foods such as: cashew peanuts, cheetos(hidden in my night table so my husband don't find them), bottle water and grapes. Did I mention coffee? 

If you will be participating in nanawrimo this year add your check list in the comments, just in case I forgot something:)

oh and look me up so we can be buddies...

Queries and Pitches and Agents ...Oh My!

So, I 've been carousing the blogs, checking out all the pitch contest and having a blast I might add. I have thoroughly enjoyed meeting new authors and immersing myself in my craft. I have gained a wealth of information and learned a few lessons in the process.

Unfortunately all this fun has wreaked havoc on my word count. I haven't actually written anything on my current WIP but all has not been a waste. I have outline and  mapped out a short story that I will turn into a novel for nanawrimo (which I am ubber excited about). So I have been busy just not working on my novel.

Don't get me wrong, it has not been from a lack of trying. I don't know if it's because I am so excited about my new ms or I'm too engaged in all the blog hops.

All the distractions only added to my issues on my current wip, which thanks to an awesome CP  Stacey I think I have finally hashed out my issues (or blog hopping...just kidding) and am all to excited to kick my writing into high gear.

So I said all that to say, although I have been having mountains of fun with all the great contest happening ( did I say I haven't been able to participate, because my book is just a wip, but I was able to host and critique you know the other meat and potatoes). I am going on contest hiatus to try and finish my wip and gear up for nano. After Get Your Pitch On is over I will go from blog hopper to blog wall flower.

Has any of you participated in any contest? Will you be doing nanawrimo? If so let's be buddies 


Thanks for stopping by and listening to my rantings... as always don't be a strange

Get Your Pitch On! REVISION- PATH UNCHOSEN!!!

Hey ALL!!! Kim has made some revisions to her pitch let's all chime in and offer our critique!!! Thanks in advance.

Name: Kim Cleary

Country of residence: Australia
Title: Path Unchosen
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Word-count: 89,000

 Judy Hudson can command the dead. She's the only person who can stop the ruthless Mayor raising dead people and using fear to cement his power. And she has to act quickly to defeat a 200-year-old sorcerer before he gains enough strength to control her. A path towards unimagined power opens to her, can she follow it without losing the people she loves and intimacy she craves?


 WOW! Kim, this is great I feel like I am reading about a new story. I am even more intrigued. I just have a couple of ideas.


 And She has to act quickly to defeat a 200-year-old sorcerer before he gains enough strength to control her. I would take out the And, it's not needed and slows down the flow.

A path towards unimagined power opens to her, can she follow it without losing the people she loves and intimacy she craves? Maybe unimaginable works better here 

 Question: Are the mayor and this 200 year old sorcerer the same or two different antagonist ( which is how it reads now)? If it's not your intent you should make it clear to the reader. 

She's the only person who can stop the ruthless Mayor raising dead people and using fear to cement his power. She's the only person who can stop the ruthless Mayor, whose using fear by raising the dead to cement his power.(suggestion)

Get Your Pitch On! #2 PATH UNCHOSEN!!!

Name: Kim Cleary

Country of residence: Australia
Title: Path Unchosen
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Word-count: 89,000

Pitch: Judy Hudson is in trouble. After the orphanage she yearns for freedom and independence, but dead people rise and she is the only one who can stop them. Judy’s search for truth brings her into conflict with a ruthless Mayor and a long dead necromancer. What she finds hardens her resolve to make new choices and take a path to unimagined power. But will it bring what she most craves?

Hi Kim, thank you for participating in GYPO! you are so brave:). Below are my suggestions, and I stress my suggestions. I hope it helps.

I love the title, and I can see a lot of promise in the story. After reading your pitch, I feel like there is more to this story and the magic is in what you don't want to tell us, for fear of giving away to much. However you have succeeding in giving us nothing at all...:). What I've learned is you have to master what I call the roundabout, where you elude to your point without giving everything else.

First your first line is as important as the last line it should POP! and GRAB! the readers attention. Saying Judy Hudson is in trouble, is too vague. Why is she in trouble? What does she do as a result of this trouble? Ask yourself these questions and form a first line from that without given away to much of course

Example: Judy Hudson has to face the rise of the dead more often then anyone should. (this to can be tighten, but you get the point).

Your next line says after the orphanage she yearns for freedom and independence. Is she not free? Why not? I would assume after the orphanage means she was adopted or aged out thus making her free and giving her freedom. This isn't clear, maybe expound on this point so the reader gets a better understanding.

She is the only person who can stop the dead from rising, how, why? Maybe give some insight into her ability to do this.

Why and when did she start searching for the truth? Don't tell us the truth brings conflict show us. Who is the Mayor and the necromancer what and why are they significant? Is the truth she is searching for about them?

The next line implies that we knew about the prior choices, we don't know much about her other choices/conflicts to be effected by these new choices.

What is this unimaginable power, and how does it tie into the story? Does it have anything to do with her being able to stop the dead rising?

What does she crave? Can give the reader some idea without giving away to much?

Again these are just my suggestions, I hope it wasn't to harsh and I hope it helps. 

Please everyone chime in and critique Kim's pitch.

  

Get Your Pitch On!! Grand Scheme **REVISION**

Hey All,


Here is Meagan's revision chime in I'm sure the author will appreciate it!! Thanks again everyone for stopping by and sharing your thoughts...How cool are you??!!??!!






GRAND SCHEME *REVISION*


Name: Meagan
Country of residence: United States
Title: GRAND SCHEME
Genre: YA Contemporary
Word-count: 75,000

Sixteen-year-olds Bianca and Yessica make a pact to commit suicide at the Grand Canyon. Only Yessica follows through, and the lingering guilt haunts Bianca daily. When Yessica's ex finds a suicide note, his questions circle the truth. When he threatens to reveal Bianca's secret, she'll have to decide if it's worth it to keep her pain hidden anymore, or if she should finally accept help.

Get your pitch on entry GRAND SCHEME

Hey all if you haven't had the chance scroll down and critique Meagan's pitch, before she faces The Agents:).
We all know how hard it is to pitch/query let's lend a hand
Thanks in advance

GET YOUR PITCH ON!!! #1

Workshops for Get Your Pitch On will start on today October 1, there is no date deadline for the workshops.







Name: Meagan
Country of residence: United States
Title: GRAND SCHEME
Genre: YA Contemporary
Word-count: 75,000


Pitch:  Sixteen-year-old Bianca's best friend Yessica fell to her death
from a ledge at the Grand Canyon. Everyone thinks it's an accident,
but Bianca knows the truth. They made a pact to jump. When Yessica's
ex, the lovable nerd Harvey, finds Yessica's suicide note, he asks too
many questions. If Bianca doesn't come clean about the pact and face
the consequences, Harvey might spill it for her.


Meagan, you have my attention, I really want to know why two teenage girls would make a suicide pact.  I think if you added what some of the consequences are or at least the main one(given the limited word) it will give more impact. Below is just my suggestion. It's difficult since I don't know the story but here's goes anyway.

Sixteen year old best friends Bianca and Yessica made a suicide pact one in which only one girl keeps while the other tries to maintain their secret. Things unravel when Harvey Yessica's ex-boyfriend finds her suicide note and threatens to reveal their secret. 

I think getting rid of things like lovable, nerdy, where Yessica jumps from gives you more space to add pertinent info that will draw the reader in. In my opinion you want to make your pitch jump off the page grab you reader push them to the edge of their seat and just dangle them there, even after the book ends. Just my opinion I hope it helps. 
Please feel free to offer your opinion on how to make Meagan's pitch stronger, thanks for stopping by.




INFO ON HOW TO PARTICIPATE AND GET YOUR PITCH ON!!!!!!!!!

Important Rule: If you want to participate in a workshop, you must be prepared to comment on at least one other pitch.
How to submit: Email your draft pitch to pitchonws@gmail.com and include PitchOnWS and the title of the manuscript in the subject line. Pitches must follow the formatting as specified for the Get Your Pitch On contest. If you missed if before check out this post here and you can see the list of blogs participating here.

Interview with Commissioning and Managing Editor of Hardie Grant Egmont, Marisa Pintado, will be coming up soon, so that you have an idea what she's looking for before she takes your pitches both here on Down Under Wonderings and on my group blog YAtopia on October 15th. The exact contest opening times will be included in that post.

ADDITIONALLY, there is an opportunity for you to win a ten page critique from some of the blog hosts: "Make sure to check out all of the workshop host blogs to critique more pitches. For each critique you leave in the comments, you get an entry into the drawing to win one of eight 10-page critiques from our contest host Sharon Johnston and workshop hosts Larissa Hardesty, Stephanie Diaz, Catherine Scully, Jodie Andrefski, Paula Sangare, Talynn Lynn and Kaitlin Adams, "Also, Sarah Nicolas will be giving away three query critiques!"

  Please use the exact same name for all of your critiques. The opportunity ends 10/14/2012." 



Stop by and visit all participating blogs and lend your critique. Listed below are links to all blogs. You can find a list of all the participating blogs HERE