I Haven't Given Up

The title says it all.

I have not given up on my writing dream. It has changed as my family has changed. I have been working on another blog: It's Shire-shh-mit. Of course, it is about as well used as this blog has been. Hopefully, if you find your way here, you can move with me.

Camp Nanowrimo April

I became a Nanoer November 2009, LadyKaitlyn if you would like to track me down. I became a Campnanoer 2011, also LadyKaitlyn. As some of you may know, I completed my first novel with beginning, middle and end this past Nanowrimo, Nov 2012. Due to the fact that I have two young children, I can only participate hardcore for one Campnanowrimo. Last December, I decided that April would be my next challenge.

I am honored that the Northwest Arkansas Nonoers have become such close friends over the past couple of years that we continue our writing into the rest of the year. Several of us are preparing the April challenge of writing a novel containing at least 50k words. Due to the rework my first novel needs to complete the trilogy that I have had planned for quite some time, this April I will be working on novel 3 of the North America Temple: Ciara.

Everyone has a different way of doing things and I want to share my process:

• Creating the world. I sit down and write several short pieces of both major and minor characters of what they see, how they view the world, their interactions with other people around them.
• Creating characters. I have written short descriptions including personality, likes and dislikes for so long that I have amassed a file of random people. I use people I find interesting from the coffee shops and local stores. I almost feel sorry for people who annoy me. I jot down short conversations that I over hear as I go about my normal day. I pull these people, give them names and then have a conversation with them. These conversations lead to conflicts.
• Creating a story. There is something that every writer wants to say whether it is political, religious, or personal. I enjoy religion and it would be a lie to say that I do not realize that. Anyway, I wrap those conflicts with my characters and my world. And hopefully, what I write is not a complete mess that it requires being tossed in the bin, which is where about 90% of my work ends up.

To all those considering attempting to write a novel, go for it. If you need motivation Campnanowrimo is just around the corner. Join, make friends through the cabin page, enjoy the challenge. Note: this year you can create your own challenge as easy or as difficult as you would like.

campnanowrimo.org 

-LadyKaitlyn-
Elizabeth Schierschmidt

Projects and Goals

A new project, with new goals.  Or rather several new projects with several new goals.  The first draft is at my red ink editor, therefore, I am considering it shelved for now, until it returns.  The utter failure of of my first attempt to start my second novel pushed me to simply practice.  This practice has lead to a short story.

Projects and Goals:
     Novel One - shelved.  Goal:  Finish novel and send out in hopes of publication by the end of August.
     Novel Two - planning.  Goal:  Write rough draft by end of April.
     Novel Three - planning.  Goal:  Write rough draft by end of July.
     Short Story - writing.  Goal:  Write rough draft by end of January.  Edit and send to red ink editor by end
                                                 of March.

Self managing can be difficult but I believe that if you really want a career in writing then it is imperative that you learn to set goals and deadlines in order to achieve your desires.

-LadyKaitlyn-

Practice

Okay, I spent Saturday at Starbucks with my drink and my laptop and I wrote for several hours only to become bored.  I hated the way I started my second novel.  Will I scrape what I wrote and start again?  Probably not scrape it but I will start anew.

So, while I am considering how to start my second novel I decide to practice.  I have several books on writing prompts, so I chose one and began writing.  The prompt for the day was to write about a horizon.  Easy enough, one can write about sunrises, sunsets, hope, future, truly any number of things.  What did I write about?  A character from a future novel, one of the main characters of my planned third book. 

Practice should be in any writers arsenal.  An hour, thirty minutes, everyday, once a week.  It becomes part of who you are what you do and can lead to brilliant future ideas.  Just saying.

Into the New Year

My editing came to an end Dec. 20, 2012 with twenty-four pages to go and the understanding that I was sending a rough rough draft to my red ink editor.  I did not give up, well, I sort of did, as I turned my attention to packing two adults and two toddlers for a two week vacation.  We let for an eleven hour drive the very next day and by Christmas I was rocking influenza A.  I realized as my husband came and kissed me at midnight to celebrate the new year that I had four days to complete my goal.  I called my editor, told her what was going on and she told me to send what I had, so I did.

The roughness of my first novel is bothering me and I am constantly battling the urge to break out the novel and continuing the editing process, however, I am looking forward to the critiques and suggestions that come with the first editing of a novel.  So, instead of constantly hounding myself over imperfections, I am doing the next best thing.  I am beginning the second novel.

I had always planned to write three novels, not really a trilogy, just planned out the first three novels of the series.  After speaking to a friend of mine and discussing the strange theme my first novel took, she convinced me that I was sitting of a powder keg of ideas that would lead to further novels if I took the time to really work on the theme.

So, once again, I am sitting at one of my favorite Starbucks.  This time with a chai latte, beginning the beginning of Novel Two ... I still have no working title.

Editing Begins

Having spent thirty days hammering out a novel for Nanowrimo, I found myself far more exhausted than I believed myself to be.  Several times, I have parked myself in front of my laptop with the thought process of editing.  However, knowing that my deadline is just around the corner has done nothing to drive the editing process.  So, I have spent the past week, sleeping, relaxing and desperately trying to fight of this years round of bronchitis.  Now, having procrastinated long enough, I have dragged myself to my favorite Starbucks, purchased a green tea latte and a slice banana walnut loaf.  And the procrastination continues as I choose to update my blog instead of editing this novel. 

Although, I will continue participating in Nanowrimo for years to come, I do not believe that I will use it to write a novel that is suppose to be ready to send to the editor the next month.

-Lady Kaitlyn-

2012 Nano Ends

We gathered around a table, the eight able to be at the last write-in.  Most of us far past the 50k goal but still attempting to actually finish our novels.  I myself finished just before 8:30 having pushed past 100k.  We cheer on the two at the table attempting to finish the Nano goal.  There are two more in our chat room fighting for the end as well.  Word wars are being pushed every half hour to increase word counts.  Yet, nine o'clock strikes, the two at the table are now finished, but we have to change locations.  The decision is made to go home and continue online to the midnight push.

I have to make a stop at the store to get cupcakes for my son, whose birthday will be forever pushed to Dec. 1.  He had the audacity to insist on being born in Nov. and despite my pleadings and the doctors attempts, he was emergency c-sectioned out at 1:59 pm Nov. 30, 2011.  The emergency c-section was due to his refusal to stay in any longer and his heart now where near able to survive a natural birth.

I make it home around ten and join the online push.  I missed one of the nanoers passing her goal.  We are watching the buddy boards as others in our region begin to verify their winnings.  Last man sprinting at just under 2,500 words to go.  One other finishing her novel.  The count down begins ten mins left.  Cheers for the last man as he announces his word count and verifies.  We have at least twenty people make the goal.

Dec. 1, sometime around six, people begin gathering in the chat room.  Everyone has spent the day napping.  I myself managed to take a nap in the midst of celebrating my son's first birthday.  Lots of pictures, a few cupcakes and a family meal.  Everyone is tired.  They discuss their goals for their novels.  A few of us happy with what Nov. has produced and making preparations for publication.  Everyone is giving their opinions.  Personally, I believe one should walk away from their novels for at least a month before beginning the editing process, however, I am also aware that I have a Jan. 4th deadline to get my novel to my editor.  Even as I type this I am considering the prologue that must be written and a mysterious meeting that will open my novel.

The 2012 Nanowrimo was just the beginning of what I hope to be a livable writing career.  Continue to follow me as my process continues.

LadyKaitlyn