What's Up Wednesday 9/17/14

What's Up Wednesday is a weekly meme for readers and writers to give updates on what's happening in their lives. If you want to find out to find out more check out Jaime Morrow's blog and Erin Funk's blog to sign up.

What I'm Reading: I started Underworld by Meg Cabot (book 2 in the Abandoned Trilogy). Funny story, I won a signed copy of the third book Awaken last year, so for about a year I had book 1 and book 3. I just never got around to purchasing it. I did a couple months ago and I'm finally reading it. I'm trying to finish all the trilogies I own.

What I'm Writing:  I've been plucking at those beta reader notes. She's sending them in sections so I can work on them while she reads. There aren't many because I've been through so many drafts and she read an earlier draft before. I like this revision much better, I'm learning so much more about my characters. Hopefully this will be the one.

What Works For Me: Still figuring it out.

What Else I've Been Up To: Just started the new job a couple days ago. It's going well. This week is just paperwork and figuring out more about the job. Hopefully, I can get in a grove and get some writing in after work.

What's up with you? How is your week going?

Happy Reading!

What's Up Wednesday 9/10/14

What's Up Wednesday is a weekly meme for readers and writers to give updates on what's happening in their lives. If you want to find out to find out more check out Jaime Morrow's blog and Erin Funk's blog to sign up.

What I'm Reading: I finished Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard a couple days ago. And I picked up my new signed copy of Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas. I read that sucker in 2 days. I'm not the biggest fan of High Fantasy, but this book hooked me. Now I'm dying for the sequel to both books, but my wallet is crying.

What I'm Writing:  While I wait on feedback from my beta reader, I decided it was time to finally dig into my Camp NaNoWriMo novel for revisions. I read through the whole thing and I want to cry. God, it's terrible.
But, I have to constantly remind myself that writing is rewriting. There are characters, lines and plot lines that I really love. But there's a lot of junk in there and it's super short. I wrapped it up at 50k, and I want to get it to around 65k. There's more to the story and characters, I just need to dive in there to find it.

What Works For Me: This is a new question that threw me completely off guard. While I'm glad I won't be haunted by the the inspiration section from now on, I am kind of peeved because I actually had something inspiring to share. Don't worry, I put it under What Else I've Been Up To.
Honestly, I don't know what works for me. I wrote more in the summer months because school consumed my life. Now that I'm out of school and I start my job next week, I have to figure out how this is going to work. I want to have a career in theatre, while still continuing my publishing journey. Hopefully with this new section added to the blogs I can get some ideas and finally set a writing pattern. :D

What Else I've Been Up To: 

Me w/Sarah J Mass

Last week I went to a book signing with Susan Dennard, Sarah J. Maas, Liz Norris and Tiffany Schmidt. Wow, I was in awe, listening these writers talk about their book and publishing journey was really inspiring. I think what gets me the most was that these writers were where I am today. They all faced the same doubts and the fears entering the business. And look where they are today. It gave me that final push I needed to finish the revisions.
Two years ago, Susan and Sarah hosted a NaNoWriMo word battle on Twitter. I participated, and honestly, without them I wouldn't have completed NaNo, which meant no Suspension of Disbelief. I let them know how much that meant to me and Sarah gave me a hug.
Hopefully we'll meet again. Who knows maybe things will be different.

Tiffany Schmidt, Susan Dennard, Me, Liz Norris 

What's up with you? How is your week going?

Happy Reading!

What's Up Wednesday 9/3/14

What's Up Wednesday is a weekly meme for readers and writers to give updates on what's happening in their lives. If you want to find out to find out more check out Jaime Morrow's blog and Erin Funk's blog to sign up.

What I'm Reading: I'm reading Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard. I bought it and tried to start it last, but my nook exploded and I'm just now getting around to reading it. I'm going to try to finish it today because I may or may not be meeting Susan and Sarah J. Maas and other YA writers today. Cross your fingers that everything works out.

What I'm Writing:  A surprise round of revisions. Making some changes for the better. I want to finish this round by the end of the week to send to my beta. Then I can finally crack open Bring Me Your Dreams. I haven't touched it since July and I'm itching to start rewriting.

What Inspires Me Right Now: 
The overwhelming support I get from my friends and writing buddies (who are my friends, but through the internet). And the online writing community in general. Wow.

What Else and I've Been Up To: 

I GOT A JOB!!!

Post college employment dance.

Yeah, I'm excited.

What's up with you? How is your week going?

Happy Reading!

What's Up Wednesday 8/27/14

What's Up Wednesday is a weekly meme for readers and writers to give updates on what's happening in their lives. If you want to find out to find out more check out Jaime Morrow's blog and Erin Funk's blog to sign up.

What I'm Reading: Nothing, but queries, and sample pages on the WriteOnCon Forums. Don't know what WriteOnCon is? Check it out here

What I'm Writing:  Critiques. I'm going to try to read more 5 page samples today on the forum. It's hard for me to read these because of various reasons such as: format, my short attention span, or it's not the genre I'm interested. I'm going to try to get at least 5 done by the end of the day. Wish me luck.

What Inspires Me Right Now: 
WriteOnCon. There are many great writers, it can be overwhelming. Not a peep from a Ninja Agent, I'm not terribly worried. What happens, happens. I'm just glad I can be a part of such a wonderful writing community.
Because I've accepted the fact that I am a thirsty writer, here are some links to my forum posts. Let me know if you'd like some lemonade.
Query
250 Words
5 Pages

What Else and I've Been Up To: 

Good thing are happening in the life department. I don't want to jinx it so my lips are sealed. 

What's up with you? How is your week going?

Happy Reading!

Ready, Set, Write: The End

Ready, Set, Write is a weekly writing intensive hosted Jaime Marrow,  Erin Funk, Alison Miller,and Katy Upperman.

Wow 12 weeks flew by like crazy. I've had such a great time following everyone's journey.


1.  How I did on last week’s goals: I did not get any chapters done. I got distracted by WriteOnCon. It's fine, I'll figure something out.

2.  recap of overall writing progress this summer
Holy cow what a summer. I checked back to my first post this summer and I said I wanted Suspension of Disbelief to be query ready by the end of the summer. Well, I've been keeping this hush, hush, but it is. Just in time for WriteOnCon.
I also wrote a freaking novel in 30 days! What? It'a a piece of crap and I'm probably going to burn it, but I did it.
Everything about this summer has been crazy and wonderful. I don't think I could have done any of this without everyone's support.

3.  A favorite line from my story OR one word/phrase that sums up what I wrote/revised: 
Nonexistent

4.  The biggest challenge I faced this week: Motivation. yeah, I sucked this week. But WriteOnCon...

5.  Something I love about my WIP: 
Um, I love in Unremarkable that I have a mind reading character. So my MC talks and thinks really fast and the mind reader just laughs at her randomly and she doens't know why (until she finds out, of course). I'm contemplating switching the present tense to have more stream of consciousnesses thoughts in the narration, but I'm still debating.

Thank you so much for all of your support and encouragement. I hope everyone has a wonderful rest of the summer. I hope to see you all during What's Up Wednesday. If you want to stay in touch follow me on Twitter @laboyden and I'll follow you back.

Happy Writing!

What's Up Wednesday 8/20/14

What's Up Wednesday is a weekly meme for readers and writers to give updates on what's happening in their lives. If you want to find out to find out more check out Jaime Morrow's blog and Erin Funk's blog to sign up.

What I'm Reading: I took a break from Endlessly I love the trilogy and Kiersten White's writing, but I needed something new. So I read The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer and HOLY CRAP it's so good. I finished that bad boy in a day. Definitely a change of pace from what I've been reading. It's dark, and has more of a thriller/horror vibe than most of the paranormal romances I read. AND I STILL HAVE NO IDEA WHAT'S HAPPENING. I need to get the sequel ASAP.
Also I desperately need to read Isla and the Happily Ever After. I'm not the biggest contemporary YA fan, but Stephanie Perkins has me hooked.

What I'm Writing:  I'm working on that old WiP and I'm debating on where to begin. When first started writing it, I started in the middle of the "happenings" so to speak. But I scrapped that early in the process, and my original opening became chapter 6 or something. I'm probably going to go back and start it how I originally intended, We'll see.

What Inspires Me Right Now: 
Reading? Writing? Chocolate?

What Else and I've Been Up To: 

Real life. It's weird dudes.

What's up with you? How is your week going?

Happy Reading!

Ready, Set, Write! Slow Week

Ready, Set, Write is a weekly writing intensive hosted Jaime Marrow,  Erin Funk, Alison Miller,and Katy Upperman. I will be checking in with Jaime and the gang to answer a few questions about my writing week.

I can't believe it's almost over summer's gone by so fast.


1.  How I did on last week’s goals: I read through some of Unremarkable and it's not pretty.

2.  My goal(s) for this week:
This week I want to start rewriting and get at least two new chapters done.

3.  A favorite line from my story OR one word/phrase that sums up what I wrote/revised: 
Since I didn't write anything here's a bit from the craptastic Unremarkable

“Christopher said, and I quote, ‘it’s Val what’s not to like’.” I began to dance around her singing: “Val and Christopher sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G—”
“Knock it off,” she shoved me. “Sometimes I wonder why we’re friends.”
“Because I’m awesome and you love me.”

“My tolerance of your antics grows weaker with each passing day.” She laughed.

4.  The biggest challenge I faced this week: Reading through an old abandoned MS is rough.

5.  Something I love about my WIP: 
I love how friendship is the center of Unremarkable and not the romance.

What are you're goals this week?