What works for me?
My biggest challenge with writing is getting started. I have four kids (I homeschool two of them) and a part time job, and a hundred things I *should* be doing (like, exercising!!) and a big temptation to escape them all by losing myself in a good book. So what works best for me to get started writing (instead of succumbing to other things calling my name) is to shut off the internet, plug in my earphones (soothing spa music works best), re-read what I worked on last and make a short bullet list of what I want to accomplish in an hour. Just an hour. If I think longer than that, then I freeze up.
What I'm reading
An e-ARC of Stitching Snow, by R.C. Lewis (due out in October). A version of Snow White set in space (I love space ships!) where Snow's "domestic duties" are mechanics and programming! (I love programming! Well, mostly. When my programs work, that is). She calls programming "stitching". Oh, and her seven dwarves are her bots programmed to help her. Dopey = Dimwit and Grumpy = Cusser. I'm loving all the twists in this fairytale retelling. And look at this intricate cover!
What I'm writing
YA author Veronica Bartles picked my YA science fiction, Star Tripped, as her altnerative for Pitch Wars, and she's given me some great feedback. So I'm busy ripping apart my first chapter and stitching it back together. I knew I wanted to submit to Veronica when she said she loved Isaac Asminov's science fiction stories. Also her book is called Twelve Steps - a young adult's version of the A.A. Twelve Steps, but a twelve steps for dealing with sister problems (that made me smile). I'm in O.A. (Overeaters Anonymous) and the twelve steps keep me sane on a daily basis when the chocolate and Cheetos demons are calling my name, but I love this teen's take on a relationship-problem version of the twelves steps.
What else I've been up to
Finishing my first publication through work: the Wyoming Student Atlas. It's 46 pages of maps about Wyoming - two of my favorite things (maps, and Wyoming) and its for middle school kids (another favorite, as I have two middle schoolers of my own). If all the last minute edits go well we go to press next week!!! Here's the cover:
Posts
I saw your name on PitchWars and was very excited for you!!! Keep at it!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteThat's awesome that you got picked as a Pitch Wars alternate! Woohoo! :D As for STITCHING SNOW, it's on my list of fall releases to get my hands on. Can't wait until October! I really need to take a page from your book and turn off the internet when I actually sit down to write. It's just way too tempting to piddle around on social media with the internet on. Though, if I need to do research (which happens often for the littlest things) that might be a problem. I might still try it, though. :-) Have a great week Margo!
ReplyDeleteP.S. Hope you guys miss out on the snow you're expecting!
I am always tempted to "research" something on the internet too, but I try to just make a note to do it later. It has the potential to suck up too much time!
DeleteYou're the writer of Star Tripped?! Very cool! I'm one of the PW mentors and saw all the behind-the-scenes chats about submissions. Yours was fought over :) Very exciting. Good luck with any revising you're doing right now.
ReplyDeleteWow!!! Thank you for sharing. Any little tidbit like that raises my spirits.
DeleteCongratulations on being a Pitch Wars alternate. That's brilliant :D
ReplyDeleteStitching Snow sounds very interesting. I'll be sure to look for it next month ^_^
Thank you!
DeleteYeah for Pitch Wars Awesomeness!!! Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteAwesome about the pitch wars. And I really want to read Stitching Snow. It sounds really good.
ReplyDeleteWishing you lots of revision mojo as you polish that manuscript!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the Pitch Wars! Keep at it. As a homeschool mom myself, I get your struggle. :)
ReplyDeleteEdge of Your Seat Stories
I love fairytale retellings and you also made Veronica's book sound more interesting!
ReplyDeleteI can vouch for the fact that balancing writing and homeschooling is tough! And I only homeschool one! It's so difficult to shift modes and get started on writing when your head is swirling with so many other things. Music really helps me with that too.
ReplyDeleteSTITCHING SNOW sounds awesome! I love Marissa Meyer's Lunar Chronicles and this sounds like maybe it's similar. Thanks for the heads up on that!
And finally, a huge congratulations to you on getting into Pitch Wars! It was a really valuable experience for me and I hope it is for you too. Crossing my fingers that good things result from that for you! :)
Hey, Margo. Your 'what works for me' tactic sounds cool, I may try something like that to help get me out of my September slump. ;)
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the atlas, I love maps too. And yay for Pitch Wars feedback.