I've begun

[Arisa81]

Well, yesterday I began my novel. I spent the first week of 2007 brainstorming ideas and though I have a basic idea of where my story is going, I suppose as I write things will fall into place. And since I want to keep up with all of my other writing and write this novel well, I am only writing 300 words on my novel/day. It doesn't sound like much, but I actually found that since I am only doing 300words at a time, I am much more focussed on the words I use. I went back numerous times, just reading it over and over and changing little things. If I had just kept writing chances are I wouldn't have written my best and I am really bad about going back and editing larger projects. So, this seems to be working for me so far. How are you all doing with your ya projects so far?

[emsuniverse]

I'm doing a lot of thinking. I just completed the final draft of my first YA, and it's making the rounds to agents. For my next book, I want to create a series character, and I'm trying to create her world. I'm trying to maker her upper -end YA age, seventeen. My goal is to get the first book in the series done by Valentine's Day. That's the plan...

[moondance]

I'm stalling. I've got a completed novel that my agent wants me to revise, but I have revision (plus I have been ill) so I have been putting it off. Got to get round to it at some point, gaaah.

[Momento Mori]

I've just gone past the 10,000 word mark on the first draft of my first novel. It sucks (needless to say), but I'm getting my plot down, the broad brushstrokes for my characters and am determined to keep chugging through to the end. At the same time, I'm working on my idea for a second YA novel (YA SF this time), which I think could have good potential.

[triceretops]

I stalled this week brainstorming. And this bladder infection has got me moaning and distracted. But I had a good talk with my agent and he told me that out of all the conferences, shows and writing workshops he's attended, (about 10 this last year) he managed to meet nearly all of the top acquisitions editors at the large and medium houses. He said that 70% of them are young females in their twenties or thirties. He suggested we try a paranormal thriller, with some layering and and good subplots and twists. Oh, and a good smathering of erotic undertones. A gritty, other worldly type story that is designed to shock and awe. He seems to believe that this genre is hot right now and not fixing to dim in the near future. I concured and shelved my SF for the time being.

I just started it a few hours ago. I'll bone up on my romance over at the appropriet thread and see if I can get my female protag girded in some flashy intelligent armor. We'll see how this rolls. I'm taking it nice an easy this time--concentrating on premise and great voice right up front. I want the beginning to not to tarry, but to get right into the emotional horrifics. A little horror tutoring wouldn't hurt me either. Horror + Romance (and a tad of magic) =paranormal thriller. So here goes I...

Good luck to all

Tri--red-shifting

[Arisa81]

My problem, I am discovering is description. My characters move and speak, but reading the 600 words I have, you have no idea what kind of place they in aside from an apartment. This week, I need to work on describing. If I did, my story would be more interesting for one, and the scenes wouldn't fly by.
Does anyone else have a problem with description?

[triceretops]

Description can be a heady wine for a writer. Sometimes less is better. If the scene happens to punctuate the personality of the character, so much the better--kind of a two birds with one stone technique. But I do hate describing everyday items and avoid it if it's not neccessary. Right now I'm describing a birthday party. I'll see if I can post a bit. I'm trying to give the impression that this is a rich girl's party. Not sure if I'm making that clear.

Avy had blown out the 18 candles on her birthday cake two hours ago. The last of the party guests had just stepped out the door. Silly String hung from the chandelier like pasta and a thick carpet of confetti lay over the parquet floor. An explosion of wrapping paper had buried the dinning room table that seemed to take up a half acre of living space. Drake Labrador had excused the guests early, claiming that he had an important business conference. His wife, Lizzy, was already running a portable sweeper over the floor, managing to push the small paper squares into hills, that in turn were shoved into larger mountains. A front end loader would have served better to remove the confetti mounds. It was all for naught anyway; the maid was off.

Tri

[Sage]

I feel for you, Arisa. Description is the thing I feel least confident about. If my characters enter a new location or if I introduce a new character, I try to give at least a bit of description in there, but, boy, is it a strain. I'm a little better at describing their actions (if I know going into a scene what they will be & am not trying to fill in around dialogue). I always do a little happy dance if I describe something really well.

[skelly]

I thought I had finished my YA supernatural mystery novel, until someone on the boards advised me that 30,000 words was too short. I let the thing sit for a month, and finally decided to do a complete rewrite. Rather than try to write new scenes and plug them into my existing story, it's easier for me to rewrite the story and scavenge from the scenes already written. Also, it helps make it feel a little more fresh. I'm sorta getting sick of this story and these characters. :)

[Grampa Joe]

Started a YA novel a few weeks ago after writing true crime. Why the switch? In the past I've began 2-3 YA, but never finished. The on I've started is a YA paranormal mystery. I'm really having fun writing it!

[sharpierae]

After getting some valuable feedback from some beta readers and a couple of "plot epiphanies" on my part, I figured out which screws need to be tightened to get this latest (of many) drafts into something I can consider sending out. But revision is going slowly. I was pretty disappointed to see 2006 go without this YA wrapped up and ready to make some friends. I'm not big on New Years Resolutions, but this year, dammit. This ms is going places, it will see the inside of many a post box. 2-oh-oh-7, yo!

xxxrae

[skelly]

After getting some valuable feedback from some beta readers and a couple of "plot epiphanies" on my part, I figured out which screws need to be tightened to get this latest (of many) drafts into something I can consider sending out. But revision is going slowly. I was pretty disappointed to see 2006 go without this YA wrapped up and ready to make some friends. I'm not big on New Years Resolutions, but this year, dammit. This ms is going places, it will see the inside of many a post box. 2-oh-oh-7, yo!

xxxrae

Yes! Me too! ::high-fives Stockholm YA writer:: WOO!WOO!WOO ::runs around in a circle shaking his fist:: :Jump: :banana: :snoopy:

[laurenem6]

I'm almost 45k into my new WIP, and my goal is to write 1,000 words a day (I know, I'm crazy right?) until it is finished! Not only is it YA, it's sort of a memoir kind of thing, and I want to finish it before I completely forget everything that happened!

I also have a problem with description, although this one isn't too bad. I find I add a lot more description when I'm trying to reach a word count goal. It also helps that I've actually seen everything/one/where that I'm writing about.

[Melanie Nilles]

I write with the philosophy that if I can see it in my mind, I can describe it. I've used professional editors to brush up my writing, and have been fortunate enough to have the help of published authors on a chapter or two. Their advice on description is to limit the initial details to three and throw in more as your write further. This rule has worked well for me. My problem gets to be too much description, which is great since cutting is easier than filling in. Also, every reader will complete the image themselves in slightly different ways. Focus on the most important aspects of the setting/character you're describing in your initial description. As you proceed to show that character or setting, you can throw in more details, usually a word or phrase, with the actions taking place.

Melanie

[Moon Daughter]

Avy had blown out the 18 candles on her birthday cake two hours ago. The last of the party guests had just stepped out the door. Silly String hung from the chandelier like pasta and a thick carpet of confetti lay over the parquet floor. An explosion of wrapping paper had buried the dinning room table that seemed to take up a half acre of living space. Drake Labrador had excused the guests early, claiming that he had an important business conference. His wife, Lizzy, was already running a portable sweeper over the floor, managing to push the small paper squares into hills, that in turn were shoved into larger mountains. A front end loader would have served better to remove the confetti mounds. It was all for naught anyway; the maid was off.

Tri

I really like your writing style. I can sense some "richness" in this paragraph. The question, I wonder, is how rich do you want to make her family sound?

[Arisa81]

Okay, so I wrote for 2 days and haven't done a lick since (at least on the novel). I think that I might take back my goal of writing a novel this year and start with something shorter. Maybe a novelette or a short story for young adults. I think I am very intimidated right now at the thought of writing an entire novel good enough that I will actually submit it one day.
Did anyone else do this? Start with something shorter and work your way up?

[laurenem6]

Okay, so I wrote for 2 days and haven't done a lick since (at least on the novel). I think that I might take back my goal of writing a novel this year and start with something shorter. Maybe a novelette or a short story for young adults. I think I am very intimidated right now at the thought of writing an entire novel good enough that I will actually submit it one day.
Did anyone else do this? Start with something shorter and work your way up?

Don't give up! When you think of your goal in more managable terms, you'll be able to reach it, and the thought won't seem so daunting. How about writing 200 words a day? That's hardly more than a few paragraphs, but if you keep it up for the entire year, you'll have a decent sized novel to work with. And besides, if you make yourself start writing with a goal of 200 words in mind, you'll most likely end up getting really into it and writing even more. Now, my goal is to write 1,000 words a day, but most days I end up writing a lot more than that. You just need the goal to get you started, and your muse will take it from there!

[skelly]

Don't give up! When you think of your goal in more managable terms, you'll be able to reach it, and the thought won't seem so daunting. How about writing 200 words a day? That's hardly more than a few paragraphs, but if you keep it up for the entire year, you'll have a decent sized novel to work with. And besides, if you make yourself start writing with a goal of 200 words in mind, you'll most likely end up getting really into it and writing even more. Now, my goal is to write 1,000 words a day, but most days I end up writing a lot more than that. You just need the goal to get you started, and your muse will take it from there!

Arisa don't give up! I remember feeling the same way you feel, and it was always for one of two (sometimes both) reasons. Either I had not worked out my plot and outline well enough in advance, and I really had no long-range idea what I was going to do with my story, or I had set unreasonable daily writing goals. In both cases, I suddenly found myself avoiding my writing. I found that doing the hard work of making a complete scene-by-scene plot outline (even if the story deviates from it later), and lowering my daily writing goal to something that I could manage. The second part turned out to be the big culprit. I'm the sort of person who wants to see results right now. I was not overly thrilled with the prospect of sitting down and writing two pages per day, every day, for six or eight months. I wanted to write TEN pages a day for two months (and hopefully see the book in the stores a few weeks after that). Since I started forcing myself to do a complete scene-by-scene outline (just one or two lines per scene) and forcing myself to just do a little bit every day, I have finished one YA novel that I am currently revising, and 60,000 words of a fantasy novel. It can be done :)

[triceretops]

Yes, I would look at the story in smaller chunks and concentrate on those scenes, which you build into the next, and so on. I've never worked with an outline and found that if I pace myself, the story usually does a good job of writing itself. I just have to wear blinders to keep me focused on the next scene before me.

Tri

[BrianTubbs]

I'm the perfect candidate for Attention Deficit Disorder when it comes to writing. I'm having a really tough time staying focused on any one of my works-in-progress. All of them are in the brainstorm/research/outlining stage. In only one case (YA fantasy) have I actually gotten started in writing the novel.

It's really hard to know how much research and/or world-building is necessary before one starts. But it seems like I'm not doing enough.

[Arisa81]

Brian, I can so relate to that. And don't worry everyone, I'm not giving up at all! I just think that for me, beginning with a smaller project might work out better. Besides, everything else I write is really quite short, hense the attention problem. lol. I've always had ideas and a passion to write for young adults and I've always thought "well, I should write a novel," but really, it doesn't have to be that per se. I'm young anyway. I have years to build up to the novel thing, if need be.
I won't be giving up on writing for young adults ever.

[Melanie Nilles]

I won't be giving up on writing for young adults ever.

:hooray:

Melanie

[Arisa81]

It certainly helps to have people to bounce ideas and emotions off of. It's hard to even think of giving up with so much support.
So, as I need to start looking at ya short stories...does anyone have any favourites they'd like to share?

[laurel29]

I'm the perfect candidate for Attention Deficit Disorder when it comes to writing. I'm having a really tough time staying focused on any one of my works-in-progress. All of them are in the brainstorm/research/outlining stage. In only one case (YA fantasy) have I actually gotten started in writing the novel.

It's really hard to know how much research and/or world-building is necessary before one starts. But it seems like I'm not doing enough.
I felt like you were describing me right there! I start too many things and can't focus. I'm about haf way through the first draft of one book and I started 3 more. :( I couldn't help it. I had to write the basic ideas down before I forgot them.

I also have a hard time balancing my description. Sometimes it's too much, other times not enough. I notice it most when I read and the pace seems to go way too fast. I then realize that I haven't described anything but the main characters actions. I plan on slipping bits and pieces in to break up the action a little, hopefully it won't be too obtrusive. Since it is a fantasy, I think the setting is pretty important and I've been completely neglecting that aspect. I'm not sure if I should start rewriting the glaring things now, or finish up my incredibly sketchy draft and rewrite from the beginning?

I haven't been writing (seriously) for almost 2 months. Not because I don't want to, but because I have been in the process of moving. I felt like trying to do anything else on top of that and taking care of my kids was trying to do too much. Rather than make myself crazy, I decided to take a break and get my family settled and then start again. Any ideas on how to get back into it? It starts to feel more daunting the longer I wait. We've been relocated for almost 2 weeks now, so most of the boxes are unpacked and I'm ready to get started.
Thanks everyone and may this year see all our stories reach completion!

[Moon Daughter]

I'm brainstorming as we speak since I can't seem to sit down and write down an actual outline. I usually write decent as I go along. So far I have almost 10,000 words for my novel-in-progress "Injected", but I don't think it's that good right now. I plan on going back later and trying to polish it up A LOT. But hey...at least I have some things down and I know where I'm taking my characters and what kind of personalities they have.

Sometimes when I'm writing or brainstorming for a project I'm working on, I tend to get other ideas that branch off into an entirely different novel. It's kind of a bad thing for me to do because then I'll start new projects when I haven't even finished the first one! haha

[Moon Daughter]

I'm the perfect candidate for Attention Deficit Disorder when it comes to writing. I'm having a really tough time staying focused on any one of my works-in-progress.

I know exactly how you feel!

[jonereb]

My YA horror is 30K words at just over the halfway point. I stopped to review, edit and rewrite (changing passive voice, adverbs, defining "it", etc.). Now I have a client (my real job) needing my services. So I'll probably set my WIP aside for a few weeks. Which may actually be good. Editing hot copy can be frustrating.

[AllyWoof]

I am trying to start my novel, but i am finding it somewhat difficult.

[Arisa81]

I guess I'm not alone then.
I get distracted far too easily. As a matter of fact, I've been thinking about using the day time as "quiet" time. This would mean no radio (I listen to talk radio a lot!). During the evening my bf is home and I actually do some good writing while he is sleeping, but it's not long before I get tired myself. I sometimes wonder if too much is going into the brain (music, talk radio, television) that I'm losing my ability to think.
Do you guys write in complete silence? Soft music?

[laurenem6]

Soft music is okay for me, but if I'm trying to listen to talk radio, I usually either end up paying attention only to the radio, or only to my writing and missing what they've said. If you think you're distracted by talking, maybe try some music without lyrics (or lyrics in another language). That was you won't be focused on the music's words, but on your own.

[Arisa81]

Yeah, I definitely get distracted by the conversations they have. I'm thinking that I am going to try the soft music (maybe classical), or nothing at all even. Sometimes silence works really well.

[Moon Daughter]

Arisa, it's probably hard for anyone to concentrate fully on writing when their brain is processing all the extra noise in the background. I think it's a good idea to give yourself a quiet time, that way, all you're concentrating on is the story itself and not on listening to what hot story the radio personal is talking about. Good luck with your "quiet time"!

[Moon Daughter]

Arisa, like Skelly said...do NOT give up. If this is something you have your heart set on then do it. You can always write on and off when you have a creativity spur. You don't have to write an entire novel within a certain time period (unless you're being paid to do so). So just relax, take your time, and you can always reread later or have someone else read it to see what they think. Of course, you should do what's best for you and if writing a novel right now isn't the right thing to do at the moment, then don't. Just don't intimidate yourself into a novel-writing hole! I'm sure you're a great writer and all of our skills can be improved. Good luck.

PS- I was going to delete this since I just noticed you wrote how you weren't going to give up; however, I decided to keep it up for others who are having the same problem, in hopes that they read this and hopefully find more courage to pursue what they really want to do in their writing career (and inevitably in life)!

[Arisa81]

Well, just a bit of good news. Last night I was scribbling away and I was suddenly inspired to write a story again. Now, it's actually a new story idea from the one I started before. That's okay. But at least my heart is really into it again. I have the book "Idiot's Guide to Writing For Young Adults," that I keep closeby.
I am not able to get to the library today, as my bf has the flu and I need to be around, but I already own some ya books that I can refer to.

I'll probably only have time to get rough outlining done this weekend, but next week I hope to seriously get into it.

How's everyone else progressing?

[moondance]

I'm not. :(

Too much other stuff going on - and I've been ill again so that's eaten into my time.

I did have a lovely chat with my editor on Friday though and she has encouraged me to get going on those revisions asap. We have set a tentative deadline of April - which is good, as it means I really do have to get a move on, lol.

[Arisa81]

Yeah, we've been sick here too, so I haven't been able to get much writing of any kind done...blech. But I still have my idea in mind and plan to get working it as soon as we're feeling better.

Good luck :)

[ChumleyK]

For those of you who are sick - I hope you guys feel better!

I haven't been writing much this week either. I have been considerably more employed this week than usual and had less time for writing. I've managed to complete 15,000 words so far, and I'm pretty proud of that. I rarely manage to stick with one idea past the first couple thousand words so 15,000 is good for me.

[Arisa81]

I am already feeling back to normal, thank you! :)
Now just to get down to this story business, heh...
I am going to have more time in the next 1-2 weeks anyway as I plan on working on smaller writing projects. I'll be able to fit story time in easier :)