The Kidlit Gang's Support and Accountability Thread

Go Judy!

Okay, my goals for this weekend are to:
- finish rereading, so I remember my story
-make a new outline for the new ending

Next week:
-write the ending

Then:
revise, again.

I added 161 words to my WIP today. (What? It counts.)

In my defense, I'm moving. I've got exactly one week to finish packing up the house because the movers come at 8:00 a.m. a week from tomorrow.

I'm going to put all of my things into storage and move in with friends for two months... or longer, or shorter. I have no idea what's happening. Either I'll be bored and without any of my things to entertain me and I'll get lots of writing done. Or I'll be pulled into everything my friends are doing and have no time of my own until I move again.

In light of all this, I'm going to shoot for 100 words a day. Wish me luck!

heza said:

I added 161 words to my WIP today. (What? It counts.)

In light of all this, I'm going to shoot for 100 words a day. Wish me luck!

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Of course it counts! Good for you, heza. Good luck. At 100 words/day, you could have a middle grade manuscript in around a year. That's assuming you're starting from zero, and you won't ever pick up the pace. But even if you don't, there's nothing wrong with slow and steady. Bird by bird, my friend.

JoyMC said:

Good luck. At 100 words/day, you could have a middle grade manuscript in around a year.

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Every once in a while, math doesn't suck.

Hahaha. Thanks guys! Look for my beta request in about a year.

heza said:

Hahaha. Thanks guys! Look for my beta request in about a year.

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You got it.

I've been having a hard time lately, floating between a few things, dealing with the sucky process that is querying, etc. But I got a new request yesterday, and then today, a writer friend I don't know all that well wrote to tell me she'd read my manuscript (which I wasn't expecting her to - long story on why she had it) and she raved and then she sent the most amazing referral letter to her super-awesome agent who doesn't take queries, who requested a partial right away.

I'm not feeling hopeful as in I will get an agent - because I have gotten requests before - but more feeling bolstered by the support of another writer. Also, my bestie CP is fielding multiple offers for her middle grade manuscript, which is awesome and inspiring.

So, yes. Feeling better than I have in a while. Won't actually work on anything this week because I'm slammed with the freelance and working on a grant application, but next week? The writing is ON.

JoyMC said:

I'm not feeling hopeful as in I will get an agent - because I have gotten requests before - but more feeling bolstered by the support of another writer. Also, my bestie CP is fielding multiple offers for her middle grade manuscript, which is awesome and inspiring.

So, yes. Feeling better than I have in a while. Won't actually work on anything this week because I'm slammed with the freelance and working on a grant application, but next week? The writing is ON.

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I'm glad for you, Joy! And good luck with the requests! You never know--it could turn into something.

I actually thought of one itty, bitty little plot point today. It doesn't feel like much, but given how little I've been able to accomplish lately, I'm counting it as a big success. I was able to enter it into my Beat Sheet notebook, and using it means I can keep several scenes from the original version.

A baby step, but better than nothing.

I also sent out 2 more queries. Waiting around to hear from Dream Agent is getting on my nerves.

So I'm plugging away at revising/finishing my ms. My deadline is November 4th, and after my first week, and only getting through the first 8000 words, I'm freaking out a bit that I won't be able to finish. I woke up at 4:45 this morning, and I plan on making it a habit. (I'm soooo not a morning person!) But I guess I've reached that point where I realize if I really want to write, I'll do whatever it takes.

Spiral, I get up at 5:00 to walk the dog, get ready for work, and take my long commute to the office, so I'll be thinking about you plugging away at the MS.

I'm finally moved! ... not into anything permanent, yet, but at least I get to unpack a few bags and sit still for a couple of months. It's a big relief to feel like I'm somewhere stable for a while.

Hugs for everyone!

Thanks heza! This morning was slightly easier...although, I didn't get up until 5:30., so that might of had something to do with it

Good luck with your new place!

I have made myself a promise to write 100 words a day. They don't have to be part of any particular WIP, but I have to squeeze out 100. Maybe that way I can write myself out of my funk...

Oh, that's a great idea. I have been writing zero, zilch, nada. Maybe if I set a small goal I would actually make myself do it out of guilt.

But now my computer's AC adapter has gone bad, and although hubby ordered me a replacement, it won't be here for about a week, so I will be writing by hand. Maybe 50 words a day would be more doable for now.

I'm also doing 100 words a day while I'm getting settled after my semi-move. We should start some kind of "100 Club" for baby-stepping back into full-on drafting or for slowing down during stressful times. Good luck with the 100s Judy!

THE END!! Woohoo! I'm only giving a couple of days rest before I revise. I have the beginning revised, but oh, so much work to do. My goal is to revise it through do a line edit with my writing buddy. She is waiting for it now, but I need to do one more revision. I've never gotten this far.

Two rough draft novels in one year and two months. Once this one is done, I will go back to the other one. I'm anxious to go back.

Phew, new favorite words THE END!

Congrats, Laura! Good luck with the revisions

How's everyone doing with their 100 (or 50!) words a day?

I've been staring at my computer screen since 5:45 this morning, but I've accomplished nothing My whole weekend has gone a lot like this...well, it didn't help that I was supposed to be left alone to write all weekend, but apparently my husband has a very different idea about what that means than I do. Like on Saturday, when he left me with the kids for FIVE HOURS! And Sunday, he was cooking the turkey for Thanksgiving at my parents, and I swear every five minutes it was, "hey, can you grab this...can you do this...can you watch this..." GRRRR.

Part of my problem with being unable to move forward is, I know there are issues in my first chapter and, even though I know what at least one of the issues is, I can't figure out how to fix it.

I've been trying to work up the courage to post my first chapters in SYW, but I keep chickening out.

Spiral said:

I've been trying to work up the courage to post my first chapters in SYW, but I keep chickening out.

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I know what you mean! I've been here--how long?--and still have never posted anything in SYW. At first, I said it was because I still had so much to learn and I wanted to work on known issues before I put anything up for scrutiny... but now, I'm just being a scaredy cat. I'm bound and determined to do this month's writing prompt, though, and it's going to be an excerpt from my WIP... so two birds and all that. (You guys don't let me back out on that! I have to start getting feedback of some kind.)

I'm doing so-so on my 100s. It was a lot easier to find time for myself, even with the commute eating my mornings and afternoons, when I lived so far away from everyone. Now that I'm closer (just upstairs in the case of the friends I'm living with), all of my time seems to be spoken for. I'm not suggesting I'm just that popular, but they do a ton of group activities that I was allowed to skip for being so far away, and now I'm expected to show. And there's a bunch of other stuff related to my indentured servitude, but that's a post for Conquering Challenges.

I'm trying to eek out time either on the front or back end of work if I get here early enough or late at night before bed. I have GOT to figure out how to establish a routine (ANY kind of routine).

Laura J said:

THE END!!

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Yay, Laura! Enjoy the well-deserved rest!

My new goal is revising 25 pages a day. I already did much of this one time, it is amazing how much I missed. Lots of fixing. And no one else has edited it yet. That is coming after this round of revisions. My friend is waiting. I just have to get it done.

Chug! Chug! Chug!-- wait... that's not the right chant.

Good luck Laura!

It is if you mean coffee!!

I was afraid this would happen....

I haven't been particularly good at managing my 100 words every day, but I have done more than 100 on the days I do squeeze out the time, so it averages out about the same.

And... I've made absolutely no progress on the book I'm supposed to be rewriting, but I have gotten some little flashes of inspiration for an even older book I'd love to rewrite. But of course the inspiration is all in the form of mood, setting, a single scene... nothing that could remotely be called a "plot."

*sigh*

my brain is most undisciplined.

I got a full rejection today and was explaining to my six-year-old what that meant, and she said, in deep despair, "Don't they understand that when they say no, they're disappointing someone!?!?!"