Blog Chain: Why Change Is... Okay, I Guess

So. For this blog chain round, it was my turn to choose the topic! Here's what I asked:

It's a new year, and some writers have taken it upon themselves to switch things up. *points at self* It might be the genres you write in or your revision process. It might be your main character's voice. What's one thing you've chosen to change in your writing this new year? Why do you wish to change it? If there's nothing you're going to change, why do you think it should remain as is?

Oh, change. How I love you. *hugs change* As of right now, the biggest change has been my revision process. I've committed to one that's slightly different from my previous process, and so far, I'm digging it. Here's an overview:

Draft 2: 

characterization/plot fixes

Draft 3: 

setting/worldbuilding/backstory fixes

Draft 4: 

line edits

Draft 5:

send to crit partners

In the past, I would do ALL the changes in Draft 2, then Draft 3 would be line edits. *cries* I'm currently on Draft 2. Even though it's going slooooooooooooowly, I can tell I've made the best decision for this manuscript. I'm taking my time to really focus on bits and pieces instead of the whole package at once. I'm less overwhelmed. Everything is as smooth as a dollop of whip cream. :)

Here's another revision process technique I've changed:

Revise 10 chapters

Go back and revise them again

Move on to next 10 chapters

For example, Draft 2 is about characterization/plot. I revise the first 10 chapters. After I'm done, I go back and start over, polishing ONLY THOSE ELEMENTS. I do this because I tend to come up with even better changes as I go along, so I have to double back and make sure I put them into the manuscript before the next round of 10 chapters. Seems like a lot of work, and it is. 

But it's perfect for me. At least it is now. 

Make sure to check out what Cole has to say, then stay tuned for Margie's post tomorrow!

The Power Of Yummy. Or, Why I Bake

So. Baking. I've been pretty obsessed with it for the past year. It started in high school, I think. Or maybe in middle school? *taps head* Yeah. Maybe middle school. The thing is, I only baked two batches of chocolate chip cookies when I was younger, then gave up baking. It was only a thousand years later that I took it up again.

Here are a few examples of Things I Bake:

chocolate fudge cupcakes

(those are white chocolate chips on top. *drools* oh, and some cupcakes have chocolate frosting while others have cream cheese frosting--choosing is for the WEAK)

strawberry cake

 

lemon cake

ultimate oreo brownies

(using this awesometastic recipe. it includes reese's peanut butter cups and cookie dough!)

There are a million things I've yet to bake, but they're forthcoming (I promise to blog and upload pics of my future yummies once I bake them!). So. Why do I bake? Because I love to eat, and dessert is my favorite dish. Obvi.

I also bake because it gives me a sense of purpose. Like writing, baking makes me feel like I'm doing something of worth. I'm feeding myself and others, yes, but I'm creating something that wasn't there before, too. 99.9% of pastry chefs would mock my decorating skills. Because obviously. But I pay more attention to what's inside the yummy. At least for now in my beginner stage. Someday, I'll learn to master all aspects of the baking process and benefit from my hard work. I'm okay with sucking at presentation and knocking people out with the power of yummy. 

It is the best power in the universe, after all.

Now tell me: do you bake? If so, what's your favorite dish?

Blog Chain: My WIP

First blog chain round of 2013!!! *dances* This time around, Katrina asks the following:

Write about your next writing project. What is the genre? Is is one you've written before or is it a new venture? Do you have it all figured out or is it just a germ of an idea? What did you learn from your latest writing project that will make this one even better?

I've talked about my WIP already, but that's more of an origin story post. This one will be a bit more technical. My WIP is a YA epic fantasy. I have changed its title, and now it's called WE ARE THE DARKNESS. Like I said in that previous post, this is a project I steered clear from for three years. I got the idea in 2009, but sat down to write it in 2012. I'm currently working on Draft 2, so I guess it's an old venture. My hope is to have it finished and ready to query later this year. 

*crosses fingers and toes*

Right now, I have an outline that I'm adhering to, but not at all. I have the beats figured out. Those won't change much. What might change are the dots connecting each beat to one another. Even though I have a thorough outline of what's meant to happen, I often ignore it. I just write an outline in order to feel prepared and less freaked out during revisions. Which is RIDICULOUS since I love revisions more than the drafting process. But there you go.

My last WIP was a YA contemporary with a male POV. I absolutely love it, even in its horrendous, embarrassing first draft state. The voice is what gets me every time. I do plan on editing it in the future, but I don't know when. As for what it taught me, that genre is notoriously tough to pull off. How do you make the ordinary extraordinary? What's so compelling about this character and his problem? Does he sound like a real guy? I had so many doubts about myself while writing that book, you guys. SO many doubts. 

But I also had a blast.

And if I could tackle the contemp genre from a dude's perspective, I could tackle anything.

Tacking it successfully is another story, though. We won't get into that. *weeps* 

My previous WIP taught me that taking risks is the only way to go about things. I've come to the point as both person and writer where I crave new things. Especially the kind of new things that FRIGHTEN me. This epic fantasy? Totally crippled me for three years. I kept writing other stuff in order to avoid facing it. I wrote things I'm proud of, but not OMG obsessed with.

Now? Yeah. I'm totes obsessed. 

Thank you to Katrina for the awesome topic! Make sure to check out Cole's take on it, then stay tuned for Margie's tomorrow!

Operation Awesome's New Year's Revisions Conference Is Here!!!

What are you doing here??? 

No, seriously. WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?

The party is over at Operation Awesome, where the New Year's Revisions Conference is in full swing! Now go and soak up all the awesome from our wonderful guests!

Happy Friday! :)

Need A Critique Partner? Operation Awesome's The Critique Partner Connection Is For You

First of all, HAPPY NEW YEAR.

Second of all, so. You may or may not know that Operation Awesome is kicking off a free online conference tomorrow. It is called the New Year's Revisions Conference, and it is going to be amazeballs.

But before we start the conference, we at OA decided to host something special for our followers today. If you're on the hunt for a brand new crit partner, hop on over to the blog and check out the Critique Partner Connection! All the rules are posted there, so make sure you read them carefully. I hope you find someone awesome!

And don't forget: the New Year's Revisions Conference is TOMORROW! See you there :)