On Inspiration And The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter

So. The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter at Universal Studios.

 

I had never gone to the WWOHP until last week.

 

Hogsmeade. Diagon Alley. I went to both of them.

 

AND I HAD A BLAST. OBVIOUSLY. BECAUSE YES.

 

I was also quite inspired by everything. Confession: I've been putting off WIP revisions for about a month now, but once I returned from my trip, I felt reenergized to work again. I've written a little, but I plan on writing more as the days roll on. My drive and focus? Back where they belong.

 

I owe a lot to the WWOHP. Not only did I fangirl squeal most of the time, I also felt this weight lifted off my shoulders. There I was, skipping along streets and barging into shops and eating food that existed in one woman's head for so long, and they were right where I could touch them. Right where I could enjoy them. I stopped thinking about stories as things I needed to perfect. Revisions are fun for me, but with this WIP, I've been struggling. The joy was sucked out of the writing experience. For the rest of my trip, though, my WIP and other stories became fangirl squeals. They were my source of joy, even if most of them aren't even worthy enough of full commitment. Even if they give me the hardest time of all hard times.

 

It's about time I enjoyed my imagination again.

 

So. WWOHP. Thank you for giving me back what was missing. Oh, and I'm definitely returning someday. Because this:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*swoons*

Blog Chain: On Critiques And Thick Skin

It's blog chain time, folks. This round is brought to you by Alyson, who wants to know:

Have you developed thick skin as a writer? How do you handle having your work critiqued? Do you love revising? Hate it?

So. Thick skin. I totes have it. I didn't always have it, though. 2009. That's when I contacted my first (and still!) CP, Lindsay. If Lindsay pointed something out as sucktastic, I would immediately feel like a sucktastic failure of a writer. That was more my self-esteem than Lindsay's approach to crits (because she is awesomesauce). Luckily, I've spent the past four years embracing my work as a thing that's outside of me. Yes, it came from my brain, but whatever type of feedback I get on my work isn't feedback on me as a person. If my manuscript is sucktastic, then I must fix it. Period. I can bemoan cutting a chapter/scene I thought was cool, but I'm still cutting it if it doesn't add anything to the story. That's the kind of perspective a CP can help you with. It's also a lesson I struggled to learn, but I'm thrilled I finally did. :)

As for revising, my stance remains the same. I LOVE IT. Love, love, love. I prefer it to drafting any day of the week. I'm still hard at work on my WIP's second draft, though, so I'm slower than I want to be. Especially since I have at least two more drafts to go through. I cannot wait to send the final draft to Lindsay, as well as my other CPs, Kaye and Natasha.

I feel sorry for them already. *giggles*

Thanks to Alyson for the awesome topic! Check out what Cole had to say, and stay tuned for Margie's post tomorrow! :)

Why Robert Pattinson's Twilight Hair Is Like Revision

So. I am revising my WIP. I believe I've mentioned how much I love the revision process. I am, however, rather slow. But in the Land of Why Can't I Just Finish This Draft Already, there is one thing that keeps me going, folks. 

One thing to rule them all, and in the glossiness bind them.

Robert Pattinson's hair in the Twilight movies.

*is ashamed*

*a little*

*okay, a lot*

So. I've come to a realization. You know how revision is all about adding and removing things from your manuscript? And how it's also about looking at your words through a different lens?

Well.

In the Twilight movies, Robert Pattinson can style his hair like this:

'tis an art form to brood. oh, yes it is

Or like this:

 broody mcbroodster, they used to call me

Or like this:

 broody mcbroodster--suburban edition

And his hair always looks nice. 

He always looks nice. 

These are different ways of envisioning his character, but at his core, Edward Cullen remains a messed up stalker vampire who will risk everything to keep his true love safe. My point? Revisions are for changing the way you present your story, but its core remains the same. Take a scene out. Put a new one in. These things will happen during revisions. But remember to ask yourself: why am I making these changes? How do they improve my core? 

In the case of Robert's hair, I think his style evolution is meant to suggest that he goes from boy (bedhead-us maximus) to married man with a kid (tame-us maximus). Or something. 

So. Robert Pattinson's Twilight hair is like revision, folks. It has many ways of looking good, even if they're radically different from each other. 

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to beat my WIP into submission.

*runs off*

Are you currently revising? If so, any tips and tricks for keeping your story's core?

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!

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! :)

Blog Chain: Writing Goals & NaNoWriMo

This post is a *bit* late, and I apologize to my fellow blog chain buddies!! I am sick (YET AGAIN). Seriously. It's like this stupid virus thinks I'm its type or something.

Anyway. Here's what the awesome Sandra asks in this round:

During National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), writers attempt to write 50,000 words in 30 days. Do you set daily writing goals for yourself, either a certain word count or time spent on writing? Does this include other writing-related activities, like research, plotting, or revising? Do you focus on reaching the end of the journey (such as finishing your current project), or do you enjoy the writing process along the way?

I've yet to participate in NaNoWrimo, for starters, but I'm really looking forward to taking a stab at it in the future. But even though I'm not a NaNoer, I do have writing goals for this month of November. You see, I'm currently in revision mode (although this stupid virus has put me WAY behind). Draft 2 of my WIP is coming along sloooooooowly, and I'm afraid I won't meet my self-imposed deadline of having it finished by January 1st. My plan was to set it aside for two weeks after the 1st, then start Draft 3. 

HA.

Not gonna happen.

As for daily word counts, I don't set them. Instead, I set chapter counts. Like, one day I intend on revising one chapter. The next day, I'll aim for two. And so on. When I'm drafting, it's the same thing. I usually aim for cranking out an entire chapter, maybe two if I'm feeling awesome. I tend to write 1,000-word chapters, though, but there are exceptions. 

Research and plotting differ from project to project. For instance, I wrote a whole outline for this WIP, as well as researched some major stuff, but I'm still changing the outline as I revise, and I still have a lot of research to do. I've worked on other manuscripts blindly, too--I jump in and leave all that researching and outlining for Draft 2 and onward. I'm a tricksy one when it comes to this. 

I prefer revisions to drafting any day of the week. So when I'm drafting, I focus on just wrapping up the thing. Having said that, I do love the rush of having a story in my head and heart, then sitting down to give it life on the page. I think it's the excitement before I sit down to draft that I enjoy more than the actual drafting. Revisions are better for me 'cause I get to mess with something that's already there. It's a map of sorts. An ugly, WTF-was-I-thinking map, but still. :) 

Thank you to Sandra for a great topic! Make sure you check out Cole's post, then go read what Margie had to say. 

Have a great weekend!

 

Confessions From An Edit-As-I-Go Convert

So. First drafts.

I used to never edit as I go. I wrote the whole thing as sucktastic as possible, then fixed it during edits.

Not anymore.

Well, I'll still do edits after Draft #1, BUT maybe they won't be as substantial. Maybe, just maybe, my WIP's level of sucktasticness will be considerably less. 

Why?

Because I've converted to the Edit-As-I-Go approach.

 Image found here.

This new story I'm working on? It's torturing me... in a good way. I can't stop thinking about it. Whenever I reach my writing goal of the day, I want to keep going. That has only happened once (with a WIP that's currently simmering as a second-ish draft). Since I really, really, really love this freakin' story, I want to treat as nicely as possible. That means I'm taking things s-l-o-w-l-y. 

And I'm whipping out my Internal Editor.

I already blogged about the IE's benefits, but I've never actually relied on it during first drafts. This time, though, I came up with a system: 1) write 2-3 chapters a week (did I mention I'm going s-l-o-w?); 2) edit those 2-3 chapters on weekends; 3) rinse, repeat. It'll probably take me a billion years to finish Draft #1, but I think it'll be worth it. My plan is to spend Christmas holidays revising like a madwoman, so I have a few months left to work on Draft #1. *sigh*

This WIP might not go anywhere publishing wise, but OMG, it's so fun to write. You know how long it's been since I've had fun writing?

Too long. 

I'm glad I'm back in the game :)

Now tell me: do you let your Internal Editor out during first drafts? If so, any tips you'd like to share with this newbie?

Why Rewriting Is Like A Cover Song

So. Rewriting. My current task. 

Confession: I LOVE rewriting. Like, LOVE. 

Drafting... not so much. But rewriting gives me this unspeakable sense of purpose. I know where I'm going. I know what I have to do. I know Draft #1 is stoopid, and I have new ways of making it better. 

A couple weeks back, while I was still on hiatus, I braced myself for the Epic Rewrites of Epic Proportions I had to face soon. I was happy, but scared. 

Then I thought about cover songs.

You know, the new versions of older songs that are sort of different, but not at all? Some people hate them, but I tend to like them. To me, a cover song is kind of like an homage to that original version. It's saying, "You're so awesome and I want to be just like you."

But it's also saying, "I found another way to make you sound awesome."

Some artists record covers using the same instruments/vocal range as the original. Others do a 180 on the original and keep only the lyrics intact. Either way, they're slaving over the new version, trying to do the original justice. In their hearts, I'm sure artists doing covers know the original is much better than their versions, but that doesn't stop them from trying. 

With rewrites, you're doing Draft #1 justice, but you're making it awesome in a different way. A clearer, more streamlined way. 

There is nothing wrong with pushing yourself, folks. Do it till there's nowhere left to push you. 

To wrap this post up, I'd like to share the original and cover song versions that inspired it:

Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance"

and...

30 Seconds To Mars's "Bad Romance" cover.

Now tell me: what do you think of cover songs? Any cover songs you love better than the original? 

WIP Fire. Or... How To Get Your Groove Back

So. A while ago, I wrote a post on how to get back to your WIP after being away for, like, forever. Today, I'm sort of discussing the same thing, but not exactly.

*scratches head*

I'm currently working on the second draft of my WIP. I say second draft, but really, it's a HUGE rewrite. The task is much more daunting than I had expected, folks. 

But I love it.

Well, I love it when the words flow easily for me. Those other times? Not so much.

So here's an extra tip on how to get your groove back after a while of not writing a particular project:

4) Give yourself permission to brainstorm

I often stare at the screen for waaaay too much time, not knowing what the heck to write. But if I don't write something, I feel guilty and lazy. Here's the deal: if this happens to you, DON'T FEEL GUILTY AND LAZY. Brainstorming is work. You're thinking about improving your WIP. How to inject sense into the thing. These days, I spend more time brainstorming than I do writing. And when I do sit down to write, the pages fly by because I know where my story is going (keep in mind, this is a second draft. First drafts can be trickier). It takes me less than an hour to meet my word count goal of the day. All because I didn't force it out, and took my time to ponder first. 

Folks, embrace the pondering. It is awesome.

Now if you'll excuse me, I must go ponder how to tackle my homework... *sobs*

Reminder: Don't miss Operation Awesome's next Mystery Agent contest! Be sure to check it out this Friday, Aprils 1st. And NO, it's not an April Fools joke :)

Self-Imposed Deadlines: Why They Rock

So. My current WIP is in first draft stage. It doesn't have a coherent, logical ending. I haven't finished re-reading it in full, or wrapped up my revision outline. 

But I'm going to start working on Draft Numbah Two this week. 

Folks, I love this story. It is a mess. A big one. But I love it.

And I REALLY want to fix it. Like, now.

I have a self-imposed deadline of completing Draft Numbah Two by mid-April. No one else is asking me to finish this manuscript by that date. I'm forcing myself to do so.

Why?

I haven't written a new word in a month. A MONTH, people. And before that? I was stuck in Shiny New Idea Brain Storm for THREE! *hangs head in shame*

So yeah. I need to get back to work. Or else... die?

This is why self-imposed deadlines rock. You know yourself pretty well, right? You know what you can and can't do. How long you'll probably take to work through the mess. These kinds of deadlines usually work because you're doing things at whichever pace you feel like. Sure, some of use get ambitious and aim for four revised drafts in 48 hours, but still. You're thinking hard about what you can achieve, and that's better than STARING AT THE COMPUTER SCREEN without typing A SINGLE WORD for THREE MONTHS.

Yes, I am shouting at myself. Please don't leave. I swear I'm normal. Sometimes.

Nobody knows your writing process better than yourself. Think about your strengths and weaknesses, then tackle the weaknesses first. If you do the opposite, you risk having to cut EVERYTHING later on because the messy parts are so messy, your good parts don't make much sense in the story. Take as much time as a) you need; b) your story needs. That means even after you meet your deadline, your story might still suck. Wait a while, then jump right back in. With another deadline in mind, if possible. 

FYI: I'm not a huge fan of giving your first draft a deadline, but you can certainly do so. I think, with revisions, deadlines are helpful. You get organized as a writer, and your story benefits from it. Double win.

Now tell me: do you have any self-imposed deadlines right now??

Everything Sounds Better In Spanish... Or Not

Confession: I speak Spanish. It is an awesome language.

It is also awesomely hard to deal with.

Why? Because... it's... hard?

My point is, English was much easier for me to learn. What's that? A second language easier than my native one??? *blushes* Why? Well, for many reasons. Which I will not discuss for fear of sounding like an English grad student. Which... I am...

Anyway! There's this cliche regarding Spanish. It's sexier. Sounds better. Makes some people look funny when they speak with an accent. The list goes on.

That cliche got me thinking about writing (I know, I know... what doesn't?). In particular, the different styles of writing. And I totally had an epiphany. Of sorts. You see, whatever story writers are working on dictates the style they use. Yes, they have their preferences, but it all comes back to the story. And the characters. Some writers love funny. Others are sucker for purple prose-infused drama. They make their characters and stories mirror that preference, and at times, they nail it. When they don't, they start over until they find the right voice.

The right language.

One is not better/more fun/sexier than the other. Perspective, folks. Everyone has it. Find yours in your writing and stick to it.

Oh, and this video below? It's the superbly awesome commercial that inspired this post:




What say you, blogging buddies? Is there a language you can't seem to master, but would love to???

Word Count vs. Content

So. My WIP is evil. You see, I have a final word count for the manuscript in mind. A nice lil' goal I want to meet. Knowing myself, the first draft will be much longer than my intended goal. 

When I sit down to write, I try not to dwell on word count. It's not about how much I write. It's about what I write--content. Otherwise, I'd just put whatever sparked my fancy on the page in order to get to X amount of words, you know? So, like the word count rebel that I am, I haven't cared that much about it. Until now. You see, there's this chapter that WILL NOT END. 

Well, I sort of... finished it this morning, but... you get the point...

Anyway, Chapter From Hell is long. Very, very long. And it hits the 30k mark of my first draft. Which is supposed to be the halfway mark of the manuscript. Problem? Chapter From Hell isn't the halfway mark. Not even close. That makes my first draft much longer than my intended goal.

In a way, keeping that goal now is sort of useless, right? I'll just surpass it, then meet it again during revisions. Which leads me to the following tips:

1) For the first draft, focus on content. 

I get it all out, even if it's messy and makes zero sense. Blocking scenes, playing with dialogue, raising the stakes and putting my MC face-to-face with more conflict--you name it. I tend to write chronologically, so I go from Point A to Point Z without losing myself or the story. Yes, content is a top priority in every stage of the writing process, but during that first draft, I think it should be the only one.

2) For revisions, focus on everything else.

Here's where I pull out my axe and start cutting, cutting, cutting. Or improving, which means keeping something, but making it sparkle to the best of my ability (with help from others, of course). Word count should matter during this stage to me, mainly because here's where I decide if Chapter From Hell is as relevant as I thought it was when I wrote it. But I can only see that in hindsight--after the deed is done. Word count for the sake of word count will only give me the worst headache of the century during revisions. And it'll probably happen to you, too.

There you have it, folks. For me, content wins every time. 

Now tell me: what do you think about this epic battle between word count and content? Who takes the lead during your first draft?

New Year's Revisions Blog Party!!!

Happy New Year, peeps!!! *throws confetti*

So. My buddy Katrina is throwing a blogfest today. It's all about revisions. *shudders* 

Okay, that's a lie. I LOVE revisions. I'd take revising any day over drafting. For reals.

So here's my entry for the Revision's Blog Party!!

What I plan to revise: My current WIP, which will *hopefully* be done my mid-February. I started it in November (not for NaNo, though), and spent a lot of time outlining like a maniac. The outline still needs work, but I'm ignoring it at the moment. Focusing on the actual writing part instead :D

The process I'll go through: First, I'll finish the first draft. This one will focus on getting the events in place, making sure the character development is there, as well as my MC's voice. The second draft will be more focused on world-building and setting, but I'll also be on the lookout for plot holes. Usually, I send the finished second draft to my crit partners, and work on a third draft once I have their feedback. Then it's back to square one.

How long I expect it to take: Since my first draft will *hopefully* be done by mid-February, I plan on working on my second draft from that point till mid-March. So, basically, a month. Then it's off to crit partners. *crosses fingers and hopes they like it* Once I get their feedback, I revise with what works best for the story. That will most likely take me another month, so I think I might be able to start querying in late May. 

Easiest part: Fixing dialog/story arc/GMC (goal, motivation, conflict). It's always what others consider the hardest that I love working on (yes, I'm weird like that...). 

Hardest part: Fixing weak writing/passive voice/show vs. tell. You know, the "writerly" stuff. *shudders for real*

When I'll feel done: After five drafts, I think. The fourth will be using crit partner feedback, and the fifth will be a final read-through before querying. *fist pump*

There you have it, friends. 2011 is gonna be a busy year. 

Will you be doing any revisions soon?

Post-NaNo Editing Checklist, Mystery Agent Contest And A Video!

Today I'm over @ Operation Awesome giving out revision tips for all you NaNoers out there. You can check it out here.

Be sure to stay tuned this Wednesday for another Mystery Agent Contest over @ OA!! So pretty please polish those one-line pitches, folks!! Mystery Agent is looking for YA and adult (all genres except for Christian fiction, erotica and picture books). Best of luck!

Also, I really really really wanted to share this. The fabulous Myra McEntire had this on her blog yesterday. It made me laugh. A lot.

I hope you do, too :D

Le video:

Hope ya'll had a great Thanksgiving!!

3 Reasons Why Your Internal Editor Rocks

Yes, NaNo is still happening, folks. No, I'm still not participating. *hangs head in shame*

BUT I figured I'd take more precious blog space to talk about something people usually freak out over. 

The Internal Editor.

*cue girl shrieks from scary movies*

What is the Internal Editor? Well, it's just like regular people--it can either be your friend or your enemy. The reason? It tells you what to do. While you're working on Draft #1. Which is supposed to suck.

Internal Editor will stop you every once in a while, maybe every two pages or so, and go, "Yo! This scene blows big time, G!" Yes, Internal Editors can be from the ghetto :D 

Anyway, while some people shut their Editors off during the first draft, I'm here today to defend the opposite. 

Here's why:

1) Your word count... well... counts.

You have a goal to reach 2k in an hour (I hate you...). But during first drafts, you simply type whatever comes to mind without caring about the coherence/structure/awesomeness of what you're typing. You just want to meet that freakin' goal. But if Internal Editor steps in, you get the best of both worlds. You get to 2k, and every word counts. It's not fluff or boring or stupid. It makes sense for your story, and you'll be able to push forward with a better outlook on what's to come. 

2)  Your writing/story improves along the way.

The more you read your own work and spot weak writing, the sharper your skills get. Typos, info dumps, inconsistent characterization--you can catch it all while it's still hot, and take it out immediately. Also, your story's thread is kept intact. You don't go off course by simply writing for the sake of writing something. You keep track of what you want to convey, and force yourself to stay faithful to it. By doing so, you get a clearer view on what your acts should consist of, what the chapter/scene goals are, and how everything will lead up to that ever-important climax. Sounds like hard work, but it's not--you go little by little until there's a whole bunch of awesome at the end.

3) Less hair pulling after you type THE END.

Every draft needs to be edited after it's done. I don't care what anybody says. There's no such thing as a perfect first draft. *rolls eyes* Even if your Internal Editor works along the way, you still need to have other people read and critique your baby, as well as a pair of your own eyes in the freshest state possible. BUT if the Internal Editor has been pulling its weight along the ride, those revisions you're dreading will be less than the amount you would've endured without it. And what could be better than less work??

So. There you have it. Internal Editors rock.

What say you, blogging buddies? Do you let your I. E. out while you're drafting, or do you shut the door in its face?

Veronica Roth Is A Genius

I've chosen to be lazy with my blogging this week. That means no new material from me, but doses of brilliance from others. My previous post was all about writing a breakout novel. Today, I want to share a link to another piece of awesome.

Veronica Roth, an upcoming YA author you should be on the lookout for, blogged about something she learned in college. Thankfully, she's not only a genius, but was awesome enough to share the lesson with her readers.

And save my drafting life in the process.

What did she blog about? Find out here.

Your welcome, buddies. Your welcome.

Now tell me: do you have any other advice for me this week?

Wanna Write A Breakout Novel? A Literary Agent Shows You How

Attention all writers! Literary agent Sarah Davies, of the super awesome Greenhouse Literary Agency, took to her blog to offer tips on writing a breakout novel.

The tips are split into six different elements every story should have:

An Inspired Concept

Larger Than Life Characters

A High Stakes Plot

A Deeply Felt Theme

A Vivid Setting

The Final Mystery Ingredient (my favorite)

Run over to her blog and enjoy. I did, and I don't regret it.

What do you think of these six elements? Does your story have all six, or just a couple?

What My Synopsis Taught Me

Confession: I am a pantser.

Outlines? Not for me.

So when it was time to crank out that dreaded synopsis for my WIP, I figured hell was coming to town. It did, but not the way I expected.

You see, I followed a game plan:

1) Write about major characters.

2) Write major plot points.

3) Write ending.

4) Add "voice".

Steps 1 and 2 went well. But as I got closer to the end, my synopsis showed me something I hadn't seen before.

My ending sucked.

By describing what happens in my story, I learned it was pretty flawed. Characterization was okay, but plotting downright sucked toward the final pages. So how did I fix it? I took out the epilogue, which contained a cliffhanger scene. I plan on using this scene in the sequel (if there's ever one...). I went back and rewrote other scenes in order to create a little doubt regarding the twist reveal, but not in a way that leaves the story ending in a WTF moment.

Now my synopsis looks like it's about one book, not one and a half. It does suggest a sequel, but it also shows that this story can work on its own.

There you have it, fellow pantsers: synopses can change lives.

I mean, stories...

What has your synopsis taught you?

Cue The Confetti!

It's been a bumpy ride, but I can finally take a breather. The second draft of my WIP is done!!!!

Squeeeeee!!

I am thrilled beyond words, so I won't bore you with unnecessary ones. Let me just sign off by saying that the next few weeks will be dedicated to Draft #3, which will surely give me a heart attack. And reading. Lots of reading, both for school and for leisure.

Well, more leisure than school... I'm rebellious like that...


Anyway, I wish everyone a great weekend! And for those hardcore Supernatural enthusiasts out there, here's a treat:








See? I'm not selfish. I share my lovelies with others ;)

So tell me, what are your plans for the weekend? Will you be writing and reading like me? Or will you be living the good life away from the computer screen?

Cliches Need Not Apply

Confession time: on February 22nd, the first completed draft of my WIP got deleted.

By magic.

'Cause I still can't figure out how it disappeared.

Okay... That's a lie... It was my fault... God, I hate owning up to mistakes!!

Anyway, my clumsiness led to the death of my first draft while I was in the middle of revising it. Many tears, fistfuls of pulled hair, and shrieking later, I chose to ask myself the following question: will I be able to do it all over again?

The answer at the moment was more along the lines of how-the-hell-am-I-supposed-to-do-this?!!, but right now, it's looking like a yes. A yes that took a while to appear, but it did. A yes that almost drove me clinically insane, but it didn't. Lexie's story is shaping up to be what it was, but with far less craptastic writing (I. Hope.).

And what was the reason behind the craptastic writing?

Cliches. Lots of them.

YA stories tend to sway toward similar storylines, but there's always a twist that makes them stand out. There's always something that the other books don't have that makes one story memorable. From what I've read, Lexie's story has a couple of twins in terms of main theme. But what sets it apart is, of course, the hook (which took a while to develop, the darned thing...).

My advice for writers diving into YA waters? Avoid cliches. Young readers have been there, done that with most plots in the market, even though they still respond to them. Try to spice it up or tone it down, but in an original way. Tired of girl-meets-mysterious-boy-and-forsakes-her-dignity-to-be-with-him? Write the opposite--give your character a purpose that doesn't involve being with the cute stranger, even though she's got the hots for him. Don't relish reading about an ordinary MC who turns out to be extraordinary and needs to be shipped off to an extraordinary school? Think about ways to weave an extraordinary MC with our blah world in a way that makes the reader get lost in the narrative. There are tons of possibilities for the creative mind, so don't lose hope if things fall flat in the beginning.

And that's what I've been telling myself ever since February 22nd. Rewriting is tough, but it can be way more rewarding than that first draft. Why? Because it will be better. Hands down.

Now I'm off to write what I already wrote, but kicking way more ass than before.