I visited my friend Kari Marie White's blog Writing by Heart and learned about What's Up Wednesday. I decided to give it a go this week.
What's Up Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jaime Morrow and Erin Funk that's geared toward readers and writers. To join in the fun, add your name to the list.
What I'm Reading
I just started reading MIND GAMES by Kiersten White. The other day I visited her blog and found that it was on sale for $2.99. I'd enjoyed her PARANORMALCY trilogy and I'd just finished THE FAERIE PRINCE by Rachel Morgan, so I was in need of a midnight read (I was staying up late to celebrate the end of the school year---I'm a teacher.)
What I'm Writing
A new work in progress about a small group of teens and the issues they each deal with in their lives. Some of their issues stem from, or become more complicated by, miscommunication. They will need to learn, or not, that assumptions and not asking questions will cause them more heartbreak.
What Inspires Me Right Now
The novel I'm writing uses two of the same characters I created for a different novel, one that I finished two summers ago. The rest of the characters and the old plot are gone--very necessarily. I'm excited to say that I think this is the novel I've always wanted to write. It's a little deeper than anything else I've written and I'm not worrying so much about "plot" as I am "story" and "emotion".
Books that have a more poetic writing style (such as Tahereh Mafi's SHATTER ME, Maggie Stiefvater's SHIVER and Jandy Nelson's THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE) fuel the emotional way my words are typing themselves out. I've also been inspired by the two POV and story in Chelsea Fine's SOPHIE AND CARTER.)
What Else I've Been Up To
-Cleaning my classroom for the summer cleaning crew and for Vacation Bible School use.
-T-ball, machine pitch, soccer (my two oldest boys play, not me)
-Getting ready for two weeks of vacation: one week with my parents, one week with my husband's mom and four siblings and their families)
-Laundry, cleaning, feeding children, bathing children
-Playing in the sandbox
-Making sure my one-year-old doesn't break an arm when he's climbing up the play set to go down the slide since he thinks he's three.
-Running and trying to get some strength training in
-Using Essential Oils for the first time.
-Stalking Indie authors and wondering how to create a cover for a book. Investigating options for Photoshop and wondering how the heck to find a stock photo and upload it and add text and size it right...NOT that I'm going Indie, but just because I want to create these cool graphic images.
AAAAAnnnnd...that's that!
I'm not participating in Ready. Set. Write, but my writing goal has been to get 1k in per day to finish this draft by the end of June. However, even though I was clipping along, a week of final grading and report cards threw me off my sprint. I haven't caught up. Yet. My goal is my goal even when I'm falling behind.
Best of luck to you with finding quiet reading time and writing time this week! (Even if you lose your writing inspiration, try to write through it. You can always delete later. Chances are, you'll gain momentum and something you write will trigger a new muse!)
~Christy
I recently got into essential oils as well. We should trade secrets. :)
ReplyDeleteHave a great vacation, keep on keepin' on with the shiny new idea. Can't wait to hear more about it.
I'm a nanny for a one year old who, much like yours, seems to think she's far older than she is. Catching her is a huge part of my daily routine :P
ReplyDeleteHave fun writing your new book. It sounds very thrilling to be working on THE book!
I miss playing in the sandbox!!! My kiddos are 14 and 9. They're more into shopping and the X-box these days. *sigh*
ReplyDeleteAlso, so glad to have you aboard for RSW! And your goals sound awesome! I loved it when you said this: "Even if you lose your writing inspiration, try to write through it. You can always delete later. Chances are, you'll gain momentum and something you write will trigger a new muse." EXCELLENT advice!
I hope you have a wonderful writing week!
Kari, I so wish that I was writing faster so I'd be able to send you something!
ReplyDeleteNew friends!!! Thanks for stopping by!
Christy
SOunds like an excellent plan! I am reworking an old project this summer, and I think it's great-- we learn so much over time. Good luck with all of your projects!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on finishing another school year! I remember what that felt like when I was teaching and it was GLORIOUS. :) How are you liking MIND GAMES? I still have to read that one, but it's definitely caught my interest.
ReplyDeleteI think it's fantastic that you're writing the story that you've always wanted to write. I'd love to have that kind of certainty with my writing. I would love to write gorgeous prose like Jandy Nelson and Maggie Stiefvater. Best of luck with everything you're working on this week! :)
Thanks. :) MIND GAMES was good (I finished it this morning.) It was a fast read. I still have to process it some, but I definitely liked it and will wait impatiently for its sequel. (Erica just read it too. I have to see what she thought of it.) Christy
ReplyDeleteI just finished MIND GAMES, and I really enjoyed it. I haven't read her PARANORMALCY trilogy, so I don't know how it compares. I'd love to hear your thoughts on it when you're done!
ReplyDeleteAnd how thrilling to be working on "THE BOOK", the one you've always wanted to write. I hope it goes well for you!!
Ugh such a busy summer already. I hope you get lots of writing done. For me, summers are when my writing time diminishes. :(
ReplyDeleteCongrats on clicking with your muse on your new story. I love it when that happens! As a mother of three, I have many "What Else I've Been Up To". :-)
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your WiP!
I like this meme - good stuff. I like poetic writing styles, too. I need to write something YA so I can get really emo and poetic and get away with it :)
ReplyDelete