ROW80

I'm going to start doing what is called A Round of Words in 80 Days. This is no longer my main writer blog. You can find my main author blog at www.shannonlreagan.com

I will use this blog to update twice a week for ROW80. I don't do well at regularly working on my novels. I can only blame life for that a little bit. Kids do get the flu, need surgery or just plain need their mom sometime. I am fine with that. I have a problem getting back into a healthy routine after those needy times. I am hoping this several month challenge can help me with that.

The next 80 day challenge starts in early October. I'm working on what my goals will be.

My Goals:

- Do three professional blogs every week
- Do two private blogs a week (Writing is writing after all)
- Revise one chapter a week
- Or write one chapter a week

Is this too ambitious? Is there anything else that can be done to make these books happen? I'm four years into the book I'm revising. I have several other stories I am trying to start. I am determined to get the one in revisions done soon. If I didn't have a toddler I probably would have it done, but she, like I said, is worth the delays. My children are enriched by me writing and making puppets; my writing is enriched by having them in my life.

So here's to having goals and rising to the challenge!

PNWA Writer's Conference report

Wow! What an experience!

If you get a chance to go to a Writer's Conference... Go! I am changed by my experience there. I learned from well known authors, met with agents and editors and even stood in line and talked about regular life topics with one of the guest lecturers. Through the different workshops I got over many of my fears and concerns about becoming an author. I have now found my path and made a concrete plan with goals and steps towards making writing my career.

I found I did not get over filled with information as I suspected I would. This is in part to my existing background with storytelling and writing of scripts. It seems I regularly forget my four years of theatre training where I learned story arcs, plot, character development and all the other critical story building elements needed for any story wether told by mouth, the written word or on the stage or screen. If you don't have a similar background then these conferences would serve you even more with the myriad of workshops about these very elements that are critical to making your story publishable.

Know that you need to pick what your goals are for a workshop or you will become overwhelmed by the amount of workshop topics and options. Know what you need to work on and learn. You can focus on writing skills or publishing options or a mix of both to suit your needs. One conference will not be enough to become a successful writer. Being a writer, like everything else, is a work-in-progress. Get to know your strengths and weaknesses. Use the conferences to find what those are or to find how to work on those.

The most important thing you can do at a Writer's Conference is talk to people. Yes! Talk to other writers. Talk to the vendors showing their publishing services, editing services and other products for writers. Talk to agents and editors when they are not occupied with their responsibilities. Talk to authors during any of the signings they do.


You will benefit from talking to any of the people at the conference. If you need a writer's group you can find an existing one or like has happened for me, help start a new one in your area. Pitch to other writers and hone your pitch to be even better for when you pitch to agents and editors. Sometimes I just sat and listened to other writers talk about their own journey or even commiserated with them about our aching backs from standing in the line for new appointments or sitting in those chairs all weekend.

If one of the workshop speakers offers to listen to your pitch or help you with any questions you have, take them up on it. One of the editors at this conference also did a workshop on pitches and offered to help anyone on anything they might need to know from pitching to submitting your work to editors. I was able to leave my first meeting with an agent, go to the book store where he was signing his books and get advise on how to do the query letter the agent just requested (query letters have long been one of my fears and now is not). It ends up that particular editor has an incredible book about how to format and submit manuscripts that has allayed many of my fears about submitting my novels to agents and editors!

At a writer's conference you can find answers, camaraderie, professional contacts and confidence to keep trying to reach your writing goals. I hope if you have a serious drive to become a published writer that you too can find a way to go to a Writer's Conference. If you can make it to the Pacific Northwest Writer's Association Writer's Conference you will have an incredible experience. Glean what you can from where ever you can attend and make your writing better.

Keep on writing! Keep on learning!

Pacific Northwest Writer's Association Writer's Conference

I am so excited for Thursday. The writer's conference starts early in the morning. I am getting myself ready to meet fellow writers, agents and editors. This will be my first conference and part of me is daunted but most of me can't wait. I expect to leave the weekend with my brain overflowing with new ideas and thoughts deep or profound.

I am working on my pitches. This will be my first time to pitch any books to agents and editors but practice makes perfect! My plan is to try to find fellow writers from my area to start or join a writer's group. This could be a busy weekend full of progress in my writing career.

On Monday I will give a full report!

Keep on Reading! Keep on writing!

The Euphoria of Two Words: The End

I finished my first book yesterday. I don't know that I have felt a bigger sense of accomplishment like that ever before. Something amazing happens when you write those two little words and know that you and no one else wrote every single one of those words that make up a story that is ready to be read.

Revisions are a necessary reality of making a book publishable but that is different than the initial creation of the tale you want to tell. It is an amazing feeling. I cannot wait to find out if this is the same kind of feeling I get when I finish book two or three in this series. I want to find out what finishing my 50th book feels like.

This is an amazing process that takes more work than any one dreaming of becoming a writer can imagine when starting out. Take it a step at a time all the way from the first word to those two little words that leave you flying like a kite. Next is a series of steps I am embarking on now that take you from your first draft to a finished book on the shelf. I will tell you how those go and what those successes are like.

I spent a night watching Doctor Who and catching up on Castle then this morning I was back into my writing software and half way through the first chapter of book 2 of my series, still feeling that euphoria of accomplishment. The feeling of success is making the way for the next book.

Keep on writing! Find your own The End!

Words!

WOW! I hit 72,852 words today in my novel. I still have several chapters that will add a couple thousand each. After NaNoWriMo the last two Novembers I sat there looking at a word count that was in the low 50,000 words.  I sat amazed each time that I and no one else had put that many words together. As I revise and finish my books they grow more than they shrink. I think if I ever manage a Harry Potter length book I will not even know how I did it. I certainly don't know how JK Rowling did it! She too is a mother and has written all those books while raising her babies and living her life.

Today I created a chapter that didn't exist before. While I furiously wrote the words that kept even me in suspense, I snapped pictures of my youngest son... he was being a closet today.  My oldest son heard my conversation with my husband about my publishing plans and told me that he is still working on his book, asking if mine has pictures like his does.

I have two novels entered in a literacy competition related to a local Writer's Conference.  I won't know for several months still if I won any level of recognition. I won't know until I meet agents and editors at the conference if anyone is interested in my work. Either way the words keep growing and the story keeps improving. I am in awe with each new word count level I reach. This being my first book... it is the most words I have ever accumulated in a single story. I cannot wait to see how it all goes!

Keep those words coming! Keep on Writing!

Looking for First Readers!

What is a First Reader you ask?

  You get to read my books first... You get to tell me what you like and don't like.  You get to help me make my book into a publishable manuscript.  You also get to tell me that the whole things stinks... if it does stink.  "Yuck" is a regular note my editor sends me so yuck away and also Ooo and ahhhh away!  Every yuck gets edited into an ooooo!

I need a dozen first readers.  You get my stories one or two chapters at a time.  You just make any notes in a different color right in the word document and send it back to me.  I then get you the next chapter as soon as I can...

The benefit other than having permission to say Yuck to someone?

 You get bragging rights!  You were the first one to read my book.  Up to the challenge?  I think I could also swing you a copy of the published version of my books when they come out... perhaps!  Heehee!

One thing I have learned from all these authors I have seen lately is that first readers are a must!  Anyone got some spare reading time on their hands?   I've got the first two chapters of a book right here... ready to go!

Readers keep on reading... Writers keep on writing!

Plotting: a Perspective

I have had a story percolating in my brain for months.  It all started while preparing for a New Year's Eve event.  I looked down at a locket I was making and there is was; a new story wanting to be written.  The weeks that followed more bits and pieces came to me and finally the main character wanted a name.  I kept wondering when this story would really happen, when would the full plot come to me.  Last night I quit waiting.  So many of the characters were chomping at the bit.  More of them had names.

I put on music that would clearly be in the soundtrack if this was a movie.  I sat down with the bits of information I had already gathered and then fought with a plot for a half hour or so.  Finally I pulled up a blank page, laid out three spots for three books to make it a series and then I started typing.  I typed and typed.  Ideas flowed and scenes flipped through my head.  I would stop and ponder a point then continue with hardly any breaks.  By the time 1am rolled around I had three books plotted out enough to stop.  More scenes will happen and more twists will appear as I write.  I expect that.  What is good is that I feel I have a better grasp on this story than the others I have written before.  I have a map to follow even if the paths change once I get there.  I will let you know if this solves any of my problems and struggles I tend to encounter when I am writing my books.

This test will let me know what kind of writer I am.  I recently heard the terms "plotter" and "pantser".  A plotter is someone who plots out the story ahead of time.  A pantser dives in and flies by the seat of their pants.  I had never heard this set of terms before and now that I have I understand writing better.

So... wait with me and see if my plot proves more useful then a free for all!

Keep on reading!  Keep on writing!