Why I Actually Miss Revisions

There are so many little things to be done after revisions are over. Deciding on a title (still haven’t done that yet—can’t find one that fits. Or makes any sort of sense, actually). Figuring out if I want chapter titles. Making sure everything’s spellchecked within an inch of its life and formatted perfectly.

And then, of course, writing the dreaded query letter. Boiling down that long, twisty plot into a paragraph of pithy sentences designed to intrigue and entice. Finding comparison titles. Deciding on a list of agents to send the query to.

There are these details to take care of, even though I thought I was done.

I’m starting to miss revisions.

Oh, well. Soon. Soon I will send it out there. And then I will get to experience all the awful nervous anxiety of waiting. Awesome. :)

Tailgating and Bright Umbrellas

Things that make me happy, even on a Monday:

1. Being done with my WiP! Well, almost. I have to add some finishing touches. And title it. But otherwise, I’m done! Querying comes soon…

2. Tailgating! Definitely the best part of the football experience. I can’t wait until it’s not boiling hot here and I can go hang out in stadium parking lots. Which sounds weird, but is really a whole lot of fun.

3. Finishing up all the laundry I can. For some reason, this never fails to make me very happy.

4. The movie (and book) Something Borrowed. Because I cannot resist romantic comedies.

5. Cute, bright umbrellas that make rainy days just a bit more fun. We haven’t had rain here in forever, and I miss it so much!

Happy Monday, everyone! Anything making you happy this week?

Five Random Thoughts on a Friday

1. Putting the final touches on the Birdie WiP this week. So. Very. Close.

2. And then it’s query time. Writing a query freaks me out, so I’m trying not to think about that until I absolutely have to. I also have to pick a title…minor details.

3. I’ve been recommending the movie The Romantics to everyone this week. Seven college friends reunite for a wedding, where all sorts of secrets come out. It was one of those movies I didn’t really expect to like, but it’s a beautifully shot and intellectual film.

4. It’s been crazy hot here. My air conditioning is working overtime. And there may be a ton of ice cream in the freezer now.

5. I’m reading Shine by Lauren Myracle, and I can’t get enough of it. The setting is the rural South, a small town of gossiping churchwomen and meth dealers, and I’ve never read anything quite like it. I highly recommend it.

Happy weekend, everyone! Anyone have any fun weekend plans?

Nothing. And a Music Video.

Well, I’ve got nothing. I tried to think of a writing topic for today’s post. But I’m pretty much fried—deep into final revisions of the Birdie WiP. All I can think about is deleting the forms of “to be” as often as possible and watching out for clichés and making sure Birdie’s voice is as compelling and dynamic as it can be.

So, instead, I’m directing you all to a song I can’t get out of my head: The Civil Wars “Poison & Wine." I don’t know if I’ve ever heard a more beautiful duet: it’s like their voices were made to complement each other. Plus, the guy looks like Johnny Depp. So there's that.

Anyone else as fried as I am these days? Where are you in the writing process?

Tourist Traps and a Rodeo (of course)

Five of my favorite tourists traps on my road trip:

1. The Indian Kachina statue in Gallup, New Mexico. Such a sweet welcome statue—you can see it very well from the road.

2. The Wigwam Motel in Holbrook, Arizona. Who wouldn't want to stay in a wigwam? They were booked, unfortunately.

3. The jackrabbit at the Jackrabbit Trading Post in the middle of nowhere, Arizona. I have no idea.

4. Buffalo Bill’s grave outside of Denver, Colorado. They have a whole museum about him, too. And an awesome view.


5. Cheyenne Frontier Days, a large outdoor rodeo. Not so much a tourist trap—it’s actually super awesome (you know how much I love rodeos). Here’s a bronc rider I saw.

Happy Monday, everyone! Anything making you happy this week?

Five Random Thoughts on a Friday

1. In the middle of the epic road trip I took last month, I went to a wedding of two friends of mine in Kennebunkport, Maine. One of the most romantic, beautiful settings for a wedding I have ever seen (and the wedding was incredibly meaningful, of course). This is a view from the stone chapel where the ceremony took place:

2. I discovered two artists I love this week: Meiko and Ellie Goulding. Meiko has these beautifully lyrical, honest songs that I can’t get enough of. And Ellie Goulding has these interesting, fun songs that are perfect for getting ready for a night out.

3. Have you seen Awkward on MTV? I hadn’t heard of it until recently, but I caught up on it (four episodes have come out so far), and it’s hilarious. A good take on what it’s like to be a highschooler these days. So watching it is kind of like research for a YA writer, right?

4. I’m so ready for summer to be over. I actually don’t mind the heat and humidity (which has reached crazy levels down here), but fall is my favorite season. I want apple cider and pumpkin pie and crisp weather that makes me bundle up in my comfiest sweaters.

5. I’ve been growing more interested in the mystery and biography sections of the bookstore lately, as opposed to my usual young adult haunt. I’ve read young adult almost exclusively for a year, but I’m starting to crave something different. If anyone has any suggestions, I’d love to hear them!

Have a great weekend, everyone! Any fun weekend plans?

Thank Goodness for Other People's Problems

Sometimes the best way for me to get the distance I need to critique my work is to critique someone else’s. I’m so much more objective when I look over someone else’s story: able to see characters who need a bit more fleshing out, plot holes, awkward phrasing, everything.

With my own work, I’m so close to it that it’s hard for me to see the details. And the more I revise, the more blind I am to my writing: I’ll have read the same paragraph so many times that I skim over it and miss the fact that my character said something that doesn’t fit with her personality, etc.

But after taking the time to critique someone else’s work, I come back to my own with fresh eyes. I know what problems to look for. What things will jump out at a reader. I read my work more closely and start to see the areas that need work much more clearly.

Does being a critical reader help you critique your own work? Any tips for how to see the problems I otherwise wouldn’t see?

New Mexico sunsets and Snow!

Five things that made me happy on my road trip:

1. New Mexico sunsets. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen that much color in a sunset (the picture doesn't do it justice).

2. The Grand Canyon. Of course.

3. Arches National Park. Strangest, coolest phenomena ever.

4. Monument Valley. Seriously, Utah, what is up with your crazy landscapes? They’re amazing.

5. Snowy Range in Wyoming. How could I not love playing in the snow in July?

Happy Monday, everyone! Anything making you happy this week?

I'm back!

I’m finally back home! I went on a two-week road trip around the Southwest and saw some of the most beautiful landscapes I have ever seen. I can understand now why so many people rave about the American West! I’ll be sharing lots of pictures in the next few weeks (I have about a hundred of the Grand Canyon alone).

On the writing front, I’m putting the finishing touches on my Birdie WiP (which, yes, still needs a title), and then I’m hoping to query it out by the end of this month. I’m so excited to finally be done with these revisions!

What’s going on in your lives? I’m going to be spending the weekend getting around to all of your blogs—I’ve missed hearing how everyone’s doing! Any fun weekend plans?

For now, I’ll leave you with am picture of the Grand Canyon. Because I just have so many.