So apparently, I'm still in love.

With my novel, that is. (Don't worry, the hubby and I are doing fine. But for the sake of this post, let's assume my true love is my WIP, shall we?)

I've made no secret of the fact that working on my novel has been a slog. I got to a point in the book that was just not interesting to me in any way. Hence the hiatus and the whining and complaining about the capabilities I do or don't have.... You get the picture.

Well, I've finally gotten to a point where I LOVE this book again. How do I know? Because I just cried for my main character. The poor guy, he's really getting the raw deal at the moment. Good for me, not so good for him.

Okay, wait. Before you think I'm some sadistic writer who gets her thrills from putting a good guy through the worst pain, give me a chance to defend myself here. I cried for him. That means that what I'm writing is some pretty emotional stuff to write. And if it's emotional to write, the chances are fairly good that it'll be emotional to read. And THAT is what I aspire to - creating things that will bring out my readers' emotions. It means I'm getting my point across.

So, yay! Yay for sticking my guy in the worst possible situation without any foreseeable means to escape or save the day!

Now all I've gotta do is figure out his means to escape and save the day...

Uh, yeah. I'll get back to you on that one.

It's crazy how things work out :)

So at the beginning of the year (I say that like the year is already half-way over), I set my goals. You may remember them? From a previous post? No?

Okay, I'll remind ya:

1. Finish my book and submit it to a few well-chosen agents;
2. Write another book for my sister-in-law;
3. Get my Certificate IV in Professional Writing and Editing; and
4. Collaborate with my musician friend to get some amazing songs written.

Phew. I'm winded just thinking about all that again. So obviously, I took on a pretty big year. And if I'm being honest, I really started to feel the pressure after I posted those goals - if I'm gonna put them all out there, I sure as hell better live up to them!

But things have taken a nice leisurely turn into a way for me to actually accomplish what I set out to do. I've started the course (and am loving every minute of it), and it's already teaching me things I needed to know for my book. Also, part of the course is a section on screenwriting and, desperate for a good idea to work with, I decided to peruse all of my old writing notebooks in search of something I could adapt into a script. Instead, I found some lyrics I wrote a few years ago that could fit in perfectly with my musician friend's latest acoustic piece. Yay! And finally, still short of a screenplay idea, the light bulb clicked on and I decided to write my sister-in-law her very own screenplay instead of a novel. I already had the ideas, characters, setting, etc. worked out, so it was a no-brainer to just use it. (She's thrilled, by the way.)

And as the icing on my cake, I've discovered that I would love, love, LOVE to be a freelance editor one day. As a way to fund my writing career, of course!

So that's it - my realization that your goals don't have work against you and that there's no reason not to put yourself out there and just go for gold :)

The secret to my happiness!

The holiday season is wonderful! The family, the gift-giving, everything. Everything, that is, except for the writing hiatus that - at least for me - is unavoidable.

Until this week, I've hardly written anything in the last couple of months. Granted, much of that is because having two boys off of school for the summer required almost all of my attention. Still, I've felt so disconnected from my writing, and that is NOT a good feeling. Seriously. I get crabby and stressed when I don't write. Not a good combination for me.

But this week provided the perfect incentive to fire up the engines again: a deadline for a submission. I started my story a few days ago (procrastinate much, Rebekah?) and just finished the second half in the last hour (including a few minutes of internet research). That's the kind of writing I love - the rush of words that gets the bones of the story down, followed up with a few revisions to tweak everything in just the right places.

And so, now that I've sent off my story, I can sit back and relish the feeling of accomplishment. Sure, my work may not be accepted. But I've finished a story that I'm proud of, one that expresses what I wanted it to and in exactly the right way. And more importantly, I've reconnected with my old friend, rekindled that old flame, and remembered the passion I have for writing.

I am so in need of some assistance!

Okay, so just as I suspected, I totally suck at writing an action scene. At least I think I do. I mean, I definitely know what happens - the visual in my head is running on a continuous loop at the moment. But I can't write it out without getting a laundry list feel of the action. And I know I need description, but any time I try some here and there, it seems to just get in the way and slow things down.

So...I would LOVE for YOU to help me out. What can you tell me about any action scenes you've ever read - surely there's been at least one, right?? - that appealed to you? I need tips, feedback, anything you can give me to avoid another dead month. A little help, please?

Please??

Ah, the thrill of the fight...

Okay, so I've slacked. Big time. I've procrastinated and justified my way through the last month with only minimal advances made on my book.

Why?

I could lay out all the possible reasons, the contributing factors that kept me away from the keyboard. But that would be justifying, right? And I've always said (though I struggle to always practice the notion) that if you have to justify something, then it's wrong. Period.

That said, I am intimidated by the problem I - or better yet, my characters - face. The Climax. I've read some great action scenes. And I've seen even more amazing ones played out on the silver screen. Yet, I can't bring myself to get into the details of the scene that plays in my mind, the scene where my poor main character - currently standing just outside the danger zone, waiting for me to plunge him into the action - is thrown into the lion's den and, subsequently, impending doom. I don't know - or at least I don't think I know - how to write an action scene!

Still, I'll never figure it out if I don't jump in, head first...

So I guess I'll stop talking and get to work. See you on the other side!

Four goals in one year ... Am I insane???

Okay, so obviously the first goal I'm tackling this year is to get this book finished. And by that I mean totally drafted, revised, polished and submitted. Sure, that was on the list already. But now that I've realized a major change I need to make before I move on, just finishing the first draft will be a huge success once I get to The End. So yes, getting this book finished is my first goal.

Secondly, I've volunteered (mental case that I am) to write a book for my sister-in-law who is in desperate need of another good urban fantasy to read. Yeah. I'm an idiot. But in my defense, I did tell her that I'll only give her a chapter at a time. At least that way, I can look at it more like writing a stack of short stories instead of one huge, daunting project.

So number three, a writing course. This is a correspondence certificate in Professional Writing and Editing, similar to a diploma in the States. I wasn't really worried about doing it until I spoke to a course coordinator who stressed what a massive undertaking the course can be. Truth be told, I considered putting it off for a year or two. But I know that if I do wait, then I probably won't ever do the course at all. And besides, I'm just too excited about starting it to miss out.

And coming in at number four is songwriting. Yes, you read correctly. See, back in 2008, I wrote some lyrics for a musician friend who actually moved here to Australia around the same time that we did. (Coincidentally, he lives only a few minutes away from us.) We've had a chat and decided that this year, we'll do some songs. Mainly acoustic/folk stuff, but maybe some rock as well (he's closer to a metalhead, so it's a compromise). I'm excited, he's excited, it's a great combo:)

So that's what 2010 looks like for me. In theory, anyway. While I'm not so naive as to think it'll be easy to get those things done (I know I'm taking on a HUGE year), I don't want to consider which of those goals will suffer or *gasp* fail. And we all know that my priority is still my family, first and foremost. So if this is going to work, I'm going to have to just get stuck into it and go.

May 2010 be as massive for you as I'm hoping it'll be for me!!

Writer's Block?? Pfft! I laugh at you! Ha ha ha!

So the past week has been dead in terms of my writing. Sure, I could blame the holidays. Well, okay, I DO blame the holidays. Still, there's another, more intimidating reason for the backlog I now face: the BLOCK!

I've sat around and mulled over the "climax" that was coming - trying to work out the transition, deciding what to reveal and how soon, wondering which characters would come into play and how, debating the pros and cons of this setting over that one, considering the pacing of different possibilities as well.

...

Yeah.

Anyway, today I got sick of sitting around and not getting anything productive done on my book. So I sat down with a notebook and pen (still my preferred medium over the keyboard), and talked to myself:

- Okay, so what happens next?
- I don't know. You tell me.
- Well, you're at the climax.
- Yeah, but WHICH climax?? I've thought of too many to choose from.
- Whichever one you want.
- Yeah, that doesn't help me at all. - I don't KNOW which one I want.
- Okay, well what are the things you definitely need to happen?
- I need [lots of stuff that would spoil the ending if I dished it all here].
- Alright, good. Now what are the things you want to happen, if possible?
- [More stuff that may or may not make it to the finished product]... Hey, maybe this could happen: [insert new outline notes].

Bada bing, bada boom! Block is gone! Yay me :D Now where are my fireworks, dang it??