tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62519821970129750272024-02-20T07:19:39.931-08:00Musing to ManuscriptMusing to Manuscripthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446327484137004107noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251982197012975027.post-31180900866019543062011-01-02T09:37:00.000-08:002011-02-01T16:29:49.880-08:00The Full Monty<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I’m a procrastinator. Always have been. If I have something that I have to do, I put it off. I had it down to in art in college, by my last semester, I was no longer writing papers the night before – I wrote them day of. It was both horrifying and fantastic.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The problem this presents is that since I’m writing just for myself now, I don’t have any deadlines. Which means I put off working on things. By like, say, posting on my blog, tweeting, browsing Facebook…all three of them. Yeah, waste time much?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Last August, the goal I posted for all internetdom to see, in the hopes that it would motivate me to actually keep it, was to take a semester long novel workshop class. I was really looking forward to this class to kick start my novel and get the creative juices flowing. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So come September, I went back to college as an adult student and found myself a freshman again. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Most of us new writers were scared to death by the very idea of getting our writing critiqued. We had expected golden words to flow from our fingertips instantly, but</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">unfortunately, it didn’t work that way. Many of us submitted our first drafts for the class to critique and they were awful, nonsensical, and all but unintelligible. It’s fair to say that all of us freshmen were confused by the feedback. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It’s hard to hear someone say critical things about the writing you spent so much time on, but this criticism, made my writing a bazillion times better.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Here’s how I made the most of my critique.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">#1 Prepared Myself</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I was finally going to let someone read my writing. HUGE STEP. But before I signed up for the class. I made sure I was 100% OK with it. I mentally prepared myself, so that I could fully accept criticism.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">#2 Listened</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I learned to listen to suggestions without trying to defend myself. The teacher had set the rule of ‘silence’ until all critiques had been given. I took advantage of the gag order and harnessed my nervous energy into taking good notes while I listened. I brought a copy of my manuscript and jotted down helpful advice in the columns. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">#3 Stayed Open-Minded</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A constructive critique can easily put you on your defenses if you don’t approach it with an open mind. I saw this happen to several students during class. I tried to remain open minded to suggestions and feedback. Before getting defensive, I tried to remember, the person was there to help me (and I had asked for it when I signed up for the class). My classmates and teacher had spent the time to read my paper. The least I could do is give them my attention and consider what they were telling me. Don’t get me wrong, it was hard listening to someone tell me my writing needed work, that my dialogue was flat or that I should send my favorite passages to the graveyard (in which many funerals were given for favorite lines). But the more I learn to accept criticism and learn how to use it, the better my writing will be. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">#4 Considered I Didn’t Know Everything</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It’s my writing. And being so close to my work it sometimes makes it hard to get any other perspective. That is why the class critiques were so important for me. I got the opportunity to receive more than 20+ different perspectives from my classmates and teacher, all trying to help me make it better. I even got the opportunity to ask them clarifying questions as needed. My writing has been enriched by plot twists created because of questions posed by my teacher and other students.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">#5 Showed Gratitude to Fellow Writers</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">What we ultimately had in common was writing, the creative spirit, and the commitment to further knowledge. Being like-minded individuals we all helped each other grow, not just as writers but as people. The students in the class ranged in age, which brought together both a mix of enthusiasm and experience. There were some amazing characters too – the bubbly blonde, the perceptive bohemian, and the contemptuous detective (questioning everything). And these were just the students! The teacher was amazing too. After my last manuscript submission, my teacher gave me what he called “The Full Monty.” It’s not the naughty British movie version of baring all, but rather the entire class spent 45 minutes going into excruciating detail to critique the “whole thing.” The teacher ended up coming back to me and saying that the overall story was solid, interesting and he could see it resulting in a series of books…but my character needed an overhaul. He said the main character bordered on whiney and my classmates wanted to slap her the entire time. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ouch!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">But having them say that to me really made me look at my character through their viewpoint. Turns out, they were right! So now I’m going back and tweaking some parts of my manuscript to make the main character stronger and more likeable, as opposed to annoying and lame. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Having the critique felt awesome. While there is still a lot of work to be done, I at least know what I need to do to make it better.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As a writer, if you’re interested in making your writing better, you will, at some point, have to subject yourself to constructive criticism. And if you’re lucky you may even get The Full Monty!</span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7jzSIk94mrBvy5zcB6P773ufq4XUwO7xw7lgfIzKXD7n_E8-y35K4GYcI2E3_ypj4eYIvJPALcpJGDp0jXeRficotZWPriallbK_nNjIyJKeNm5hILV7M4e6Qt8VcNBxSV4HkddizDCE/s1600/clockwork-angel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7jzSIk94mrBvy5zcB6P773ufq4XUwO7xw7lgfIzKXD7n_E8-y35K4GYcI2E3_ypj4eYIvJPALcpJGDp0jXeRficotZWPriallbK_nNjIyJKeNm5hILV7M4e6Qt8VcNBxSV4HkddizDCE/s200/clockwork-angel.jpg" width="132" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Giveaway Time: </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I am giving away a signed copy of <a href="http://www.theinfernaldevices.com/">Cassandra Clare's Clockwork Angel</a>!</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">DEADLINE: January 31st, noon, Pacific Time. Winner will be posted on </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">the blog. Open to US residents only.</span><br />
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Musing to Manuscripthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446327484137004107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251982197012975027.post-47369617383818416382010-08-19T12:16:00.000-07:002010-09-01T20:16:24.304-07:00Stop, Look, and Listen<link href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5Cjlmaldon%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><o:smarttagtype name="country-region" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype name="place" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype name="City" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><style>
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<div class="MsoNormal">For the first the two weeks of August I stopped writing and spent time looking and listening to the resources around me. I had the opportunity to attend the SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) 39th Annual Summer Conference in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Los Angeles</st1:place></st1:city> and it was amazing. I met many aspiring writers just like myself as well as several debut authors who were more than willing to share their experiences. And that was just hanging around the bar!<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The conference had a line-up of authors and agents like none other I’ve attended. They were the rock stars of the industry and I was such a typical fan girl, snapping pictures and furiously taking notes of everything they said. Instead of retyping the notes I will refer you to some blogs which captured them real-time:<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">See Heather Write (4 blog posts)<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://seeheatherwrite.blogspot.com/2010/07/posting-live-from-scbwi-la.html">http://seeheatherwrite.blogspot.com/2010/07/posting-live-from-scbwi-la.html</a><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal">Forever Young YA Lit Blog (2 blog posts)<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.foreveryalit.com/2010/08/scbwi-la-update-2.html">http://www.foreveryalit.com/2010/08/scbwi-la-update-2.html</a><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal">Wendy Delsol<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.wendydelsol.com/scbwi-society-of-childrens-book-writers-and-illustrators-2010-summer-conference">http://www.wendydelsol.com/scbwi-society-of-childrens-book-writers-and-illustrators-2010-summer-conference</a><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">I listened attentively during the workshops, hanging on every word. The topics covered everything from finding your voice and creating characters to plotting and revising. There were so many sessions I couldn’t decide which to attend. By the next conference, I hope to be further along with my WIP so I can take advantage of the critiques offered, as well as attend workshops on querying and finding an agent. I’m already looking forward to it.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Immediately following the SCBWI conference, I attended a virtual conference, Write on Con. I spent most of my time watching videos on plot and pacing and reviewing the query letters submitted as examples for literary agents to critique. There is a wealth of information still available online. Check out WriteonCon at: <a href="http://writeoncon.com/about/what-is-writeoncon/">http://writeoncon.com/about/what-is-writeoncon/</a><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">So now that I’ve looked and listened, I’m ready to write.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">First up, the blog post – check<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Next, blog contest – check (see details below)<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Finally, back to my WIP.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">I’m at the coffee shop now ready to write. I’m hoping to implement some of the techniques I’ve learned from the conferences earlier this month. Starting with one of Carolyn Mackler’s keys to creating characters…finding out what my character hides in her underwear drawer!<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #6aa84f;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Shiver / Linger Swag Giveaway!<o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #6aa84f;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNnBxSRoJoyjBWG457Ba3tI49o1h-Q0LGAmnje_siB8Tg55V0pS2-QoLtgor6uK1bYWzoiKPzfUDGxm74Yy5J3nQ_zUE_e1MZ7VlKNTcDcNeRbtFFVcpQoO6s2My_eIt_wYosrmUNaZTk/s1600/linger-swag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNnBxSRoJoyjBWG457Ba3tI49o1h-Q0LGAmnje_siB8Tg55V0pS2-QoLtgor6uK1bYWzoiKPzfUDGxm74Yy5J3nQ_zUE_e1MZ7VlKNTcDcNeRbtFFVcpQoO6s2My_eIt_wYosrmUNaZTk/s200/linger-swag.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #6aa84f;">I am giving away a signed copy of Maggie Stiefvater's book Linger as well as a very cool Shiver Tote. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #6aa84f;"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #6aa84f;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #6aa84f;">DEADLINE: Wednesday, August 30th, noon, Pacific Time. Winner will be posted on the blog. Open to <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">US</st1:place></st1:country-region> Residents only.<o:p></o:p><br />
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Thanks to all that entered. The winner will be announced soon<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Congratulations to Em winner of an autographed copy of Linger and Shiver tote! </b></span><br />
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</div>Musing to Manuscripthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446327484137004107noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251982197012975027.post-16297425801567180852010-07-15T18:37:00.000-07:002010-07-15T18:50:22.974-07:00First DraftsIn the words of Anne Lamott, "Some days it just feels like you have to get out of your own way so that whatever it is that wants to be written can use you to write." I am a very visual person so writing for me is mentally envisioning the scene. My mind becomes entranced as I mentally watch the scene unfold in front of me. The story continues to build every time I mentally revisit the scene, with more details being filled in each time. By the time I actually have a chance to stop and write, the characters voices are screaming at me and it all just spills out. Well….at least that’s how it went for the first few chapters of my WIP, which I had the opportunity to stew over in my head for many months. <br />
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With a writing event like JulNoWriMo you have little time to think….you just write. You put your thoughts down on paper and continue. So I let my mind wander to find another corner of my vision, and then I was off and running. I didn’t reign myself in to stew on the ideas. I just typed, making my fingers move to capture (real-time), the ideas I explored. I typed with out abandon. <br />
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My husband had read the first few chapters of my WIP and was eagerly awaiting to see how the story continued. He asked me how it was going, so I decided to share with him what I had just written. As I read aloud I was horrified at how dreadful it sounded, it was almost incoherent. The story was choppy, it had stupefying descriptions, and was written out of sequence (this was intentional I wrote whatever came to me…which just happened to be an exchange between characters that I imagine would take place near the end). So needless to say, revisiting what I wrote at this stage of writing was a huge mistake. I was appalled at myself and immediately panicked. <br />
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I spent the next week obsessing over it. I wanted to destroy what I had written before everyone realized how bad my writing is. It is now July 15th, I have not written in days (and I was writing slowly before the incident). I’m about a week behind where I should be. And now, I kind of feel like I’ve cheated by taking a break to stew on some ideas and let them form more coherently. But I also know I need to get back on the proverbial saddle, which in this case happens to be the keyboard. <br />
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I’ve learned some valuables lessons so far during JulNoWriMo. First, I have to accept that the right words and sentences don’t always come pouring out. Second, I’ve learned not to look back, just keep moving forward. And lastly, I'm learning not to be too critical of myself for having a shitty first draft. <br />
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I am taking comfort in the words of Earnest Hemingway, "The first draft of anything is shit."Musing to Manuscripthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446327484137004107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251982197012975027.post-90920541525258184232010-06-20T19:46:00.001-07:002010-07-04T10:36:58.395-07:00When Musings Become A Manuscript<meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"></meta><meta content="Word.Document" name="ProgId"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 11" name="Generator"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 11" name="Originator"></meta><link href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5Cjlmaldon%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><o:smarttagtype name="country-region" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype name="place" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype name="City" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype name="PlaceName" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype name="PlaceType" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><style>
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<div class="MsoNormal">In a little more than two hours, the clock will pass midnight, and it will be the first day of Summer. Summer is the time when the sun is out from 5am to 9pm, I can surf before work, I can run at the beach after and I can commit to writing 50,000+ words. That last bit is part of July Novel Writing Month. The goal, should I choose to accept it, is to write 50,000+ words during the month of July. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">So with the onset of summer I decided to start planning my novel, get those keys warmed up, and get the gears rolling for July 1<sup>st</sup> kick off JulNoWriMo. In preparation, I started brain storming an idea I had rolling around in my head for years. Then I wrote a debut author and asked her advice on how to get started. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Her advice was to check out the local SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators) events. So I did. Wow…they had a ton of activities going on and some right in my area. I signed up for a Critiquenic being held in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Los Angeles</st1:place></st1:city>. For the event we needed to bring 8 copies of our manuscript (up to 10 pages). This was my motivation to actually start writing down some of the ideas I had been brainstorming. And tada, I came out with my first chapter. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">So I drove to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Roxbury</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Park</st1:placetype></st1:place> with my 10 pages and mentally prepared for the critique…well as much as I could…this was my first writing event and I wasn’t really sure what to expect. Once I got to the park, I found out I had been switched to a new critique group. To my surprise my new group was now being led by a very well known YA author. My knees started to shake. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">My critique group picked out a spot under a tree and formed a circle. We spread the blankets, broke out our lunches and then introduced ourselves. The rest of my critique group had been writing for years and many were published. Now my hands were trembling too. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Then our leader said, “who wants to read first?” There goes my lunch…okay, not really…but the nerves really kicked in after that. I hadn’t been prepared to read my own story. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">When it was finally my turn to read my voice was quivery, my hands were trembling and If I wasn’t sitting cross legged my knees would have been knocking. <meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"></meta><meta content="Word.Document" name="ProgId"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 11" name="Generator"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 11" name="Originator"></meta><link href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5Cjlmaldon%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><style>
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</style><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">As I spoke, some of the group wrote feverishly on their copy of my manuscript while others looked at me intently. </span>When I was done blurting out my ten pages, I took a big sigh of relief and sat back and listened. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">It was so great! Everyone was so warm and supportive. They took into consideration were I was in the writing process and really tailored their comments accordingly. Each group member wrote very thoughtful and helpful comments on how I can make my manuscript stronger. I’ve got a lot of work to do yet, but it was all very encouraging. Now I am so excited about July Novel Writing Month and moving forward with my idea and building on my 10 pages.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">So, what's my novel about? Hmm...rather than give you a whole synopsis, I'll leave you with this, leaving you in AWESOME SUSPENSE of course. It’s an urban fantasy novel for young adults centered on a world where if you do not create your destiny, you will have your fate inflicted upon you. The working title is Golden Dawn.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR-2bIjVyQhZTROm2TJfK5WfoNhMyDPLPT0OlnWvMC9A5pZXhEmUemtxnBx4Rgvbu4TZWNeOFA5FgykAzgxTNYVy87JryOYyhcv3JvHh_LJKzHWguZfi_8Oq9G76VP1Slnp15_BVcIuzY/s1600/Sea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR-2bIjVyQhZTROm2TJfK5WfoNhMyDPLPT0OlnWvMC9A5pZXhEmUemtxnBx4Rgvbu4TZWNeOFA5FgykAzgxTNYVy87JryOYyhcv3JvHh_LJKzHWguZfi_8Oq9G76VP1Slnp15_BVcIuzY/s200/Sea.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue;"><b>In honor of Heidi Kling, the author who gave me my first bit of advice. I will be giving away a signed copy of her debut novel <a href="http://heidirkling.com/books/sea/%20%20">Sea</a>. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue;"><b>DEADLINE: Wednesday, June 30th, noon, Pacific Time. Winner will be posted on the blog. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue;"><b>Open to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">US</st1:country-region></st1:place> Residents only.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue;"><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Thanks to all who signed up to follow the blog, follow me on Twitter, and friend me on Facebook. </b></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqYLG7rw6lWq89-JbPoWETsV-2f1n5lzWiJU4moUSUNH8qb8Qw-d8KJg0KB2bVMaSXRuME1RUmD2IIg3-4kYlO1UL0oguP-1sJj6MTtM-6CcsXvGYJG7GknT-zHa8CauRWAI3SI5ys0J4/s1600/Sea-contest-results1-crp2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqYLG7rw6lWq89-JbPoWETsV-2f1n5lzWiJU4moUSUNH8qb8Qw-d8KJg0KB2bVMaSXRuME1RUmD2IIg3-4kYlO1UL0oguP-1sJj6MTtM-6CcsXvGYJG7GknT-zHa8CauRWAI3SI5ys0J4/s1600/Sea-contest-results1-crp2.JPG" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>The entries have been tallied...and the winner is... </b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: orange;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Astrid...Congratulations!</b></span><br />
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<b>Keep checking back and following because another great giveaway will be coming soon!</b></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span>Musing to Manuscripthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446327484137004107noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251982197012975027.post-29538043363870811042010-06-08T20:39:00.000-07:002011-01-02T12:19:35.139-08:00Welcome to Musing to Manuscript Blog!<link href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5Cjlmaldon%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><o:smarttagtype name="place" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype name="country-region" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><style>
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<div class="MsoNormal">After much contemplation, I have finally started writing. Ever since I went to school abroad, I've had an idea for a book. But when I returned from <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Italy</st1:place></st1:country-region> I was so busy finishing my undergraduate degree and then immediately entered into graduate school. So I didn’t pursue it any further. After I graduated, I had a 3 month break and the thought reoccurred to me but I didn’t act on it because I was too busy enjoying my break from all the technical reading. I’m embarrassed to say I wasn’t even reading magazines (brain fried) just looking at the pictures (<span style="color: black;">I have slight shopping & fashion obsession).</span><br />
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A little over a year ago, I was on a two week break and visiting a small Midwestern town. I visited the town’s biggest attraction – WalMart…which also sufficed my constant need to shop. While I was there I picked up the latest best seller. I definitely needed something to pass the time and I had already read all the popular mags (okay okay looked at all the pics). Well, the best seller I picked up happened to be a paranormal Young Adult book. It brought back old memories and dreams of my days abroad.<br />
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Once again I mused about writing a book. I started remembering my own experience and the unique (that’s being nice) people I crossed paths with. I kept thinking…what if this person was supernatural…what would they be like? During the last year, the characters kept developing in my head and lately they have been more like nagging me, to the point of becoming overwhelmed by the thought of it all. I think about the characters and their situations all the time. It is utterly distracting…I can hardly work…and seriously, probably should not be driving.<br />
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So to resolve my attention deficit disorder, I have decided to get the idea out of my head and write it down. Ultimately, I would love to publish but I would be happy with finally capturing this long cultivated musing (with a serious supernatural twist) into a manuscript.<br />
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I plan to blog about my journey from musing to manuscript, post YA book reviews and also have some fantastic book giveaways. Hope you enjoy the blog! </div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: large;">The First Muse to Manuscript Giveaway!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black;">To kickoff the new blog, I am having a giveaway! I will give away a Twilight package that includes The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse Novella AND the Eclipse Movie Soundtrack Deluxe Edition. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDgfbDnQt7Et_ztjJo5oWpl4dcVY_EmzRG7GnfQDXkgzt2DFVPlPOAA81mitaxRc6wikDxwgJzSdGpb20Gal7ruSqFywCYIlb1UZBGWvMPmuMrqRCtN0Dhjxzj8WZlUyFKEroIpCBBcLE/s1600/Giveaway1-Winner-Drawn-from-Hat-crp.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDgfbDnQt7Et_ztjJo5oWpl4dcVY_EmzRG7GnfQDXkgzt2DFVPlPOAA81mitaxRc6wikDxwgJzSdGpb20Gal7ruSqFywCYIlb1UZBGWvMPmuMrqRCtN0Dhjxzj8WZlUyFKEroIpCBBcLE/s200/Giveaway1-Winner-Drawn-from-Hat-crp.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">CONGRATULATIONS to Kimberly M!</span> <br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Thanks to all who signed up to follow the blog, follow me on twitter, and friend me on facebook. Entries are being tallied and the winner of the giveaway will be posted shortly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="color: red;"><br />
</div><div style="color: red;">Keep checking back and following because another great giveaway will be announced soon!</div></div><br />
Musing to Manuscripthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446327484137004107noreply@blogger.com0