Back to the [proverbial?] drawing board...

Oh, the joyous world of literary rejection... I suppose I can mark 'never been rejected by an agent' off my list. That's right folks, I have received my first official, yet unofficial, agent rejection. It actually didn't sting as much as I thought it might. Perhaps because I'd prepared for it. Not in the negative thinking sort of way, but in the 'in the real world' thinking sort of way.

How many of you lovelies are familiar with Miss Snark's First Victim blog run by the Authoress? Hmmm. Not many. Well, allow me to introduce you! The Authoress has a fantastic blog and every month she holds a Secret Agent contest (among other fantabulous postings). Peeps are able to submit their first 250 words of a COMPLETE manuscript and the Authoress' Auto Bot (not a Transformers reference, seriously) dooflotchy selects 50 random lucky writers. Once posted on the blog (all anonymous for the author *grin*) followers are encouraged to crit the blurb. During this time a 'Secret Agent' will also give their two cents. If the mysterious agent likes what they see, they may request partials of any of the blurbs posted. It truly is some exciting stuff!

Yours truly was selected for March and I about peed myself when I got the email. I was excited, but terrified. My complete MS has been going under the knife for quite some time, but I was still not sure if the beginning 'worked.' After receiving crits on different platforms, it was clear that no body could tell me how to start it where it would grab. What was the problem, you ask? Well, see, it's because it involves a dream. [Insert cliche groan and eye-roll here] I know... I have heard it a thousand times over and then some. "Never start a book with a dream."

Without getting into too much detail about the whole story, let's just say 'the dream' is pretty much a central conflict to the story line. That's how it originally came to me and I know I can make it work. I just need to find the right angle. That is why I entered the Secret Agent. I had received feedback on both sides of the coin and I was no closer to finding the right answer. I needed to hear from the pros, aka Secret Agent. And I did. "Form rejection." What I have isn't working.

Now I have my answer. Am I giving up on the dream idea? Nope. It is cliched, yes. It has been overdone, yes. BUT!!! It still shows up in books so it still, at least when done right, works for agents and publishers. I just need to find the right way to present it. There is something there in my story, or I would not have so many people tell me they like it and want more, but I am still learning this writing thing. I just need to find the right way to present the dream aspect so that it's new and exciting. A tough feat? Yes. Am I willing to keep trying until I get it right? Abso-freakin-lutely! I love this story and I love the characters. And I am pretty darned sure all of you would like it too! That is when I finally get it...right.

So I am off to the good ole drawing board to once again rewrite the all important Chapter 1. I'm not sure how many times I have redone the first few pages, but that is all part of this wonderful writing game. Sure, it's a pain in the ass, but with every rewrite, rehash, delete, cut, paste, head-bang, hair-pull, and explosive expletive I learn and improve. And THAT my friends is the best part about writing. The journey is ever changing, ever improving, and ever inspiring. Game on!

It's my party and I'll WRITE if I want to!

Here we are...another year down for yours truly. Do I feel a year older? No, not really. Well wait...my neck has a kink, a found another gray hair, and I have the beginnings of carpal tunnel. Crap! I am a year older! Dagnabbit. Oh well.

Yeah, this is how I totally feel right now...Egads.

So what do I plan to do for my birthday? Yous looking at it kid! HA!

Every year the day job gives us employees a 'floater' to take in their birthday month. Since I'm a November baby I usually use the said floater for Thanksgiving as we visit the in-laws in Indiana. This year we will be home since DH has to work. That leaves me to use my floater for my actual birthday. WOOT  for THREE DAY WEEKEND!

When asked what I planned to do for this glorious day in celebration of my birth I decided to channel my inner author. That's right peeps, I'm writing for my birthday. Bit on the dorkish side, but that is me...Queen Dork. Just ask DH.

I have a hot date today with my laptop and WIP, Fiáin . So very excited about this. It is not everyday I can focus on what I love doing ALLLLL day. Generally there is some mom responsibility, day job responsibility, or wife responsibility. Today is a full fledged ME DAY!

My goal on Nov 1 for my own whacked out version of NaNoWriMo was to cut 50,000 words out of WIP (as requested by editor) and so far I have cut nearly 30,000. Feeling sort of superstarish right now. I know, dorkish relapse. As a green writer I am very proud of this accomplishment and know I can meet my goal. Or I will die trying BY GAWD!!! A little dramatic, yes, but that's what you get with theater background. Tee Hee.

So I will be rocking out to some iHeartRadio for inspiration and plugging away at WIP. Sounds like a fine way to celebrate the day I was born to me!

Happy Writing to you all! Cheers!

A work in progress: Fiáin

So I am breaking the rules for NaNoWriMo. I know! Egads woman! Well, too bad. Sometimes you just have to do it. Instead of writing 50,000 words I have opted to edit 50,000 words. This is a HUGE task for me so is certainly a good challenge for the month. Basically I am focusing on trimming my manuscript that I have been working on.

When I originally finished it I submitted it to a group for some developmental evaluation. Being that I do not have a crit group, this was my only other option...paying someone. Now I may not have had to do this, but really, yes I did. See I am not an experienced writer like many folks out there. I have found this side of myself late in life and am just starting out. Many writers I have come in contact with have been writing since they could hold a crayon. Me? Not so much. I started out with the same crayon, but I was known to draw what was in my head, not write it.

When I was small my mother once asked me how I drew what I did. In my best 5 year old wisdom I told her, "You just put a picture in your head and then you put it on paper." My mother, who was not born with any artistic ability thought this fairly profound for a wee child. =^) But that was me. I sketched all the time. When most kids played outside or were part of a cheer squad or something else altogether, I was often lost in my head with my sketch pad. I guess in my own way I told stories with my drawings. Once while talking to a friend on the phone I sketched a girls face with an absolutely bored expression. The "friend" was one of those that only required a well placed 'hmm' or 'uh-huh' to keep talking so the drawing was a rather accurate portrayal of how I felt at the moment. Just don't ever tell my friend that. *giggle*

My family, or rather my father's side of the family, is riddled with artists going back several generations. My grandmother was a phenomenal scenic artist that once had the opportunity to paint for Disney, but eventually turned it down. It was probably her biggest regret. So it is no real surprise that I have the artist bug too. Only my drawing had an abrupt end in high school. Without going into the whole story I will just say if I knew then what I know now I would have told a certain high school art 'teacher' to shove it where the sun don't shine.

But since then I have found pen and paper, or more accurately, laptop and MS Word. *grin* My manuscript, currently titled Fiáin, is word heavy. Like, really word heavy. I need to basically cut the puppy in half to get to a publishable size. Poor DH says, "Why don't you just make it two books?" Well, because not all my words are good ones, dear. I have been cutting scenes that do not need to be there and other bits that really don't go anywhere. My new mantra is 'condense and refine.'

Anyone who is familiar with Inkpop knows they have oodles of writers posting their work for critique and such. I have joined the masses. If interested you can find the first few chapters of Fiáin here. Feel free to take a look and I would love to hear what you think. Keep in mind this is a HUGE work in progress and part of my NaNoWriMo self challenge. If you like it please tell me what you liked (so far). If you didn't like it please tell me what didn't work for you. The mechanics are still shaky for me and I am aware I will need some line editing eventually. =^)