Too Little, Too Late?; Writer's Conference in NYC

It has been about 12 days since "The Balancer" (working title for now) didn't make the cut for NaNoWriMo. Yes, yes, sad sad, blah blah.

Remember how my main lament was that the ideas just weren't coming? Well wouldn't you know, my Muse decided to come back from vacation and pop in and say, "Hey why not this?" or "That would be awesome if you did this?" or "THAT WOULD BE OF EPIC PROPORTIONS IF YOU DID THAT!!"

Yes, my muse screams when she gets excited. Doesn't yours?

But I am torn - I had wanted all this last month! When I was specifically carving out time to write and to flourish and get ready for January.

Oh, what's January you ask? Well in January, I will be attending my first Writer's Conference hosted by Writer's Digest. It is my chance to approach some 60 agents in hopes of getting great feedback and schmoozing and all that jazz.

So here's the dilemma. How can I approach any agent without anything to show for? Sure, I know what exactly I am going to write but I DO NOT want the conversation to go like this?

Me:....(just finished explanation/pitch). What do you think?


Agent: That sounds like a fantastic series. I can definitely see the marketability and I would love to get a read through. Is it ready?


Me: Ugh...well about that...it's not quite there yet.


Agent: What's not quite there?


Me:.....Like major revisions not quite there yet.


Agent:...NEXT!

(Both Charlie Brown depictions do justice as to what I would be feeling).

So it seems that I am amidst another scramble to finish (or at least 75% ) Book 1. I want more than anything to ensure that my money is being well spent for this conference.

So let's see what we can do! Novel in Month, Take 2!

BY THE WAY!

Anyone attending this conference? January 20-22 at the Sheraton New York Hotel! I'd love to hear from anyone attending. I'm going solo but wouldn't mind a buddy! Let me know!

Yea...NaNoWriMo Kick My A**

Well, I can't really say that...entirely, that is.


NaNoWriMo is truly about the journey. About learning about yourself as a writer. About your ability to sit down and bang out 50,000 words to form a novel.

What are my lessons? I learned about 4:

1. I can't just write out 50,000 words in a month

2. I learned that my family will get in way of me writing 50,000 words in a month.

3. I learned that my job will get in the way of me writing 50,000 words in a month.

4. I learned I get in the way of me writing 50,000 words in a month.

Now mind you, I have an entire book, no entire series, all planed out. But...the pressure of trying to bang it out (and not fully bang it out either, just enough to get to 50,000) put a damper on my imagination. There were days where I would sit in front of my laptop and want to write but nothing would come out. Writer's block is detrimental to NaNoWriMo. You can't afford it.

I knew where I had to get to at the end of the brick road. But the putting it down brick by brick and having to skip bricks just to get to the end didn't work for me. So the 50,000 threshold eluded me.

So where does this leave me? Same place I was. The novel will get done. Just not done in a month. My current track record is three months, so I estimate about January. Which will be great because I'm going to my first writer's conference in New York in January (applause, applause, thank you). However, more on that later.

Am I glad that I went for NaNoWriMo? Absolutely. It got me to put down the plans for this series I'm writing and I think it's going to be a hit. Then that could be the ego talking.

Will I go for it again? Eh...why not? Everyone needs a good ass-kicking every now and then!

NaNoWriMo: Post Week 1; Writer's Conference

So...

Yea... This is what I should be feeling, exhausted but invigorated. Heavy but light. Drained but completed. All those opposite words. The reality of it....not so much.

Couple of things I have figured out this past week.

I have a lot of ideas, but not enough time to put them down on paper. My supposed schedule went out the window with work, family and other stuff came into play. Out of the 10K words I should have down on paper, I only have a little more than half.

Unacceptable.

So Week 2 is all about tweaking what needs to be tweaked, running away from all other things and locking myself in some Panera Bread somewhere and getting work done.

Hopefully I will have redeemed myself this week - cross my fingers.

In other news, I have decided to attend my first Writer's Conference (the crowd cheers).

I'll be attending the Writer's Digest Conference in January in NYC. Really excited about the networking that will be taking place, learning more about the craft and getting some pointers from agents and publishers attending.

But before I can really use it to its full potential, this bloody manuscript needs to get done!!

Sigh...Ok..I'm going.

Words of encouragement are always welcome. I've told my other readers that it gives me the mojo to keep going!

It is on!

Today marks the beginning of a glorious era... The start of my new career as a sleep-deprived author. Ohhh, I'm getting shivers just from the thought of it!

I'll be giving you weekly updates on my state of mind and how far I am going. The only thing is I will not be able to post the book up on here. To ensure that this book is publishable, it will need to remain in the shadows. Just so I can convince a potential agent/publisher that it has a market.

But that doesn't mean I won't drop a tidbit here and there. Teasers, yes, but it's something!

Ok, here I go, jumping in the deep end of the pool.

Hopefully, I don't drown!

NaNoWriMo in 1 WEEK! New Book Synopsis Inside!!

This is it...one week from today....

I will be embarking on a journey never taken....by me that is...

I will be writing an entire novel from scratch starting next Tuesday...

Do you know how excited I am? Oh let me tell you... I have gone crazy with reference books, name books, schedules, research in the name of writing this new book.

Shall I give you a synopsis.... Should I.... yea, sure why not?

:) Ok! I don't have a title for it yet but here it goes.

"As a child, Katya Stevens always had a gift - a gift to see spirits, the unknown, things not of this world. But due to familial pressure, she locked it away, never to be opened again. But at the age of 24, destiny would have other ideas for her when she is suddenly thrust together with Gregor, a sexy 600 year old Scottish Kyrios - a harbinger of Death. When her gift begins to activate in strange ways in response to odd events, Katya finds herself in a pact with Gregor and the rest of the Kyrios to find out the true extent of her powers. Powers that might be the only way to save the world of the Living from total annihilation."

That's a little taste of it. I was thinking of how the caption would look like in the back of the book once published.

Yes I said it - published. Sometimes you must speak things into existence in order for it to be happen. Anyway, I am super excited about this. I'm even waking up and finding myself writing notes down from my dreams. All of them related to the novel.

What do you think of the synopsis? Would you read something like that? I have a theory about the fascination with Death but they will be for another time. Tell me what you think!!!

I'm going NaNoWriMo!

Quick side note: Many of you do not know this, but I have already finish a story of novel length.

I know, I know - you must be like, what's up Kris?

Well the reason is that most do not know about it, mainly because it's my "practice" novel. I wanted to test the waters to see if I really could do a novel. At currently at about 70,000 words in about 3 months, I think I can do it. 

I plan to put up the novel on here (look to the top tab "Second Wind"), however, there is a few caveats that I need to say. This is really to a particular audience that I created this story.

If you have never divulged into the world of Harry Potter, or have not read the last Harry Potter book,

Then I think you would be rather lost. BUT if you have done the two above things, and are interested in how I create my craft, then please do read and leave comments. I'd love to hear from you.

But back to the original topic at head - NANOWRIMO!

NaNoWriMo is short for National Novel Writing Month. The goal is to complete an entire 50,000 word novel within the month of November. All for the grand prize - the fact that you completed an entire novel in 30 days. I am so excited at the prospect of sleepless night, gorging coffee and absolute chaos of words, characters and plots.

It'll be just like college! :)

Anyway I have two great ideas for novels that I have been dancing around in my head and I would like some input on which one to go with. I have a particular favorite but I want to create something that genuinely creates interest. Look out for the first two chapters of the ideas within the next couple of days.

Because, of course, the ultimate goal is this: 

ANOTHER BESTSELLING NANO- NOVEL

http://blog.lettersandlight.org/post/10770885712

So wild, so crazy, so ready!!