Wednesday, May 5, 2010

The Workload... wk 5 (oops! last week was 4)

**Warning! Post is linked up! :P**

So I'm in the middle of writing chapter seventeen of Cinder and I can't seem to stop drifting. I've got about 1k under my belt so I'm sure I'll be able to focus on it, in a little while anyway. I thought I'd get this started.

First off upon Mr. Aaron Polson's recommendation, I changed my goal to 7k instead of 6k. Turned out to not be so hard after all and according to my wordcount sheet I wound up with 8611 (thanks Aaron!) words on Cinder for last week jumping from chapter twelve to chapter seventeen.

It would have been higher except Shock Totem is holding their Bi-monthly flash fiction contest this month; I am bound and determined to participate this time. The story started out as 2045 words and I've managed to whittle it down to 988. Saturday I poured over it, neglecting Cinder and yesterday, I edited. So there were two days not spent on my WIP. However, I'm pleased with the results of this challenge. I think the most important lesson I learned with it is that I'm really growing as a writer.

I've also decided that Cinder needs an outline. My characters are jumping all over the place and I can't seem to keep up. I had one when the story was third person, and I pretty much know what's going to happen, but my MC and her buddies are running a muck without a leash. I'm going to finish up my chapter (or hit 2k today) then sit down to loosely plot out this story.

I'm a fairly organized person. This may be why I've been having trouble reining in the edges of this WIP. I don't stick true to the outlines once the story takes off. I'm not OCD over it. I just think it helps me lay the frame of the story down without freaking out about what's going on.

Overall goals from last week:

11,055 words all together
1/2 poem (my goal was two poems, so I failed there)

As for my poetry, I wrote a half of a poem this past week and I got three of the seven I wrote last week ready for sub. Onto better news!

**I received two acceptances from The Cynic Online, my poem Making Room will go Live on June 16th and my other poem Faeries Aren't the Same Without Wings will go live on July 1st. I was tickled. I heart those poems but I didn't really believe they could get published. Which goes to show I am still learning.

(I think I'm going to start a drinking game. Every time I say "I'm a new writer" or "I'm still learning" ya'll can take a shot! It'll be fun :D)

So now I'm off to work on chapter seventeen which I'll finish by the end of the night. Don't forget to stop by K. Allen Wood's, Shadow's and now Effie's blog to root them on (though Effie wants to be kicked in the pants, I think she did a great job last week) with their wordcount. Ben Solah only posts monthly goals but he kicked April's ass so if ya have time congratulate him as well.

Next week's goals:

CINDER - 8000 words + outline
Sub out two things
Two Poems.

That's it for now.

Happy writing!

Oh, and one more thing. THE CLOSED DOOR post made me realize that I've been freaking out once a month about writing for the last couple of months. I'm going to start a Feature Monthly Post called THE FREAK OUT or THE PANIC pt___<--insert # here.

(If anyone else has any better names please feel free to toss them at me. I throw like a girl, but I can catch very well.)

8 comments:

Lee Thompson/Thomas Morgan/James Logan/Julian Vaughn said...

Dang, Kara! You kicked some major butt! I wouldn't sweat it on not finishing the poem, you're a maniac! And super congrats on placing the two poems! Can't wait to read them. It is funny how the things that we don't think is publishable gets picked up and sometimes the stuff we love the most is the hardest sell (and also the hardest rejections.)

When it comes to novels I usually write
questions out to myself for the coming chapters and it helps me stay on track.
You're doing wonderful! So glad to see you pushing yourself, learning and spreading sunshine.

Paula Ray said...

You are an inspiration, Hinny. I think you're doing fabulous! And wow...congrats on those acceptances...you are raking them in! That's terrific and well deserved.

I'm one of your many cheerleaders :)

E. F. Collins said...

Kickin' butt girl! Keep it going, Hinny. You're on a roll!!

Shadow said...

WOOOT! Big cheers *throws glitter in the air*

Great job girlie, and congratulations on the publications. We know you can do it!

No need to freak out, well, sometimes it is necessary I guess, but not always. Just keep going.

@Lee Thompson That is a great idea, I had never thought of asking myself questions for the next chapter. :)

I'll have a post up today, but no update on the work I have been doing, I'll have that up on Sat.

:)

Aaron Polson said...

Goals are your friends, see? Nice work, and a hearty congrats on the poems!

Kara McElhinny said...

Lee - Great idea about the questions! Thanks for the advice and for the encouragement. :D

Paula- Thanks for being my cheerleader! You've helped me out immensely!! Hugs to you girl!

Effie - I luv you my sweets.

Shadow - I've stopped judging the freakouts and just let them come. They make room for the clear thoughts and keep me on the ground. :D

Thanks for the congrats on the poems. You've helped so much too!

I think you're doing great. Thanks for the encouragement and good luck to you on the ST flash!! Can't wait to read what you've got in store.

Aaron - Thanks again so much for the little push. And for reading. I love the goals - they're warm and fuzzy.

Denise Baer said...

Good for you, Hinny. Congratulations on your poems. Please let us know when they do go live. I'm so happy for you.

Now keep up with saying "I'm a new writer" and "I'm still learning," I have a bottle of vodka I need to finish off. ;) JK.

Kara McElhinny said...

No worries Bea. I have a tendency to repeat myself. That bottle'll be gone before you know it ;)

Thanks for reading.