tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68644669170512880172024-03-05T19:54:18.158-08:00The Sands of Writingprerna picketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06207620652405474672noreply@blogger.comBlogger343125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864466917051288017.post-55044364846546220712018-04-23T14:00:00.003-07:002018-04-23T23:31:38.165-07:00How I Got My Book Deal With Swoon Reads!It's still hard to believe that I have a book deal! And that it's with a manuscript I wrote four years ago! Wow, that really puts things in perspective.<br />
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Way back in 2014, I started working on a book titled Fading. The idea had come to me in a dream (I know I know, insert Stephenie Meyer joke here. But I love her so don't judge). I quickly worked on a first draft and spent some time revising it before sending it to a CP (thanks, Molly!). You see, I wanted to enter Pitch Wars. I thought this story had potential and hoped it would make it into the contest. After some more revisions I entered Pitch Wars 2014. And I got in as an alternate. I couldn't believe my luck. I thought, maybe this was it. I was getting closer to my dream. With the help of my mentor (the incredibly insightful and talented Monica Bustamante Wagner) I strengthened my pitch, query letter, and first couple of chapters.<br />
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Right when I entered the contest I had started to query some agents. One of whom requested pages. After I got into Pitch Wars I let her know that I would be revising my manuscript and if she would like to look at the newest version once done, she said yes.<br />
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The showcase came and went, I got requests. Some of those requests turned to fulls, and then eventually I got more rejections, but that's how publishing works. It was a downer, but I wasn't ready to give up. There were still plenty of agents out there who might want to represent me. Then the agent who had been waiting for my revised manuscript emailed me. She loved the story, but thought it needed some more work. She gave me some notes and invited me to resubmit if I decided to implement those changes. I took her up on the offer of the R&R because I really liked her suggestions and felt that the changes would make my story much stronger.<br />
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After I was done with those revisions I sent it to more readers (thanks again Molly and Soni Wolf). Once again I revised and then sent it back to the agent and waited. Well, not exactly, I also decided to query more agents. Again, I got requests, partials and fulls, again I got rejections. C'est la vie. Fast forward a few months and the agent with the R&R got back to me, she again told me all the things she loved about the story, but ultimately passed. Yes, it was a bit devastating, but I'm nothing if not stubborn and giving up wasn't really an option. I thanked her for her time and asked if she had any advice to share. She very sweetly gave me a referral to another agent at a different agency. See, being nice and professional does pay off. Also, it was kind of an ego boost because if she thought my writing and story sucked she would never have given that referral. I thanked her and queried the agent she suggested, making sure to include that it was a referral. The agent immediately requested a full. I again waited. She passed. Sigh. I know, it was tough, but I understood her reasons and appreciated the time she took to look over my story.<br />
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This all happened in 2014-2016. At that point I had given birth to my fifth child, and we were in the middle of moving to a new house down the road from us. Lots of life had taken place. I also started working on my next project. I ended up putting aside Fading, figuring it had run its course and I needed to move on. Possibly for my own sanity.<br />
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At this time Katy Upperman, whom I interacted with through our blogs and Twitter, announced that she had a book deal with Swoon Read. I had never heard of Swoon Reads before and decided to check it out. I loved their model where readers got a say in what would be published. It's new, unique, smart, and successful. Katy wrote about her experience with them and encouraged others to submit their polished work. I thought it over. I asked my Pitch Wars '14 peeps about it, they are all incredibly talented, insightful, and encouraging group of writers and I trusted them. They said to go for it.<br />
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I chickened out.<br />
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The fear of rejection kept me in place . I thought, "It's not good enough. I need to focus on my current project and put this one aside." But for whatever reason, I couldn't quite forget my story about a boy and girl falling in love while fighting the demons of their past.<br />
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Let's fast forward again. It's summer 2017, my husband and I decided to do something completely insane and moved our family across the ocean to Hawaii. Maybe I was riding high on that wave of change and possibility, I'm not sure, but Swoon Reads opened up submissions and I thought "Why the hell not, I've got nothing to lose."<br />
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I went through Fading one more time, polishing it up a bit, changed the title to Chase the Night and *tried* uploading it onto the website. After about ten times it actually worked. In fact I had to contact Swoon's team because my manuscript would not upload and they had to help me figure out what was wrong. I did think that maybe that was a sign from the universe to not go through with it, but like I said, I'm stubborn and I refused to not follow through this time.<br />
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Then I waited (publishing is pretty much waiting, waiting, and waiting some more). Submissions closed. I got a few reviews, some adds, but it was mostly quiet. And I was okay with it. I remember feeling at peace with my decision. I remember thinking that I had given it my all, sought out all options, and it was time. Finally. To put Chase the Night aside. Yes, my heart broke a little, but I learned so much while writing that story and I would always cherish it for giving me that little glimpse of what could be if I stuck to the whole writing gig.<br />
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Now let's go to February 2018. Once again submissions had opened for Swoon. All of sudden my activity for CTN saw a huge rise as an influx of new hopeful authors and readers joined the website. I didn't think much of it, honestly. At one point a reader compared the story to Step Up, which I loved because that is my go to dance movie! (Let's take a moment of silence for the break up of Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan.) I rode the high of that review for a bit and then went back to writing my new manuscript.<br />
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The end of February approached fast. It was mid-morning Hawaii time. I just finished my workout and was sweating quite profusely thanks to the humidity, and my heart rate still rode the high of my cardio session. I decided to check my email before eating some breakfast. After scrolling down a bit one caught my eye. It was from a Swoon Reads editor. She wanted to talk to me about Chase the Night. My heart, which had started to calm itself, immediately picked up steam again. I stared at the email for a few minutes. Then I called my husband. He thought something terrible had happened because, according to him, I sounded like I was hyperventilating. He was ecstatic, both that a tragedy hadn't befallen our family, and that this could be IT. The moment I had been working towards for over a decade.<br />
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After hanging up with him I emailed back the editor. We set up a time to talk. I proceeded to freak out some more. The morning of the call was a bit surreal. My husband took part of the morning off so he could watch our toddler while I was on the phone. I honestly didn't believe them at first when they said they wanted to publish Chase the Night. I was completely overwhelmed and didn't talk as much as I wanted to because I was taking it all in. I'm truly so so so grateful for the opportunity that I have been given. I'm grateful to every person that read any word of Chase the Night, to the Swoon Reads team, to the readers on the website who took the time to read and review it. I'm grateful for my family for putting up with me as I daze off into my own little worlds, creating new characters and stories. My favorite part of this whole thing was hearing and seeing and reading the reactions from various family members and friends when I shared the news.<br />
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My journey wasn't quick. It wasn't easy. Over ten years of writing took place before I got this deal. Chase the Night was my fourth novel. I have various projects at different stages that I've worked on before, in between, and after I finished Chase the Night. And I still don't have an agent. Nothing about writing and publishing is perfect, nothing is concrete. I have book deal now, but I have no clue what the future holds. I'm enjoying the now, but also remaining realistic at the same time. But like I said before, I'm grateful, and I will continue to be grateful. If you stuck with this post from beginning to end, thank you! If you're still on this journey, unsure of what the future holds, afraid of continuing, I hope this gave you a glimmer of what could be. Please don't give up. If writing is your passion, your love, if you can't imagine a life where you're not writing, then please continue. I will cheer every single one of you on as you find your own path to your dreams.<br />
**Edit** I TOTALLY forgot to mention that I also got into the Sun Vs. Snow contest with Fading and wanted to give a shout out to Amy Trueblood and Michelle Hauck who run the contest as well Rachel Simon who helped me polish my pitch, query letter, and pages.prerna picketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06207620652405474672noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864466917051288017.post-51355375100401626952017-12-18T15:50:00.001-08:002017-12-18T15:50:42.780-08:00I Finished The ThingI did it. I finished a manuscript. I typed The End, even though it's just the beginning.<br />
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I haven't finished writing a novel in...a while. The last time I did was a few years ago. It was the project that got me into Pitchwars as an alternate. With it I had many requests, fulls and partials, an R&R and even a referral when the agent who requested the R&R ended up passing, which is kind of a big deal. It meant that even though it wasn't right for her she believed in it enough to pass it along to someone else. And though that agent did end up rejecting it as well (ugh, I hate that R word, it's so...mean) I had hope. My writing didn't completely suck, and I was getting closer.<br />
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Here's the thing though, with hope also came the doubts. Which can be difficult to move past. I got a little lost along the way. I didn't know where to go next. My mojo took a hit. I struggled to write and to focus. I struggled from one project to the next, unsure where to go from there. I started and stopped multiple WIPs. Then the idea for my next novel hit me. It was something I felt strongly about, something that had been on my mind for a while. And it took me almost 18 months to finish the damn thing.<br />
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During the course of writing my newest manuscript, I had to maneuver around a few stumbling blocks. Like the difficulties presented by caring for a newborn. Then there was that time we moved. Twice. In less than a year. Oh, and one of those moves was thousands of miles across the ocean. Yeah, it has been a doozy of a year. But I persevered and here I am. I'm glad to be here. I'm glad that I can still write, because don't we all doubt our ability to do so when it seems like we're going around in circles going nowhere when in reality we're making more progress than we thought?<br />
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Writing is hard, it probably won't get easier, and might even get harder, but at least I get to learn something new about myself along the way. Now I just need to get through revisions. Like 10000 times. #writinglifeprerna picketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06207620652405474672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864466917051288017.post-14867555198932039122017-10-19T15:52:00.000-07:002017-10-19T15:52:18.437-07:00RoutinesI've thought a lot about the whole inspiration thing over the last month. You know, writing when you feel inspired and not forcing yourself to do it when you plain old don't feel like it. I used to do that. More than I like to admit, but then it hit me. Inspiration is a fickle b***h and you can't rely on it to get you to where you want to be. This is tough for me to say since my name literally translated is Inspiration in Hindi, but alas, it's true.<br />
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I have daily routines. One of those routines now includes writing. I wake up, get my kids ready for school, drop them off, work out (I can't function without exercise, it's my "me" time), have breakfast, shower, clean up the house, and then I write. All of this while also taking care of a toddler, so sometimes the timing of all of these things can be a bit off. Sometimes I write for fifteen minutes, other times it's a half hour or more (blessed be! Those days are the best).<br />
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BUT, not every day. I fit my writing in a few times a week, I don't force myself to do it every day. If I do by some miracle get to write every day, I consider myself lucky and don't pat myself on the back too much. So I have a routine, but I also give myself wiggle room and don't kick myself in the head if I can't get to it every day.<br />
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So why did I change my whole writing while inspired philosophy? Well, because inspiration will come. Sooner or later while your getting it done, it will suddenly hit you and you'll be so glad that you're already clacking away on those keys and don't have drop what you're working on in order to grab your laptop and open up that document (although those moments still happen and I'm so glad I can a phone with a notes app to help out) Also, I want to make a career out of this and that can't happen if I don't actually do any writing.<br />
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With that said, breaks can be necessary. Once I'm done with a project, I will take a break. I'll read as much as I possibly can, catch up on my favorite shows (Jane the Virgin and The Flash come to mind) and then get back to it. Everyone has their own way of working and I honestly don't think there's a wrong way to do it as long as it gets done. At the end of the day (or week) if I have something to do show for my work, I'm glad. Progress is progress, and isn't that what all really want? To move forward?prerna picketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06207620652405474672noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864466917051288017.post-52013072373263413122017-10-02T14:31:00.001-07:002017-10-02T14:31:16.274-07:00That Time I Moved To Hawaii and Why It Takes So Long For Me To DraftYup, I now live in the land of Moana, surfing, beaches, and so so so much more.<br />
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You would think that living in paradise meant heaven all day every day, but some things don't change even if your location does.<br />
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Lots of mundane things still fill my day. Kids still have school, I still have to drive them there and pick them up, I still have to run errands almost daily, I still have bills to pay (why, bills, why?!?), My husband still has to work every day, I still have to do laundry and clean. And roaches. They don't bother me too much, but I never saw them when I lived on the mainland. And not just the small annoying ones, but the giant flying kind! A couple flew into our house the other day and both my husband and I kind of freaked out. So all in all the same regular old things as before. Now that I've knocked on paradise and maybe made it seem not all that great let's talk about what has changed.<br />
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Beaches. So many beautiful and incredible beaches every where. Sure there are crowds ( I'm already sick of all the tourists lol) but they are so breathtaking. Every weekend we pick a new one to try out and none of them have disappointed yet. Then there are the hikes that feel like a trek through the jungle, filled with guava trees and lush green scenery. With no snakes! One of my favorite things about Hawaii is the no snakes. Then there is the access to all the tropical fruit. Mangos aplenty, the guavas, papayas, apple bananas, pineapples, lychees, so much yumminess. Then there's the weather. I will miss fall, I assure you I will, but winter? No thanks. See ya later snow! Oh, and the sunsets, every single one is incredible. Plus rainbows everywhere! You see one pretty much daily.<br />
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This has been a life changing experience and we've only been here for a few months!<br />
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Okay, now let's get back to the writing bit.<br />
Drafting. Ugh. I know, the word can send waves of nausea and shivers of fear down a lot of writers' backs. But I actually don't mind it too much. Although it does take me months to get through just one single draft. Why? Because I can't stop going back and fixing things. Every writer has their way of working and mine is as follows: Write a chapter or two. Go back the next few days and reread those chapters and fix them. Rinse and repeat. Yup, I revise as I draft.<br />
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I wish I could write a single draft and not go back. That's not how I operate. This does have some downsides, like the amount of time it takes to get the work done. But there are perks as well: fewer grammatical issues to fix, fewer consistency and plot issues. And, yes, I do go back and revise even more after the draft is done.<br />
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Currently I am finishing up my latest manuscript and hoping to have it in some beta hand ASAP. I also have another story idea percolating and I can't wait to get working on it!<br />
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Well, happy writing all! Hope you like the pictures, I plan on posting more. Hawaii is gorgeous and surreal and completely magical at times.prerna picketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06207620652405474672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864466917051288017.post-74962926319304842512017-09-13T00:03:00.000-07:002017-09-13T00:03:56.696-07:00It's Been A WhileDo people blog anymore? If not then I probably won't get an answer. Or maybe I won't get an answer because people don't read <i>my </i>blog anymore. Which I don't really blame them for. I sort of fell off the face of the Earth (or at least blog land) and am trying to find my way back. Hope this time it sticks.<br />
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Since the last time I blogged A LOT has changed. I moved. Twice. Once within a mile of our old home, and once all the way across the ocean to an island surrounded by the vast blue everythingness of said ocean where the chances of a tsunami or tidal wave or hurricane are pretty high, which now that I'm thinking about and the state of our current climate (Harvey, Irma) might not have been the greatest idea. But it's paradise and you have to pay <i>something </i>for this little piece of heaven. We were probably nuts to do it, but when a once in a lifetime opportunity falls into your lap you should always take it. No ragrets, not even one letter 😉 (bonus points if you get that movie reference).<br />
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One thing that hasn't changed? Current writerly status. Still unagented and unpublished. And you know what? I'm kind of okay with it. Yes I am still writing and pursuing the impossible dream, but I am in no rush. I am taking my time, perfecting my craft, working on stories I love but may never see the light of day. But why? Because why not? Because I can. Because I want to. I love this writing thing and I want to keep at it. Either until someone finally takes notice of my literary genius and jumps at the chance to make one of my dreams come true, or until I die. Whichever comes first.<br />
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Anyway, I don't know how long I'll keep up this blogging thing. I might be the only one that ever takes the time to peruse this page, but I'm trying. And maybe rambling a bit. But I'm here and I plan on staying. For now at least.prerna picketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06207620652405474672noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864466917051288017.post-88908525320701420662016-05-16T10:32:00.003-07:002016-05-16T10:32:50.650-07:00Goal Setting and RealityI turned thirty recently. It doesn't seem real, mainly because I still feel like I just graduated high school and just got married and just had kids. None of it adds up to thirty. Old people aren't joking when they say time goes by faster as you get older. But I'm not here to talk about my impending doom and possible mid-life crisis, I'm here to talk about the reality of setting goals and the reality that goes along with not accomplishing those goals.<br />
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Five years ago I made a certain goal for myself: get an agent by the time I was thirty. Unfortunately that hasn't happened...yet. I'm not losing hope, but I am frustrated and disappointed by how slow it seems to be going.<br />
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It's scary to realize that the goals I set for myself five years ago aren't happening. They are a little closer than before, but still out of grasp. So, what now? It's time to reassess. I took a step back this weekend to reflect on what's happened to keep me from accomplishing this goal and what I can do to make it happen. What l learned is that part of it is my own doing. I've been revising two books for the last several months and that's taken away my focus from finishing any new manuscripts. I've started a couple that I really love, but have yet to complete a first draft. So, yeah, part of it is time management, part of it is prioritizing the wrong projects.<br />
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The other part it TIMING. Maybe it's just not my turn yet. That's hard one to swallow because I have no control over it. I do have control over how to react to all the things happening, or in this case not happening, in my life. I'm choosing not to freak out and keep going. That's what distinguishes the winners from the losers.<br />
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So now to my new goal: write write and write some more. Don't put a time frame on anything, it will happen when it's meant to happen. But it definitely won't if I stop writing.<br />
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Hope you all have set goals for yourself and are trying to accomplish them. But remember, it's okay to fail, because it gets you one step closer to success.<br />
<br />prerna picketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06207620652405474672noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864466917051288017.post-84170272864969650102015-11-30T11:41:00.002-08:002015-11-30T11:41:58.846-08:00Hello, Monday!Wow, every time I think I'm getting back on track with the writing and blogging thing, I fall behind. Maybe I should stop giving myself so much credit.<br />
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The last little while has been productive, though, so there is that. I'm pretty much done with revisions and I have another idea simmering at the back of my mind. I think the only way I'll get through to the end and move on forward is holding myself accountable and blogging helps in that aspect because writing down my goals and publishing them to the world is a great way to be accountable, not just to myself but to everyone out there in the blogosphere. (Sorry for the long winded sentence.)<br />
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So, I'll start this Monday off with some goals:<br />
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- Revise two chapters (only a few left!)<br />
- Read that book you've been wanting to forever but keep putting off with lame excuses<br />
- Start an outline for new book idea!<br />
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How are all of you doing? Did anyone participate in NaNo (Only hours left until it's over!)?prerna picketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06207620652405474672noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864466917051288017.post-80854211965701015432015-10-05T10:12:00.000-07:002015-10-05T10:12:12.635-07:00October 2015!!!WOW! It has been a while, but I have a good excuse for my absence....<br />
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Presenting Soren Cam Pickett<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSs167GZT_72mVXYTYBVVbDMf8jBz0CPhdLW6eeoe9N9K50jQIDf8KSraesLR75tkNhu-6yuYAI8zh_rnGX3qZFLvYaXWBRlB6sc3dQgotLURr85FLZyFLIE6fUCV94Nhcj9RRYEZg1y4/s1600/IMG_20151003_145711470.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSs167GZT_72mVXYTYBVVbDMf8jBz0CPhdLW6eeoe9N9K50jQIDf8KSraesLR75tkNhu-6yuYAI8zh_rnGX3qZFLvYaXWBRlB6sc3dQgotLURr85FLZyFLIE6fUCV94Nhcj9RRYEZg1y4/s320/IMG_20151003_145711470.jpg" width="180" /></a><br />
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I had a baby...a preeetttttyyyy good excuse. Now that it's been a month things are starting to calm down a bit (only slightly) I feel ready to get back into the blogging and writing thing. And I have missed it terribly! I feel like I have missed out on so much lately and want to catch back up. So, if you have anything to share, feel free to do so in the comments! (I know I suck at responding to comments, but one of my new goals is to get better at it.) <br />
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I want to start out this week by stating some goals for the week, like old times. I need some serious accountability, especially because I'm still working on my revisions for the agent who requested them. <br />
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Goals for October<br />
1. Finish Revisions! I know it's a lofty goal, but I'm aiming high, people! <br />
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Goals for the week:<br />
1. Revise two or more chapters. I'm about halfway through already so I think this is manageable. <br />
2. Dive into a book <br />
3. Get back into my exercise routine. I miss working out!<br />
4. Take naps! (This might be my favorite goal!)<br />
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Alrighty then! That's all for now, folks. Hope we all have a productive week!prerna picketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06207620652405474672noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864466917051288017.post-1219235786480753862015-08-03T08:20:00.003-07:002015-08-03T08:21:05.633-07:00Ready. Set. Write! Update: Week 9<div style="text-align: center;">
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How I Did On My Goals:<br />
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- Print out a hard copy of Fading and start revisions on big issues: Check and Check!</div>
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- Try to read if there's time: I finished The Devil You Know by Trish Doller. It definitely had it's moments but I saw the ending coming. </div>
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- Have fun with the family: My boys started swimming lessons this week and it was great to watch them learn and grow. </div>
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Goals For This Week:</div>
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- Continue revisions on Fading. Be organized with it all.</div>
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- Have fun camping later this week</div>
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A Favorite Line From My Story/ A Phrase That Sums Up What I Wrote/ Revised:<br />
Big picture. Everything I'm changing with have some kind of effect on the rest of the manuscript so I have to keep the big picture in mind while going through the revisions.<br />
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The Biggest Challenge I Faced This Week:<br />
Time and exhaustion. I napped pretty much every day this week. My energy levels seem to be dropping. Plus with swim lessons, doctor appointments and errands finding time can be difficult.<br />
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Something I Love About My WIP:<br />
The romance. Love me some swooning!</div>
prerna picketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06207620652405474672noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864466917051288017.post-27736969278600691812015-07-27T08:33:00.002-07:002015-07-27T08:33:35.004-07:00Ready. Set. Write! Update: Week 8<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis3jfbtbmZAIJ1r0-JdQptbgITd4uPqFfg7VBpge7VzT5LBUtEPquS-aTbqm5bMFOfUJwjq7JQ5VVFuM08Plq5WdV1us1n_M6T411AWD6K4LvDLWqwzfPX4-wOe57iCg3k4AUhkEbhiU8/s320/RSW10.png" /></div>
<br />
Had a family camping trip last week, hence the reason for my absence last week.<br />
<br />
How I Did On My Goals:<br />
Write: Got it done! I was able to revise another couple of chapters!<br />
Read: I read Map To The Stars, a super cute contemporary.<br />
Kids: We had a blast with our family during our trip. We did lots of river floats, some kayaking, went on bike rides. All in all a success!<br />
<br />
My Goals For This Week:<br />
So I have to change up my goals for the rest of RSW. I received an R&R from an agent on another project I had queried a while back but had put on the back burner. She gave me some great insights and I'm so excited to get to work on them! As far as the goals go for this week, they are as follows:<br />
<br />
-Print out a hard copy of Fading, my R&R manuscript, and start revisions on the "big" issues.<br />
- Try to read a book, if there's time.<br />
- Have fun with the family in between all of it.<br />
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A Favorite Line From My Story/ A Phrase That Sums Up What I Wrote/ Revised:<br />
DRAMA. Lots of drama.<br />
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The Biggest Challenge I Faced This (last) Week:<br />
Time constraints were an issue. It was hard to get writing in while prepping for our family trip, but I somehow managed to get some revising done.<br />
<br />
Something I Love About My WIP:<br />
That the characters feel like real people, not just figments of my imagination.<br />
<br />
Good luck this week!prerna picketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06207620652405474672noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864466917051288017.post-83847837918062286962015-07-13T08:22:00.001-07:002015-07-13T08:22:37.368-07:00Ready. Set. Write! Update: Week 6<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis3jfbtbmZAIJ1r0-JdQptbgITd4uPqFfg7VBpge7VzT5LBUtEPquS-aTbqm5bMFOfUJwjq7JQ5VVFuM08Plq5WdV1us1n_M6T411AWD6K4LvDLWqwzfPX4-wOe57iCg3k4AUhkEbhiU8/s320/RSW10.png" /></div>
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Has it already been six weeks??? Sheesh, this summer is going by fast. Here's how my goals went:<br />
<br />
Revise another chapter or two: Yup! Got two done. Both were a little intense because I deleted old scenes and added brand new ones, but it was well worth it.<br />
<br />
Write new words: I did this... kind of. Since I added a new scene in the project I'm currently revising, I think it counts?<br />
<br />
Read something: I read The Wrath and the Dawn, and it was incredible! This has been the year of Fantasy, let me tell you. So many amazing books! I also started Daughter of Deep Silence by Carrie Ryan and really like it so far. I've never watched the show Revenge, but the premise sounds very similar.<br />
<br />
Spend time with my kids: We had a great week filled with activities. My father-in-law was in town for work and we got to hang out with him and the kids had a blast with their grandpa. We also finally set up the tennis net on our court after almost five years. It's main function is a basketball court, but my kids love riding their bikes and other toys on there as well. Fun times.<br />
<br />
My Goals For This Week:<br />
<br />
Revise!<br />
Read!<br />
Kids!<br />
Nothing too specific, I just want to get SOME kind of writing done.<br />
<br />
A Favorite Line From My Story/ Phrase That Sums Up What I Wrote/ Revised:<br />
Friendship. The chapter I focused most of my attention was very friendship centered and it was great to see the dynamic between my MC and her bff, who is a favorite side character of mine.<br />
<br />
The Biggest Challenge I Faced This Week:<br />
Energy, or lack thereof. As the pregnancy progresses my energy stores deplete and this week was especially difficult. I wanted to take a nap every day!<br />
<br />
Something I Love About My WIP:<br />
Currently, the way it's coming together again. I changed the first third of it quite a bit and the changes have ripple effects along the whole manuscript, but they work!<br />
<br />
Hope you all had a productive week!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />prerna picketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06207620652405474672noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864466917051288017.post-48401042040346244162015-07-06T08:27:00.003-07:002015-07-06T08:27:46.431-07:00Ready. Set. Write! Check In: Week 5<br />
I was absent last week due to craziness.<br />
<br />
How I Did On Last Weeks Goals:<br />
<br />
- Revise a chapter: Done and done, plus another one!<br />
<br />
- Write new words: Ehhh...nope<br />
<br />
- Read a book: Finished Snow Like Ash by Sarah Raasch. I enjoyed it, but An Ember In The Ashes is my favorite fantasy of the year. Also I tried, like REALLY tried to get into The Night We Said Yes by Lauren Gibaldi, but I just wasn't feeling it. I'm now into The Wrath and the Dawn!<br />
<br />
- Make more memories with my kids:We had a wonderful Fourth of July weekend and my 3yo loved the fireworks!<br />
<br />
This Weeks Goals:<br />
- Revise another chapter (maybe two?)<br />
- Write new words<br />
- Read something<br />
- Give each of my children individual attention<br />
<br />
A Favorite Line From My Story Or One Word/ Phrase That Sums Up What I Wrote/Revised:<br />
Family. This story is very family oriented and the last couple of chapters have focused on my MCs relationship with her deceased mother and the lack of one with her father and grandparents. I really love developing the details around their issues and how they're going to come together.<br />
<br />
The Biggest Challenge I Faced This Week:<br />
Time. With the holiday weekend it was hard to find any time to do anything but prepare!<br />
<br />
Something I Love About My WIP:<br />
The family aspect of the story. There aren't very many YA novels out there that deal with family issues as much. A lot of times parent seem to barely be there at all. I wanted to write a story that dealt with those things along with all those other issues facing teens today (like falling in love for the first time).<br />
<br />
Cheering all you other RSW participators on!<br />
<br />
<br />prerna picketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06207620652405474672noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864466917051288017.post-51808497062794414672015-06-22T08:26:00.001-07:002015-06-22T08:26:28.131-07:00Ready. Set. Write! Check In: Week 3<div style="text-align: center;">
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<br />
Three weeks into this and I'm making progress!<br />
<br />
How I Did On Last Week's Goals:<br />
<br />
Revise one chapter: Check!<br />
<br />
Figure out what project I want to work on: Check!<br />
<br />
Read something: I got Snow Like Ashes from the library, but the week was too busy for me to get to it.<br />
<br />
Spend time with my kids: We went to see Jurassic World with the kids, they loved it, although my girls fell asleep. We also spent a few nights making up games to play outside, which they loved, and we went to the lake this past weekend.<br />
<br />
My Goals For This Week:<br />
<br />
- Revise another chapter<br />
- Read a book!<br />
-Write new words<br />
- Continue building memories with my kids.<br />
<br />
A Favorite Line From My Story Or One Word/ Phrase That Sums Up What I Wrote/Revised:<br />
Continuity. Since the revisions I'm making change certain time lines along with a couple of plot points, I've had to be real careful about making sure it all makes sense!<br />
<br />
The Biggest Challenge I Faced This Week:<br />
Motivation. Sometimes just making yourself open up the document can seem like such a chore.<br />
<br />
Something I Love About My WIP:<br />
The setting. In both my stories I created fictional towns and I love making up the shops and characters and history.<br />
<br />
Hope you all had a productive week!<br />
<br />
<br />prerna picketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06207620652405474672noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864466917051288017.post-53835741008355599122015-06-18T08:02:00.000-07:002015-06-18T08:02:08.650-07:00Cover Reveal: SWAY by Melanie Stanford<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm so excited to take part in the cover reveal of Melanie Stanford's upcoming book, SWAY.<br />
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<img alt="elizabeth-berkley-im-so-excited" src="http://www.listentoyourfreedom.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/elizabeth-berkley-im-so-excited-300x224.jpg" /><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> http://brainstormyourbiz.com/business/how-to-transform-fear-in-business-and-life/</span><br />
<br />
I'm Jessie Spano EXCITED!<br />
<br />
I met Melanie online a few years ago when I won a critique contest she ran. She was sweet enough to read my whole manuscript and give me some great advice, and in return I had the privilege of beta reading her project back when it was a baby. I'm so happy that SWAY is going to be an actual book, all grown up. It was superbly written and being a modern version of Jane Austen's Persuasion, one of my favorite books ever, only made it sweeter.<br />
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1434037669889_6375">Ava Elliot never thought she’d become a couch surfer. But with a freshly minted—and worthless—degree from Julliard, and her dad squandering the family fortune, what choice does she have?</span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1434037669889_6382">Living with her old high school friends, though, has its own drawbacks. Especially when her ex-fiancé Eric Wentworth drops back into her life. Eight years ago, she was too young, too scared of being poor, and too scared of her dad’s disapproval. Dumping him was a big mistake.</span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1434037669889_6395">In the most ironic of role reversals, Eric is rolling in musical success, and Ava’s starting at the bottom to build her career. Worse, every song Eric sings is an arrow aimed straight for her regrets.</span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1434037669889_6387">One encounter, one song too many, and Ava can’t go on like this. It’s time to tell Eric the truth, and make a choice. Finally let go of the past, or risk her heart for a second chance with her first love. If he can forgive her…and she can forgive herself.</span></div>
<br />
Without further ado, presenting the cover of SWAY......<br />
<br />
<br />
Ready?<br />
<br />
........<br />
<br />
Here it comes!<br />
<br />
.........<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw0HXEZC9eS4Mo5XNb-b0sJgzwyEF_BBW9R7AbjsUw6hcQF5Jt-jcozJBg-5atr0cxVexWO8ZQBc5rjbrec1rl3UPjZVt59cjreYJFgYv22MQomuocp7TxhFvEy9PvH-H-LTuC9G4ppbs/s1600/Sway72lg%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw0HXEZC9eS4Mo5XNb-b0sJgzwyEF_BBW9R7AbjsUw6hcQF5Jt-jcozJBg-5atr0cxVexWO8ZQBc5rjbrec1rl3UPjZVt59cjreYJFgYv22MQomuocp7TxhFvEy9PvH-H-LTuC9G4ppbs/s320/Sway72lg%255B1%255D.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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It's SO PRETTY and goes along perfectly with the story and the characters' passion: music. </div>
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The release date is this winter, but for a more official date be sure to follow up on Melanie's blog for updates. And speaking of the author, here's a bit more about her:</div>
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<img height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_FpOWC_cPiK2Ez3GEXk_WOWfjEKmiMU_w7_d7z4PUtKvwvoAvSYrqKWv6Gl_6pGhiZOJ4YVSOQ4KCa_BVhLQkoZB-kWc7ravhTBEDEppdzuatOVxWdEHygQuAy70vbS1UuQgGbNDGJyI/s200/Melanie_Stanford%255B1%255D.jpg" width="171" /></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #5c5c5c; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14.9499998092651px;"><i>Melanie Stanford reads too much, plays music too loud, is sometimes dancing, and always daydreaming. She would also like her very own TARDIS, but only to travel to the past. She lives outside Calgary, Alberta, Canada with her husband, four kids, and ridiculous amounts of snow.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Segoe UI, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14.9499998092651px;">Be sure to check out Melanie's website: melaniestanfordbooks.com for more information and follow her on Twitter @MelMStandford! </span></span></div>
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<br />prerna picketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06207620652405474672noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864466917051288017.post-55780768347017640432015-06-15T08:18:00.005-07:002015-06-15T08:18:57.371-07:00Ready. Set. Write! Check in: Week 2<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis3jfbtbmZAIJ1r0-JdQptbgITd4uPqFfg7VBpge7VzT5LBUtEPquS-aTbqm5bMFOfUJwjq7JQ5VVFuM08Plq5WdV1us1n_M6T411AWD6K4LvDLWqwzfPX4-wOe57iCg3k4AUhkEbhiU8/s320/RSW10.png" /></div>
Can't believe one week has already flown by! Here is my update, so far...<br />
<br />
How I Did On Last Week's Goals:<br />
<br />
Not too shabby. My goals for last week were:<br />
- Revise a chapter: I got a chapter revised! Woohoo!<br />
-Write 2k on another project: BUT only write a few hundred words on another project. I'm really struggling to figure out which of my many ideas I want to work on and feel pulled in so many different directions.<br />
-Read Something: On the plus side I DID read Under a Painted Sky by Stacey Lee and it was wonderful!<br />
<br />
<br />
My Goals For This Week:<br />
<br />
- Revise another chapter (maybe 2?)<br />
- Figure out what other project I want to work on and go from there<br />
- Read another book<br />
<br />
A Favorite Line From My Story Or One Word/ Phrase That Sums Up What I Wrote/Revised:<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 110%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><i>Stripes
of street lights shifted along my skin and I drew in a breath. It was scary how
well Kyle knew my dad. Better than me, it seemed. </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 110%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 17.6000003814697px;">The Biggest Challenge I Faced This Week:</span></span><br />
<br />
Time. We had a very busy family week. Almost every night, because of the heat, we had water fights and then played on the trampoline afterwards to cool down. I think I might add another goal for this summer: spend as much quality time as possible with my kids before baby gets here!<br />
<br />
Something I Love About My WIP:<br />
<br />
The romantic subplot. It's not the main focus, but man do I love me some swoon worthy scenes!<br />
<br />
That's all from me, folks! Hope you all have a great writing and goal checking week!prerna picketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06207620652405474672noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864466917051288017.post-56105147792680033482015-06-08T07:29:00.001-07:002015-06-08T07:29:12.420-07:00Ready. Set. Write! Goal Setting<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis3jfbtbmZAIJ1r0-JdQptbgITd4uPqFfg7VBpge7VzT5LBUtEPquS-aTbqm5bMFOfUJwjq7JQ5VVFuM08Plq5WdV1us1n_M6T411AWD6K4LvDLWqwzfPX4-wOe57iCg3k4AUhkEbhiU8/s320/RSW10.png" /></div>
<br />
It's baaaaack! And I'm so grateful for it since I need some serious writing motivation. Here are my goals for this week.<br />
<br />
Summer goals:<br />
- Finish revising Restoring Casey<br />
- Finish first draft of another story (I have several at different stages of the drafting process)<br />
- Read some quality books<br />
<br />
Goals for this week:<br />
Revise one chapter and write up to 2k on another project. And if I can manage it, read something.<br />
<br />
Good luck to everyone participating!prerna picketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06207620652405474672noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864466917051288017.post-21649705244641072322015-05-26T14:09:00.000-07:002015-05-26T14:09:24.833-07:00Monday Goals (On Tuesday)Hope you all had a wonderful Memorial Day (or a wonderful May 25th if you're outside of the US). I got some stuff done last week (two chapters revised!) so I'm hoping to keep up the momentum.<br />
<br />
1. Revise two chapters. The ones that are up don't require huge changes (unlike the one that took about a month to finish).<br />
<br />
2. Read a book! I read some really great books last week so I'm hoping to keep up the trend. I really want to finish up the End of Days series by Susan Ee.<br />
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3. Spend quality time with my kids. Now that it's summer and school is (almost) out, I really want to shift focus onto spending more time with each of my kids before school starts again in the fall and before this baby arrives!<br />
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That's all folks! What are your goals for the week?prerna picketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06207620652405474672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864466917051288017.post-9629924320802137312015-05-11T15:08:00.000-07:002015-05-11T15:08:35.858-07:00Monday GoalsOh man, I have so much catching up to do in the writing department. It's just sad. But, I will keep going, because even though you suck sometimes it doesn't mean you have to all the time. So, further ado:<br />
<br />
1. Revise three chapters. This is optimistic of me given how much craziness is going to go down in this week in our home.<br />
<br />
2. Read something. I haven't been in the reading mood as of late, and I would very much like to get out of that funk as well.<br />
<br />
That's it. Nothing else. I would LIKE to work on another project, but I don't want to put more pressure on myself than I have to. What are you goals for the week?prerna picketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06207620652405474672noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864466917051288017.post-69166092752897181402015-05-08T07:43:00.002-07:002015-05-08T07:43:44.093-07:00Five for Friday1. I've really fallen behind the last couple of weeks : /<br />
<br />
2. We're having a boy! We're very excited, but it'll be so strange to go back to a boy after two girls.<br />
<br />
2. I am officially in the last year of my twenties. Not sure how I feel about that.<br />
<br />
3. I read I'll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson, and it was beautiful. Also, Beware the Wild by Natalie Parker was a creepy southern gothic with amazing writing and a very vivid setting.<br />
<br />
4. The weather is warming up and I signed my boys up for swimming classes. Now I have to find an activity for my girls (neither of them is emotionally ready to start swimming classes, especially my older girl) and we'll be set for some summer fun!<br />
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5.Like I said before, things have been slow here for a bit. My kids all got sick, then I got sick, and then we went out of town, so writing hasn't been top priority. However, I was able to get a couple of chapters revised this week. I'm still behind where I would like to be at this point, so I'm going to try and kick it up a notch next week.<br />
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<br />prerna picketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06207620652405474672noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864466917051288017.post-75486049754306263662015-04-27T12:39:00.000-07:002015-04-27T12:39:11.494-07:00Monday GoalsI had to skip this last week after a disaster few days of taking care of puking kids and trying to celebrate my 29th birthday in between all of that. Fun times.<br />
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Although last week kind of sucked (or puked), I did get to revise a pretty important chapter. I'm really happy with the way things are moving along. I am struggling with whether or not I should put in some flashback scenes. They're so tricky and hard to make work. I'm leaning towards no.<br />
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Anyway, without further ado, here are my goals:<br />
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1. Revise another chapter<br />
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2. Try to write 1k words.<br />
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3. Maybe read something? I got some books from kindle, but I'm not sure if I can handle starting something new right now, even though the titles I got sound awesome.<br />
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What are your goals for this week?prerna picketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06207620652405474672noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864466917051288017.post-5795798400001073152015-04-13T08:18:00.000-07:002015-04-13T08:18:01.989-07:00Monday GoalsLast week was a success. I kicked some goal butt! However, I'm not going to let my head get too big because we call know you have good weeks and bad weeks. So, without further ado, here are my goals for the week:<div>
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1. Revise Two Chapters. I got six done altogether last week, so I think two is manageable.</div>
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2. Write 1-2k on another project. This goal is to make sure I don't get bored. I can't work on just one project at a time, I need at least two to keep me from losing inspiration.</div>
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3. Read something great and don't be afraid to DNF if it isn't. I know you can learn a lot from not so great books too, but I'm finding I have less and less patience for them. </div>
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What are your goals for the week?</div>
prerna picketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06207620652405474672noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864466917051288017.post-70140817204051822232015-04-10T13:07:00.001-07:002015-04-10T13:07:25.224-07:00Five for Friday I haven't done this for a while so I might be a bit rusty.<br />
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1. I read In The Afterlight by Alexandra Bracken and cried on at least 10 different occasions. It was amazing and a wonderful close to the trilogy. I love her writing style, especially her character development. These books are intense and so well written, check them out if you haven't already! I also read Bone Gap, which was a great magical realism retelling with beautiful prose.<br />
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2. I checked off all my goals for this week. I revised six chapters and wrote 2k on a different one! Also, I read some great books! Woohoo!<br />
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3. I started watching Finding Carter, a show about a girl who discovers her mother is actually her kidnapper and must go live with her real family. I love the complicated relationship between Carter and the mom who raised her versus the mom who birthed her. I do think it's a bit over the top with all the drug use. I swear the majority of the time Carter and her friends are off getting high at her other friends little hideaway instead of actually being in school and I'm like, yeah, no way would the school not call the parents if the kids were skipping ALL THE TIME, and also, I knew plenty kids who smoked and stuff and they weren't even out of school that much. Seriously, over the top. Season one is currently streaming on Hulu, hence the reason I've been able to watch it. The second season just started, if you want to give it a try. It's a great show if you can ignore the inaccurate portrayal of high school life.<br />
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4. I took my girls to watch Cinderella this week as well and it was fantastic. I *might* have shed a few tears. Darn pregnancy hormones.<br />
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5. Ummmm....there may not be a fifth one this time around. Whoops. Hope you all had a good week!<br />
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<br />prerna picketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06207620652405474672noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864466917051288017.post-10112309376975743802015-04-08T08:48:00.001-07:002015-04-08T08:48:45.019-07:00Lost In WritingFor some time now I've felt lost in my writing. Not career wise, but in direction. I have a few projects I've started and stopped, and a few more I keep thinking about but haven't written yet.<br />
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I have no idea what the crap I should write, you guys! Nothing resonates with me, yet everything resonates with me. I have a romantic comedy in the works, a super hero/ paranormal, a more serious contemporary, and an old project I want to rewrite. </div>
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I'm wandering around on various paths that can either lead to something fulfilling or to absolutely nothing. I've gotten to the point where just opening up a document gets me frustrated, but I'm not giving up. I work on something each day, or at least try to. I'm waiting for that moment when writing gets hard but is bearable because I know I love the story no matter what.</div>
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This has never happened to me before. I'm on dry spell and it's driving me insane. I don't believe in working on something unless you feel passionately about it and I don't really feel that way about anything right now. Maybe it's pregnancy, maybe it's just one of those circle of writing things you have to get through. Whatever it is, I know I can get through it and be stronger for it. </div>
prerna picketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06207620652405474672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864466917051288017.post-58353560806650343282015-04-06T09:38:00.000-07:002015-04-06T09:38:02.247-07:00Monday GoalsI'm trying to get back into this blogging thing. I've been slacking for quite a while and it's time for me to get it together. So I want to start a new tradition of writing out my goals (writing related) for the week, every week. Not only is it great way to set up accountability, but I like to keep track of what I'm doing week by week. Also, I joined the YA Buccaneers Spring Bootcamp to help motivate me. So here goes for this week:<br />
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1. Revise five pages. Not a lot, but seriously, with me moving around scenes, and changing plot points, five pages is a lot.<br />
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2. Work on a new project. And this can be either writing down a scene, or outlining<br />
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3. Read something. I find it helpful to have a distraction on hand when I get stuck.<br />
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You guys have any goals for the week?prerna picketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06207620652405474672noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864466917051288017.post-85493795095355891322015-04-01T11:04:00.000-07:002015-04-01T11:04:09.365-07:00Breaking Instead of QuittingNo, I don't mean a metaphorical breaking of my insides or brain as I wait to hear from agents and for inspiration to strike so I can gain some steam in writing. I mean a writing break. I've heard people talk about quitting (and by people I mean writers) but the idea of never writing again doesn't sit well with me. I can see writing for yourself and stepping away from the publishing side of things, but altogether? No.<br />
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Breaking, on the other hand, I can definitely get on board with. With two of my pregnancies I stepped away from the computer for months. I was exhausted, emotionally and physically, and writing wasn't my priority. Taking care of myself and the kids was. Once the new baby and I got into a routine, writing became a part of my life again.<br />
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Then there are those many mini-breaks I've taken over the years after finishing a manuscript or when I just can't do it anymore. I'm in full support of taking time off. But quitting? No, not possible. What about you guys? Have you ever thought about quitting, or do you take breaks like I do?prerna picketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06207620652405474672noreply@blogger.com3