Book Update

I've completely edited my first draft, and now I'm on to writing my second draft. A lot of it will be copying and pasting, so I'll have a hard time keep track of my progress. I'm just going to take it chapter by chapter according to my new outline. I'm hoping that changing certain scenes doesn't completely ruin my story.

Book update

So last night I sent my book over to Staples to get it printed and coil-bound, and I'm going to red-pen it to death and keep it. I get to pick it up on Friday, and I am so excited. I've never printed a finished product like this, even a dinky proofread draft. I think I'm going to do this with every draft. 
And I came up with a maybe-title: "How Real". But I don't really like it. But the book needed a title besides [Working Title], so I snagged a line of dialog and made it my title. 
I should have all of my new outlines and character bios done by the time I pick this up on Friday, and I'll be ready to proofread and start my second draft! I tried formatting my manuscript, but I have no idea how to make the page numbers work, so I gave up and I'll just try again once I'm actually ready to print it and ship it to someone.
I feel pretty confident about this book, but I'm trying to not get my hopes up.

Book update

So, I finished my book on June 10. I sent it out to seven or eight people. I've received feedback (no edit included) from two of those people, plus an edited document from two more people, and a handful of "I'll get to it soon, I promise" from everyone else. I'm not upset about this, because I wasn't really expecting anyone to read it, and the proofread versions I've received were super helpful, as was the feedback from the people who didn't edit it.
Today, July 8, I am starting my revision. I'm writing out my outline, my bios, my chapter summaries, all of that, on paper first, so I can have a hard copy of it to reference when I don't want to constantly go back and forth between word documents. Eventually I will put all of this into a second draft notes document like I had for my first draft. On Friday (or Saturday, depending on how I feel after our walk home from the library), I'm going to print out my first draft and red-pen it to death. Then I'm going to start from scratch and retype the whole thing using my proofread copies, my red-penned copy, and my new notes. I'm completely changing the timeline and I'm moving some things around. I really want this draft to be basically seamless.
I think I might start posting my writing updates here instead of on the tumblr that I made, that way my reviews and my writing are all in one spot, and whenever I update it, people will get the notification to their email instead of having to go to a blog to check. Yupp.
I am so stoke to start writing again!

Poetry Assignment 3/2/2014

This week's assignment was about things I remember. It could cover any time in my life, dream, reality, whatever. As long as every line began with "I remember". It didn't have to rhyme or flow well, but I did the best I could with both of those anyways. Here ya go.

I Remember

I remember long walks in the evening, with lilacs in full bloom
I remember the smell of kindergarten, tempera paint all over the room
I remember that mom loves white heart candies at Valentine’s Day; she gets them every year
I remember making gifts by hand, their recipients grinning ear to ear

I remember the first boy I kissed. We’re still friends to this day
I remember the first girl I kissed. We don’t talk, but it’s better that way
I remember the handwriting of all my friends, in second grade, fifth grade, ninth
I remember the names and faces of all of my teachers, even the ones I didn’t like

I remember my first Potter books; he’s a part of me that will never die
I remember my first Disneyland trip; I was twenty years old and I cried
I remember my first library book; many followed as I got older
I remember when my books fit in one bag, and now I’m a book hoarder

I remember when I was pregnant; I grew bigger every day
I remember when he was a newborn, and how I’d hoped he’d stay that way
I remember the little things; his freckles, his smile, his touch, his frown

I remember as much as I can, as long as I write it down

Progress!

I wrote 2700ish words yesterday, bringing my word count up to 14352. I tried to write a bit more last night but once Brent went to bed Bryce refused to let me near the computer. I'm nearing a part that I've already written, I just need to rewrite it and edit it to fit the timeline of my story. This will be a huge leap in my word count and it'll be about a day's worth of writing already written out, so that's nice. I just hope I can make it for so I don't have to scrap it. I have it written into my outline, but sometimes it doesn't work out that way. 

I finally feel like I'm making progress in my story though! That's a good feeling. The beginning was just weighing me down. In my original draft, I just did a quick summary of the events leading up to the scene I have to rewrite, and those events are going to cover three chapters now. It's crazy. 

Writing update!

I just hit 10k words, and I've still got a fair bit of writing to do today. I feel like the beginning is going to be so horribly bumpy, but once I make it past there, I can bust out the middle and the ending, and go back and smooth out the wrinkles and inconsistencies.
I can't believe I'm actually at 10k though. I thought I'd never make it there...
And I'm less than two full chapters in.

Dear Future Reader,

I'm sorry about what I'm going to put Nara through. I really am. Don't hate me. 

-Renae

Poetry Assignment 2/14/2014

This was a repetition exercise. I needed to have repetition in the way lines start and flow, as well as the rhyme scheme. It's so cheesy that it actually kind of makes me sick, but whatever.

I am a mom; my son is my life
I am a woman, and I am a wife

I’m the kisser of knees, and the maker of beds

I’m the reader of bedtime stories, in a pile to be read

I am a writer; words are my art

I am dramatic, and I take things to heart

I’m the drinker of coffee, and the lover of pages

I’m the champion of naps; I can sleep for ages

I am a cuddler; I love to snuggle

I am a student, and I’ve learned to juggle

I’m the giver of hugs and the fixer of toys

I’m the mom who does what she can for her boys

Poetry Assignment 1/25/2014

I was told to list 45-60 words that resonate with m; words I can say with conviction and feel in my heart. Then I needed to take at least seven of those words and write sentences with them, showing what they mean to me and how I relate to them. After that, I needed to write a few lines of poetry using one or more of those sentences or ideas. Poetry is not my thing, but I'm working at it slowly.

List of words: 
books coffee read peaceful alone learning teaching growing motherhood laughter closeness family
holiday longing writing together surrounded chaos beautiful wonderful memories happy mountains love
life time changes crazy habits anxiety summer daydream childhood energy husband musical tired
distractions marriage words friend delight bookshelves pages trust comfort nature remember
knowledge introvert

Seven words and sentences: 
1) The pages of my books are what an oversized sweater would be to most people—they keep me
warm, they keep me safe, and they give me the comfort that no human interaction could ever satisfy.
2) I can talk to customer after customer at work without a problem, but the anxiety that overcomes me
every time my phone rings is crippling and sickening.
3) Motherhood is a lifestyle, not a curse; it is a blessing, not a job.
4) I wish coffee gave me as much energy as a three minute nap gives my son.
5) I’m tired of being so tired; I can sleep for 12 hours and feel like I never went to bed.
6) As an introvert, I don’t crave human interaction; but that doesn’t mean that I like to be alone.
7) My family are my friends, and my friends are my family; genetics don’t mean anything when it comes
to the people you love.

Lines of poetry: 
The pages of my books are what an oversized sweater
Would be to most people—
They keep me warm
They keep me safe
They give me the comfort that no human interaction could ever satisfy
I treasure the written word
As if it were so delicate that one day
It might just disappear