Cares:
I found an old notebook, and each morning, I write my daily goals in it. You have no idea how much satisfaction I get from crossing these off before I go to bed.
I care about craft books. In fact, I’m a little obsessed with them. I just finished Revision & Self-Editing by James Scott Bell. Basically everything you want to know about writing jammed between two covers. I’m in the middle of Getting into Character and Goal, Motivation, and Conflict.
What do I want to read next?
Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell (this will be a reread).
Finding Your Writer’s Voice by Thaisa Frank and Dorothy Wall.
Techniques of the Selling Author by Dwight Swain. I want to get a good grasp on scene and sequel and this book dives in.
Concerns:
None really, other than every single banana we bought at Walmart last Monday was bruised. Every single one. If this isn’t a tragedy, I don’t know what is.
Celebrations:
Fifty more pages to go on my revisions for Beneath a Velvet Sky. I’ve done some major rehauling for this book. I’m learning to be ruthless cutter and much less self-indulgent. If it doesn’t move the story forward, snip, snip, snip!
While I was walking Brogan and Bubba the other day, the heroine in my future story (which has been percolating in my mind for sometime) bared her soul to me.
Brogan is taking very scheduled naps during the day and being such a trooper when bedtime rolls around. Talk about a one-eighty from last week!
And my biggest celebration…. Jesus loves me. He loves YOU too! Can’t get much better than that!
Question to Ponder: What are your cares, concerns, and celebrations on this rainy Friday morning?
Hey Jill! Definitely look into Revision and Self-Editing. It's pretty much got everything you could want to know about writing!
Sally! YAY for your celebration. I snorted when I read the He's ten! 🙂 Getting bills paied off is ALWAYS a celebration!
Tabitha! Well hello over there in the Downunder! How fun that you came to visit my blog! It is definitely a labor of love. Thanks for following me! I hope you enjoy my posts – I try to make them helpful. 🙂
Hey Katie,
I just joined up to follow your blog. Great post today. It's Saturday afternoon down here in sunny Brisbane, Australia.
I write in between mothering my two boys. Which means I write when others sleep.
All the best on polishing that writing, Katie. I am in the process of doing that myself. What a long 'labour of love' job hey.
Have a great weekend.
You can find me over at tabithabird.blogspot.com
Katie, I'm with you on the bananas. That's stinkin' frustrating.
My celebration is that my husband sold his motorcycle! (He wanted to, by the way.) This means we'll get the last of our medical bills from the birth of our little guy paid off.
And he's only ten!
Just kidding. He's less than a year. 🙂
I own JSB's Plot and Structure, but hadn't heard of Revisions and Self-Editing. I'll definitely have to purchase it! I'm in the middle of Nancy Kress's Dynamic Characters. It's really good.
Sounds like you are having a great writing summer! So nice to hear your enthusiasm!
Wendy! Wayne's World ROCKS! I haven't been at the party all day. 🙁 I've been literally slaving over a total of five pages! ACK! They would NOT cooperate. I refused to get online until I could whip them into shape. They were worse than a strong-will, stubborn child at bedtime! Okay, enough of that. I hope you were able to nap! And I hope God gives you lots and lots of direction. And YAY for the novel idea! That's always fun!
Jeannette! Welcome to Brain Throw Up! I'm glad you stopped by for a visit! Thanks for liking my post. 🙂 I'm glad we agree on the bruised bananas. Prayers for you and your traveling and the Memorial service!!! That has to be bad if you'd rather eat a rotten banana. 🙂 How fun about the proposal!! Let me know how it goes!
Marybeth – I got your 3 chs. I'll hopefully be able to read some this weekend. 🙂
Dear Katie:
I see your face and name on a lot of blogs I follow, so thought i'd pop over and take a peek.
I love this post!
I, too, hate bruised bananas. Yukkk! I have taken fruit back to WalMart and gotten my money back; don't they have a "Satisfaction Guaranteed" policy?
My cares and concerns are one item rolled into many: Traveling next weekend to my Dad's memorial service in CA. Lots of family problems there. I'd rather eat a rotten banana! Or a bunch of them… I am praying for wisdom and grace.
Celebration: I'm nearly done with my proposal that AMG requested, and will send it out tomorrow. Hallelujah!
Blessings on Brogan for helping you feel normal again,
Jen
Katie,
Saw you at the party. Party time. Wayne's World–you crack up!!! 😀
Just said bye to my sister. 🙁
Great job on snipping. It's hard killing our darlings, but worth it. I can't wait to read your books!
Cares: I am dog tired and I go to an interview for the local paper tonight. I mean DOG tired. Hope to squeeze a nap in.
Concerns: I need to be checking in with God more about direction.
Celebrations: I had a meaningful visit with my sister and I came up with a strong new novel idea this week.
Wishing you a funny weekend filled with creativity and flare!
~Wendy
Thanks for understanding where I'm at Katie. Sometimes this journey can be slightly frustrating. Just when you think you have enough info and knowledge to be great, you learn more and get better! UGH! It's wonderful to have such a great blogging network that can understand what I'm going through 😀
Jody – Maas' book is excellent. There's lots of examples from other books. One thing you might want to consider… Fire in Fiction is his most recent book. I heard it's super similar to Breakout, only with examples from more recently published books. You might want to look into that.
Thanks for stopping by Jennifer! I hope to see more of you! Part on over at Rachelle's blog party. 🙂 I'll have to stop by your blog as well!
I only have a sec but wanted to leave a quick comment to say thank you for the Revision and Self-Editing suggestion! I'm revising my book right now so I can't wait to check it out.
I just stumbled across your blog from Rachelle's — I look forward to reading more!
You are doing some great reading, Katie! I'm still plugging through the Revisions and Self-Editing book! Next on my list is the Maass Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook. I thought it would be a good one to use as I start to plot my next book. Then I'm heading onto the GMC book, thanks to you! You made it sound so good!
Sherrinda! 4000 words is DEFINITELY something to celebrate! That's phenomenal! WoOT! This morning, instead of lukewarm water, I'm toasting to you with a glass of OJ! And I echo your prayer for your son.
Marybeth! Welcome to being a writer, girl!! This is all just part of the game, TRUST ME! I wrote my very first book two years ago, and I thought it was a gem. I knew nothing about the publishing industry, I just knew I loved writing. I queried one publishing house. They asked for the full and sent it back a week later. This was two years ago. I look back on that first draft (I technically revised it, but what did I know about the craft? Nothing!) and laugh. Sort of that pat-the-little-kids-head-chuckle…Sort of that "You're so cute and naive" laugh. I've since revised As High as the Heavens A LOT. And guess what? I'm not done! I'm going to revise it one last time this summer. After that… I'm not going to touch it anymore. Because honestly, I don't really think that one will ever get published. It was sort of a warm up. My second book was better than my first. And my third is better than my second. It's a constant learning process!
My care is about the joining the gym this week. I'm intent upon keeping up with it and getting ready and comfortable in a bathing suit as well as helping my DH who recently quit smoking get back in shape also.
My concerns are geared toward my novel. I'm getting nervous that I may not actually have as great of a story as I once believed. But I am working hard to change what i don't like and get it moving along.
My celebration is some life progress that is being made. Hard to explain, but it's nice to start feeling proud of yourself!
Welllll, on this sunny, hot 100 degree day, I care about getting another 1000 words down on my WIP. And I care that I am going to see The Proposal today with a friend (that is my treat for getting so much writing done this week!)
My concern is NOT as funny as yours (tragic banana bruises, indeed!) My concern is my 18 year old son driving back home from Lubbock after a week of camp. May the Lord keep his eye lids glued OPEN and keep him alert!!!
My celebration is two-fold: I, for the very first time in my life, have stayed home all alone all week!!!! This is HUGE! I am usually terrified and go stay with friends. But I was a big girl and took some Tylenol PM and stayed all by my lonesome.(I can say this now because they are coming back today) Of course, getting 4000 words in on my WIP was another huge celebration. 😉