Cares:
Mark Twain is quoted to have said: I would have written a shorter letter, but I didn’t have the time.
I think Mark Twain pretty much sums up my venture into rough draft writing. Every story I’ve written has turned out to be around 100,000 words the first time around. Inevitably, I whittle that number count down to 80,000, give or take a few. I can totally relate to Mark Twain. My first drafts ramble. This one is my longest yet. I’m past the 100,000 word mark and have nine more important/climactic scenes to go. Hip-hip-hurray for the delete button!
Concerns:
Yeah, um, Christmas shopping? Still haven’t done it yet. It’s going to be a busy weekend.
Husband = sick, sick, sick. Please, oh pretty please, let this not spread to the rest of us!
Celebrations:
So close to finishing the rough draft of Wishing on Willows! Makes me bounce in my seat just thinking about it. There’s always a small part of me that freaks out when I endeavor to write a new book. A small part that says, “Those last three were just a fluke. You won’t be able to do it again.” I’m quite sure that voice won’t ever go away, but it’s nice to shove it in the closet for the time being.
Question to Ponder: What are your cares, concerns, and celebrations today?
I can't wait to see your kiss-fest entry! And I love the Twain quote- he was a pretty smart guy.
I'm celebrating another finished revision. My first draft of HATSHEPSUT was 120,000 words and I've cut it down to 95,000. I've got a couple more revisions to go and then I'm querying. I think that will be cause for celebration. 🙂
Praises are Holy Spirit guidance with my WIP.
Concerns? Get my house clean since Mom arrives tomorrow! Yep, I'm 54 and still want my house nice for her!!!
Your blog has enriched my writing life!
Blessings for a Merry Christmas!
Patti
http://www.pattilacy.com/blog
Thanks for entering my book give away contest – you were one of the winners!
Concern; hoping one day I get to my 100k mark like you. And my problem then would be deleting, not scrambling for words. 🙂 Have a great one, Katie!
I'll try to join the kiss fest on Monday
hope ur hubby is better soon & you all stay well!
Cares: While I'm celebrating and planning for a turkey dinner there are people who don't have cereal for breakfast. While I don't have my shopping done there are people who have no rent money. While I'm busy decorating there are people who have no walls around them. It's an unbalanced world and my prayers seem so inadequate.
Concerns: No personal ones. So glad to hear your DH is feeling a little better. Stay well yourself!
Celebrations: My daughter met her agent's second round of revisions deadline today.
Katie,
Cares: My husband and I have a shopping date tomorrow. Well, Santa's joining us, too. We're on a mission. Yes, we are late to the Christmas party as usual.
Concerns: We finally got the tree up. Still no ornaments but it's up!
Celebrations: Taking my daughters to a choir Christmas concert this weekend! I can't wait for that. Love Christmas choral music.
Katie, I pray that your hubby heals and that no one else catches it. Especially that sweet little one. And congrats on being almost done with the rough.
I'm unplugging next week and I stopped by to wish you and your family a Merry Christmas. See you after Christmas. 🙂
Sorry your hubby is sick. Hope the rest of you stay well.
Concerns: my heater has been out all day, it is cold and I am waiting on repairman sometime tonight.
Celebrations: I cleaned my house yesterday and got all of my Christmas decorations up!
Found you over at Tara's blog. Congrats on your agent success. And great blog!
Cares: buying all of the gifts before Christmas!
Concerns: (see above)
Celebrations: My brother is here!
Cares: I bought too many gifts this year – hubby is not a happy budget-man.
Concerns: My sister is coming for a week-long visit (which I'm happy about) from Christmas day through New Year's day. My husband's personality and hers don't do well together. She likes him, but she drives my poor hubby nuts! I hope he can behave himself.
Celebrations: Two weeks off to spend quality mommy time with my kids! 🙂
Holly – why do your 3 C's always make me laugh? And smile? And MISS you!?! Can't wait for our gift exchange. And I need to talk to you about the adoption research! Very interested. I've been thinking about you a lot this last week…knew it was getting to be THAT time again. Could you send letters asking for support? I think Tim and Amy did that, didn't they? LOVE YOU a million bajillion!
Wendy – oops! I already sent you one. You can ignore it. 🙂
To all my commenters – THANKS for the comments and for sharing your 3 C's. I always enjoy Fridays. I'll be thinking about you all and praying you have a very merry Christmas. On a good note – hubby is feeling MUCH better today.
Adios friends! Blessings to you all!
Katie
🙁 about the sick husband. I hope he's hale and hearty by Christmas and that you and the little man avoid the illness.
My cares, concerns, and celebrations? Editing, editing, editing. 🙂
Poor Ryan! Hugs to the sicky…hope you and Brogan don't catch it too. That would make for a bummer of a Christmas.
Cares: I'm switching to a new work computer at the moment. While I'm happy to to be getting upgraded to the latest and greatest, it sure is disruptive to my actual work. We geeky software developers kind of have a lot of stuff on these machines and transferring it all over to another one is a bear!! Grr.
Concerns: Same old thang. We're starting our official adoption research after the holidays. It would be really great if our Christmas tree started sprouting some Benjamins right about now. No idea how we're gonna afford this!
Celebrations: It's Study Day at the church, which means free food…and lots of it! I realize I am not a student anymore and that perhaps this could be considered "stealing candy from a baby." But I figure if I have to give up my husband for a night to a screaming crowd of college kids, then I deserve a little something 🙂
I am loving the idea of official kissing day on Monday! I'll have to remember to get my scene up as well.
I hope your husband feels better soon. I can relate. Mine 2 year old and husband are both sick. 🙁
Hey, Katie! I'm up in my future hometown helping decorate/put together a Christmas party for tomorrow. It's a lot of work–but fun!
Hmm… So, I don't have the support yet for an apartment by myself and roommates aren't an option. So that's my concern right now. I found out on Wed that my move-in date has been pushed to the end of January. I'm praying God will give me what I need to do this. It's hard being in this transition phase.
Oh, hope your hubby gets healthy quick!
Congrats on your first draft. Doesn't it feel great to finish one? Ahh!
3 C's: Not finished Christmas shopping and I don't even have tape, but I'm celebrating anyhow!
I totally hear you on the concerns. I'm sick too and today my daughter said she had a "stuffy throat." Not happy about that. I don't want to be nursing sick kids over Christmas.
I feel the exact same way about writing! Like, yeah, you did it once, but everything else you write is sure to be worthless. I just have to push through that and remember that I'm a multi-drafter and my first book didn't look good on the first pass either. Or the fifth. Or even the tenth.
Cares/Concerns: Finances.
But I'm happy to be out of my writing rut and thankful we're all healthy here. I'm sorry about your hubby! NO mistletoe allowed at your place, right? LOL
Have an awesome day and congrats on the wordage! btw, can you pass your rambling to me? My stories end up short. LOL
Concerns: getting everything purchased and packed in time for Xmas! Ack!
Ooh! I LOVE that Twain quote!
Hope your hubby is well for the holiday, and that the rest of the family stays germ free. And good luck with your rough draft! I'm seeing the end of mine in sight, too. My goal was Christmas, but all the related prep and stuff has consumed me, so I don't think it's going to happen. But I'm close! And I'm happy with that.
Merry Christmas, Katie!
Get shopping girl! Sorry the hubby is sick. :O)
Wonderful work on Wishing for Willows. I hope hubby is better soon and that it doesn't spread. And may all the shops shelves be loaded with what you seek this weekend.
I'm thriled your WIP is going so well and so bountiful too! I personally can't stand the delete button and have nothing against big books 😉
Cares; Last day of classes before official break. Desperately I do not want to drive DD.
COncerns; that my husband and two sons will each bring home their limit of dead goose.
Celebrations; I've finished all my shopping and most of my edits.
Hoping the bugs flee. Bugs flea. I'll stop.
Cares: I remain steadfast with edits…this is my least favorite part of writing.
Concerns: Some people are very hard to love and this makes me sad.
Celebrations: We are going out to a nice dinner w/ friends tonight and then to a Christmas open house…Party! I'm getting out of the house (w/out the chicklets). It's a good day. 😉
Ignore my question on FB. I figured it out.
~ Wendy
Hope your hubby feels better!!
My care/concern is to finish up shopping today.
My celebration si that my kiddo has a Christmas concert today at school and I can't wait to see it!
I have the opposite word-count problem. I always tend to be a little short and have to add in more to bulk it up. 🙂
3 C's – I'm so glad to have arrived home from vacation last night but have a lot on my plate today since family is coming into town this afternoon. Yikes!
Christmas shopping is done. Well, need a couple of small stocking items. Hope your DH feels better and you and your little one don't catch whatever he has.
Katie, sorry to hear your husband is sick! Praying the germs don't infect the rest of you.
Cares: Finishing the last stretch of my WIP. I've stalled from typing THE END. My steam seems to have run out!
Concerns: Finding a gift for my husband that spells how much I adore him.
Celebrations: It's Christmas! The time to revel in the love of God and his sacrifice to depart from His only Son, that I may never lose my relationship with Him. Talk about giving!
Am praying for your hubby… and for you and little man to that you dont' get sick!
Cares: ONE WEEK UNTIL CHRISTMAS! WOOHOO!!!
Concerns: It's only one week until Christmas… and I have a lot to do! Mostly, this is at my job where we are crazy busy… but I still have a ton to do at home to get ready for Christmas too!
Celebrations: I finished editing my Sandwich book! THe first round of edits anyway… next round is the "print out the MS" kind.
Yay on your WIP! I can't believe you are getting so much accomplished while working…especially during this crazy month! I'll be praying that the sickness in your family doesn't spread!
Praise: I only work until noon today and then I am off for THREE weeks! Happy editing to ME!
Concern: I gained 4 pounds this week…YIKES! I sure don't want to keep gaining over the holidays. I'm hoping I can be good since I will be home. (no more goodies brought to the office!!!)
Oh, how exciting to be so close to finishing!! That went fast!!
Praises–I'm officially done with my mental Chirstmas to-do list, at least with what I remembered to do! Now I can sit back and enjoy the last week of the holiday season guilt free, especially because my Mom is arriving today.
Concern–I'm wrapping up (no pun intended) my research for my next book. I keep playing my first scene over and over in my mind, trying to work out how I want it to go. I just hope I've done enough research so that when I do start writing, I won't have to continually stop to look up things!
Sorry about your husband being sick, Katie! That's no fun at all. I can't believe you have to delete around 20,000 words right off the bat. I've never had to do that, and I'm not sure I would be very good at it.
I'm celebrating Friday, today, and the fact that I don't have to go to work this one day before the kids get out of school.