I just finished the semester (including finals!) last week and now I'm on the hunt to find a job. And how successful have I been? Well, as of right now, I've found...absolutely nothing!!! It's a little depressing, really, when you can't find work and you don't have any money. And then I laugh when I think about what I really want to do with my life: become a writer. I'll be publishing book after book after book (this is the dream) and still have no money! But at least I'll be enjoying myself while in my poverty. =)
Of course, if anyone has any possible job options, don't hesitate to let me know. In the meantime, I'll be writing and dreaming of large numbers in my bank account.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Monday, April 13, 2009
My First Novel
I'm quickly realizing how terrible I am at writing on my blog! I mostly blame it on the fact that I'm a student nearing finals and simply don't have time, but in all honesty, I use every free writing moment to work on my story.
I haven't written about my story--or my first novel--yet, so I decided it was about time. I keep saying that I'm going to be a children's and YA author someday, but without the proof, it's hard to believe. So, for the past 5 years now (that's really a guesstimate...I think I began it in 2004), I've been working on a YA novel whenever I can. Currently, I've written 224 pages and counting. My goal is to finish it by April 23, as I am using it (a FINISHED manuscript) for my final project in my Children's Publishing Class. This has been just what I need--an excuse to work on it without feeling bad! I've been trying to follow Shannon Hale's advise of writing 1,000 words a day, but between school and homework and social life and sleep...sometimes I can't meet that goal. Now, I'm reaching the finish line and I'm pushing myself harder than ever before.
The first question everyone asks me when I tell them that I'm writing a novel is, "What's it about?" And my answer: "It's kind of hard to explain." Yes, it is a YA romance (although I wouldn't quite compare it to Bella and Edward), and yes, it is a fantasy, but only because I completely made up the land where it takes place (sorry--no vampires or witches). It does take place in Medieval time, and there is a prince and a servant girl. In summary, my story is about a servant girl who has to make a great sacrifice in order to save the Princes' life...and hopefully gain the "happily ever after" that she deserves.
The second question I often get asked is, "Are you going to get your novel published?" And my answer is: "YES!!! (well, at least, I hope so.) I do have some plans as to where I will send my novel after I finish writing and editing it (which will probably be 5 or 6 times). Of course, I've learned a lot about the children's publishing world this past semester, so I would really like to find an agent first. Agents are the best way to get your foot in the door.
I might share a few scenes from my novel on my blog someday, keeping in my copyright issues, but not today. My story is really the love of my life right now, and I can get a little over protective. You definitely know you're a writer when you catch yourself thinking about your story and your characters ALL the time, which I do. But I LOVE it. There are very few things I would rather be doing than working on it, which reminds me...I need to get writing!
I haven't written about my story--or my first novel--yet, so I decided it was about time. I keep saying that I'm going to be a children's and YA author someday, but without the proof, it's hard to believe. So, for the past 5 years now (that's really a guesstimate...I think I began it in 2004), I've been working on a YA novel whenever I can. Currently, I've written 224 pages and counting. My goal is to finish it by April 23, as I am using it (a FINISHED manuscript) for my final project in my Children's Publishing Class. This has been just what I need--an excuse to work on it without feeling bad! I've been trying to follow Shannon Hale's advise of writing 1,000 words a day, but between school and homework and social life and sleep...sometimes I can't meet that goal. Now, I'm reaching the finish line and I'm pushing myself harder than ever before.
The first question everyone asks me when I tell them that I'm writing a novel is, "What's it about?" And my answer: "It's kind of hard to explain." Yes, it is a YA romance (although I wouldn't quite compare it to Bella and Edward), and yes, it is a fantasy, but only because I completely made up the land where it takes place (sorry--no vampires or witches). It does take place in Medieval time, and there is a prince and a servant girl. In summary, my story is about a servant girl who has to make a great sacrifice in order to save the Princes' life...and hopefully gain the "happily ever after" that she deserves.
The second question I often get asked is, "Are you going to get your novel published?" And my answer is: "YES!!! (well, at least, I hope so.) I do have some plans as to where I will send my novel after I finish writing and editing it (which will probably be 5 or 6 times). Of course, I've learned a lot about the children's publishing world this past semester, so I would really like to find an agent first. Agents are the best way to get your foot in the door.
I might share a few scenes from my novel on my blog someday, keeping in my copyright issues, but not today. My story is really the love of my life right now, and I can get a little over protective. You definitely know you're a writer when you catch yourself thinking about your story and your characters ALL the time, which I do. But I LOVE it. There are very few things I would rather be doing than working on it, which reminds me...I need to get writing!
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
My New Look
I'm still getting used to this whole blogging thing, so I played around with the website, www.thecutestblogontheblock.com, and found this amazing background! I especially like that I'm writing on a scroll now, which just seemed to fit. Maybe there are a few other new tricks yet to be learned, so stay tuned! Who knows what I'll do next (I certainly don't.)
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