YAY! and Spy

So I officially met my 35,000 word goal!  Huzzah!  I'm guessing I'll need another 10k to tie the loose ends together but I think that's okay, my drafts are a little heavy when I finish them and this will give me some room to cut things out.

My new goal for September is to finish writing this first draft and then as hard as it will be for me...I'm going to take the advice that I haven't had to guts to use yet.  I'm going to let the manuscript sit.  And then I'm going to read it cover to cover and see how it sounds...

In the meantime, I have so many different ideas I'm just itching to start, hopefully this will keep me distracted enough to leave Parasites alone.  I have two ideas that have floated to the top, I'm not sure which one will win, but I'm excited to find out!  Yay!

So here's this weeks video...  (and in case you are left wondering we did eat the entire bunny in the process of filming and no it wasn't hollow)

BECOME A BETTER WRITER W/O WRITING PART 4--SPY

p.s. I know you have to write to become better at it...

Balance

I ran away tonight.  I'm not proud to admit it, but it was Mommy meltdown time.  I shared some choice words with my husband that my kiddos witnessed... about wanting to be treated like a human being--you know actually get to check my email or not constantly be getting something for someone or using the bathroom by myself (it's the little things in life).  Which is okay to talk about, as long as you can spare your family the explosion that goes with it.

So I laced up my shoes, told my husband to put the kids to bed, and I took off.

Taking off might have appeared to be a waddle jog, but it got my heart pumping and my lungs burning, which was key.  I was feeling so ticked.  About everything.  Being a mom is hard.  I just wanted some time FOR ME.

Sometimes you wonder if it's too much to ask to shave your legs every once in a while...

But on my run, I cooled off and realized some things.

I've had this calendar of goals this month, I've been really trying to stay balanced in my life.  About a month and a half ago I was feeling super out of control, like everything was just swirling around me and I couldn't get a handle on anything.

I decided it was time to get some balance.  No I wasn't perfect, but it felt good to be working on things in different aspects of my life.

As the month started winding down, I realized I wasn't near my writing goal, but that if I wrote 1000 words a day, I'd make it.  So I did it.  I wrote and wrote and wrote.I had to sacrifice more time than normal to get this goal accomplished.  I had to stay up later or let more house work go than usual or turn on another TV show for the kids.

Back to my run...  I realized things shifted out of balance again.
When things get out of balance...Mommy melts down.

So even though I'm happy I've written as much as I have...I realize it's not worth getting this out of whack.  I need to exercise, I need to spend time with my kids, I need to clean my house (even though I try to convince myself not to...), and I need to write.

But I need BALANCE.

This next months goals are going to be scaled back accordingly.  And even though I ended up back where I started, with things getting out of whack, at least now I realize what I need to do.

As I finished my run, there was this woman walking up the other side of the street at a super quick pace.  I could hear her cry/yelling something like:  "He just won't listen!  It's like he didn't even care!"  She was so upset she didn't care who heard her phone conversation.  And I wanted to hug her.  I didn't because that would have been freaky-weird and she probably would have maced me or something.

But I knew exactly how she was feeling...and that once she finished her walk, she'd feel a whole lot better.
          

HELP! What do you write and how do you know it's a good fit?

So I've been writing this middle grade book... (it's called Parasite's Don't Wear Pink--about an only child adjusting to the idea of having a sibling)  and I love it.  The word count over there is creeping up and I'm almost done with my first draft!  Huzzah!    

I like writing from this eighth grade perspective, because it was a big year for me--I think it was the first time I tried to figure out who I was/wanted to be...(this happens every few years or so).

I'm enjoying it so much, but I don't know if I'm getting it right.   So how do you know?

Here's what I've done so far...

1) I have read a million middle grade contemporary books. I love upper middle grade, it's just fun.

2).  Researched writing MG through blogs, etc.

3.) I'm trying to find a few MG crit partners... (If you need a CRIT PARTNER and you write or read MG, let me know, because I'm still searching...)

When I wrote Etched in Glass...I thought I'd always do YA, but I've had so many ideas lately that just seem like they'd work better for an MG audience... the problem is...I've heard so much about nailing an MG voice and how hard it is... so how do you know??

Why did you pick what you write?

Do you switch it up?

How can you tell it's working?

Seriously I need to know.

Become a Better Writer without Writing PART 3

Hey guys,

I know you've been dying to know what's next in our video series, so here goes:  

Become a Better Writer W/O Writing...Live (PART II)

Hey guys,

Here's the video of the week.  Again, YOU HAVE TO WRITE TO BE A BETTER WRITER...but sometimes we need to procrastinate in the name of writing.  (Which is kinda why I've been making videos about writing :) )

5 ways to become a better writer without writing

My little brother likes making movies.  So we made one.  Just a few things before you actually watch the thing.

First off:
I KNOW you have to WRITE to be a writer or even to be a better one.  Just wanted to make that clear.

Second:
I'm not sure you'll ever think of me the same after watching this.

Third:
For better or worse, this will be a five part series--so stayed tuned for part II, coming next week.

...I guess I can't stall anymore...

Happy Birthday Squirrel

I couldn't resist posting both pics.  It is impossible to get them to look at the camera at the same time.  Believe me, I've tried. 

Today is my first born's b-day.  Three years old.  That, to me, is amazing.  Sometimes I'm not sure where the time goes, and other times I know exactly where it's gone--but I wouldn't trade these three years with her for anything.  Being a mom is the most challenging thing I've done in my life (and if you think that's pathetic, your kid doesn't have the spunk mine does).  

She is wonderful, brave, outgoing, an awesome big sister, scary smart, super girly, stubborn as all get out... I don't know how all that personality is packed into that tiny body, but it is and I love her for it.     

Her third birthday made me realize something crazy...I've almost been writing for three years.  Holy Cow.  No wonder my husband said:  Shouldn't you be published by now...

So if you're reading honey, uh yeah, not how it works--at least not for me. 

The reason I started writing though, is because someone gave me advice and it's, hands down, the best advice I've gotten about being a stay-at-home-mom, and now I'm passing it on to you:

Get a hobby. 

And not because you'll have loads of time to do it, you won't.  But you will live for those moments.

The days you spend cleaning, changing, washing, sorting, cooking, when you work all day and never get anything done--having a hobby gives you have something measurable to accomplish.  Something to run to do during nap time.  

Maybe I'll never be published, maybe a hobby is all writing will ever be for me, but I love it and that's what matters.  

If anything, it keeps me sane, which I'm sure the kids will appreciate someday.  

So, Happy Birthday Squirrel.  You brighten my life more than you'll ever know.  Thanks for helping me find my passion. 

-Mom