All The Writerly Writerness

Dear ones!

I've been in a drafting hole, and I'm still there. (Probably you've seen, oh, maybe a tweet or two about mucking through the mess of this draft.) And in a couple days, I'm leaving for vacation!

I glance wistfully at this blog from time to time, well aware of how I've been neglecting it. Yes, it's summertime time, and yes, I have a lot going on. But once I'm back, I intend to toss up a few in-house critiques for you. SO GET READY.

Why in-house critiques? Because we all need Other Eyeballs on our work. Because this is a safe place (I will gouge out the eyes of anyone who says mean things to you) (Okay, not really, but you know what I mean). Because the reason this community has grown so strong is because of the GIVING. It's one of my favorite things about the writer world. I'll never tire of being a part of this.

So don't give up on me! I'm still here for you.

Lots of new ground for me, now that I've got a book deal. There's definitely a learning curve, and Danielle has been a great coach! You may remember that, when I sold GATHERING STORM, I also sold UNTITLED YA. I was simultaneously thrilled and worried--selling a book that didn't exist yet was probably one of the scariest unknowns for me. And boom! It was handed to me, and onward we went.

So for the past few weeks, in addition to drafting my 1000 words a day, I've had to work up a proposal for 3 potential UNTITLED YA choice, which included a synopsis, opening chapters, and character sketches. The choices are:

1. The book I'm currently drafting.
2. The book I wrote just prior to GATHERING STORM.
3. The very first book I ever wrote, reimagined and rewritten.

All 3 are YA fantasy. All 3 are potential fits for my brand as a YA fantasy author.  All 3 will land, at some point soon, on my editor's desk.

I could drown in what-ifs (What if she hates all 3 ideas? What if the one she chooses ends up being the worst/hardest one? What if someone yells APRIL FOOL?). But I'm choosing not to.

Then there's the amazing thing that happened just a couple days ago. My editor emailed me to let me know I'd received my first blurb--and it's from a Very Big Name, and I almost forgot how to breathe properly as I was reading (and re-reading and re-reading and re-reading) the email.

I actually sank to my knees in the kitchen and thanked God. And then my knees hurt. And I LAUGHED, because it didn't matter WHAT hurt just then.

This blurb. It's...amazing. I feel so affirmed and encouraged and can't stop thinking that this person REALLY LOVED MY NOVEL--and loved it enough to gush about it! And those words are going on my book cover, and everyone will see them.

I am undone.

And so, in the midst of a difficult draft and charting new territory and pressing forward, I received an incredible gift that I never expected. And it's fueled me, so that now I'm feeling all Avenger-like as I muscle through this new story.

Just. Keep. Writing.  Always.

Those words aren't just for me--they're for all of you! No matter where you are in your journey, you really do just have to keep writing. And keep writing. And keep writing some more.

The good things will happen when you least expect them. The fabulous things will happen when you have NO idea anything's on its way. And they'll all be perfectly timed--your perfect story. Your perfect journey. Because it's YOURS.

And that's me, really! I'll see you all when I'm back from my travels.

Write on!