IWSG was created by the Captain Ninja Alex J. Cavanaugh. To visit the IWSG participants, please click here. Our co-hosts are Charity Bradford, S.A. Larsen, AJ, Tamara Narayan, Allison Gammons, and Tanya Miranda.
Last week, Chrys Fey nominated me for the Infinity Dream Blog Award. Thank you, Chrys! Isn't it a pretty award! One of the rules to accepting this award is to write eleven facts about me as well as to answer Chrys's questions. For my eleven facts, I've decided to use them to display my insecurities of the blank page.
1. The last time I wrote any story from beginning to end (first draft) was in August 2014.
2. That short story was "Paper Lanterns," which is coming out in the Untethered Realms' anthology Mayhem in the Air in Fall 2015.
3. The last time I wrote a novella-length story from start to finish (first draft) was in September 2012.
4. That novella was Nightmare Ever After, which is in the collection Once upon a Nightmare.
5. The last novel-length work I wrote from beginning to the end was in November 2011 (NaNoWriMo).
6. That novel was a YA Contemporary manuscript titled Starred.
7. I wrote Starred in twelve days.
8. Starred was shy about 7,000 words from the 50,000 total I needed for NaNoWriMo.
9. I spent November 12-15, 2011 writing another 8,000 words to reach 51,000 words in Starred.
10. I've spent most of the latter part of 2012 to now either rewriting old work or editing it for publication.
11. Now it's actually time to write new work from scratch (just me, the computer/keyboard, an outline, and the blank page), and I'm nervous I've forgotten how to write.
Now, these are the three questions Chrys has asked the people she'd given the award to and my answers.
1. What is something you’d do tomorrow if money wasn’t
an object? That's a really good question. My first thought was to buy all the books, but it might be nice to travel somewhere. Maybe visit some of my online friends.
2. What is your biggest, wildest dream? I'd love to have a book/series turned into a movie or TV show, and I still want to win a Tony Award. I used to think I'd get one from acting, but now I think it's more likely I could get one from writing a musical/play.
3. What are your goals for your blog for the next year? My blogging goal for next year is to blog at least two times a month and to continue to visit blogs and comment upon them.
I'm supposed to nominate people too, but I feel guilty leaving people out, so if you want the award and questions, let me know.
Read Reborn from the beginning or Chapter Twenty-Eight.
And I want to extend a special thank you to everyone who helped out with the Once upon a Nightmare Blog Tour (June 22-26 and bonus post June 29). Whether you hosted me or just visited those bloggers who did and commented on the posts, it means a world to me. I had 142 individual bloggers who took the time to comment on the posts and 280 comments between the 14 host blogs. I spent the majority of last week and some this week returning said comments on their blogs. I even sold a few books too and received a couple new five star reviews, which is always nice. Thank you! As mentioned, I also had a bonus tour stop. The wonderful Shah Wharton has a small excerpt from Once upon a Nightmare: A Collection and a fantastic review of the collection up on her blog.
51 comments:
Yes! A Tony Award! I want one of those too :) I also really really want my book to be made into a movie.
A whole novel in 12 days??? I wish I could write that fast. Congrats on the award!
Wow! A Tony Award would be cool. I too would like one of my books to be made into a movie. Fingers crossed for you and me :)
Starting a new story from scratch is always a scary thing.
I want one of my books turned into a movie as well, just preferably not for the SyFy Channel.
Congratulations on the award.
Congrats on the award!
Twelve days??? Nicely done...whoa. You go! I can hear in your voice the underlining insecurity that you've worked so long on a few projects you're nervous about starting something new. 'Can I do it?' I'm glad you brought this up, because I've recently had the same feelings. Glad to know I'm not alone. BTW - your rawk. You'll get it done!
Great questions. Awesome how well your blog tour went. Hopefully you found some new people who did not know about your books.
I received the award, too. My 11 things were all over the map though.
I spent so long with my five book series, it was difficult getting into some new fiction. I'm finally doing it though.
Oh yeah! A TV series or movie would be epic. And I totally get the "starting again" fear. I faced that one after having my baby. Still, once you dive in, it all comes back--no matter how long it's been. Sending the muse your way!
You're welcome, Cherie! :)
Your wildest dream is the same as mine. I would love many of my books to be made into movies. And traveling would be my number one thing to do if money was no object.
Great post. Nice to learn a little more about you. :-)
Here's my link if you'd like to drop by :-)
Anna from Elements of Writing
That's the part that kills me about awards- who to pass them onto? Decisions and choices are not my friend. LOL
I get scared I've forgotten how to write when I don't get a new idea every few weeks. I can't imagine how I'd feel if more than a year had passed. The thing is, I never forget, so I doubt you will too. =)
Wow, 12 days? I'm impressed. Congrats on the blog tour success. I enjoyed it. :)
I wonder how it would feel to "see" your story on a screen. It has to be both terrifying and exhilarating!
How much time did it take you to figure out all those dates for the stories you've written? I scarcely know when I first began writing my story.
Your blog tour was awesome so I'm glad it was a big success. And here's to winning that Tony Award! We could all watch the awards on tv and say we knew you when. :)
I wouldn't know the dates of when I started WIPs or finished them, tbh. Go you for keeping all that information to hand. Also, I wrote Finding Esta during a NaNoWriMo, and in around two weeks. But it's changed so much (and doubled in size) since then. :)
Best of luck on your new novel! :)
shahwharton.com
Ooh, come and visit South Africa! So many amazing things to see and do here! And you can meet at least one online friend ;-)
The blank page is scary, but also pretty exciting--the endless creative options it presents! And I'm CERTAIN you haven't forgotten how to write ;-)
Congratulations on the award. Very well deserved. I always feel bad about nominating bloggers as well. I'm glad your blog tour went well and yay, for the sales. Don't worry, the writing will come. Until then, have some cake:) Wishing you well.
Good for you for getting your work out there. I have the opposite problem--too many new projects, and not enough rewriting and submitting.
I plan to spend the rest of the year fixing that.
I'm always daunted by a blank page as well and that's why I do NaNoWriMo. It forces me to forget about the quality and just write. I hope you find a way to overcome that fear and when you do let me know!
I'd love to visit some of my blog friends as well but I'm worried I'd be so shy. Also congrats on the release of Once Upon A Nightmare! I would give it a read but horror isn't my genre and makes me scared.
Congrats on the award!! :)
A tony would be awesome!
Don't let the blank page defeat you. It comes back... especially if you don't let yourself on FB. lol
The book I'm writing now has about 70,000 words with no end in sight. I probably should think about wrapping things up.
Yes, a Tony is a great goal! I know what you mean about the blank page. My first drafts are always an uphill battle. The only thing that really helps me is telling myself it doesn't have to be perfect and I can change it later.
Good luck!
Congrats on the award!
Never fear the blank page. Remember that revision is as much a part of novel writing as writing. Just put butt in chair and go from there.
Lots of juicy tidbits there. I love the title "Paper Lanterns" -- and the title of the anthology is cool too.
I understand your concern. I remember being what I considered "rusty" at one time because I was barely writing and hadn't come up with anything new for a while, but then I eased into it and became prolific again. I enjoy reading about your projects.
I'm always dreaming about writing a book that could be made into a movie too. :) That's a really good one.
I like the idea of spending time re-working novels, I have plenty I could do that with. :)
That's a lot of writing; congrats. Blank pages of a new idea is scary to me too.
You would think a blank page would be wonderful. So many possibilities, but like you, I find it frightening. Much easier to start with something. I have loads of unfinished stuff that I should finish. Good luck with Nightmare. It's a great read.
A whole novel in 12 days? Wow. You are a writing machine.
And it's impressive how you've kept track of the month/year for each story...
A Tony? Why not.
That would be awesome. My hubby always says - go big or go home.
I'm sure once you start writing again, it'll all come back to you. :) You did great with all your writing before. Here's to more progress!
I think my big dream answer would also be to have a book series turned into a film or TV show. That would be so cool!!
Congrats on the sales and on the blog tour - it sounds like it was a resounding success!! :)
You're making the case for blog tours! I'm glad to see that it worked out so well for you and even helped you to sell some books. Congrats on that success! I'm happy to have chipped in even just a little bit. :)
Time to start a new project? Me too. Instead of staring at the blank computer screen/page, I am letting the outline simmer in my head before I dive in. I'd like to buy all the books then read them in Italy or France or ... :)
I would freak if one of my books was turned into a Disney movie or musical (I am obsessseeeddddd with those lol)
A tony. That's sounds pretty cool. Best of luck getting words on the page. A blank page can be intimidating.
It's a lovely award! I finished Nightmares. Kudos!
Hope you had a great 4th July weekend!
Sign me up for the Tony's. I'll even sing and dance. Do I get to meet Hugh Jackman or Neal Patrick Harris?
Oo, I hope you do write that musical someday! :)
Sometimes the beginning just won't come for me, so I write the end first. Sorry I was away during your launch. If you want to do something on my blog this summer, let me know. You're always welcome in my Hats Off Corner.
Wow! Congratulations on the award!
Congrats! Very interesting facts. I can relate to how you feel. I wrote a few drafts a couple of years ago that I feel like I've been editing forever. I do have an outline for something new, but it feels a bit strange to start a completely new project right now. Best of luck to you, and I really do hope you'll have a book turned into a movie/TV show!
Congrats on a great blog tour!
Congrats, a well-earned award:)
I'll be on the lookout for Mayhem.
Congrats on the award! It's amazing that you wrote Starred in twelve days by the way! What a feat!
I'm also setting back to writing from scratch on book 2 of my series, and I have to say it's nerve wracking. It's almost harder than book 1 isn't it? For me it's because now there's a certain expectation, you have to make sure it works as a book and as a sequel. Best of luck, I'm sure it will go well :)
Keep those dreams alive, Cherie! You can do it if you really want it and work for it - I've no doubt! Really pleased your blog tour was a great success. Congratulations!!!
I love that you would like to win a Tony. :) I'd like to get an acceptance letter for my mg...Then call my grandfather with the news. (He's 94.)
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