I think I just finished the first full version of the current draft of Book 1! It's coming in at just over 76,000 words, and I'm so proud of how this version of the novel turned out.
Now, to take a breath, then get some feedback to make it better!
#WritingCommunity #Writersky
If you write, you are a writer.
Spouse: Are you in the bathroom?
Me: Yes. Why?
Spouse: Because I thought you were in your office, and it was creeping me out that the cats were just sitting outside the bathroom door.
#catsky
Gotta love when I keep hitting the expected word count for this novel and just have to keep increasing the endcount by 5k because I swear ... this time, I'm going to actually glue these scenes together.
#WritingCommunity #writesky
"You know what I've learned," she said instead, her thumb turning the mug slowly, "from twenty years of working with animals that won't let anyone near them?" I shook my head. "They need to think they're in charge.” She lifted the mug, then set it back down. “Like that cat. If they try pulling her out from under the bed, she’s just going to dig into the carpet, and they might end up with scratches all up their arms.” She paused, staring at the mug. “But if they just sit in the room with her—maybe with some treats—she’ll end up coming out on her own. She just needs to feel safe enough to do it.”
Book 1: Just talking about cats and how we need to create an environment where they feel safe before they can come out. Absolutely does not apply to the protagonist. /s
#WIPSnip #WritingCommunity #Writesky
I remember everyone talking about 'Where'd You Go, Bernadette', and I feel like it was on my TBR for a while. I finally got around to reading it, and I just couldn't get into it. The style was interesting, but I couldn't connect with the characters. 2/5 ⭐
#booksky
Just cat things: I'm writing with my corded, in-ear headphones in, lying on my back with my laptop against my knees. The orange one jumped up to lie on my chest (as he is prone to do). He starts sniffing my ear, then *pulls out my earbud to chew on it*. 🤦
#catsky
I really enjoyed Amy Tintera's Listen for the Lie! She developed a strong central character, as well as riveting suspense about who killed Savvy. 4/5 ⭐
@amytintera.bsky.social #booksky
Although I enjoyed Lisa Jewell's None of This Is True, I found The Family Upstairs to lack character development. I definitely didn't feel connected to any characters the same way I had with None of This Is True, and even the suspense was lacking. 3/5 ⭐
#booksky
One of my favourite scenes from Book 1: Xander invites Rhiannon on a "first date" to a used bookstore. #WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity
Watching #Dickinson and finding myself questioning character motives, desires, and misbeliefs. Come Season 2, I'm not following the clear cause and effect of actions. As a writer, I'm glad I can pinpoint why!
#writingcommunity
#WIPSnip from Book 2; practice safe sex, y'all!
#WIPSnip from Book 1
I have found that Scrivener helps a lot with this now that I'm actually using it. Instead of a hundred re-written outlines in Word, I have chapters set up in Scrivener, then I can just throw chapter-specific notes into the chapter folder on Scrivener (which is where the pudding note lives, lol)
tbf, I have a habit of writing a million notes to myself, then getting annoyed at how many notes I have and started over anyway because I can't be bothered to read the notes former me painstakingly wrote. 🤦
Realizing an item is going to have more significance later in the story is wild. Like, I just added a note to later chapter in my outline that just says, "ADD PUDDING. IT'S IMPORTANT." 😂
#writerslife #writesky #writingcommunity
"I was the Hulk," Grandmother said.
I just wrote the final chapter of Book 1!!!
I still have more chapters to finish in the middle, but jasdfoidjfaisjdf it feels so good.
#writerslife #booksky
I broke down a bit ago and started using Scrivener. Now, I have folders for different sections/chapters, including notes for that section, so I just throw a note in there. One from today: "Have MC use something scented from her friend" (a callback about cats scentswapping 😅)
I've always written out of order! I've finally decided to outline this novel after trying to write and rewrite it for years. I'm still writing out of order, but a new thing is that when I bring up a specific detail in one place, I'll write a note for a later chapter to say, "Callback to this!"
I definitely feel this. I changed a major scene, then when I was reading back through, I realized I had to cut a conversation that led to that scene. That conversation provided such good character development, so I'm trying to figure out where I might place it 🤔
To be fair, house sparrows were native to the Middle East before spreading globally and are considered invasive in some areas. Regardless, they're one of the few birds that stick around through the cold of winter, so I'm glad to have them!
Rhiannon spirals out after learning an uncomfortable truth about her family on Thanksgiving of her junior year of high school.
#WipSnips #writing
Gotta love drafting a novel when you restart the beginning and all of a sudden a scene you wrote (and loved) years ago finally makes sense and it pulls everything together. <3 #writerslife
Finished the audiobook of Lisa Jewell's None of This Is True last night, and omg, the title is so good, and why am I left wondering what is true and what is not, and the audio narration was incredible. Definitely recommend. #bookreview
@authorlisajewell5.bsky.social
I made myself tater tots, and as I transferred them from the pan to a plate. One dropped on the floor. Creamsicle then spent the next 20 minutes batting around a hot tater tot.
NaNoWriMo may be no more, but I've (potentially) got ideas and energy for another draft of my novel, so let's goooooo!!! #nanowrimo
This month, I'm focusing on writing yet another draft of a novel because after 4 or 5 drafts, I'm finally figuring out my characters! Starting to understand those planners now...