Summer update

I haven't posted since January, which is pretty pathetic, but the good news is that it's been because I have been mega-busy writing.

I finally finished editing my middle grade(9-12) novel. It has now grown to 44K words and I am really happy with it. I just need to put the finishing touches on the synopsis and then will start querying agents and publishers. I hope to start this within the next 2 weeks.

I already sent out the text for a children's picture book to 6 publishers and am patiently waiting to hear back.

The screenplay I was working on last year is coming along. By August 1st I should have a solid first draft. I have 3 other screenplays at different stages - two are in the outline stage and 1 I am 20 pages into already. I also plan to write a 60K word YA novel which I am outlining right now. My plan is to have all of these finished by May and then shop them at the same time.

In other news, when my husband and I were in Nova Scotia, we rescued a dog that was just left on the side of country road by it's owners. Don't even get me started on how disturbing it is that someone would do that. Anyway, we kept her for 2 days and then brought her to a shelter that does not euthanize and will find her a home. Will made a video of her, which he posted on youtube, hoping that someone will see how adorable she is and want to adopt her.

The rest of our vacation was chaos free, but wonderful. We visited family and got some sun. I visited with my dear friend Crystal! She is the best!!!

Now it's back to work. UGGH!

I am in looove!

Hubby ordered me a surprise that just arrived last night. It was Dragon Speak software. You put on a head set, dictate into it and your words end up on the page. I set it up last night and used it in a Word Doc, a Final Draft Doc and my email. The accuracy was incredible and it averaged about 120 words a minute. Just think how easy my 1,000 words a day goal will be now. LOL. However, it can only write as fast as I come up with words to say - there is no software that can change that.

In other news, I met with the Dramaturg I have been working with on Sunday. She said my play was ready and helped me improve my synopsis and query letter. I plan to read through the play one last time for typos and will then start sending it out on Monday! Exciting times! :)

Writing update and new year goals

I hope that everyone had a fantastic holiday!

I have used most of my holiday time to write. I am very pleased to say that on December 28th I finished a rough draft of my novel for 9-12 year olds! The draft is 27,000 words. The completed novel will be about 32,000 words, but I skimped on a few sections so that I could get the full story down while it was still in my head. It is a complete story as is but the 5,000 words I plan to add will be a sub plot (which I have already touched on in the story) that will add richness to the story. I also have come up with an idea that leaves the book open to a sequel.

I will now go back and revise a chapter or 2 a week and plan to send it to publishers in June.

So, starting Monday I will put the other 90% of my energy into finishing my screenplay.

Now that my play is officially ready, I have been researching play companies that I can query. I have narrowed it down to 100 but may not send it to all of them. Most ask you to send a synopsis and 10 page sample first, so I really need to get my synopsis ready. I feel very confident that they will like my play if they actually read it, so I need the write up to intrigue them so they will read further. I plan to tackle that tomorrow.

I have to say queries, synopsis and researching companies are the boring side of writing, but they are vital if one is serious about becoming a writer. What good is the greatest piece of writing in the world if it no one ever sees it? Too bad these things take so much time.

Christmas was fantastic. I got the iphone I wanted and have been having a lot of fun with it! We ate fantastic Indian food for new years and we have watched quite a few movies!

Happy Holidays! :)

Almost there

I am at 21,000 words! Yahoo!

In other news, we still don't have our Christmas tree up yet. It is ridiculous, I know, but we have had so much going on lately.

Hubby bought my an i phone for Christmas and let me have it early, as you only have so long till it can be returned etc. All I can say is that I am in love.

I've been contemplating adding another doggie or a kitten to our family over the holidays. But then I think...what extra time do I have for it?

:)

1/3 of the way there

Well I didn't write much this week, but the week before I did, so I am now up to 14, 247 words on my children's novel. I plan to have a draft of 32,000 pages by December 31st. I am a little over 1/3rd of the way there.

January 1st I will start rewrites of my screenplay which needs to be 100% done by May 1st as I am applying for a production grant.

I still have a lot of Christmas shopping to catch up on and I'm going to Florida for 2 weeks in February, which means 2 weeks of no writing. So in January my mantra must be WRITE, WRITE, WRITE.

A cute pix of doggie and pals

Here's a cute picture of my doggie with her two stuffed friends....

The best made plans

Well, I got off to a great start with **the plan** and then I came down with a horrible cold on Monday night and have been off of work all week. A.K.A. I didn't write for 3 whole days. Nothing like a good ole plan to say JINX. But I'm back at it again. I wrote a little over 1,000 words on the novel this afternoon and now I plan to spend an hour on one of the screenplays. I still feel that all and all I am on schedule.

I had a request for one of my short scripts and just sent it to the director. Will let you know what I hear back.

I cooked lamb for dinner tonight. Every time I cook lamb my dog cries and hides in the basement. We've never been able to figure out why. The dog food she eats everyday is lamb and rice flavored, so it can't be that she doesn't like lamb. She just doesn't like the smell of it cooking. Go figure.