Between my girls being home, revising and critiquing like crazy, squeezing in a zillion appointments before school starts in a little over a week, and trying not to get buried under a laundry mountain, I've fallen way behind on LJ again. I was able to keep up with a lot of the news on the Blueboards and Facebook though. Wow, some of you have had such amazing news. Yay for all the sales, awards, completed manuscripts and revisions!

I've dedicated most of my time to revising my NaNo novel, Adventures of Bra Girl. Now that it's finished, I decided to revise some older novels and PBs that I've been neglecting. I'm also working on my newest PB, that was inspired during the Orlando Workshop in June. The hardest part about revisions for me, is not being able to keep track of how much progress I'm making. I love watching the numbers rise when writing a new novel. I'm one of those people who loves a challenge, so I love making (and surpassing) a daily or weekly goal and writing like crazy during NaNo (although I usually lose my battle with the laundry mountain during November). But I haven't found a way to do that with revisions. I have to have them ready for my critique groups, so that's a goal I need to meet, but I still wish there was some way to chart my progress. I tried giving myself deadlines, like finishing a certain number of chapters, but then you risk not diving deep enough into the revision in order to make your goal, so that doesn't work. Novels are so long, that it's great to celebrate each milestone. So how do you celebrate smaller accomplishments, before you reach the end of your final round of revisions?

My amazing mentor, Joyce Sweeney, just joined Facebook! She's the fairy godmother of most of the S. Florida authors (and many others as well). When you get a chance, hop on over and welcome her to Facebook! http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=673220901&ref=ts

My Highlights still hasn't arrived, but a sweet neighbor dropped her copy off last night. My girls jumped around screaming and squealing, begging me to let them take it to camp. I can't even imagine what they'll do when I finally have a book published.

Highlights is such a wonderful magazine, I'm thrilled to be a small part of it. I actually hadn't considered writing crafts or code puzzles before I went to Chautauqua last summer. After meeting several Highlights editors, I couldn't wait to send some submissions. I don't know how the Highlights Foundation found such a fabulous faculty. Chautauqua was full of the most down to earth, generous, and talented people--and I feel so lucky that I was able to spend a week with them.

I'm thrilled for my friends who are experiencing that magical week now, and can't wait to hear all about it. And I'm missing Chautauqua and all the wonderful friends I made there. It was one of the most inspirational experiences I have ever had--if you ever get a chance to attend, go for it!

I finally took the Facebook plunge! I'm still figuring out how to navigate it, but have a feeling I'll know my way around (at least most of it) in the next few days. Of course, I stayed up until after 3 am playing around with it. I owe lauramanivong a huge thank you for chatting me through some of the features. She gave me so many great tips. Thanks, Laura! If anyone else has tips for me, I'd love to hear them! And please stop by and friend me: Mindy Alyse Weiss's Facebook profile

Now that my MG, Adventures of Bra Girl, is polished, I decided to revamp some older manuscripts. It's amazing how much clearer you can see a manuscript after it has rested for a while. I think I've had a huge breakthrough on two novels, and can't wait to find out what my critique groups think! Speaking of that, I better eat breakfast and get ready to go to my weekly group.

I hope you all have a great writing/revising day, and a wonderful weekend.

I can't believe I got married fifteen years ago! It was a slightly rainy day (kind of like it is now), and Hubby and I had our first dance to: Have I Told You Lately by Rod Stewart. My life has changed so much since that day. I have two beautiful daughters and a husband who actually encouraged me to attend my first SCBWI conference in 2005. So I guess I can blame him for my conference addiction--because I absolutely love attending them...it's great to learn more about writing and have professional critiques--and it's incredible to be in a room full of others who love writing and reading children's books as much as I do.

When I was in Orlando for the workshop, Hubby gave me my gift early--annual tickets to Disney. My girls had so much fun in the water park that weekend, they want me to go with them next time. It probably doesn't sound like the most romantic gift...but I love rides. And spending time with my family. Plus, we found a fantastic babysitter in the Orlando area, so maybe Hubby and I can have an occasional night full of roller coasters (my ten year old doesn't like them at all, and my seven year old loves them, but still doesn't do the super scary ones). Me--I'll dangle upside down, go backwards, etc.

I gave myself a present today by sending new hope out. I love that feeling! I've received some great praise about the voice, humor, hook, etc. of Adventures of Bra Girl, and am really hopeful that it will do well.

For the first time, I'm not diving straight into a new novel. I've dedicated so much time to my MG since I wrote it during NaNo, that I have some novels I'd like to revamp (because my writing has improved since I worked on them last), and also some picture books that are almost ready to go, plus others in various stages of revision. But...I have a new novel idea brewing. I can't seem to stop the ideas from flashing through my mind, so I've been jotting them down. I'm not sure how long this novel will let me work on other projects.

I recently attended a signing for Marjetta Geerling's fantastic debut YA, Fancy White Trash.

And here is a photo of my amazingly generous and talented mentor, Joyce Sweeney, with Rebecca.

On June 6, I attended a Writing Intensive in Orlando, where I read a few pages from the beginning of Adventures of Bra Girl to Michael Stearns (Firebrand). He gave me some amazing advice. I tried to fix up that same segment before my afternoon critique with Nicole Kasprzak (Putnam), but made so many changes that I knew it would be difficult to read my writing...so I chose one of my favorite scenes around page 50. In addition to praise about the voice (yay), she gave me some wonderful suggestions. Even better—I mentioned one issue I had with the manuscript, and she gave me a brilliant solution. So for me, the Writing Intensive was a huge success, and couldn't have come at a better time.

But...I didn't feel comfortable handing in the first page I had printed for critique in the Middle Grade Track the next day. I knew I could make it better. So I told my family they'd have to wait about a half hour before going out to dinner, and I revamped the first page until I was happy with it. I had originally started the novel with a comic the MC draws, but it ended up in the second chapter. Now, it's on the first page, where I believe it belongs. And I also streamlined several other areas.

My new beginning was the first one chosen for critique. Both Michael Stearns and Andrea Tompa (from Candlewick Press, who had completed an incredibly helpful ten page critique of an older version) noticed the changes. I received some wonderful compliments—and advice from Bruce Hale, Andrea Tompa, and Michael Stearns that really helped me polish the beginning. I've run the newest version by my mentor and critique buddies, and think it's really close to being ready now. I also worked in the amazing advice from the four faculty members listed above into the entire manuscript—read through the changes several times, and gave it to Joyce Sweeney for a full critique. I can't wait to hear what she says!

I also had an incredibly helpful (and in depth) critique of my PB, Mess Monster, by Debby Garfinkle. I just finished going through my revision a couple times, and love the way it reads now! Thanks to her advice, I streamlined and added more fun language. I think this one is almost ready to submit, too!

I am so thankful to the faculty for their amazing advice! And a special thanks to Linda Bernfeld and Vivian Fernandez for organizing such an amazing workshop, and to Christina Gonzalez and Flora Doone for all your help. It was fantastic meeting Blueboard and LJ friends like Fran Slayton and Debby Garfinkle, and spending the weekend with my local friends and critique group members.

Since this is long, I’ll try to share some specifics about the workshop in another post—but I’ll fill you in on some Firebrand news. They’re looking to add two new agents, and will have a new website soon.

Here’s a photo of my daughters with the amazingly talented and funny Bruce Hale.

I can't wait to receive feedback on ADVENTURES OF BRA GIRL this weekend. I'm bringing the whole novel with me, so I can read through it before having one last full critique in about a week. It's amazing how some things jump out on the hard copy that I don't always notice on my computer screen. I'll probably be ready to start submitting to agents by the end of the month. My 15th anniversary is on the 26th, so my goal is to have it ready by then. I get chills just thinking about it!

I've been working on some picture books that are almost ready to submit, too. Right now, I have two out with a few amazing editors, and can't wait to polish these up! Do you ever find that your older manuscripts are the hardest to revise? One of the manuscripts that should be ready soon was written about nine years ago. That was when I first started writing children's books, and made so many newbie mistakes. It definitely improved over the years, but not quite enough...until the incredibly generous and talented Kim Griswell critiqued it in Chautauqua last summer. She helped me figure out ways to put more fun into the manuscript, and breathe life into the main character. I just submitted the newest version to my critique group, and can't wait to see what they think.

I'm off to a school party for my ten-year-old, then heading to Orlando for the SCBWI Workshop and Writing Intensive. I'll see some of you there! :)

I can't wait to attend the Writer's Intensive and Orlando Workshop next week! My MG, Adventures of Bra Girl, is being critiqued by Andrea Tompa from Candlewick Press. Of course, I've made a ton of changes since submitting it, and I think it's even stronger now. I can't wait to hear her advice! I'm also bringing it to the Writer's Intensive--and am excited to see if there's any way to polish up my new and improved version, before I start submitting it by the end of June.

I've been working on my PB, Mess Monster, for a long time now. I had thought it was ready to submit months ago, but loved suggestions my critiques groups gave me that could add many more illustration possibilities. Now, I'm not sure what to do with it. Some crit buddies love the new version, while others thought it was too scary (although,there are many children's stories with a scary section or two). Others love the version before that. And still others love the one before all the big changes, that mostly took place in the MC's bedroom (which could limit the illustrations). So confusing! Debby Garfinkle is critiquing this one, and I can't wait to hear her advice! I would love to be able to submit it soon, but want to make sure I send my strongest version. With her amazing sense of humor, I wouldn't be surprised if I end up with yet another version--which will hopefully dazzle a dream editor!

I'm looking forward to seeing some LJ friends again, and meeting others for the first time, like Debby and Fran. Hopefully, we'll have some time to chat at the workshop. It goes by so fast!

It's book signing season in South Florida! I went to Debbie Reed Fischer's first solo signing for her amazing debut novel, Braless in Wonderland. I really love her YA, and can't wait to get my hands on Swimming With The Sharks, which should be released in September.

Standing next to Debbie is Marjetta Geerling. Her debut novel, Fancy White Trash, was released the same day as Debbie's signing! I started reading it the other day, and love it! I can't wait for her June 19th signing.


Last night I went to a poetry signing for Joyce Sweeney (Impermanence) and Kathy Macdonald (White Dwarfs). These talented writers touched every single person in the audience (and even had several B&N customers stop browsing and watch from the aisles)!
Joyce is on the left, and Kathy is on the right.

I feel lucky to be part of such a talented and friendly community of writers. My life has changed so much since Joyce asked me to join her weekly group one year ago. My critique groups have helped me grow so much as a writer. I'm trying not to get my hopes up too high, but I have a feeling that Adventures of Bra Girl will end up being my debut novel, and I'm not sure if it would exist without all the support, feedback, and friendship I've received this past year. Thank you all so incredibly much!

I'm so excited! I finished running Adventures of Bra Girl through my weekly group with Joyce Sweeney, and am working in suggestions from another critique group over the next week. A third group, who has already seen this in twenty page segments, offered to critique the full for me. I can't wait to bring the polished version of Bra Girl to a Writing Intensive on June 6, with Nicole Kasprzak (G.P. Putnam's Sons), Michael Stearns (Firebrand Literary), and Nancy Springer. I'll also print up the first page, hoping it will get chosen for a critique in the Middle Grade Track with Andrea Tompa (Candlewick Press), Michael Stearns, and Bruce Hale, on June 7th.

I've made some fairly large changes to the beginning of Bra Girl, thanks to a local retreat and feedback from the first pages at the Poconos Retreat. I had already made many of the changes by the time the first page was read in the Poconos. I made a few more after, and was thrilled that two editors praised my voice (and gave examples of lines they loved). That was extremely helpful, because I had cut one of them, and immediately worked it back in. I should be able to submit Adventures of Bra Girl by the end of June!

Besides writing, revising, and critiquing, I've been busy attending signings. On May 8, I went to a signing for three talented authors from my group with Joyce. It was Debbie Reed Fischer's first reading and signing for her debut novel, Braless in Wonderland. She did a great job! There was only one question she didn't answer--in front of everyone, her son asked how much she weighed! Debbie just smiled, and handled it like a pro. Dorian Cirrone read from Prom Kings and Drama Queens, and Gaby Triana read part of The Temptress Four. They're all great books, if you're looking for some fun new YA to read! Both Debbie and Gaby are on LJ, so you can shout out congratulations for their new books: debbierfischer gabytriana

On Saturday, I was thrilled to attend a signing for How To Be Bad. Sarah Mlynowski, E. Lockhart, and Lauren Myracle each read a scene from the POV of the character they wrote. They were down to earth and funny (especially when Sarah had to read a pee scene over the microphone at Barnes & Noble), and shared their experiences with us. I was almost in tears listening to Lauren's story...I'm really glad she hung in there and kept writing, no matter what others said, because her books are enjoyed by so many people.

I haven't had a chance to read How To Be Bad yet, but after hearing parts of it, I can't wait to dig in!

I can't wait to attend the Poconos Retreat! This will be my fourth year in a row. There are so many revisions I had hoped to finish before I leave Thursday morning. I'm not sure if I'll have all of them ready, but I'm making great progress. I also sent some new hope out. I love when amazing editors ask to see more work :)

I attended Dorian Cirrone's signing for her YA, PROM KINGS AND DRAMA QUEENS. Wow! I was impressed by the way she worked themes from her book into the signing. The bookstore was packed...and couldn't seem to place copies of her book out fast enough.

It made me wonder what makes a successful signing. I've heard several tips--such as trying to find a teacher who will offer extra credit to students who attend. (Tip number two is not to give the proof of attendance until AFTER you speak). Do you think listing information on a website or blog helps much? I'd love to know any other suggestions you have.

Here are a couple photos from Dorian's signing. I brought my daughters with me, and they had a wonderful time (and can't wait to attend more).



Here's a link to a review I wrote of PROM KINGS AND DRAMA QUEENS: http://mindyalyse.livejournal.com/44204.html?nc=22

I'm looking forward to attending book signings for some amazing authors over the next few months. It must be the most incredible feeling to hold your book for the first time, after all the hard work you've poured into it. So...how do you celebrate each milestone, especially a first book sale?

My weekly critique group has a bean ceremony when a member makes his or her first sale. It's short and sweet--and something every single one of us can't wait to have. You're surrounded by critique buddies and friends, with a few special words, some maraca shakes, and a tiny bean to put in your office or on a necklace. It's something you can hold as a symbol of all that hard work--and the excitement of seeing your book in print one day soon. My mentor, Joyce Sweeney, recently held her 22nd bean ceremony. Isn't that amazing? I'm not sure how long it will take, but I know that one day, I'll be receiving my special bean from Joyce.

On Saturday, I'm going to a novel retreat, and will bring the beginning of my MG for critique and a batch of homemade brownies. I can't wait to do some writing exercises led by debbierfischer. I'm going to a signing for her first book in May. She has a great trailer on her blog, if you want to check it out.

Two weeks from today, I'm flying to PA for the Poconos Retreat. This will be my fourth year in a row. I'm taking two great workshops, and can't wait for my paid critique with Alexandra Penfold. I had the pleasure of meeting her at an Orlando Workshop a couple years ago, and look forward to seeing her again.

Now I'm going back to my MG revisions. I'm pretty sure I'll be able to get ADVENTURES OF BRA GIRL ready to sub by May or June. I've received such positive feedback, and can't wait until it's polished and ready to go!

The first time I had to write a synopsis, I ended up with a huge headache and the impulse to bang my head against the wall (which I'm sure wouldn't help the pain). I can sit down and type the rough draft of an MG in 17 days, so how can one little page or two feel so hard? I'm not sure when I first came up with the trick, but on my second full sweep of a manuscript, I usually open a new file and paste into it any plot points or interesting phrases that might help my synopsis. Depending on my mood, I'll either copy it into another file and delete like crazy until I'm left with a few pages of fragments to use, or I'll print it out, circle or star the possibilities, and scratch out the rest. Then I play. And revise. Send through amazing crit buddies. Revise, revise, revise. Send through crit buddies again (especially a few who have never read that novel and can tell you if something is unclear). Even though it still feels like a lot of work, the whole process is much easier for me now. I'm not sure if it's the trick or that I'm actually (gulp) getting used to writing a synopsis.

Do you have any tricks when writing a synopsis or query letter?

Thanks to all the incredible writers who helped perfect mine! I think it's about ready to go. I'll let it sit for a bit, then print it up tonight so I can finish my SCBWI WIP Grant for a Contemporary Novel application. Good luck to everyone applying! I hope to see many of my LJ and Blueboard friends on the list!

Ooh, before I forget, are any of my PB writing friends looking for a group? Mine currently has an opening. We're a friendly, dedicated, and fast-paced group with a mix of published and unpublished writers. We typically have 5 – 6 members, and submit on the 1st and 15th (with critiques due by the next submission date, so you would have 4 – 5 critiques to do twice a month.)

If interested, please send a short bio of your writing and critiquing experience, plus a picture book writing sample (all PASTED into an e-mail) to Mindyaweiss AT yahoo DOT com by Friday, March 14. I’ll share these with the group, and we’ll choose a new member over the weekend. I look forward to reading your samples!

I received a surprise package from Kelly Milner Halls. Inside, were two subs that I had entered into the 2007 SmartWriters WIN contest.

One was my middle grade novel, IN MY HEART, that won an honorable mention (I was thrilled when it was announced this summer)! Kathleen Duey gave me some great compliments, such as: Really a stunning opening scene. Huge emotional possibilities in the plot. And then she gave me amazing advice, which has helped with every manuscript I've written or revised since. She said: One tip: Scenes are usually best when just shown. I noticed a few places where you summarized quickly, then showed what you had just told.

I had no idea that my YA, DO UNTO OTHERS, had made it to the finals! I actually cried when I read the wonderful letter that Terry Trueman wrote. He said my story made the final five works in his deliberations and is a terrific piece, with great promise. Yay! And, he said: Naturally, if the voice hadn't been powerful and believable and the promise of the story hadn't been present, it wouldn't have been successful. Then congratulated me for making it to the top five. He also said I have real promise as a writer and offered to chat about writing and my work. I can't get over how incredibly nice and generous he is!

I was so happy to read the reasons he gave for not selecting it as the winner...because I believe I already fixed them all! I also eliminated one of the characters, and overhauled the entire beginning.

This came at the perfect time for me. I've been concentrating on my middle grade novels--two that are polished, one that I'm revising again, and my NaNo novel which I believe is the strongest manuscript I've ever written and have been getting incredible feedback from my groups. I hope to have it ready to submit by May. Even though I love middle grade, and plan to write many more in the future, I still love DO UNTO OTHERS, and had planned to do everything possible to strengthen it enough to submit again. Now I truly believe that I will make it shine! So, once all four of my MGs are polished, I'm going to attack my YA again. I don't care if it takes a million revisions...I will find a way to make this one work!

So thank you so much SmartWriters, Kathleen Duey, Terry Trueman, and all the wonderful writers who have helped me improve over the years. I can't even begin to express how much your help and kind words mean to me!

I celebrated every 10,000 word milestone while I wrote my NaNo MG...should I celebrate losing 10,000 words now? I always knew it was too long, but it felt great to let my ideas run free. A year ago, I probably wouldn't have been able to cut such a huge chunk so easily, but now I'm just slicing and dicing. I even nixed some funny scenes after realizing they didn't need to be in this manuscript.

I've seen such a huge jump in my writing and revising abilities since I was invited to join Joyce Sweeney's weekly workshop/critique group in June. When I went to Rutgers in 2005, my mentor had suggested that I get into a group with published authors, but at the time, I had no idea how to do it. I do learn a lot from all my groups--they're amazing! But there definitely are things that published writers/mentors know from experience that can truly help bring a manuscript to the next level.

I am so grateful to every single person who has critiqued my manuscripts and have helped make my writing shine brighter than ever. Thank you all so much!

Happy belated Valentine's Day! My daughters surprised Hubby and me with a special breakfast, on a plate decorated with Oreos, Hershey Kisses, and pink sprinkles. So sweet of them! Hubby took me out for a nice dinner at Melting Pot--yum! I hope your Valentine's Day was filled with loved ones, flowers, and tons of forever memories.

Thank you all so much for your good wishes for Bandit! She's doing great. The vet took out all of the cancerous tumor. The good news is that it's not the kind of cancer that spreads. We do have to keep watching the area, because it's possible the cancer will come back in the same spot though. But at least we know what to look for.

My NaNo MG has been on a serious diet. So far, it has lost almost 8,000 words. I eliminated most of the first two chapters, since the story really starts in the third. I thought I'd have to work back in more of the information I cut, but very little actually made it back in. Even though I'm doing a lot of slicing,replacing, etc. I am so thankful for the NaNo push. This is the fastest novel I've ever written--only 17 days! And even though I have some muck to sort through, the first draft was very strong. And funny! It's amazing how many quirky/unusual things come out when writing this fast. I had forgotten some of it, and even made myself laugh yesterday.

I love conferences! I had an amazing time at the Miami conference, and learned so much--especially in the Writing Intensive with Molly O'Neill, Joyce Sweeney, and Alex Flinn. The workshops were fantastic, too! And the speakers were so inspirational. As always, Linda and Vivian put on an amazing conference!

I just received my confirmation for the Poconos Retreat. This will be my fourth year in a row, and I can't wait! I know Rita and Leslie are going. Lisa--is it a definite yes now? You are going to love it! Who else is coming?

I got into my top two workshops, and they both look incredible:

* Alexandra Penfold: The Art of Character Driven Writing: Characters are the heart and soul of every story; they are what drive us to turn the pages and long to return to their stories again and again. In this workshop, we'll discuss timeless characters in children's literature and strategies for writing from character in your own work.

* Jill Santopolo: Getting to the Heart of the Matter: Crafting Emotion and Evoking Reader Response. In film, directors can use music, lighting, and camera angles to convey the emotion of a particular scene. This will be an in-depth look at how writers can use action, metaphor, syntax and objects to convey the same information in novels and picture books. Come ready to write!

I definitely will come ready to write! Being at conferences is so inspirational. When I was at Chautauqua this summer, I came up with the idea for two new stories. One I was able to turn into a fiction piece set in the future for the Highlights contest. I just received a critique from the other, inspired by mjdiem, and I think it might be my strongest picture book yet. The generous critiquer even suggested an editor who may be a good match.

I can't wait to see what manuscripts are born out of ideas from the Miami Conference and Poconos Retreat!

I just looked at the time...my dog went in for surgery today, and she should be out soon. My husky is almost thirteen years old, but still acts like a puppy most of the time. We found two tumors. The small one was okay so far, but the big one had cancerous cells. I'm hoping the tumors aren't too deep, and that all the cancer will come out with them. I've had Bandit longer than my daughters. She's sweet and lovable, and does that adorable husky talk which sounds like we're having a real conversation. She's also inspired several picture books and the character of Scaredy Dog in my MG. Please send her some good vibes, if you have the chance!

I was at the Miami Conference over the weekend. Wow, what an incredible few days! No wonder I'm a conference addict. :) The speakers were amazing, and I love coming home with new ideas and information. I feel so lucky to be part of such a strong and supportive writing community.

I borrowed the word blurker from an incredibly sweet, friendly editor I met. She had mentioned she sometimes checks out blogs, and had read mine. I know my LJ friends read it, but I often forget that anyone can (which is exciting and scary at the same time!) So think twice before you write...especially specific submission info, or anything during the acquisitions process. You never know when someone is blurking!

I had felt so guilty missing my daughter's 10th birthday. It was on the one full day I was away for the conference. I called several times, and surprised her with signed books. She was so excited when I gave her a birthday card signed by some of her favorite authors and illustrators. And I've lost count of the number of celebrations she had, with Hubby while I was away, plus before and after the conference.

Here's a review I sent to HarperCollins for a great new book:

PROM KINGS AND DRAMA QUEENS is a humorous novel from Dorian Cirrone, author of DANCING IN RED SHOES WILL KILL YOU. After seeing the headline “Emily Rocks South Florida” during a hurricane, Emily Bennet decides to take the world by storm. She quickly discovers that it’s a nearly impossible task when living inside a snow globe, and that it’s not okay to just report the news for the school paper…she has to go one step further. A step that could cost way more than she’s willing to give. PROM KINGS AND DRAMA QUEENS is a fast-paced journey through Emily’s unforgettable junior year—filled with handcuffs, hormones and headlines.

Wow, this is definitely the longest I've been away from LJ, and I've missed all of you so much! I'll try to catch up on your news over the next few days.

When I finished NaNoWriMo on November 17, I almost decided to keep writing the second MG I had started in order to make the 50,000 word goal. I love the extra push that NaNo gives me. Knowing that every word counts, I think about every non writing activity, wondering if I should be typing instead.

Since I have several manuscripts that need revising, I decided to put them at the top of my list. I polished a few picture books and finished another intense round of revisions on STEP MONSTER. I just received feedback on the last chapters from one of my groups, and have four more subs before it's completely through my weekly group. I've been getting helpful suggestions and some wonderful compliments. After all this hard work, I can't wait until STEP MONSTER is 1000% ready to submit!

It was a little difficult to switch from writing a new manuscript to revising STEP MONSTER. When writing a rough draft, the words don't have to be perfect. In fact, if you try to make them perfect, they usually whirl around your head, refusing to come out. When I began revising my NaNo novel from last year and my first MG, I actually kept count of the number of words I cut--which was fun, and made it much easier to hit the delete key. Most revisions are different--especially when you're almost ready to submit a novel. You can't say you'll tackle a certain number of pages each day, or you might end up rushing in order to make your goal. So I just worked as much as possible, hoping I'll be ready to submit my MG by the end of January.

What goals do you make when revising?

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving, surrounded by family and friends. At holidays like this, it's easy to think about what you're missing, such as loved ones who have passed away. Even though I wish I could have those loved ones with me, I realize that I have so much to be grateful for. My husband and beautiful daughters, family, friends...I could go on and on.

I hope you all know how much you mean to me...knowing there are friends who "get it" and are eager to cheer me up, celebrate successes, or stop me from ripping every hair out of my head during long waits. I feel so lucky to have you in my life.

I had a fantastic weekend! On Saturday, I finished writing my MG, started another, and passed the 50,000 mark for NaNoMriMo. Plus, I mailed Highlights a signed contract--my third one in two months!

On Sunday, I spent the day with my daughters. They definitely deserved some uninterrupted family time after all the hours I've glued myself to my computer!

Now, I have to decide what to tackle next. I love the new MG I started, and it would be fun to see how many more words I can write this month, but I also have two projects begging me to revise them.

Here is my official NaNo word count:

50707 / 50000 words. 101% done!

For all my friends who have crossed the 50,000 mark--yay! And those who are working their way toward the finish line...go, go, go! I found that certain parts of my novel flowed faster than others, and the words really flew onto my computer toward the end. I hope the same happens for you...and I can't wait to cheer you on every step of the way.

It's been such a crazy month here, between NaNoWriMo and sicknesses. We've been to the ER and doctor since Sunday night. Most of us are taking antibiotics and feeling better now, but my older daughter barely has a voice and her cough sounds like a barking seal. Poor thing!

I went to a novel mini retreat last weekend that was amazing. Everyone was so incredibly helpful. Part of me was tempted to read one of my strongest opening chapters, but I had realized that the first YA I wrote wasn't quite working. People have raved about how they couldn't put it down, which I thought was great...until I realized that the parts that grabbed their attention the most weren't in the beginning of the book. But now, thanks to advice from some incredible writers, I know how to fix the beginning! I can't wait to work on it, but want to finish my NaNoWriMo novel first. I'm pretty sure I have only one chapter left!

Here's my progress so far:

44127 / 50000 words. 88% done!
I'm sorry I haven't been around LJ much, and hope to catch up with everyone soon. Have a great writing day, and an amazing weekend!