Left Behind & Loving It Workshop Blogs

Yes it's that time of year again. The US RWA National Conference is on again and so is the annual Left Behind & Loving It Workshop Blogs. This is run each year by Lynn Viehl over at Paperback Writer, Lynn has some great prizes on offer, and all you have to do is leave a message on her blog. Plus you will get some fantastic writing help and information.

Here are the topics Lynn will be workshoping:
Monday: July 13th: Conceptual Planning, Construction and Development -- an architectural approach to concept writing.
Tuesday: July 14th: Middlemarch -- plotting and writing the middle of the story.
Wednesday: July 15th: E-Future Part I -- first part of a two-day workshop on digital publishing.
Thursday: July 16st: E-Future Part II -- second part of a two-day workshop on digital publishing.
Friday: July 17th: Art vs. Life -- using your creative talents to find solutions to problems in your writing life and everyday life, especially when the two collide.
Saturday: July 18th: Diversify and Survive -- approaches and strategies to help strengthen your publishing career.
Sunday: July 19th: Agents and Writers -- the reality of literary representation, and how to deal with an agent after signing.
Monday: July 20th: Ask PBW Anything -- Open Q&A where you can grill me on anything writing- or biz-related.

So this year helping Lynn out with workshops:

Alison Kent ~ How To Books that Saved My Life.
Shiloh Walker ~ Epubs - Wondering Where to Start?
Kait Nolan ~ From Pantser To Plotter: How I Joined the Dark Side.
Midnight Spencer ~ Word Count and Categories.
Maria Zannini ~ Killer Campaigns: Marketing Calender.
Rosina Lippi ~ Writing Prompts Series - Who Two?
Six Sexy Sirens ~ E-publishing: From query to Final Edits and Beyond.
Suelder ~ Birds and Flight.
Tamlyn Leigh ~ Break Through Your Writing Fears & Write.

Hope you find something that will interest you at these sites.

Happy writing.
Sandie

What a Weekend

Had a busy time over the weekend. Went down and had a lovely visit with my Mum yesterday, it is great to walk in and see her so happy. She has also put on a bit of weight so that is a bonus as we were concerned about her weight before. Then last night had my daughter and grandson stay we us, played a game of Monopoly (which is still in progress), I love having my kids stay with us, it's like old times.

On the writing front, I've yet another group, this one is an accountability group, I have to write at least 500 words a day to stay in. Now I know I said I wasn't going to do any writing for the next few months, but I figure 500 words a day is not a lot and it will keep the stories I have on the go moving forward. So new plan, write 500 words a day and edit 5 to 10 pages per day. I can do that! That will still give me time to work on my Breakout Novel Homework, read and write reviews, as well as do critiques for my CPs. Oh and finish organizing the Clayton's Conference. Easy, not a problem, I'm not worried at all, I can do all this, LOL.

Anyway I wrote 511 words yesterday and 1,152 words today, so that's not bad going. Tonight I'll do some more editing, been getting a few pages done each day. I'm in a happy place at the moment with my writing, let's hope I stay that way.

Until next time.

Happy writing or editing.

Sandie

June Ends, July Starts

I’ve been slack AGAIN, and I’m not even going to try and say it’s because I’ve been writing and editing up a storm because that would be a half truth. I have been writing and editing but not near enough to reach my goals this month. The other half I’ve been procrastinating, mostly because my stupid computer has had major Male moments. Yes, poor excuse I know.

Anyway the month is over and I need to focus on moving forward. This morning I had a light bulb moment. I’ve been doing my reviews and thinking this is NOT working! Why? I don’t have enough conflict. I’ve also been going back over my notes from Bootcamp, which is why I had the light bulb moment. My conflict between my hero and heroine is wishy washy, dull, poring, bloody pitiful really. Aren’t I lucky July is editing month, as well as August and September, and the way things are looking so will October. Here’s my plan, I have the stories written. That’s a good start, now I’m going to go over each sentence, paragraph, page and chapter pulling them apart and putting them back together. I’ll make a list of the conflicts I have and how to improve them. Even the seven chapters I’ve already edited are getting another going over. WHO the hell said writing was easy?

In other news my new reviews for Fallen Angel Reviews are up on my review site. The Clayton’s Conference is coming together, hoping to have that sorted well in advance of time. I got the judges score sheets from the Valerie Parv Contest and my scores were much the same

as other judges so that was good. I’ve joined a group that is working their way through Donald Maass’s Writing the Breakout Novel workbook, now this I’m looking forward to, it should help me with my conflict problems. Oh and I got my books from Amazon that I ordered, so excited. I also bought a couple of books from Borders the other day, yes I’ve well and truly used up my book budget for the next few months, except for the Margie Lawson course I’m going to get. All I need is time to read them all.

Okay sitting here chatting like this is not going to get anything done. I’ll be BACK.

Happy writing.
Sandie

So What's Happening.

Well in my neck of the woods, not much. I started the 50/30 challenge with a bang. Writing was going well, editing moving along at a good pace and then, it all fell in a heap. So I'm sitting on just over 16,000 words for the month and 42 pages edited. Now I admit that's not too bad, but I had hoped to be a lot further along.

Now all my characters have disappeared. Can you believe it? I've opened four different WIPs today and nothing. Well except for 417 words to Surrender and that was like pulling teeth. It is painful and pitiful and down right frustrating. This would have to be the worst challenge I have ever done.

I'm thinking for the rest of this week, I might just concentrate on my editing. Get that done out of the way and hope by next week the MIA characters return ready to play nicely.

I also have one more novel to read and do a review on for FAR, sent four reviews in today. YAY. So all is not lost. Well not yet anyway.

See ya next time.

Sandie

Taking the Challenge

First up I have been busy, I’ve been editing and writing. ‘If I Were a Rich Man’ is moving forward in the editing department. I still hate the editing process but I think I’m getting the hang of it all.

On the writing front CC is happy two of her novels were finished in the last two weeks and I’ve been working on ‘Surrender’. It’s still going at a snails pace but I have confidence it well be back on the right track soon. Just as well I have plenty of others to work on, and of course last night I had a another couple invade the ‘Head City Motel’. What is it with these characters? Do they lay in wait for a chance to jump on me?

So here’s what I has been given to me so far. Husband and wife have moved out to the Australian Outback where they plan to work on a cattle/horse station. At some point the husband dies and his widow becomes close to the station owner. Names I have Sally Harrison (Heroine) and William Foster (Hero/Station Owner). Now, as to what else is going to happen to this pair, I have no idea until they tell me.

I think the fact that I’m taking the ‘50ks In 30 Days Challenge’ from tomorrow has a lot to do with the fact these two have popped their heads up now. Yes, once again the write like crazy time is here again. I’ll keep you up dated with my progress during the challenge. This year I’m writing 50,000 words and editing 178 pages. Wish me luck.

Sandie

Editing and Writing

I'm still working on my edits for 'Rich Man', received my first critique back after my latest re-write. Humm... still need a bit of work. Why aren't I surprised? LOL. I'm 'ing' all over the place. Here a question, why is it that you can pick up these sort of mistakes in someone Else's work, but not your own? It really wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, of course I still have two more critiques to come in yet. In the mean time I shall do a highlight my 'ing' words and work out which ones can be changed.

I often wonder how I managed my writing without my critique partners. They are priceless. The fact that I clicked with them so well is an added bonus.

As for my writing, well yes, I'm working on something new as well as editing. I know I'm bad, but they will not shut up. I'm not going to make the same mistake I made with my historical novel, make them wait until I was ready. Do you know, Shep and Marianne are still not talking to me? Okay, maybe it is just as well as they aren't because I don't have time for them at the moment anyway. LOL.

I won't be doing any sprinting tonight as I have a novel to finish reading and a couple review to write, so my time will be spent doing that. I'll play time keeper and crack the whip when it is time for the girls to have a break. I lovvvee cracking the whip, just ask my hubby. No, I don't mean in the bedroom either. Hehehe.

Well that's my update for today. Happy writing.

Sandie

A Week of Sprinting

I’ve been busy, honest. A few of the 50/30 Challenge girls and I have been doing sprints this last week. It has been very productive for my writing. I have a chapter to send off to my CPs, having edited about 12 pages so far on top of what I already had done. I’m now onto a new chapter. YES!

I’ve also written 11,542 words over the last ten days. WOOHOO. That is not bad going I’d say. On top for all of this, I’ve had to take hubby to doctors, x-ray and blood tests.
I have to say I’m happy with what I have managed to achieve.

Looks like the sprinting may become a permanent date of a night from now on. I fairly sure, that the lovely Diane Curran and Tracey O’Hara and I’ll be sprinting every night.

Until next time, Happy Writing.
Sandie