Now that Book One of YetToBeNamedTrilogy (though I have a strong preference!) is off for copyedits, I have spent the last few weeks:
1. Resting
2. Nesting
3. And just this past week, actually digging in and writing.
But first things first. The Resting. I went on a week long road trip through central California with my hubby. Get away from it all! But when you carry this whole book world you've created in your head you kind of don't want to forget it--the world just keeps whispering ideas to you. And sometimes your book makes you braver.
1. Resting
2. Nesting
3. And just this past week, actually digging in and writing.
But first things first. The Resting. I went on a week long road trip through central California with my hubby. Get away from it all! But when you carry this whole book world you've created in your head you kind of don't want to forget it--the world just keeps whispering ideas to you. And sometimes your book makes you braver.
Yep. On mile 700 down this one lane country road that seemed to go no where but my husband kept insisting had to lead somewhere and I watched our gas tank get lower and our cell phones die, I thought of my character and the far scarier unknown I put her through and tried to see this endless, nameless road as almost sweet in comparison. Ahem. Good wife that I am. It WAS lovely once I resigned myself to the possibility of running out of gas and spending the night in the middle of nowhere. And hey, we at least had food--nearly a whole bag of goldfish and six bottles of wine we had picked up at a winery. We wouldn't starve. Quite. If the local beasts didn't get us first.
Ah, but at last we did reach civilization. I love chickens. Something about their attitude.
"Hey! Yeah, you! What do you think you're doing here?"
"You think she's got any food, Gladys?"
"Nah, just a worthless lookie-loo."
(Admit it. You can see little thought bubbles over their heads too.)
Later, we came upon another very lovely sight:
"Hey! Yeah, you! What do you think you're doing here?"
"You think she's got any food, Gladys?"
"Nah, just a worthless lookie-loo."
(Admit it. You can see little thought bubbles over their heads too.)
Later, we came upon another very lovely sight:
The very awesome indie store, The Book Loft in Solvang, CA. They have a wonderful YA section and I bought one of my faves I had already read as an ebook but wanted the hardcopy too.
And they had The Jenna Fox Chronicles, so I signed those too. They didn't even ask for my ID : )
On our little getaway I also got some reading done. That is part of
My Nesting:
And they had The Jenna Fox Chronicles, so I signed those too. They didn't even ask for my ID : )
On our little getaway I also got some reading done. That is part of
My Nesting:
Whenever I start a new book, there is research and "stuff" to get in order before I actually dig in.
My reading included both fiction and nonfiction on ***** (can't tell you subject yet--don't want to spoil it) to see how it might play out in my character's world--or the new one she is heading into.
But another book I can tell you about--not too spoilery. A History of Weapons by John Bryan. Yeah, this is the "gore" part. It is amazing the weapons we have created over the centuries to hurt our fellow humans. This one on the right is particularly gruesome. It's called a Mancatcher. If you don't want to kill the person you're trying to subdue, you just push this around their neck. If they struggle against you, it ain't very pretty. Can you imagine? No, you don't want to go there.
My reading included both fiction and nonfiction on ***** (can't tell you subject yet--don't want to spoil it) to see how it might play out in my character's world--or the new one she is heading into.
But another book I can tell you about--not too spoilery. A History of Weapons by John Bryan. Yeah, this is the "gore" part. It is amazing the weapons we have created over the centuries to hurt our fellow humans. This one on the right is particularly gruesome. It's called a Mancatcher. If you don't want to kill the person you're trying to subdue, you just push this around their neck. If they struggle against you, it ain't very pretty. Can you imagine? No, you don't want to go there.
Okay, on to less gruesome nesting. There is the necessary "cleaning." Yes, take a look now at this clear desk because it won't look this way again for a LONG while. Though I hate clutter in my life, when I am in the throes of a book it somehow seems a necessity. Papers on papers and files all over my desk and multiple computers, books, and coffee cups, and somehow, I know where everything is. But when I start a new book I like everything to at least start with a clean slate.
Part of my nesting is drawing maps, floorplans, cities, lanes, roads, etc. so I have a firm grasp on my character's world. Of course as the story progresses, these maps are revised to accommodate new twists and turns. I need a new road? City? Country? Voila, it is there! I also look for pictures of characters and setting and pin them to a bulletin board behind my desk. I love Pinterest for this! Lots of great stuff there.
Part of my nesting is drawing maps, floorplans, cities, lanes, roads, etc. so I have a firm grasp on my character's world. Of course as the story progresses, these maps are revised to accommodate new twists and turns. I need a new road? City? Country? Voila, it is there! I also look for pictures of characters and setting and pin them to a bulletin board behind my desk. I love Pinterest for this! Lots of great stuff there.
And finally there is the Digging In.
Butt in Chair. Just Write. Routine. Get the words down.
That's what I am doing now. Slow going at first, but writing begets writing and I know I will pick up speed.
Oh, and my nice clean desk is already a mess. But that's okay. Bring it on.
PS The first and last pictures in this post are ones I took in France a few years ago that are among my writing inspirations for the setting.
Butt in Chair. Just Write. Routine. Get the words down.
That's what I am doing now. Slow going at first, but writing begets writing and I know I will pick up speed.
Oh, and my nice clean desk is already a mess. But that's okay. Bring it on.
PS The first and last pictures in this post are ones I took in France a few years ago that are among my writing inspirations for the setting.
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