This month's awesome co-hosts are: Tonja Drecker, Diane Burton, MJ Fifield, and Rebecca Douglass!
November's IWSG optional question: Win or not, do you usually finish your NaNo project? Have any of them gone on to be published?
I love NaNoWriMo. I'd been doing it for years before my son was born. These days, November has too many family events going on for me to participate, but I still cheer for all the participants.
I always finished my NaNo projects, and the majority of them I finished in November. Were they all good stories? Nope. I have most of them shelved where they will likely stay forever. But I have published one of them, and it is my most highly rated book: Of Blood and Sorrow. It was my 2011 NaNo project. Notice it wasn't published until 2015. A lot of work went into fixing it up and prepping it for release.
This month's insecurity: I'm currently writing the sequel to Of Blood and Sorrow. It's heavy and dark, and oh, how I torture my poor protagonist. I worry that this new book isn't going to be as good as the first. I dropped one of the main characters, and I don't know how readers will feel about that.
I'm also trying to tell myself to be patient. I might be able to finish the first draft quickly, but to polish it up like first book, it's going to take time. I want to set myself a deadline for release in spring of next year, but I know I shouldn't. Not until I'm certain that's realistic. Plus, I want the third book in the trilogy written by the time the second is released too.
Love that Yoda meme!
ReplyDeleteI've finished NaNo just a couple of times. I haven't participated the last couple years, but I love cheering people on, too.
It's so exciting that you're working on a sequel! I can't wait to know the title. I totally know what you mean with the nagging worries. Every time I write another book, I wonder how it compares to one before it. I have to tell myself at least once a week that it's okay for every story is different. That's part of the fun of being a writer. :)
The titles is Of Gods and Sorrow, and the third book will be Of Death and Sorrow. For once, the titles were easy! :) And you're right. It's okay for every story to be different.
DeleteWow, had no idea Of Blood and Sorrow was originally a NaNo project. Glad it didn't get shelved like the others--I adore it! And I'm way too excited to hear about how dark and heavy the sequel is. Best of luck with it! I have no doubt it'll be worth the wait... :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Heather!
DeleteHi Christine - good luck with all your things going on - cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteCheers, Hilary!
DeleteIf you can be patient, I thin it would be great to wait until book 3 is done to publish book 2. That way you could change plot points in book 2 if you needed to. But that might be too long between releases. I know you'll figure it out.
ReplyDeleteI will force myself to wait just for that. It helped when I was writing the TOTEM books and I did go back and add or change a few details.
DeleteIt's such a struggle to be patient. There have been times I've been ready to move on from a chapter, figuring it's good enough, only to find that there's still a lot more that could be done to make it better.
ReplyDeleteHere's to staying patient.
Cheers to that, Ken.
DeleteYou don't want to publish too soon or it will just hurt the story. Patience is hard, but wait until it's ready.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny because I'm patient with a lot of things in life except myself! :)
DeleteOoh, I didn't know Blood and Sorrow was a NaNo project. Awesome that you are working on a sequel now. Can't wait for it to be out. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Julie!
DeleteThat's cool it's your most successful book. You definitely need that sequel. When it's ready!
ReplyDeleteYup, when it's ready. But tonight is for watching the last two episodes of Stranger Things season 2. :)
DeleteI love hearing NaNo stories like yours where you've on to publish your project. Editing and polishing a manuscript takes so much time (for me at least). It's something I hadn't really realized until I set out to do it. Glad to know I'm in good company.
ReplyDeleteEditing takes a while for me too, but I know it's worth it in the end. :)
DeleteI think a lot of work generally has to go into those NaNo projects come December 1st. That's part of the reason why I have yet to actually finish one. :)
ReplyDeleteI set a big editing deadline for myself last month and came up a little short—which I fully expected to do, given how much I had to accomplish. Still glad I set the deadline, though. It really made me push to get done as much as I could.
You're doing awesome! And yeah, some of my NaNo drafts are scary. Heh.
DeleteGood luck with the sequel to Of Blood and Sorrow, Christine! I'm sure it will be awesome!
ReplyDeleteHappy IWSG Day!
Thank you, Michelle!
DeleteYAY!!! I loved Of Blood and Sorrow!!! You're a fantastic writer. I'm positive the second book will be great. Actually, my first books were harder to writer than the sequels, and people seemed to like them better. Wishing you much patience to complete your task. (Love Yoda)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Cathrina. I have Yoda sitting on my desk shelf staring at me right now. A constant reminder for patience. :)
DeleteGood luck with the sequel. I could use some patience as well.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Tamara.
DeletePatience. Ha. Not this month! Writing like the wind, hopefully. Good luck with your sequel.
ReplyDeleteHa! Yes, NaNo isn't a time for patience. But editing that draft requires it. :)
DeleteI hear you on patience. Still, next year isn't unrealistic if you work hard and fast. My developmental editor was on speed dial for my third novel, and from first draft to published book, it was one year. It can be done, but I've only done it once, so...
ReplyDeleteP.S. I'm finally getting out for my September post and notifying my award nominees. Of which you are one. Yay! That whole message of patience comes into full sway here, eh?
I usually work pretty fast once I set my nose to the grindstone, but it's a matter of tempering my patience with it too. Ooh, thank you so much!
DeleteHere it is November 1, and I still don't know if I'm doing NaNo. Guess I'd better decide!
ReplyDeleteAs for patience, I'm getting better with every book, but it's still hard. We want so badly to be done once we finish a draft. We've worked so hard already to get that far! And yet we're not even close to the finish at that point. We've got several more laps to go.
That's the truth!
DeleteI'm doing NaNo, but I know that despite how ready the story feels in my head, it won't be publishable at the end of November. In fact, like your current book, it's a part of a series and none of it will be ready soon. It might be (whimper of impatience) ready in 2019 or later. However, I still want to write it. I write my short stories for my intense need to "finish" something quickly.
ReplyDeleteGood luck, Tyrean! Short stories do help.
DeleteOops. I commented from my "teaching" gmail account up there since I was in the midst of writing feedback on essays. Sorry about that.
ReplyDeleteThat's okay! :)
DeleteI've come to believe all writers are closet maniacs. We love to torture people and thank heavens have characters to do that to! Keep up of the good work. :-)
ReplyDelete*LOL* Thank you, Lee!
DeleteGreat picture & quote from Yoda. Listen to him. Great words of wisdom he has.
ReplyDeleteMary at Play off the Page
Let's hope my training to be a Jedi writer is progressing. :)
DeleteGood luck with the sequel, and keep writing your way! I think one thing I get from drafting during NaNo (besides a draft to revise for the next year!) that writing fast actually makes my stories hang together better, because I don't have time to forget stuff.
ReplyDelete—Rebecca
My IWSG Post
Yes, I feel the same way about writing fast. My first drafts usually come together well because I can write fast on good days.
DeleteGo find that first draft of Of Blood and Sorrow, read the first chapter, and then read the first chapter of the published book. First drafts aren't perfect, but you can--and will--be able to make the next one just as good, if not better. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm a little frightened to read that original draft chapter. *LOL* OBaS went through the most thorough of edits of all my books, and it shows. I won't let my other books in the series not have the same treatment even with my lack of patience. =P
DeleteYou're really fast with writing and publishing, so I don't think you have anything to worry about on that front. I'm a whole year behind on starting and finishing my book. Oops.
ReplyDeleteYou've been such a busy woman too. :) Thankfully we're our own bosses, even though we can be tough on ourselves.
DeleteHappy NaNoing. I am doing NaNo too.
ReplyDeleteJuneta @ Writer's Gambit
I won't be doing NaNo, but I'll cheer you on! :)
Deleteoops typed that so much my brain got hung in a loop. LOL. Thank you
DeleteAh, patience! I know it's around here somewhere.... :)
ReplyDeleteI'll eventually find it!
DeletePatience is a key component of writing--and NaNo projects need a lot of polishing by December, but that takes time. Patience again!
ReplyDeleteSo true!
DeleteWishing you lots of good luck finishing your book!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Carol!
DeleteI loved Of Blood and Sorrow! Now I want to know which character you dropped?! Can’t wait to read the sequel!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Gwen. I can tell you it isn't Erin or Abdiel or Cort!
DeleteWriting a sequel to the first book is difficult, so I wish you all the best. I am sure you're going to write a fantastic book. Right now, it is the fear of not being able to maintain the same line of quality in your second book that you have in your first book. But I think that is just fear. Just go ahead and write your heart out and do your best.
ReplyDeleteShalom aleichem,
Pat G @ EverythingMustChange
Thanks, Pat. I hope to do just that!
DeleteNow that's a happy ending. Congrats.
ReplyDeleteAnna from elements of emaginette
Thanks, Anna!
DeleteI'm sure your story will be great! I have one book sitting at the back of my hard drive that I'll likely never touch again. :) http://www.raimeygallant.com
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your new story. Yoda is always a big help.
ReplyDeleteI can not freaking wait for the next book. I'm so excited you are doing it because I loooooooved Of Blood and Sorrow. HAVE I TOLD YOU THAT ENOUGH????? LOL
ReplyDeleteI can't wait for your next book to come out! But no pressure ;)
ReplyDeleteAll the best with the new one. Patience, sadly, is not one of my virtues, whether it is in reading or writing. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteYou never know how your readers will take it but go with your gut (it's usually right). Best of luck.
ReplyDeleteNANO is fine for getting the words down on paper, but it's the polishing and spiffing up that takes a lot f time. I'm still tinkering with my one and only NANO project from 2010. Getting down 50,000+ words in a month - easy peasy. Making is presentable is a whole 'nother story.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with Of Blood and Sorrow 2: Blood With a Vengeance (working title, maybe?). We don't do NaNo. Nothing against those who do, but like you, we like to take our time with things to make sure they turn out just right.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of, I'm sure that, despite your worries, things will turn out great for Of Blood and Sorrow Part Deux: Sorrow Strikes Back (alternative title?).
Best of luck with the patience. I know I tend to have too little in that department. But awesome that you turned one of your NaNo novels into a published work, even if it did take years.
ReplyDelete(Sorry for the late visit. Life ambushed me.)