I had a blog post idea for today, I swear. But I kinda don't have time to write it. Or more accurately, I don't have time to visit anyone else's blog today or for most of the weekend so I'd rather save my good idea for next week. I probably should have taken my blogging break this week instead of last, too, but it's too late for that. Maybe at some point I'll actually write my blog posts ahead of time...YEAH RIGHT.
I pretty much procrastinate on everything so now I find myself with way too much to do and not a lot of time to do it in. Ok, so I'm only going to New York for one night and I've done it a million times before but I haven't packed a single thing yet, haven't even tried on my whole outfit (yikes!), figured out how to get to the hotel or the theater, or come to terms with the fact that it's going to rain tomorrow (wearing my hear down + humidity = no). Plus there's a sink full of dirty dishes and other stuff to clean and honestly, I need about an hour in the shower because I haven't shaved my legs in a while. TMI, sorry.
But anyway! I know what you're going to say. Take a deep breath. One thing at a time. But I should probably get going on those million things I have to do before I have a nervous breakdown. Maybe I'll get some writing done on the bus! Or some reading, at least. I swear I won't just take a nap...
Well I'll be back and hopefully in normal form on Monday! Have a good weekend, everyone!
26 June 2015
24 June 2015
Subplotting
So by now I'm sure I've talked about having to rewrite the last third of my book about a million times. But it is my main focus (except when I'm distracted by shiny sequel ideas) so what else should I talk about, right? But the whole rewriting thing isn't just about the main plot. There are some changes happening there but it basically follows the same path. I do have to rewrite pretty much everything, but there aren't a lot of major changes. Where the bigger changes are happening is in the subplots.
Subplots can be tricky. They have to make sense within a story. You'll probably have to ask yourself if the subplot you're imagining is really necessary. If it feels forced, then it may not work. It should compliment the main plot in some way, or at least make sense for the characters involved. And obviously, you don't want it to be boring. You don't want the reader to be bored while reading the subplots and just flying through the pages to get back to the main plot.
I have two subplots in Uneven Lines (because I'm a crazy person who didn't think the main plot was complicated enough, apparently). I think they work because they focus on the main character's relationships with the people he interacts with every day. So there's a subplot regarding Jordan's mother and another that involves his friends. I think you can have characters popping up now and then without having their moments evolve into an actual subplot, but in these two cases I feel enough happens that they can be called subplots.
But like I said at the beginning, I am rewriting these subplots as part of my overhaul of the end of the book. I felt like they were weak in the previous drafts and that I was forcing certain moments to where it didn't really make much sense. So I'm trying to figure that out. It's tricky trying to figure out how to make every single moment not only believable, but also relevant to the story. I've mostly figured out the mom subplot, although I do feel it ends a bit early. The friend subplot is proving more difficult. I think it's because it's becoming a lot more elaborate than I initially intended, but I think that's a good thing because it reflects the main plot more. Jordan is the type of character who always has some kind of scheme going on, or in this case, two at once. It's just tricky trying to map out that scheme so that it makes sense.
But here I go rambling again. How do you guys work subplots into your stories?
Subplots can be tricky. They have to make sense within a story. You'll probably have to ask yourself if the subplot you're imagining is really necessary. If it feels forced, then it may not work. It should compliment the main plot in some way, or at least make sense for the characters involved. And obviously, you don't want it to be boring. You don't want the reader to be bored while reading the subplots and just flying through the pages to get back to the main plot.
I have two subplots in Uneven Lines (because I'm a crazy person who didn't think the main plot was complicated enough, apparently). I think they work because they focus on the main character's relationships with the people he interacts with every day. So there's a subplot regarding Jordan's mother and another that involves his friends. I think you can have characters popping up now and then without having their moments evolve into an actual subplot, but in these two cases I feel enough happens that they can be called subplots.
But like I said at the beginning, I am rewriting these subplots as part of my overhaul of the end of the book. I felt like they were weak in the previous drafts and that I was forcing certain moments to where it didn't really make much sense. So I'm trying to figure that out. It's tricky trying to figure out how to make every single moment not only believable, but also relevant to the story. I've mostly figured out the mom subplot, although I do feel it ends a bit early. The friend subplot is proving more difficult. I think it's because it's becoming a lot more elaborate than I initially intended, but I think that's a good thing because it reflects the main plot more. Jordan is the type of character who always has some kind of scheme going on, or in this case, two at once. It's just tricky trying to map out that scheme so that it makes sense.
But here I go rambling again. How do you guys work subplots into your stories?
22 June 2015
Unfollowing a Blog
Has it been a week already? Maybe a week isn't all that effective for a break...but it was nice on Wednesday and Friday not having to be like, "OMG I have to write a blog post!" And I did come up with a couple ideas for new posts, which was really what motivated me to take a break--having zero ideas. Hopefully that won't happen again anytime soon.
So recently I unfollowed two blogs. I'm sure this happens all of the time, and everyone has their different reasons for doing so. For me it was a few reasons. I actually don't do it all that often. I know it can be frustrating to lose blog followers since it takes a good amount of time for them to add up. The main reason to unfollow would be that the person doesn't blog anymore. Blogger has a follow limit and you can only follow 200 blogs (there are some ways around this but it's not foolproof). So if you want to follow new blogs that are actually active, you may have to clean out the ones that aren't first.
Unfortunately another reason for unfollowing a blog is that the blogger irritates or offends you in some way. We'd like to think this never happens, but it does. It's usually not an everyday occurrence, either. This also factored into my unfollowing decision. I don't want to give too many details because I wouldn't want other people to figure out who I'm talking about. With one, I was offended by a lack of response on a particular post. It sort of made me feel singled out like I had said something wrong when I knew that I hadn't. With the second, it was just a weird situation that honestly left me feeling a little used and creeped out.
But what actually happened isn't the important part. The thing I noticed was after these incidents, I stopped looking at these people's blogs. I would see their posts on my feed but I never clicked on them. So at a certain point I thought, why am I still following them if I never actually look at their blogs? But what also played a role in the decision was that neither of these people had ever followed me back, which was sort of the final deal breaker. So I had this follow limit, these people irked me for one reason or another, and they never followed my blog back. It was kind of an obvious decision at that point. I had no reason to follow these blogs anymore.
I don't know what other people's processes are for choosing to unfollow a blog. I think I needed all of the above reasons to finally make the decision. If it had only been one reason, I probably wouldn't have bothered. But when the reasons start to pile up, the decision to make becomes more obvious.
Have you ever unfollwed a blog? What reasons did you have for doing so?
So recently I unfollowed two blogs. I'm sure this happens all of the time, and everyone has their different reasons for doing so. For me it was a few reasons. I actually don't do it all that often. I know it can be frustrating to lose blog followers since it takes a good amount of time for them to add up. The main reason to unfollow would be that the person doesn't blog anymore. Blogger has a follow limit and you can only follow 200 blogs (there are some ways around this but it's not foolproof). So if you want to follow new blogs that are actually active, you may have to clean out the ones that aren't first.
Unfortunately another reason for unfollowing a blog is that the blogger irritates or offends you in some way. We'd like to think this never happens, but it does. It's usually not an everyday occurrence, either. This also factored into my unfollowing decision. I don't want to give too many details because I wouldn't want other people to figure out who I'm talking about. With one, I was offended by a lack of response on a particular post. It sort of made me feel singled out like I had said something wrong when I knew that I hadn't. With the second, it was just a weird situation that honestly left me feeling a little used and creeped out.
But what actually happened isn't the important part. The thing I noticed was after these incidents, I stopped looking at these people's blogs. I would see their posts on my feed but I never clicked on them. So at a certain point I thought, why am I still following them if I never actually look at their blogs? But what also played a role in the decision was that neither of these people had ever followed me back, which was sort of the final deal breaker. So I had this follow limit, these people irked me for one reason or another, and they never followed my blog back. It was kind of an obvious decision at that point. I had no reason to follow these blogs anymore.
I don't know what other people's processes are for choosing to unfollow a blog. I think I needed all of the above reasons to finally make the decision. If it had only been one reason, I probably wouldn't have bothered. But when the reasons start to pile up, the decision to make becomes more obvious.
Have you ever unfollwed a blog? What reasons did you have for doing so?
15 June 2015
Taking a Break
All right, I think I've finally reached the breaking point. I need a blogging break. I woke up this morning with absolutely no idea what to blog about. All I could think of was to ramble in a way that would sound like one of my Livejournal entries from high school (I should probably go delete that thing...). I've been putting off the idea for a while but I think it's probably a good idea. So I'm taking the rest of this week off. But first I think I will ramble a bit...
What I really want to do is get back to editing/writing. I realized I want to rewrite about the first 2/3 of the first chapter of UL (say that 10 times fast). So that's my first project. Then I've still got to rewrite the whole ending and edit pretty much everything along the way.
That dress I was waiting for came on Friday and IT FITS! Spanx are entirely necessary, though. And I did lose two pounds since I started dieting and exercising last week, so hopefully I can keep it up.
All right, that's enough rambling. In case you missed my attempts to pimp them out last week, go check out these other posts:
- Last Tuesday I had a guest post on Adam Gaylord's blog about finding your muse.
- On Friday Jordan was interviewed on "Will Scarlet's Kiss & Tell" over at Danielle E. Shipley's blog.
So go show them some love! Because I'll be taking a nap...I mean, writing! Writing! See you all next week!
What I really want to do is get back to editing/writing. I realized I want to rewrite about the first 2/3 of the first chapter of UL (say that 10 times fast). So that's my first project. Then I've still got to rewrite the whole ending and edit pretty much everything along the way.
That dress I was waiting for came on Friday and IT FITS! Spanx are entirely necessary, though. And I did lose two pounds since I started dieting and exercising last week, so hopefully I can keep it up.
All right, that's enough rambling. In case you missed my attempts to pimp them out last week, go check out these other posts:
- Last Tuesday I had a guest post on Adam Gaylord's blog about finding your muse.
- On Friday Jordan was interviewed on "Will Scarlet's Kiss & Tell" over at Danielle E. Shipley's blog.
So go show them some love! Because I'll be taking a nap...I mean, writing! Writing! See you all next week!
12 June 2015
Jophiel Release & Review!!
Before I get to the actual post, there's just one more interview for you to check out! Don't ask me how it worked out that all of my guest posts/interviews happened within a week of each other. Just a weird coincidence, I suppose. ("Your interview?" Jordan asks, tapping his foot.) Oh, right. Head on over to Danielle E. Shipley's blog where Jordan is being interviewed on Will Scarlet's Kiss & Tell. It's a talk show for characters and at the end they have to choose either to reveal their author's deepest, darkest secret, or kiss the host. Guess which one Jordan picked. GO ON, GUESS. *wink wink*
But anyway, onto the actual post! Earlier this week the third book in Patricia Josephine's Path of Angels series was released: Jophiel! I'll spare you my usual blabbering. Take it away, Patricia!
What’s in a name?
A character’s name can be important. It’s not always random. Sometimes there has to be a meaning behind it. I had some conflicting information on Johpiel. A few sites he wasn’t listed as an archangel, then others said in Jewish lore it was the name of an archangel. Either way, I decided to keep the name.
Jophiel
Angel of Enlightenment
Some believe Johpiel to be an archangel. This angel inspires us toward awareness, enlightenment, open-mindedness and freedom of thought. He teaches our consciousness to discover the Light within.
Joe is a huge joker, but knows when to be serious. Sometimes you wouldn't think he would be an archangel.
About the Author:
But anyway, onto the actual post! Earlier this week the third book in Patricia Josephine's Path of Angels series was released: Jophiel! I'll spare you my usual blabbering. Take it away, Patricia!
What’s in a name?
A character’s name can be important. It’s not always random. Sometimes there has to be a meaning behind it. I had some conflicting information on Johpiel. A few sites he wasn’t listed as an archangel, then others said in Jewish lore it was the name of an archangel. Either way, I decided to keep the name.
Jophiel
Angel of Enlightenment
Some believe Johpiel to be an archangel. This angel inspires us toward awareness, enlightenment, open-mindedness and freedom of thought. He teaches our consciousness to discover the Light within.
Joe is a huge joker, but knows when to be serious. Sometimes you wouldn't think he would be an archangel.
* * *
They must fight to stay on the path.
Joe embraces his duty without fear or hesitation, always ready for the next battle. But the path has never been easy. With Michael’s return, they uncover a truth more dangerous than they ever imagined. Their enemy plans to unleash the devil himself, Lucifer. Help comes in the form of an unlikely alley: a member of the fallen.
Mariangela is trying to make amends by protecting the child she is carrying. After blindly following Lucifer in the rebellion, her misguided allegiance came with a price: banishment from heaven. Now, as she strives for forgiveness in the human world, she must fight to prevent Uriel, a fallen archangel, from using her child to free evil from Hell.
The path becomes a battleground, one which may already be lost.
About the Author:
Patricia Josephine never set out to become a writer. In fact, she never considered it an option during high school and college. She was all about art. On a whim, she wrote down a story bouncing in her head. That was the start of it and she hasn't regretted a moment. She writes young adult under the name Patricia Lynne.
Patricia lives with her husband in Michigan, hopes one day to have what will resemble a small petting zoo, has a fondness for dying her hair the colors of the rainbow, and an obsession with Doctor Who.
Sarah's Review:
Jophiel’s story continues right where we left off with
Zadekiel in Book 2. I really enjoyed Joe as a character. He’s funny and
compassionate, and it was interesting to get into his head, as well as watch him
learn how to control his powers. Mariangela was an interesting character as
well: a fallen angel trying to seek forgiveness and protect her unborn child
from falling into the hands of the other Fallen. I wasn’t quite as invested in
the relationship between Joe and Mary as I was in the relationships featured in
the first two books. While all the relationships happened suddenly for these
characters, this one didn’t have as much time to develop. I think that’s
because the focus is more on the path itself and the brothers’ mission to stop
the Fallen. We start to get a lot of answers in this book: what the Fallen’s
plan is to free Lucifer, and what Jophiel and his brothers must do to stop it.
Something huge is revealed and it turns out they really have been on the path
all along, and the people they meet and come to love play a large role in that.
I’m excited to see where the story goes in the next book.
10 June 2015
Leave a Message After the Beep...
I'm not here right now.
I'm probably reading something. I've got book reading and beta reading and...no wait, that's it. Or maybe (if a miracle has occurred), I'm writing something!
Or I may be exercising. Because I'm going to New York for one night in less than three weeks and I have to fit into a dress. I would have ordered an XL but they were out so I ordered a large and prayed to the Spanx god. It won't be here until Friday, but I figured trying to lose a few pounds won't hurt (plus I really need to anyway).
But if you'd like to check out something cool, head on over to Adam Gaylord's blog where I had a guest post yesterday! I wrote about--what else?--finding your muse. Or when they find you. Which is usually the case.
Otherwise, leave a message. BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP.
I'm probably reading something. I've got book reading and beta reading and...no wait, that's it. Or maybe (if a miracle has occurred), I'm writing something!
Or I may be exercising. Because I'm going to New York for one night in less than three weeks and I have to fit into a dress. I would have ordered an XL but they were out so I ordered a large and prayed to the Spanx god. It won't be here until Friday, but I figured trying to lose a few pounds won't hurt (plus I really need to anyway).
But if you'd like to check out something cool, head on over to Adam Gaylord's blog where I had a guest post yesterday! I wrote about--what else?--finding your muse. Or when they find you. Which is usually the case.
Otherwise, leave a message. BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP.
08 June 2015
Wasted Inspiration
I really didn't know what to blog about today. Pretty much every part of my brain is screaming at me to take a blogging break, even if it's just for one week. But then there's that other part of my brain that says, you've already made it this far. You might as well keep going. But I don't know. It's tough to blog three days a week for a whole year, but I'm never this consistent with anything so I'd kinda like to keep going with it.
I feel like I almost wrote something this weekend. I know that sounds really lame, but whenever I actually do want to write (and that doesn't happen very often), I still hesitate for some reason. I think a lot of times I just end up staring at the blank screen, unable to come up with the words at all. I know I hesitate to write a sentence down until it's already perfect in my head. So sometimes it's hard to write anything at all. I don't know if it's because I'm trying too hard or maybe I'm just not as inspired as I thought.
But I had two ideas in my mind and I didn't work on either of them. One was a scene for the third book and the other was actually a scene rewrite for the first chapter of UL. I mean, I never want to work on that, so why the hell didn't I take the inspiration and run with it? I feel like figuring out how to fix problems in a draft is a lot easier than actually fixing them for some reason. I figured out a way to neaten things up a bit, get rid of an unnecessary character and replace her with someone more important. So if I've already got it all figured out, why don't I just write it?????
I DON'T KNOW. Ok, I know this post is getting all "woe is me." I have no idea why I don't use inspiration when I get it. Sometimes I'm too busy doing other things. Sometimes all I can get out is dialogue and I hate when that happens (although I'm sure writing anything is better than nothing, right?). Sometimes it's easier to picture something in your head than it is to actually write it down.
I'm hoping to get some writing done this week. I don't even care what it is. Don't care which book or if it's just dialogue or even if it comes out horrible. I'd say any words are better than no words.
I feel like I almost wrote something this weekend. I know that sounds really lame, but whenever I actually do want to write (and that doesn't happen very often), I still hesitate for some reason. I think a lot of times I just end up staring at the blank screen, unable to come up with the words at all. I know I hesitate to write a sentence down until it's already perfect in my head. So sometimes it's hard to write anything at all. I don't know if it's because I'm trying too hard or maybe I'm just not as inspired as I thought.
But I had two ideas in my mind and I didn't work on either of them. One was a scene for the third book and the other was actually a scene rewrite for the first chapter of UL. I mean, I never want to work on that, so why the hell didn't I take the inspiration and run with it? I feel like figuring out how to fix problems in a draft is a lot easier than actually fixing them for some reason. I figured out a way to neaten things up a bit, get rid of an unnecessary character and replace her with someone more important. So if I've already got it all figured out, why don't I just write it?????
I DON'T KNOW. Ok, I know this post is getting all "woe is me." I have no idea why I don't use inspiration when I get it. Sometimes I'm too busy doing other things. Sometimes all I can get out is dialogue and I hate when that happens (although I'm sure writing anything is better than nothing, right?). Sometimes it's easier to picture something in your head than it is to actually write it down.
I'm hoping to get some writing done this week. I don't even care what it is. Don't care which book or if it's just dialogue or even if it comes out horrible. I'd say any words are better than no words.
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