Writerly Rants - Shelving Projects

Tonight, I took the manuscript I've been working on for the last year and shelved it.
>50K words; two drafts.
An idea I was so excited about nine months ago deflated.
Promises of a finish line and a delivery date to my agent cancelled.
I threw my hands up in defeat.

I had no choice, you see. I've been sitting here in front of my computer for weeks staring and agonizing because I didn't recognize this lumpy story I had in front of me. It was just a pile of words and scenes and characters. And there was this thread of story--there was a lot of WHATs going on, but no WHYs.

Why was this happening?
Why would this character react this way?
Why would it go down THIS way rather than THAT way?
And most importantly, what am I trying to say with this story?

I have this problem. I want people to read my work and weigh in, because who doesn't love to hear feedback? But this story didn't incubate long enough. I didn't let it rest and stand back and let myself re-examine it. I didn't give myself the time to throw my all into it. To work until the late hours of night, writing feverishly. Or replay scenes over and over in my head, perfecting each and every line of dialogue. Instead, I wrote it like a shot in the dark. Throwing spaghetti at the wall. Hoping something stuck. Then too many fingerprints got all over it.

Don't get me wrong: I'm totally grateful for the time and effort people take in reading and critiquing my work. But if it happens too soon in the process, it derails me. Instead of finding the road that leads to the story, I'm taking some back way that someone else took this one time. The journey to finding a story is different for every person and every story, and we have to go our own ways at our own speeds.

So I'm sitting here with something shelved. As in, not trashed, but waiting for the dust to clear. Because, at some point, I'll grasp for the right sound and shape and it will be there for me. The story that wants to be told. That feels right and not forced. That is true to my vision. And it won't involve Band-Aid plotting or Frankensteined scenes.

I'll work on something new, and let this project rest. Give it space and time. Until that moment when I have a thought, "I wonder if I did this..." And then the process starts anew and a new story is born.

April Check In

What I'm Writing

Writing the second draft of my book, a new YA thriller. I enrolled in an online class to help brush up on a few things (also to give myself steady deadlines to meet), and I'm really glad I'm workshopping this book. It's a bit strange, but most of my more-stranger ideas tend to do well when they go out to editors. 

What I'm Reading

I'm finally getting to read Daughter of Smoke and Bone after everyone I've ever encountered has raved of this book. I'm, like, 40% of the way through and am NOT disappointed!

What I'm Listening To

In a super pop mood this week!

What I've Been Up To

Puppy wrangling and writing--mostly with Lucy at my feet. Hopefully with the weather warming up, I'll get a chance to do more than just work!

Lucy found a new place to sleep while I write.

A photo posted by Valerie Cole ❤️ (@valeriecoleya) on Apr 18, 2016 at 6:14pm PDT

What Lucy Has Been Up To

Getting into trouble! Mostly because she's starting to get comfortable and feels at home, which makes me happy. This morning she discovered how to unroll the toilet paper--what a fun game (for her)!

No string, Lucy! 😠

Do you think Lauren will understand when I tell her the puppy ate my plot?

A photo posted by Valerie Cole ❤️ (@valeriecoleya) on Apr 15, 2016 at 6:15am PDT

Mid-Spring Check In

What I'm Writing

Right now, trying to figure out my story is like throwing spaghetti at the wall and watching it all slide down...

— Valerie Cole (@ValerieColeYA) April 6, 2016

Yeah, writing is hard. I won't lie, sometimes I'm convinced none of my writing sticks and I'm running out of noodles.

I have a pretty solid first draft of a new young adult manuscript. I've been trying to tackle more commercial plotlines. Things that could be considered thrillers or high-concept. My brain is so good at emotional story arcs, but when I have to figure out how a resolution works out or raise stakes, I fizzle out.

The good news is that I had a couple of really great critiques come in and set me back on track--hopefully in the right direction. I'm sitting here in front of a blank cork board with a stack of Post-its and I'm ready to replot my entire book.

What I'm Reading

What I'm Listening To

What I've Been Up To

Pretty much 99% of what I say now:
What are you eating?
Ah-ah-ah!
Oh my god!
On the pad! On the pad!
Noooo!
No bites!
Omg so cute#newpuppy

— Valerie Cole (@ValerieColeYA) April 6, 2016

Well, this little monster has been keeping me on my toes for the last week. Meet Lucy, our new puppy! We brought her home last Tuesday and my life has been full of: puppy wrangling, accident cleaning, ah-ah-ahing, and attempting to look away for oooooone second to work. It's impossible. That face makes it all worth it, though.

Lucy is home!

A photo posted by Valerie Cole ❤️ (@valeriecoleya) on Mar 29, 2016 at 8:57am PDT

January 2016 Check In

Hello, hello! 

This month is almost over and I'm finally sitting down for a check in. Personally, I'm thankful for this impending snowstorm of doom that is about to rain down on us. There's been so much to do this month and I'm ready for a weekend of eating soup and binge watching Grey's Anatomy.

What have I been up to, you ask?

1) Well, Project Blue--my newest manuscript. My seventh, to be exact. And, there's something I've learned from working on multiple projects: each one will feel different. Like, really different. There's some that have taken everything in me to write. Two manuscripts ago, I had to set up any type of reward system I could just to get one word down on the page at a time. It made me wonder if I even liked writing sometimes. But Project Blue isn't like that. It makes me giddy and excited. I love everything about it--even the hard parts. 

I've been doing a lot of writing and researching and re-writing, and am hoping to have a killer first draft soon. I'm so excited to share it and have my peeps read it (and of course poke holes in it so it resembles Swiss cheese). 

2) I also decided to scale back on giving myself so many expectations this year. One big one was how many books was I going to read. I read a lot, and I participated in GoodReads' Reading Challenge like it was my own Olympics. I can't manage to track how many calories I eat daily, but I can log every single page I've ever read in my GoodReads app. This year I decided to bail out. I'm going to read, but not be so focused on that number. And, also DNF books if I want or just read the parts I want. You know, read like an un-obsessed person might.

What am I reading now? The History of Love--a book that was recommended to me six years ago and has been at the top of my TBR list since!

3) Also, puppies. We lost our sweet Nelly girl last month, right before Christmas and I have to be honest, my heart is still broken. The other day I was out running errands and I found myself Google Mapping the nearest puppy shop and drove straight there. I got my fill of puppy kisses, but realized just how much work going from an extremely chill senior dog to an over-active brand new puppy is going to be. Not that I'm not up for the task, but Shannon and I still need some time to prepare and get ready. Meanwhile, I can't promise not to be that crazy lady who shows up in Pet Shops just to pick up puppies and talk about my heartbreak.

Until next month, friends. Bunker down from the snow and godspeed!

October Check In 2015

Hello, hello!

I waited to write up my October check in post this month because things were so busy. I've been writing (of course), but trying to figure out the best way to make this "full-time writing thing" work best for me.

It's helped a lot to listen to Sarah Enni's First Drafts podcast and get a feel for what other writers do to make the daily demands of creativity work for them. For me, I'm finding, it's different almost every day. When I have a deadline (either self-imposed or agent-assigned), I can buckle down and work, but those other days when I'm free to just create? It's hard.

Over the summer, I wrote a 22-page outline for my next book. It covers everything plot-related, and some character arcs, which is great. But, I've been struggling with these two main characters of mine and trying to figure out who they really are--especially this one named Miles. Sure, you can give a character a name and a sassy attitude and just go with it, but underneath it all you need to know who they really are. Miles wasn't talking to me. I tried to give him a backstory, but it felt so generic. After all, how many I've-known-him-since-kindergarden stories are already out there? I wanted more from this character, and he refused to tell me.

Sometimes when I get stuck like this, when the character won't come to me, I go out into the world and find them. Yesterday, I was at the gym and Miles walked right by and jumped on the treadmill in front of me. In fifteen minutes I had him all figured out, and realized how much I love this exercise in character development. Because when you can see the person right in front of you, and can observe how they carry themselves, how they look around at the world, it's easier to figure out what their hang ups are and their place in the story. So, if you try this method, let me know how it works for you!

In things I've been reading, check out Aaron Hartzler's What We Saw! I was so impressed by his writing and the strong message this one carries about rape culture, especially in small town, high schools where everyone wants to look away.

Wolf by Wolf is also very exciting and so different--especially if you're into reimagined WWII stories (with motorcycles and wolves!). Fans of The Scorpio Races would like this one.

Faking Normal was my favorite contemporary this month. I have a huge writer crush on Courtney Stevens.

That's it for me this month. It's time to get back to writing. :)

Ready Set Write - Week 11

Ready Set Write is a summer writing intensive that provides an opportunity for us to cheer each other on wherever we’re at in our writing—planning, drafting, or revising. This year, your RSW hosts are Alison Miller, Katy Upperman, Erin Funk, Elodie Nowodazkij, and Jaime Morrow. Join us by posting your updated goals on your blog, and linking up with the widget on any of the hosts' blogs posted every Monday morning.

It's GO TIME! I'm writing this post in a rush because I have to be on the road in 50 minutes. I'm driving 5 hours to Virginia to stay with Jodi Meadows for three days of writing, cupcake eating, and nonsense. I have an outline and some character development and now I need a serious kick in the butt to start this manuscript. 

1. Last week's goals:

• Talk to CP Dana and nail this outline down. I'm reving my engine to start this MS, but don't want to skid off the track because I started to write too soon. √ Dana Elmendorf is amazing, btw. I have five pages of notes from our convo and she helped me make all the hard decisions and kept me from wandering down weird, rambley paths.
• Hit the gym 2X. Only once (sigh). 
• Go to 2 yoga classes. Only one (sigh).
• Head down to Maryland for some much-needed family time. √ And it was SO, so needed. My nan turned 86 and we always do a huge party for her. This year it was in her assisted living home and while it was a bit strange at first, everyone really came together
• Also, I think PitchWars submissions start soon so that means I'll be digging through slush at some point. √ YAAAAS! The submission window opened early and Stephanie Scott and I received some exciting entries. There are so many writers that we're falling in serious love with.  

2. My goal(s) for this week:

• It's all about writing this week. I want to get a serious first draft going. I hesitate to put any numerical goals around it. 
• I need to get to yoga this week (2X). My body is starting to feel it when I go without a class for a few days. 
• This weekend is my birthday party! So....eat cake? Can that be a goal?

I'll be around to comment later on the bloghop this afternoon. See ya next week! Eat cake, guys!

Ready Set Write - Week 10

Ready Set Write is a summer writing intensive that provides an opportunity for us to cheer each other on wherever we’re at in our writing—planning, drafting, or revising. This year, your RSW hosts are Alison Miller, Katy Upperman, Erin Funk, Elodie Nowodazkij, and Jaime Morrow. Join us by posting your updated goals on your blog, and linking up with the widget on any of the hosts' blogs posted every Monday morning.

First, can I just ask--how has it been ten weeks already?? What I love most about this writing intensive is how it keeps me on track of my time, even if I fail horribly (ahem...like, this week). Down to brass tacks (and by brass tacks, I mean, let me tell you how horribly I failed all my goals this week).

1. Last week's goals:

• Dive head first into this new manuscript. I have it plotted out pretty well so hopefully I won't hit many snags. I'll have to see if my agent has any major adjustments/comments. √ Except, my agent found a lot of things she wanted me to think about. I'm still muddling around and trying to nail down my outline.
• Go to the gym 3x. That elliptical is going to be my BFF this week. XX *shame*
• Go to 3 yoga classes. My typical class schedule is Monday, Wednesday, Sunday. XXX Ugh. I'm going to fix this this week.
• Get up with the alarm at 7AM. Due to night writing, I've been sleeping in too long and want to shake the habit. I'm still not where I want to be with this goal, but I have a lot going on this week so hopefully that will help.
• Check out the #PitchWars hashtag and convince everyone to submit to me and Stephanie Scott (wink, wink; nudge, nudge). √ √ √ ;)

2. My goal(s) for this week:

• Talk to CP Dana and nail this outline down. I'm reving my engine to start this MS, but don't want to skid off the track because I started to write too soon.
• Hit the gym 2X.
• Go to 2 yoga classes.
• Head down to Maryland for some much-needed family time.
• Also, I think PitchWars submissions start soon so that means I'll be digging through slush at some point.

3. The biggest challenge I faced this week: I felt like I was spinning my wheels all week. My agent asked me to think about some bigger issues with my WIP and I spent most of my week staring at the wall just...thinking. The easiest part of writing to skip over is that daydreamy-thinking stage. But it's so, so important even if it feels like we're "slacking" or "not doing anything."

4. Something I love about my WiP: that once I push through these holes, it's so, so solid. The most solid idea I've ever had.

Pitch Wars YA Mentors Bio: Stephanie Scott and Valerie Cole team up

Meet Young Adult Mentors Stephanie Scott and Valerie Cole

Pitch Wars is back! The epic contest that pairs agent-seeking writers with a mentor prior to an agent pitch round will soon be open to entries. Read on to see if we might be a good match. All the contest details are here on Brenda Drake’s blog.

This year, we’re co-mentoring! We live and breathe the contemporary YA world. We were signed to agents from contest entries (after receiving multiple offers), and know how to polish an entry so it shines like a diamond among the slush. For the last 3+ years, we've had our eye on the YA publishing market to know what types of manuscripts agents are looking for and what is selling to publishers. We will work hard to make your entry stand out in the agent round!

About us:

Stephanie Scott Bio: I’m a Young Adult writer represented by Sarah LaPolla at Bradford Literary. My debut contemporary ALTERATIONS is set for release in 2016 by Bloomsbury Spark. I’m a returning Pitch Wars mentor, and a new addition to the monthly 1st 5 Pages Workshop on the Adventures in YA Publishing blog.  As an active member of Romance Writers of America, I regularly judge partial manuscripts through chapter contests and yearly judge for the Golden Heart. I serve on the board for the online YA chapter YARWA. Beyond writing, I enjoy dance fitness and cat memes, and Pinterest is driving me broke. I have half a dozen cosplay ideas (mostly Star Wars) and I’m a Ren Faire regular. You can find me chatting about TV and all things books on twitter and Instagram at @StephScottYA.

Valerie Cole Bio: Valerie Cole lives in Philadelphia with her guitar builder husband and lovable cocker spaniel. A graduate of The Art Institute of Philadelphia and Drexel University, her love of storytelling began as an intern in MTV’s animation department. She signed with literary agent Lauren MacLeod in 2012 after her entry in The Writers Voice caught Lauren's attention. She hosts the highly successful agent interview blog series Agents Like Us. You can find her on Twitter and Instagram @ValerieColeYA.

What we are looking for: a writer who is ready to take the next step in their career. Someone who has passion and drive, who isn't afraid to kill their darlings, and is ready to revise (maybe even heavily) to nab the agent of their dreams. Young Adult fiction only.

Basically, we want to find a manuscript that makes us…

Seeing how we're contemporary YA girls, we'll definitely be looking for lots of realistic YA fiction, but we’re looking for GREAT STORIES across all genres. What makes many books incredibly successful is the author’s ability to root common emotions and relatable characters in wildly unique situations. For instance, take a look at Maggie Steifvater’s The Scorpio Races. Sure, there are crazy demon horses that rise out of the sea TO EAT YOU ALIVE, but Steifvater also tells the story about rich vs. poor, girl vs. boy, girl horse meets boy horse, and builds relationships so you are rooting for someone to win at the end. We want to find great stories. Period. The end. So surprise us!

We’ll be working collaboratively, but here are some of our personal interests and favorites:

Stephanie's Interests:

-High concept premises*

-Strong friendships or family relationships

-Diverse characters and diverse authors (see We Need Diverse Books site)

-Funny!

-Unique settings or time periods

-Upending tropes (make a common premise fresh)

-Characters who are skilled at or passionate -- sports, arts, sciences, etc. Teens who have their own interests and goals, even if the goals are thwarted (and they should be = conflict!)

Books I’m a fan of:

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han - the sweeter side of YA that’s fresh, funny, and heartwarming

Just One Day by Gayle Forman - beautiful writing, self discovery, rich locale, deep family issues

Past Perfect by Leila Sales - forbidden romance set at waring historical re-enactment camps!

Deception So Deadly: Run to You by Clara Kensie - fast paced YA suspense

Tiny Pretty Things by Sonia Charaipotya and Dhonielle Clayton - multi-POV ballet academy with a diverse character cast

Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma - complicated sister relationship, gorgeous writing, magical realism

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor - world travel, art meets fantasy, escapist adventure

Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis - survivalist to the core. Gripping pacing.

Under a Painted Sky by Stacey Lee - on-the-run girls disguised as cowboys on the historic Oregon trail!

Every Day by David Levithan - inventive and inspiring

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray - This book has everything: deserted pageant contestants, wicked satire, on-fire feminism. Volcano lairs, Lady Bird Hope, taxidermied sidekicks.

Valerie’s interests:

- Heart-wrenching contemporaries with high stakes

- Real teens dealing with real issues

- Unconventional families (especially blue collar)

- Diverse characters

- Twisty turny psycho thrillers

Books I’m a fan of:

Anything by Sara Zarr, especially How to Save a Life and Story of a Girl

A.S. King’s Reality Boy and Please Ignore Vera Dietz

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

On the paranormal side, vampires and witches aren’t quite my thing, but I’m a huge fan of Maggie Steifvater’s The Raven Cycle series.

Anything that blends folklore, mythology, faerie tales with modern themes.

* High concept means you can easily pitch your idea in a few words. For example, last year in Pitch Wars, there was a YA entry about a teen fashion blogger exiled to Amish country. Paired with a funny title, and right there, you get an idea what the story might be like. If your manuscript has that mass appeal, we will fight all the other mentors off with a samurai sword for you.

Our editing style: the focus will be developmental. This means big picture edits--plot, character development, pacing. While we may comment on word choice, grammar, or specific details, this isn't meant to be a line edit. Most of all, we want to help a writer craft their best story using their voice. It's not about us imposing our writer voice on someone else. We want to help your entry stand out in not only the contest and agent round, but among published stories.

Not seeing what you've written in this blog post? Try us! We're open to finding something really awesome and it just might be you! Make sure to follow us on Twitter @StephScottYA and @ValerieColeYA and watch for us in the #PitchWars hashtag. We can’t wait to read your pitches! The submission window opens August 17 on Brenda Drake's blog.

The bloghop widget doesn't like me much--try this link to see all the mentors.

1. Kes Trester (co-mentoring with Jennifer Hawkins) 2. Mindy McGinnis (co-mentoring with Kate Karyus Quinn) 3. N.K. Traver 4. Kristin B. Wright 5. Laura Heffernan 6. Mary Ann Marlowe 7. Joy McCullough-Carranza 8. Lisa Lewis-Tyre 9. Jenni L. Walsh (co-mentoring with Trisha Leaver) 10. Sarah Glenn Marsh 11. Julie C. Dao 12. Kellye Garrett 13. K.T. Hanna 14. Jessie Devine 15. Rosalyn Eves 16. Jami Nord 17. Samantha Joyce 18. Helene Dunbar 19. Jenna Lehne 20. Linsey Miller 21. Jessica Vitalis 22. Stacey Graham 23. Dan Koboldt 24. Brighton Walsh 25. Kate Brauning 26. Lisa Maxwell 27. Wendy Spinale 28. Sarah Cannon 29. L.L. McKinney 30. Juliana Brandt 31. Scarlett Cole 32. Hayley Stone 33. Jennifer Blackwood 34. Kendra Young 35. S.P. McConnell 36. Nikki Roberti

37. Emmie Mears 38. Lori Goldstein (co-mentoring with Chelsea Bobulski) 39. Jennifer Hawkins (co-mentoring with Kes Trester) 40. Elizabeth Briggs 41. Ron Walters (co-mentoring with Meredith McCardle) 42. Fiona McLaren (co-mentoring with Dionne McCulloch) 43. S.M. Johnston (co-mentoring with Stacey Nash) 44. Max Wirestone 45. Jaye Robin Brown 46. Molly Lee 47. Rachel Lynn Solomon 48. J.C. Nelson 49. Holly Faur 50. Sonia Hartl 51. Natasha Raulerson 52. Marty Mayberry 53. J.C. Davis 54. Rebecca Wells 55. Michelle Hauck 56. Tabitha Martin 57. Rebecca Petruck 58. Sarah Henning 59. Alex White 60. Jeanmarie Anaya 61. Laura Salter 62. Wade Albert White 63. Brooks Benjamin 64. Margarita Montimore 65. Megan Grimit 66. Charlie Holmberg 67. Diana Gallager 68. Stefanie Wass 69. Tamara Mataya 70. Rebecca Sky 71. Kara Seal 72. Lee Gjertsen Malone

73. Katie Bucklein 74. Kevin A Springer 75. Brianna Shrum 76. Kate Karyus Quinn (co-mentoring with Mindy McGinnis) 77. Kim Graff 78. Emily Martin 79. Trisha Leaver (co-mentoring with Jenni Walsh) 80. Kim Long 81. Catherine Scully 82. Stacey Trombley 83. Stephanie Scott (co-mentoring with Valerie Cole) 84. Valerie Cole (co-mentoring with Stephanie Scott) 85. Lizzy Charles 86. Dannie Morin (co-mentoring with Alexandra Alessandri) 87. Kate Foster 88. Elly Blake 89. Julie Sondra Decker 90. Lady Lioness 91. Susan Gray Foster (co-mentoring with Monica Bustamante Wagner_ 92. Kelly Calabrese 93. Sarah Nicolas 94. Kelly Siskind 95. Roselle Kaes 96. Monica Bustamante Wagner (co-mentoring with Susan Gray Foster) 97. Renee Ahdieh (co-mentoring with Traci Chee) 98. Traci Chee (co-mentoring with Renee Ahdieh) 99. Janet B. Taylor 100. Jessie Humphries (co-mentoring with Mara Rae) 101. Lynnette Labelle 102. Erica M. Chapman 103. Summer Spence 104. Marieke Nijkamp 105. Meredith McCardle (co-mentoring with Ron Walters) 106. Thomas Torre 107. Phil Stamper 108. J.A. Souders

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