What I'm Reading
Since last week I've finished Welcome to Rosie Hopkins' Sweet Shop of Dreams, which I really enjoyed, The Giver, which sadly I didn't like all that much, and If I Stay, which I enjoyed a lot more than I thought I would. One of the main reasons I wanted to read Rosie Hopkins' Sweet Shop is because I saw its sequel, Christmas at Rosie Hopkins' Sweet Shop, in my local library and thought it would make a great read for December. Then I found a copy of it for just £3.85, so I picked it up and they both look adorable together!
Right now I'm reading The Little Women Letters by Gabrielle Donnelly. I seem to be on something of a contemporary kick this month, which is unusual for me.
What I'm Writing
NaNo has fallen through for me, which honestly I'm not as bothered about as I thought I would be. Am I disappointed? Sure. But I think what all these attempts are teaching me is that NaNo just isn't for me. Does that mean I'll never try to do it again? Of course not; one of these days I'll be a NaNo winner, even if it doesn't happen until I'm 80!
Rather than writing I've found myself doing a lot of planning and idea jotting this month. This month I've had three SNIs, and I've been getting back into short stories. I have a lot of unfinished short stories lying around! Right now I'm working on finishing two short stories, and I've been making notes on one of my new SNIs which, unusually for me, is part Sci-Fi and part Contemporary Romance.
What Works For Me
Talking to myself. I know, I sound crazy, but if I had a £1 every time I heard someone say 'I find it difficult to tell if my dialogue is natural' I'd be a very wealthy lady. Dialogue can be tricky; it can be really easy to make it sound way too stilted or melodramatic, but I find that talking to myself really helps. If I have the conversation that I want to write with myself then I can hear how it sounds, and if it doesn't sound natural I know it needs some tweaking!
What Else Is New
Christmas is on its way! I signed up for The Broke and the Bookish's Secret Santa this year and at the weekend I received all the details for my giftee, so I've been deciding what I'm going to send them - hopefully the things I'm picking out they'll like! - and I've also decided to write my giftee a letter, because I can't remember the last time I wrote someone a letter by hand.
I also wrote out my Christmas cards at the weekend and then decided to decorate them with Christmas tape. Honestly I'm so excited for Christmas, and I love making cards and gifts look pretty!
What's new with you?
Oh I LOOVE The Giver. However I read it when I was tiny (about 10 or 11) for school and have reread it since. I wonder if that makes the difference. It was also the first dystopian/utopian I read (Hunger Games wasn't out yet etc…). I love IF I STAY and so glad you enjoyed that one! Hey planning and jotting down ideas is totally writing/working ;-) Sorry NaNo fell through for you but sounds like you are doing well with the month anyway. Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteTrying new genres is a good way to challenge yourself as a writer! You never know where those ideas will lead. And reading your dialogue aloud is a great idea! I'm pretty sure my family already think I'm crazy for talking to fictional people...
ReplyDeleteBummer about NaNo, but your attitude about the whole thing rocks. I'm participating too and while I'm on-track, I'm starting to feel super burnt out. My competitive/stubborn streak will not allow me to quit though! I'm happy to hear you loved IF I STAY. I read it years ago, when it first came out, and it was the very first book that made me think: I want to write YA like THIS. :-) Have a wonderful week!
ReplyDeleteLOL. I dropped out on NaNo too, but keep it quiet. It's a secret. ;) I've got too many short story deadlines coming up for publication, and man! Publication takes priority over a hopeful project, eh?
ReplyDeleteUnleashing the Dreamworld
I "talk to myself" all the time when I'm writing. (Uh...and otherwise too lol.) I find that saying dialogue out loud helps me to write it in a natural way. I've read books where the dialogue felt forced or stilted and I had to wonder whether the author actually tried to say any of it aloud. And for goodness sake, use contractions in dialogue, people!
ReplyDeleteI have had the same NaNo experience as you a few too many times, so for the foreseeable future, I'm not going to be doing NaNo the "right" way. One day maybe, but right now it just doesn't work for me. The pressure of getting a certain number of words in each day totally steals the joy of writing those words, in my experience. Still, it's a great motivator if you can sort of coast along on the fringes of NaNo, you know? Anyway, good luck with the SNIs and the short stories! :D
You just made my TBR pile grow exponentially. Those sound like awesome books, and a perfect departure from my usual fare.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for being willing to help out with my cover release and book tour! I will be in touch as soon as we finalize the last couple of details. You are awesome!
Ah, I've gotta get to my christmas cards!
ReplyDeleteI love everything by Gayle Forman. I haven't read The Giver but I have it on my TBR.
I play out scenes and conversations in my head so I don't talk to myself out loud but I know I make funny facial expressions or my mouth moves when I'm not paying attention!
Don't feel bad about failing NaNo (even though it doesn't sound like you do). Every writer has a different method, and there is no shame in failing to write a book in a month. Just write your book, in whatever time frame it takes you.
ReplyDeleteHave a great week!
NaNo really isn't for me either. I prefer to take my time when I write and mull things over as I go. Seeing as you jotted down so many ideas though, I'd say you had a successful month anyway! A sci-fi/contemp romance sounds awesome btw! Also, I think talking to yourself is necessary for any successful project, writing or otherwise lol. Have a great week and enjoy all your Christmassy activities! :)
ReplyDeleteNaNo doesn't work out for everyone, but it doesn't sound like you're taking it easy. Good luck with the plotting!
ReplyDeleteThe secret Santa thing sounds fun! And I signed up for NaNo one year and fell apart. I know myself and know I can't write 50 effective K in a month - that's why I draft during the summer. :) Good luck with all the writing and things!
ReplyDeleteI think talking to yourself is a great idea! :) I always forget to read my dialogue out loud to myself. And then my writing group points out the awkward parts and they say, "have you tried reading it out loud?" And I kick myself!!!
ReplyDeleteI didn't enjoy The Giver as much as I thought, either. But I thought maybe it was because it has just been so hyped up for so many years.
Have a great week!
Haha I talk to myself all day about everything - the dialogue is only the tip of the iceberg there :) Thanks for telling me about The Little Women Papers! It sounds great. Have a lovely week!
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't say NaNo was a fail, if it inspired you with new ideas and the motivation to finish some of those short stories. Getting to 50k isn't the only way to win.
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