This morning I reached 80,000 words!
Long enough to be a real, published novel.
I'm so close to finished and I'm feeling excellent about this story.
I'm ready to get it done and whipped into perfectly edited shape and sent off to potential agents (where I'm sure it will get ripped apart, but hey, that's how it works in this business, right?)
So...any grammar-nazis out there who are willing to edit for free? ;)
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Stuck.
I'm so close to finishing this story I can practically taste it, but today I've barely been able to write a paragraph. Literally; I've only kept two of the sentences I managed to create this afternoon.
I'm not sure if I'm distracted with other things or if I'm in some way afraid of completing this first draft (I've really grown to love my characters and hate to leave them) and am unconsciously stalling.
Things just aren't happening today. And every time I try to force it (you know, the "just type for a set number of minutes or hours" thing) I feel like what I end up with isn't true to the voice of the story.
So it's break time now. I'll come back to it tomorrow; hopefully with a fresh, revitalized perspective.
I'm not sure if I'm distracted with other things or if I'm in some way afraid of completing this first draft (I've really grown to love my characters and hate to leave them) and am unconsciously stalling.
Things just aren't happening today. And every time I try to force it (you know, the "just type for a set number of minutes or hours" thing) I feel like what I end up with isn't true to the voice of the story.
So it's break time now. I'll come back to it tomorrow; hopefully with a fresh, revitalized perspective.
Friday, March 2, 2012
My first acceptance letter.
I did it!
I received my first acceptance letter from one of the four MFA programs where I applied. And I must say, it feels like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders to know that at least one school thinks my writing is strong enough for their program.
For me, that was the biggest fear I had going into the application process: that my writing wasn't good enough. And it's scary because writing is subjective. What if the subject matter of my writing sample rubs someone the wrong way? That could be the difference between being admitted or rejected.
I love writing and I've always felt that I'm a strong writer but I've never really felt like I had any concrete proof that other people see me as a good writer. I've received constructive criticism in writing workshops but let's face it, it's hard to find someone who's willing to be completely blunt and honest in critiquing another person's passion.
So there have been some panicky moments when I think, "What if I'm a terrible writer and no one has the guts to tell me? What if I'm hoping to have a career in a field where my skills just aren't good enough?"
It's nerve-racking.
Right now, I'm a little reassured to know that my writing skills were good enough for one school, at least. It's pretty nice to think that other people sat down, read my stuff and said, "This girl's got what it takes for our program". I'm hoping to receive positive responses from the three other schools I applied at as well, but for now, one is enough to boost my confidence in my writing abilities.
I received my first acceptance letter from one of the four MFA programs where I applied. And I must say, it feels like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders to know that at least one school thinks my writing is strong enough for their program.
For me, that was the biggest fear I had going into the application process: that my writing wasn't good enough. And it's scary because writing is subjective. What if the subject matter of my writing sample rubs someone the wrong way? That could be the difference between being admitted or rejected.
I love writing and I've always felt that I'm a strong writer but I've never really felt like I had any concrete proof that other people see me as a good writer. I've received constructive criticism in writing workshops but let's face it, it's hard to find someone who's willing to be completely blunt and honest in critiquing another person's passion.
So there have been some panicky moments when I think, "What if I'm a terrible writer and no one has the guts to tell me? What if I'm hoping to have a career in a field where my skills just aren't good enough?"
It's nerve-racking.
Right now, I'm a little reassured to know that my writing skills were good enough for one school, at least. It's pretty nice to think that other people sat down, read my stuff and said, "This girl's got what it takes for our program". I'm hoping to receive positive responses from the three other schools I applied at as well, but for now, one is enough to boost my confidence in my writing abilities.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)