1k-a-day Day 1

And we're off! Don't forget to post your starting word count in today's comment section. Tracy and I will be updating our stats once we complete each day's challenge in a new post for that day.

If you are interested in participating in 1k-a-day, please check the rules.

I look forward to writing with you and giving books away for the next 30 days! I will post the available books for this week's winner to choose from this weekend. Good luck!

Word counts for day 1 will be posted by Tami and Tracy in tomorrow's post.

Flash Fiction - Flash Contest

Are you up for a bit of flash fiction? In light of our July 1k-a-day challenge, I thought I’d get us all ready for the big show with a warm-up exercise. Here’s a one word story prompt to spark a 100 word “story”, remember to work in setting, character, plot and conflict. This is flash fiction at its finest.

You can use the word directly in your story, or use it as a theme, or launching point for your conflict. As long as the word sparks the story – you’re in the game. Post your entry in a comment by Wednesday, July 1st.

The prize? First place will get a gently used copy of Melissa Marr’s “Ink Exchange”. [Tami met the awesome Marr recently, perhaps she'll share the details.]

Since this contest is just to get those writerly muscles twitching - we won't be judging really, we'll put everyone's entry into a draw. So feel free to participate - it's fun, it will get you pumped for 1k-a-day, and you might win a great book!

Don't forget the deadline for entries is July 1st.

Here’s your prompt: LEAVING

Now get writing those stellar 100 words!

Preparing for 1k-a-day

We're five days away from the 2nd semi-annual 1k-a-day here on YAedge. Are you prepared? For those of you who do NaNoWrimo every November, 1,000 words a day shouldn't be too hard, but don't take 1k-a-day lightly. To consistently write every day for a full month can become grueling. Here are a few tips to make sure that you're ready.

1. Know your story. I can't stress that enough. Try and write a rough synopsis or have some kind of map to follow on the days the words don't flow. Instead of staring at the blinking cursor, you will be able to move around your plot if you know your story.
   
2. Know your characters. Try to make note cards based on their characteristics so you don't spend a lot of time flipping through pages trying to find what color your main character's eyes are or what their favorite food is.
3. Be prepared to let the words flow. Don't worry about edits, the goal here is to write 1,000 words a day, not make them perfect. Editing is for August.
   
4. Motivation. If YAedge giving away books from our own home libraries for free isn't enough, why not make a deal with yourself. If you write 7,000 each week you can go out to dinner or buy a new book. Whatever works for you.
5. Get the word out. The more people, the more fun 1k-a-day will be. If you have a blog or website and want to share the info, please do! You can right click (or drag to your desktop if you're on a mac) the image above to advertise 1k-a-day (please be sure to link it back to http://yaedge.blogspot.com). Also, if it helps, you can blog about 1k-a-day, too! Feel free to post the links to your posts in your daily word count comments on YAedge.
6. Remember, the most important thing is to end up with 30,000 words by August 1. You'll have half a book written in just a month!
   

1k-a-day Rules and Contest Info

Tracy has announced YAedge's July writing challenge, now here are the rules! Those of you who participated in November of 2008 know what it's all about, but here's the info for the newbies.

1,000 words a day, no more or less (well, unless you’re on a roll and would like to bump up the word count…more on that later) from July 1-31. You may work on a book you've already started, work on something new or switch it up. We don't care, as long as it's 1,000 words or more. We'll be posting our word counts each day by 11:59pm PDT and we’d like you to do the same. Just post your word count in the comments section of each day’s post.

Now, down to the super cool part…free books. That’s right…FREE BOOKS! We'll be giving away YA books from our own collections at the end of each week.

"What do I do to win FREE books?" you ask. Just post your starting word count in July 1st blog post. It can be 0…it can be 40,000. We don't care. Whatever your word count is to start, we just need you to document it. From there, you can either post your word count daily, or by Friday evening. What is most important is your end word count each week.

For those of you who are unable to start July 1st, no problem! That is the beauty of 1k-a-day. We don't care about hitting an end of the month word count. It's all about your daily goal of 1,000 words!

This is where the overachievers come in. We will announce the winner who write the most words the previous week each Monday! We have a selection of books to choose from and will slowly “leak” the books up for grabs. How easy is that? Write a book…win a book!

Make sure to check the blog each day starting July 1st for inspiration and read our ups and downs of the challenge. Plus, you never know when we will decide to give a book out on a whim!

So, get your thinking caps on, your writing notes out and dust off your keyboards. Oh yeah, don't forget the coffee! It’s time to get down to business and write 1K-a-day! All of us here at YAedge are in the heat of the moment with our current work-in-progress and don’t want to put them down! The excitement is brewing. Make sure you don't miss it!

Don’t forget to post your word counts everyone. Make sure to tell all your writer friends and family. The more the merrier.

July 1st can't come soon enough! See you all then!

July 1k-a-day Challenge

The last few months I've been editing my book and other projects have sat in their respective piles on my desk, untouched. Well, edits are almost done (I think) and it's time to plug away at a half-completed manuscript. I'd like to have it done by the end of the summer, but how to stay motivated....hmmmm....

Enter Tami with a brilliant idea. And so we've come up with a way to make our summer - and your summer memorable and productive....mayhap even profitable (you just might sell your book one day!).

Sure, you could hang out at the beach and read a great book...nothing wrong with that. But why not WRITE one. If you've been looking for some inspiration and Nano seems pretty far away - then we have the challenge for you!

Similar to the contest we held in November 2008, this July YAedge is hosting another 1k-a-day shot of adrenalin directly into the heart of your writing.

Tami will be posting the rules shortly.

Editing for a Reason

I know the title of this post is obvious. OF COURSE you edit for a reason, but let me elaborate. Before submitting my query to agents, I made several passes of Lost and Found. My two crit partners went through the whole thing, including a few chapters more than once. When all was said and done, the whole thing had been read and edited five + times and the beginning probably close to ten.

Since the first edits, I’ve queried many agents, getting a few requests for partials and fulls. One agent last week asked for a two-page synopsis and the first 30 pages of the manuscript (as I blogged about last week). Luckily, she got back to me right away since I was on pins and needles. She loved the premise, thought the writing was good, but said that the pacing was too slow. If I would cut the book (which was 83,400 words) “a lot” she would love for me to re-query.

Considering her letter, I had to agree. Despite going over the beginning several times, I could cut it down and get to the point. The pacing wasn’t fast and I didn’t get to my conflict soon enough. It’s funny how you can view something so different when someone points out the obvious.

Now I’m working on trimming it down to around 65,000 words (which would be around 18,000 shorter). The task is tough, yet in the end, even if the agent who made the suggestion doesn’t want to take myself and the book on as a client, I know that I will end up with a better book.

Remember when editing, get to the conflict as fast as possible. Grab the reader from the start and don’t let go. Read the first 30 pages over several times. Are there plot points that you never integrate into the rest of the book? If there is, cut it and get to the point. Readers want to be pulled in from the first word, not the fiftieth page.

True Blood Season 2: 1st Episode Highlights

“The following program portrays graphic violence, coarse language and nudity.”

Look out folks…another season of TrueBlood has begun. As I type this, I’m watching the first episode of TrueBlood, Season 2. I thought it would be fun to keep track of the highlights. The show is a guilty pleasure of mine, so this is my first attempt at TV commentary...lol...

What a beginning. One bad guy in the dust and another ?? comes to the surface. Okay, I've only read the first book in the Charlaine Harris series, so I might make some laughable assumptions here, but I'm going to catch up on the novels this summer...'cause I like being in the know. If you missed the show, stop reading now as I'm sure to give away a few spoilers.

Gotta love this series. It’s all heart. Or not – what a way to start off, with a con artist hoodoo woman’s heart ripped out of her chest.

HA! The Vampire Bill recycles…that’s hilarious. Yet another reason I love this show. The subtle humour, the dialogue rife with double meaning, the character’s with their weaknesses, quirks and hard-nosed stupidity – plus the religious zealots, Fellowship of the Sun, are a bonus.

Yeah! Lafeyette is alive…but ewww…the bucket scene was not necessary.

Great scene where Sookie questions Bill and Jessica's relationship...the girl/vamp makes a face....hello - "Old!" We now have teen angst and all the complications of a step-mother/step-daughter relationship. Complex and bitter. Let’s hope, for Bill’s sake, he manages to get Jessica under control.

Jason…oh, good lord, Jason. He’s so clueless, so lost - attracted to the shiniest rock in the dirt. Then two steps down the road – another shiny rock beckons. Instead of vamp blood, this season he’s getting his fix from the zealots…figures.

Sam as a little wee puppy…cute. Hmm….that lady’s bad news, me thinks. And there she goes smacking down her minion. Yup, bad news all the way. (Was anyone else as surprised as I was when that guy, Carl, actually spoke?)

And the dirty old uncle's body is found. How interesting. No marks to identify Bill, thanks to the fishies.

“I’m tired of charring my ass on your backburner.” – nice line, Sam.

First hint of Sookie's talents here, as she possibly “glamours” Jessica into giving her and Bill some time alone. Kind of Bill to point it out to us.

“God damn you Bill Compton....” Sookie says and the line could have finished with "...you had me at I-killed-your-dirty-old-uncle."

Enter sex scene. Whose gonna bleach those sheets, I ask you? Who?

Back to Lafayette and his dwindling group of chained victims – one second I’m laughing at Eric getting his hair streaked…and then he’s tearing a guy limb from limb - OMG, even in foils, he’s NASTY!

My friends, it’s going to be a fun season.