Author Topic: The MG Club! (Read 47511 times)

Khanada · « **Reply #390 on:** June 02, 2012, 03:30 PM »

Quote from: Becky on May 28, 2012, 01:21 PM

It helps to know that others are facing similar challenges!

It DOES help to be reminded that everyone is juggling lots of stuff - thanks to everybody for posting! Teachers, I don't know how you do it -- especially for newer teachers, it seems like they can never count on where they will be next year, especially these days. I can't imagine that kind of uncertainty! But RuthD - your change sounds like such a positive thing for you! Nice to see that.

It IS so busy now for everyone making summer plans and those of us seeing schedule changes for the next few months. For me, I think I'm going to need to check out that Early Bird/Night Owl thread as summer approaches -- I seem to do well with that sort of thing!

Best of luck to you all, and hope you can make the most of your probably-limited writing time this month!

Amy

lynnek · « **Reply #391 on:** August 18, 2012, 01:10 PM »

Let's bump up the MG club! (No special reason, only that I just found it and it's awesome.)

I fast drafted my WIP in June, so even though it's a big chocolate mess I do have something written in every chapter from beginning to end. Which is really weird for me, 'cause I'm not much of a plotter. But because it's a mystery I wanted to have more of it planned out to make sure it would all come together in the end. Anyway, I'd planned on getting those chapters fleshed out and presentable during July and August, but I haven't done much on it for the past few weeks. I'm not sure why; it shouldn't be so hard to do when I know what needs to happen in the chapter. But I need to get back to it, one chapter or scene at a time. If I'm at a place where I don't know what to write, I'll skip ahead to some other fun scene I'm looking forward to writing.

Today I will write chapter 10. If I come back here and haven't done it, you can all poke me with a stick.

terrylynn · « **Reply #392 on:** August 18, 2012, 06:11 PM »

Lynn, I love that someone else is doing the same thing I am.

I too have a mg that I've plotted that way. I'm letting it rest right now to do revisions, but I hope to get back to it. I've done most of the scenes that made me laugh, now I just have to get to the hard stuff - for me that's the emotional scenes. It IS fun writing mg! Good luck with chapter ten!

Venessa Ann Schwarz · « **Reply #393 on:** August 18, 2012, 10:42 PM »

I like being in a club! Thanks for bumping this up lynnek ...

My MG novel is completely finished, but my critique group is helping me work out the bumpies right now. I have a strong sense of place and the plot is pretty tight, but my main character is too nice, too predictable and well ... boring. I've read books on how to put emotion into a character and make them come alive, but I just can't seem to get that or do that.

Perhaps I need to stop playing it safe and let my character do something crazy. I don't know what I'm afraid of. She always acts appropriate and perfect and nice and nobody wants to read about those kinds of people. But what if she acts so crazy that the reader won't like her? I know there's a fine line.

Well, this is where I'm at in my MG work-in-progess. How are the rest of you doing? Would anybody else like to join our club and tell your story?

Vonna · « **Reply #394 on:** August 19, 2012, 09:54 AM »

I'm working on a wip that I thought I'd have completely drafted by the end of this month, but it hasn't turned out that way. I can't help going back and revising when new insight strikes. Plus, summer is always a tough time for me to write--my house is always full of teenage boys

. It's really loud. I haven't even been to the Early Risers thread lately. But I'm finally ready for my crit partners to take a look at the first act. They'll see chapter one this Tuesday, then read the rest over the next two weeks. I'm glad to see this club up and running again.

JennaWren · « **Reply #395 on:** August 19, 2012, 10:18 AM »

Hooray for bumping this up, Lynne! Summer has been a dead writing time for me too -- 4 kids home, DH working from home -- but there's light at the end of the tunnel. School in 2 weeks and DH starts new job tomorrow! Also, I finally figured out where I need to go and what I need to do with my revisions!! I'm hoping that I can make more progress *very* soon (amid the getting-ready-for-school craziness!).

lynnek · « **Reply #396 on:** August 19, 2012, 11:30 AM »

Quote from: Venessa Ann Schwarz on August 18, 2012, 10:42 PM

I like being in a club! Thanks for bumping this up lynnek ...

My MG novel is completely finished, but my critique group is helping me work out the bumpies right now. I have a strong sense of place and the plot is pretty tight, but my main character is too nice, too predictable and well ... boring. I've read books on how to put emotion into a character and make them come alive, but I just can't seem to get that or do that.

Perhaps I need to stop playing it safe and let my character do something crazy. I don't know what I'm afraid of. She always acts appropriate and perfect and nice and nobody wants to read about those kinds of people. But what if she acts so crazy that the reader won't like her? I know there's a fine line.

Well, this is where I'm at in my MG work-in-progess. How are the rest of you doing? Would anybody else like to join our club and tell your story?

Venessa, you don't need to make your character do something crazy if that's not in her nature. You might just need to show more of her quirks or more of what she's feeling, why she's so rule-following, etc. to make her seem realistic. Maybe think of someone you know who's like that and write down some of their habits or qualities, and then apply those to your character. There must be flaws-- does she do the "right" thing no matter what, even when it would be better to make an exception and break a rule? Is she annoying at times?

I love this post that Erin Moulton did recently on Cynthia Leitich Smith's blog, about writing her nerdy character. Good ideas for bringing characters to life:

http://cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com/2012/08/guest-post-giveaway-erin-e-moulton-on.html

RuthD · « **Reply #397 on:** August 19, 2012, 02:01 PM »

That's a great post! Thanks for sharing the link, Lynne.

No writing for the past couple of weeks; just trying to get a handle on school stuff. Back to it soon, though, I hope.

jojohn · « **Reply #398 on:** August 19, 2012, 02:25 PM »

I'm working on an opposite schedule as the rest of you. Summer was the time I HAD to finish my revisions since school/work resumes this week and fall is an almost non-writing time for me. I tried a new method with this new book in terms of drafting and revision and also in the time frame I worked under. I drafted in winter/spring and revised all summer. I'm taking fall off.

With my new book, I started with plot (I'm a pantser), used Save the Cat but broke the writing process into thirds. So I wrote the first two chapters (my premise) then plotted the first third and wrote it. Then I wrote the first chapter of the middle, finished plotting the middle and then wrote it. I did the same with the end. I went over it, removed the horrible offenders in terms of overused words and then sent the somewhat embarassing draft to several readers. My revisions were for fleshing out character motivations and overall description. Then I fixed the writing/word use/grammar issues which felt backwards but in many ways much easier for me. I sent it to my agent last night. Let's see if this works. I was a little rebellious in attitude during this because I'm proving to myself (and others) that I CAN PLOT. LOL!

Good luck to all of you who are ready to get back to work as kids go back to school. As for me--let the insanity begin!!

Venessa Ann Schwarz · « **Reply #399 on:** August 19, 2012, 05:25 PM »

Thanks so much for that link, Lynne! The research that she did to make her character both real and unique, was great. My brain is chewing on what I read, and I'm now applying it to my MC. If she blackmails her little brother because he saw her kiss a boy ... that's okay. If she gets into a fight with her mom and slams a door ... that's okay too. I actually get physically nervous to see her act that way, but I know that it makes my story better. I'm growing.

I hope your chapter 10 came out spectacular, and I appreciate you sharing that info with me!

Everybody who had a slow writing summer ... let's kick it up this fall!

jodyjl · « **Reply #400 on:** August 20, 2012, 10:22 AM »

I'm glad you bumped this up as well, Lynne!

I've actually had the most productive summer of writing of my life! I've done a full revision as well as a detailed chapter by chapter spreadsheet and now I'm ready to dive into another round before sending off to my critique group. I really need to focus on one of my supporting characters in this upcoming revision.

School starts in just over two weeks and then work begins and I'll have less writing time. I may have to become a true early bird or night owl.

lynnek · « **Reply #401 on:** August 20, 2012, 11:06 AM »

Yay for the productive writing summer, Jody!

After getting back to work on my WIP I discovered that chapter 10 should really be chapter 11, so I've worked on both of those chapters! Planning to wrap up chapter 11 today and move on to 12.

josiecv · « **Reply #402 on:** August 20, 2012, 04:19 PM »

The middle-grade thread is back...hooray!

Jody, I'm with you. This has been my most productive summer ever. I'm loving it! I finished a full draft of my current MG, took 3 weeks off, then re-read and spent last week creating spreadsheets and color-coded revision checklists. Today's the day I was supposed to dive into the revision, but apparently I need a little extra push. I managed to do everything *but* revise (but all my laundry is super fresh, the climbing vines have been impeccably arranged, and there is a mixed berry pie on my counter top!).

So here's hoping that the middle grade thread will revive my productivity. I have until Sept. 10th before my students come back and my writing time shrinks considerably. Time to get cracking!

PStarz · « **Reply #403 on:** August 20, 2012, 08:34 PM »

I love the idea of being in a club. You guessed it - I'm having a lull in my writing. But we get so little summer in the Pacific Northwest that I feel it's my duty to work in the garden when the sun shines; either that or sit outside and read books (aka research, ha ha). And there's always baseball.

Lynnek, I'm also writing an MG mystery. "Piece of cake," I told myself, "I read mysteries all the time." HAH! I finished my first draft and realized I had disclosed a major plot point 4 chapters before the end! Snooze City for the rest of it. So now, I'm working back and forth through the whole thing, figuring out what I should and shouldn't say part way through, adding red herrings, clues etc. It's not for sissies, that's for sure.

dewsanddamps · « **Reply #404 on:** August 20, 2012, 11:27 PM »

I wrote a MG this spring. Have the dialogue and characters in place...now I'm going back and adding a plot.

elissacruz · « **Reply #405 on:** August 21, 2012, 08:54 AM »

Hooray for MGers!

This summer has been a total wash for me, writing-wise, but kids are back in school so I hope to be able to get back into my revisions now. I have a book that's written, but it has a lot of holes and will most likely take a completely different direction (because some of it just isn't working well enough for me to get behind it all the way).

And as a little MG plug, all y'all should come to hang out at #MGlitchat on Thursdays (9pm Eastern). Some of you already do (hi!), but I'm formally inviting the rest of you, if you're on Twitter. Or come hang out at the MG blog, From the Mixed-Up Files (www.fromthemixedupfiles.com), if you aren't Twitter-inclined. Okay, I promise not to get in your face about it. That's all I'll say about those MG projects of mine. Promise.

YAScribe · « **Reply #406 on:** August 21, 2012, 10:18 AM »

I just so happens I'm supposed to get feedback on my humorous MG today from my agent. Biting nails. Needing the warmth and support of the blueboarders

Thanks for bumping up this thread.

Venessa Ann Schwarz · « **Reply #407 on:** August 21, 2012, 04:43 PM »

YASCRIBE, I'm hoping your agent will love, love, love your humorous MG! And here's some fun stuff to distract you while you wait ...

And a bunch of flowers for best wishes too!

Happy to see everybody else working so hard on your stories. I need to get to it myself, and stop procrastinating. So here I go ...

lynnek · « **Reply #408 on:** August 22, 2012, 12:00 AM »

Quote from: PStarz on August 20, 2012, 08:34 PM

Lynnek, I'm also writing an MG mystery. "Piece of cake," I told myself, "I read mysteries all the time." HAH! I finished my first draft and realized I had disclosed a major plot point 4 chapters before the end! Snooze City for the rest of it. So now, I'm working back and forth through the whole thing, figuring out what I should and shouldn't say part way through, adding red herrings, clues etc. It's not for sissies, that's for sure.

Oh, those annoying plots! Yeah, having a mystery means doing a little more planning than I like to do. Sounds like you've done a lot of work on your novel, though, and I bet your early reveal won't be too hard to fix. Good luck on the rest of the revisions!

Lill · « **Reply #409 on:** August 22, 2012, 08:18 AM »

I'm turning a historical magical realism with a girl protagonist into a contemporary magical realism with a boy protagonist.
Could use some of that magical realism 'bout now.

Pons · « **Reply #410 on:** August 22, 2012, 09:11 AM »

Quote

Could use some of that magical realism 'bout now.

So could I. (grin)

Vonna · « **Reply #411 on:** August 22, 2012, 09:14 AM »

Good luck with that Lill! That's a lot of change, but I'm sure you can handle it!

I'm feeling

after yesterday's critique on my new wip. I always go into these things thinking that after they've read it, they'll just look at me in THAT WAY that makes me want to

. But I'm now happy about sending my wonderful yet ruthless crit partners the rest of act 1. Things are moving again.

Pons · « **Reply #412 on:** August 22, 2012, 09:18 AM »

Hi everyone. I hope it's okay to jump in here without reading all of the previous posts. (grin)

I would have been here sooner, but I thought I was writing a YA. Then I went to a conference and found out my voice is MG. One agent and one editor each told me to age down the MC and make the book an MG, so I have and I am, but it is slow going. The rough draft is done, but the revisions are painstaking. I'll try not to complain too much if you let me hang out with you.

Thanks.

Laurel

Pons · « **Reply #413 on:** August 22, 2012, 09:21 AM »

Vonna, I know that feeling. I can sit at home and read a polished chapter and think, That's good, but as soon as I show it to someone else, I think it's trash.

jodyjl · « **Reply #414 on:** August 22, 2012, 10:21 AM »

Pons, I had the same experience with a past manuscript...thinking it was a YA and then being told it was an MG and I should age down my MC. It was tricky in spots, but I think I pulled it off. Sure wish that novel would sell, though.

Good luck to you!

Pons · « **Reply #415 on:** August 22, 2012, 01:23 PM »

Good luck to you, too, Jody.

Venessa Ann Schwarz · « **Reply #416 on:** August 22, 2012, 04:46 PM »

Pons, welcome to the MG club and yes, you can jump in and complain all you'd like! I actually thrive on that stuff, makes me feel better.

Jody, I hope your book will sell too!

I remember reading somewhere a while ago, that good MG books are in demand with publishers. I wonder if that's still true. And what about MG chapter books? Are they difficult to sell? I'm just full of questions today, aren't I?

Well, I wish you all the best with your manuscripts. I'm going to work on making my character have more emotion...

C. Lee McKenzie · « **Reply #417 on:** August 23, 2012, 09:45 AM »

Yay for bumping up the MG Club. I needed a club like this. Have my first MG out and am in that wonder place called Revisionland on the second.

xC0000005 · « **Reply #418 on:** August 23, 2012, 11:06 AM »

I'm sitting down to crack open an MG manuscript that got plenty of requests, yet consistent feedback that there wasn't enough "threat" in the first half. I'll fix them, says the plotting half of my brain. "It'll look like the texas chainsaw chicken massacre by the time I'm done." Sigh.

Venessa Ann Schwarz · « **Reply #419 on:** August 23, 2012, 11:18 AM »

xc0000005, (did I put enough 0's in there)? It's great that you are getting feedback! Now, the hard part comes. Wish you best on those revisions! And C. Lee, have fun at Revisionland I hear it's a lot like Disneyland, but without the rides!

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Author Topic: The MG Club! (Read 47511 times)

Khanada