Good morning, writers!
I have been busy, busy, busy, so this week I thought I’d just give you a quick writing update so I can jump back into my work.
First of all, to everyone who celebrated my cover reveal a few weeks back, THANK YOU! The giveaway at YA BOOKS CENTRAL is still going and yesterday another arc giveaway went live over at Storygram Tours. So, if you’re hoping for an early copy of WINTER, WHITE AND WICKED, there is plenty of opportunity right now.
On that front, my publisher has been working hard to get this book ready for the shelf. I’m so impressed with them, friends. Seriously. In recent days, I’ve been given peeks at the artwork for the map (we get a map, friends!), I’ve reviewed the flap copy, and finished another pass through the book to ensure I have everything just as I want it. The entire package is coming along and I’m just in awe of the process.
But! That’s just one book. While the machine is at work on all that, I’m doing my best to pound out another novel. It’s a wholly new world I’m developing and after months and months, I’m just now feeling IN THE STORY.
Have you ever had that feeling? Where suddenly, you are the world? I love this moment because it’s like cresting the top of a hill. My writing begins to pick up here and everything gets easier. All the work I’ve done to get to the top of the hill pays off and I can see the end out in front of me. I’m not there yet, but I know where I’m going. The trick now is not to crash!
I’ve also started another mentoring track at a local junior high / high school. I usually do at least one of these tracks a year. I’ll meet with a group of students for an hour a week for about two and a half months. We’ll talk books and writing and they’ll get a brief look into publishing. BASICALLY, they get a lot of what you get here at Go Teen Writers. And I love it. I love working with young writers.
So, on that note, I’m going to shove off. I have to keep up my pace on this book because I’ve given myself a very ambitious deadline. But I’d like a quick update on YOUR WRITING LIFE.
How are you doing? What do you have going? And how can we support you?
Shannon Dittemore is an author and speaker. Her books include the Angel Eyes trilogy, a supernatural foray into the realm of angels and demons, as well as the fantastical adventure novel Winter, White and Wicked. Its sequel, Rebel, Brave and Brutal is due out January 10, 2023.
Shannon’s stories feature strong female leads grappling with fear and faith as they venture into the wilds of the unknown. She’s often wondered if she’s writing her own quest for bravery again and again.
It’s a choice she values highly. Bravery. And she’s never more inspired than when young people ball up their fist and punch fear in the face.
To that end, Shannon takes great joy in working with young writers, both in person and online at Go Teen Writers, an instructional blog recognized by Writer’s Digest four years running as a “101 Best Websites for Writers” selection.
For more about Shannon and her books, please visit her website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
Love your book cover! Just submitted my first article that I spent weeks working on to a VERY small magazine?
That’s so exciting! It takes a lot of work to get to submission level! I’m proud of you.
Oooh! Congratulations and good luck!
Congrats! Thats so huge!
Thanks for all the congratulations! It’s only a small article and I don’t know if it will be accepted or not, but still exciting?
That’s super exciting!! Good luck!
I’m on Chapter 29 of my WIP, approaching the 3/4 of the way through mark. I’ve been drafting this thing forever, so it feels really good to be close to the end. I’m starting to get into some really juicy points in the story, so that’s fun. There’s still a lot I’ll have to figure out as I go, and then more I’ll have to figure out in the edits, but right now, I’m happy with all the progress behind me and potential in front of me. It’s exciting.
Congrats on all the progress being made with Winter, White and Wicked and on being able to get into a groove with your next book. Those moments in writing really are the best. Can’t wait to hear more about it.
Good job, Elizabeth! I’m proud of you!
Glad I’m not alone in writing! I’m approaching my macro-edit of my first manuscript, but while I’ve been waiting for that, I started a new story . . . which has been very enjoyable to write thus far. The only annoying part is everyone who doesn’t quite understand stand the logic of writing, finishing a story, then starting a new one. ?
It’s so fun though, even if no one understands. I hope the macro-edits go well!
Ooh! Good luck with the edits, and nice job getting that far!
That’s why you have us! We totally get it! Good job, you!
Ive been trying to decide what im going to work on next as well as learn more about how to edit.
Wishing you all the luck as you decide!
I have the first couple chapters of a WIP, which I’m sort of getting stuck on… I’m not quite sure how to make my main character’s background work out. ?
I say make a fast choice and go with it. If it doesn’t work, try again. It’s like “guess and check” in math!
I’m at the 1/3 point of my WIP, but I can’t seem to write anything else right now. :/ I’m having serious motivation problems. 🙁
I’ve been working on some short/other stories, to try to boost my creativity, but it’s not working. *sigh, sniffle*
Have you tried rewarding yourself when you reach goals? I’ve recently liked to listen to a certain playlist while I write that gets fits the book and gets my creative juices flowing, or brainstorming up fun scenes even if they might not fit anywhere yet. Hopefully you can get there and find something that helps.
Good job! That’s what we do. We keep writing while we seek out motivation. Proud of you.
I’m about to start revisions on my NaNoWriMo novel. I’ve finished making notes on the story itself, and going back to my pre-writing and finding things I forgot to work in in the first draft, and now I have to write up a whole new outline and make a plan to actually make those changes before probably rewriting the majority of the book. I’m really excited for this story, so I’m excited to get it polished, but it’s going to hurt a little to let go of so much of this first draft.
You’ve got this, though! Make sure you make a separate document that you copy everything you cut into, you may need those little bits later. You also won’t feel quite as bad cutting them that way.
I love this! You have a plan and that’s so awesome! Cheering you on!
I’m just about 30k words into a novel I started this year. It’s been tough, as I’m a gardener, but I’ve just broken through a seriously tough problem, and I should get the first draft down within a few months now!
Good job, Malachi! I literally cut my 40k word document down to 11k and have been slowly building back up. Sometimes we simply must prune!
I’m in the middle of having beta readers read my second draft! Then I’m going to work on my third and fourth drafts before querying them.
Awesome! Wishing you all the luck as you work, friend!