Hello New Year

Happy 2020!

I wanted to have a prolific post for the new year. Or even a lighthearted one full story of Roaring 20s references. 

But the sad fact of the matter is I’ve hardly slept since before Christmas, I feel like a half dead dog who’s been run over by a semi truck and run through a meat grinder (twice) and I just don’t have that poetic and witty post in me. 

I just read through last year’s first post and it could almost exactly be used for this year as well. 

We’ve got 15” of snow, we’ve had the usual Christmas gatherings. 

But some things are totally new. We’re in a new house and I’m loving it. Our new baby will be joining us in just a few weeks. Life is good. 

Yes, there’s been stress, but there had also been growth. It’s been a wild ride of a year. I’m excited to see what this new year brings. 

I’ve got a few goals, but I don’t know that I’d call them resolutions. I haven’t been writing this past month, and I want to get back to it. Blood and Dust is out on query again, and I’m hoping to revise Mad Hatter and Bad Boy in the meantime. If I’m really ambitious maybe I’ll even draft the Viking story, but we’ll see. 

I want to get some more things set up and decorated with the house, and I want to enjoy this new season of motherhood. 

I want to learn (again, because it never seems to stick) to be happy and content. To give the reins to God and not be so determined to fight my own battles. Or create them. 

So here’s to 2020. Let’s do it. 

Language of Worlds—May/June

Hi guys! 

I’m rolling in a little late today. Henry and I went for a ride with Jarod this morning, and I had no ideas for a blog post. 

Luckily, Liv K. Fisher saved the day when she posted her Language of Worlds linkup for May/June. 

I’ve been working on a Viking story for the Go Teen Writers 100 for 100 challenge...which is hilarious because I haven’t written anything for three days. *distant sobbing*

The main character is a girl named Ailith. I’m still trying to figure her out, but these questions looked really good, so here we go. 

1. Your character goes on a leisurely stroll. Where to?

The currently unnamed world Ailith lives in is heavily inspired by the Scottish Highlands. It’s very lush, pretty countryside. So anywhere Ailith walks to is going to be fairly amazing. Mountains, streams, waterfalls. She’s particularly fond of the pools where the minerals make the water look impossibly blue. 

2. What's their favorite food? Why? What does it taste like?

I’m really not sure what all her people eat yet. Lots of wild game, and crops/vegetables they grow, plus whatever wild things they forage. But as far as favorites, there is a type of honey cake they make that Ailith really likes. 

3. Describe their typical day.

Wake up early and train with her shield bearer, Kaede, then get started with the days work. It could be fishing, working the fields, hunting, or tending things around the home. A midday meal with her family, and then finish up any work, and then spend the evening playing games or attending activities in the village. 

4. When are they most productive? Morning, evening, or sometime in-between?

She’s a morning person, definitely. 

5. Who are they closest to?

Her mom, and I think she’s going to have a sibling or two, but I’m still deciding. Probably Kaede though. They’ve been friends for years, and I’m pretty sure he’s going to end up my favorite. 

6. Have they ever lost someone close to them?

She lost her dad in a raid several years ago. Her clan isn’t necessarily a warring one, but there are frequent raids and revenge fights, so she’s lost lots of friends and relatives along the way. 

7. Describe their education.

She can read and write in her language, and—along with all the other young people—grew up learning the stories of their history, and all about how to live and work off the land. 

8. What is their talent?

I know she’s an excellent fighter, but haven’t figured anything out beyond that yet. 

9. When do they doubt themself? What makes them do so?

I don’t know yet, I’m still working on that part. But I think it has something to do with her fighting skills failing her. That her sword isn’t enough and she doesn’t know what else to turn to. 

10. When do they feel most comfortable/cozy?

Sitting around the fire in the evening with her family and Kaede, enjoying each other’s company. 

There you go! 

You can scurry over to 

https://livkfisher.blogspot.com/2019/05/the-language-of-worlds-character-linkup.html?m=1

To see the other linkups. 

A Writing Update

Hi guys!

Up until it started raining, we were enjoying some very nice (very hot) weather. The rain was good though. Get the crops coming up. So no complaints from me.

With the downpour came the ability to stay in the house and do some writing, so since I don't have a lot else to talk about, that's what I'm going to update you on today.

Blood and Dust

I believe I mentioned that Kara Swanson and I have been going over Blood and Dust with a fine tooth comb and tweaking it a bit. It's going very well, I think.

I'm keeping a lot of aspects of the western gunslinger type world, but we both agree that it basically reads just like a western with the title dystopia slapped over the top. So we're adding some ground work to really draw out the futuristic aspect, and I'll be changing the villain's motives quite a bit. Cole is getting a bit of a makeover too, though he's still my baby and I won't destroy him (I promise), and new characters are being added that I think you all will really love.

Kara is more of a plotter than I am, so things are going a bit slower as we really nail down some concepts about character motive and the climax, etc. Which is super cool, really, because I feel like she's stepping in and pointing out some of the stuff pantser me missed that will really help enhance the story and bring it into something very unique.

I can't wait for you guys to see it.

Bad Boy

Lately I've just been trying to think of a title for this one. To no avail, obviously. I thought about just calling it Brass Talan, but that's just not resonating with me.

I opened the doc up the other day, along with comments from my first two beta readers.

I have a third beta reader who really wants to read it and needed a bit more time to get school finished up, so I'm waiting before I do any major changes till I hear her thoughts. Which is perfectly fine. I've got enough to keep me busy for awhile.

One of my beta readers suggested some political aspects, and a few deeper twists with Brass that I think will be really fun to explore and try to bring to the surface.

After staring at the doc yesterday for half an hour though I decided my mind really isn't on that story, so there's no point staring at it. I think getting the comments from the last beta reader will be exactly the motivation I'll need to dive back into it fresh.

Mad Hatter

This one is still out to beta readers, but I had some awesome feedback from the first beta reader to finish up so I've been really contemplating that.

She really saw the magic I was trying to convey but missing, and gave me some great ideas on how to flesh out the skeleton I have written right now.

I've been doing a lot of character questionnaires and worksheets for this one, which is super unusual for me, but has been very helpful, since I struggled to connect with these characters.

It's really been fun to see where the characters share the same goals, and where they differ completely in their motivations. Oh, and backstory. Backstory, guys. Malec's gonna make me cry if it's the last thing he does. I love it.

Viking

Go Teen Writers is hosting their 100 for 100 challenge, and I absolutely love it because it's easy but helps me be consistent. But since I'm mostly plotting and editing on my other three projects I didn't have anything to write.

So I broke down and started Vikings. I don't know if it's silly of me to have so many projects open at once. I feel like they're all in different stages, so I'm not just jumping from new idea to new idea.

I guess it's my form of letting myself relax. Editing is work, and I kind of treat it like that. I'll sit down and I'll develop a concept or rewrite a chapter. Then working on drafting gets to be my fun, just for me, time.

So anyway, I started Vikings. It's only about 300 words long, as I'm only required to write 100 words a day, but I think it's going to be fun. I'm trying to figure out Ailith's voice, as she's somehow floundering between medieval tones and modern. I've never written for this type of setting, and haven't read a whole lot either, so I'm trying to figure out what this speech pattern looks like.

I've got a Pinterest board  for it that I'm absolutely in love with, and some songs on Spotify that really set the mood. I'm being super careful not to copy Adrienne Young with Sky in the Deep, although my plot and characters are totally different, so I think I'm safe except for the Viking aspect of it.

I've got the vaguest outline for this one. Normally I would take much longer to flesh the idea out in my head before writing it, but I wanted a 100 for 100 project, so here I am winging it. I do know some of the essentials, so I think there will be enough that I can at least muddle out 100 words a day until I can find some solid story footing.

We shall see.

So that's what I've been up to. A lot more plotting and planning than I'm used to, but I'm really enjoying exploring that aspect of writing. I don't think I'll ever be a true plotter, but it's definitely helpful when I'm feeling stuck on something.

 What about you? Are you a plotter or pantser? Has spring weather arrived where you live?