Monthly Archives: December 2012

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Blog Hop!

So I got tagged for a blog hop by the fabulous Katie Teller.  Life decided to make this a day late, but better late than never, right?! Now I get to answer some questions about my WIP.  I’m sure you are dying to see the answers so here we go!

1. What is the working title of your book?

Seeing as I am coming up empty with a title, it is Untitled Circus at the moment.  I keep hoping the right title will jump out and bite me, but it appears to be playing hide and seek.

2. Where did the idea come from for the book?

I was writing a screenplay for June Camp Nanowrimo and I kept telling everyone on the Elsewhere in WI FB page for Nano to put a circus in their story. Said enough times, the circus must have gotten stuck in my head! (yes, I like my exclamation points! sue me!)

3. What genre does your book fall under?

I am undecided exactly. It is YA. There is a bit of fantasy or paranormal. Someone else suggested mystery, but I’m not sold on it.  Maybe it’s hiding with the title.

4. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

This was tough for me. I imagined original characters.  I never cast my book and imagined any actors for roles.

Both Lizzy and Ella are 15 year olds and I picture them as blondes but hair dye can fix that.  My choices are between: Chloe Moretz, Abigail Breslin, Willow Shields, and Maude Apatow.

Alex– Zac Efron, Robbie Amell, or Chace Crawford

Edmund–Matt Bomer, Chris Pine

Asher–Jeremy Renner, Alex O’Loughlin

Billy–Henry Cavill, Colin Egglesfield, Justin Long

Hep–Eli Wallach

Ophelia(red hair)–Emma Stone, Rachel McAdams, Jenna Dewan, ideally a young Robin Lively

Ringmaster/Puppeteer–Stuart Townsend

5.What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Well, I tried to get it down to one sentence, but I have two. I still need to work on it, but for now, it works.

The circus where all your nightmares come true.  While 15 year old Ella is trapped performing against her will, her best friend Lizzy bands with former circus captives to free her and bring the circus down.

6. Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

While I’m not against self-pubbing, I would like to start out traditionally and take it from there. If the time comes where I believe it is best to publish it myself, I will then go in that direction.

7. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

It was my August Camp Nano so it was just over a month to finish the story.  I won my June and August Nano’s 🙂

8. What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

I’m not exactly sure because it is a dual POV. I’m horrible at comparing which I think comes in handy. I don’t look at the other books and wish mine was like them. I do wish I wrote like other writers, though.

9. Who or what inspired you to write this book?

Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus.  Not only do I love that book, but she got her idea during a Nano.  She was unable to do much with her story so she sent her characters to a circus.  Although The Night Circus wasn’t technically written during Nano, it was Nano inspired.

10. What else about your book might pique a reader’s interest?

It is dual POV switching from 1st person to 3rd person between the two girls’ adventures.  There is snark, mind powers, quirky characters, and what’s not to love about a cursed circus?

Now that I’ve let you know all about my latest baby, here are some other people you should check out in 2 weeks when they dish about their projects.  Heck, check out their awesome blogs while you wait!

Jason Cantrell

Elise Valente

Amanda Kespohl

Sabrina the awesome

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This Whole Editing Thing

            Help! A new writer looking at the daunting task of editing here.  And I’m scurrred. Who wouldn’t be?  You’ve just spent one whole month writing your baby (what you didn’t do Camp Nano or Nano? Oh, ok)…You’ve just spent X number of hours, days, months, and even years knocking out the first draft and now you stare at the sucker.  It was perfect and great and now you are starting to see some of its flaws.  They are glaring and ugly and in need of copious amounts of TLC, but where to start? 

            The first obvious place is any errors you catch as you read along.  Spelling errors, typos, and anything that sticks out and makes it hard to keep reading.  That isn’t too hard.  What next?  Then I moved on to big plot holes or anything that did not seem right or interesting enough.  Check.  That brings me to now.  What now?

            I have never edited anything before–probably because I was avoiding it.  The possibility that I would have to cut out huge chunks scared me.  Add that with “what if it just plain sucks” running through my head, and now I’m just psyching myself out.  When writing has been your dream since you can remember, not succeeding is the worst thought running through the back of your mind.  If I don’t finish this, no one can tear it apart.  If I work on it forever, I will never have to face the truth.

            Sucking it up and moving forward is the bravest, scariest thing you can do.  And I am.  And I’m nervous.  Scared.  Confused. Determined. Unsure.  So many things going through my mind.  Like, when do you let other people read your story?  Do you rewrite/edit the crap out of it before letting other people give feedback (if I’m lucky enough to get people to read it and give feedback)?  Do you give it a couple of run-throughs and then get advice so you can incorporate said advice in when you are making more edits? 

            So many questions that I am bumbling through.  I’ve asked other writers and continue to stalk them on Twitter to see how everyone else does this and I’ve come to this conclusion: EVERYONE DOES IT DIFFERENTLY!  I know, a shocker that there isn’t some universal easy way to do this whole process. I knew that would be the answer, but it is nice to see other methods that I did not consider before.  I wondered how people got their beta readers and critique partners so I asked.  Many had found their besties from writing contests.  Note to self: check out contests.  One gave a website for finding them: Note to self, stalk that site. 

            Little by little, I have gleaned information and tucked it into my little mental folder of how to move on.  I’ve read a few books on editing, but I want some manual that instructs you step-by-step on how to go through your pretty first draft and hack it to shreds. I want the best possible story I can have, but how do you know what that is?  I am learning that doing is the only way I will ever know and get over my fears.  Wish me luck as I jump back into the story and hopefully come out the other side with an even better one!

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Run, I’m BLOGGING!

            That’s right folks, you might want to run.  Firstly, because I’ve never blogged before (not consistently, at least) so this will most definitely be a work-in-progress as I try to find my voice.  Second, I tend to filter after already saying/writing things that really should have been filtered!  I will most likely edit.  I think.  But in case things slide through, don’t say you weren’t warned.

            I have put off blogging for a very long time.  My first attempts were horrid.  I’m sure most first-time bloggers feel the same.  We’re all excited to blog.  Ready to get our voices out there, but we have no real topic to blog about.  My first two tries had maybe 2-3 posts and then nadda.  I gave up.  Without any real direction to head in, that leaves you bored of your own blog.  I also forgot what name I had given my blog.  Yep, it was that important and great that I forgot my own blog.  I think it was best this way.  Fearing finding it someday, I try to block out the memories.

            My hope here is to write some random thoughts (because I’m told I’m funniest when I’m random) and my thoughts on writing because I have absolutely no clue what I’m doing (what can be funnier than watching other people stumble along?).

            Hmm, now that you know why I’m here, maybe I should give you a little about me.  My name is Trisha, but I’ve been called Red since I was little, something about this mop of curly red hair I suppose.  Being a redhead is a source of pride for me and I like to make sure everyone knows that I am, in fact, a natural, certifiable redhead.  Yes, I am certifiable.  I think it is a requirement to work retail as long as I have.  And being a writer tends to lend itself better to crazy people.  It was either be crazy or drink way too much.  I chose the former.

            I have only recently ditched the “aspiring” before my writer title.  I put in the time, I deserve the title!  I have mostly written screenplays and only recently delved into the novel side of things.  My hope is to have this recent WIP all shiny and pretty by Spring.  Am I crazy? I think not knowing that it might be crazy makes it better for me.  I can’t psyche myself out as much.  We shall see since I’ll write about it here!  Sit back, relax, and shake your head freely as I fumble along in my happy little bubble.