HAPPY MARCH, EVERYONE!
I said that I'd publish this post on the 28th of February, but I completely forgot about it until midnight on the 27th. I panicked, stared at the screen for three minutes, and then went to bed because I didn't exactly feel like staying up until three in the morning to produce some less-than-coherent gibberish. :P
Here are the highlights of the month! (One day late, but they're coherent, at least. Mostly. Hopefully. ;)
PHEW THIS MONTH WAS A WHIRLWIND. (though isn't every month?) Overall, February was awesome. It was just... crazy. I left the house at least once a day to do social/work/church things, which meant that my extroverted self was happy, but the writer side of me slowly died because that meant less writing time.
So far, March is looking just as busy. *deep breaths* We can do this, we can do this...
Lots of working at the coffee shop this month, which I continually love more and more each time I work. I saw a lady in the lobby holding Nadine Brandes' book, A Time to Rise. UM. What. We had a lovely talk about how awesome her books were. And another girl carried Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo. I've had many bookish conversations (which mainly includes me squeaking with excitement while they laugh) and it's the best. The lesson you bookworms can learn from this is to carry your books in public! Bonding over books is the greatest.
I went to the southwest for a extended weekend vacation with my family, and that was fun! We ate potatoes that tasted like horses (not that I've eaten a horse ...ahem... but it tasted like the smell of horses. so gross. XD), SAW A TWENTY ONE PILOTS CONCERT (aaaah!!), and toured some national parks. Because of the vacation I took an accidental six day editing break... whoops. :P
[the beautiful valley of fire featuring my parents]
I read 6 books this month, which seems to be the new normal for me. I was looking at my February Highlights for last year... and I read twenty-one books?! Um. What even. I have to remind myself that now I'm working twenty hours a week and I wasn't before... BUT STILL. My past self needs to give me reading tips. xD
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone: [5/5]
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban: [4/5]
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: [5/5]
The Screaming Staircase: [4.5/5]
Mayday: [3.5/5]
One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich: [1/5]
I've also discovered Bookout -- a reading app that helps track and manage books. It's a lot like Goodreads, except you have a record of the amount of time it takes to read that book. According to the app, apparently I read at a speed of 240 pages per hour. o.o I knew I read fast, but that's really fast.
That's my interesting find for February. I love stats, so I love the app. :D
OH! AND ALSO GOODREADS FINALLY HAS A REREAD OPTION! [cue all the bookworms rejoicing forever]
My critique partner released her book this month, Martin Hospitality, and it is very photogenic. Y'all should go read it. (I never say y'all, but since that this book takes place in the south... it's fitting. :P)
pictures lead to the posts!
[really proud of my flash fiction, so it'd mean a lot if you'd check it out! <3)
Rambling about writing is always my favorite thing, so here we go. xD
Earlier in the month, I had a lil' brainstorming session, in which I realized that I would have to rewrite my whole manuscript. Again. *cries* I'm 20k in, and this draft will probably end around... 80k? I'm hoping to get serious in March and really finish this thing up.
ALSO THERE'S ONLY ONE MORE MONTH UNTIL CAMP NANOWRIMO! (if you haven't heard of Camp NaNo, it's basically like NaNo, where you can join virtual cabins with other writers and choose your own word count goal.)
Anyone else planning to do Camp NaNo this year? I'll be working on the prequel to Where Shadows Lie. (wrote a post about that novel here) At the beginning of the year I didn't think I would be able to fit in writing a book in April, but I've thrown editing aside so I'd have time. The challenge to write a novel in the month always excites me. First drafts are insane and exhausting, but also freeing and such an amazing journey.
I'll be attempting to plot this novel, like I did with Where Shadows Lie. This will only be my second time plotting, so I'm hoping that it'll work out. We'll see if I even have time to plot. So much craziness. xD
Hannah just celebrated SIX YEARS OF WRITING?!? She is one of my best writing frens and I am so proud of her. <3 (But really. Six years? That's such a long time. o.o)
Life is busy and crazy and beautiful, and Christine wrote about enjoying the process and living "moment by moment." (her words are so gorgeous <3)
Victoria is amazing and so is her post on art and growth and life.
This is where I'm real with you all, and I'm honestly not sure what's going to be happening next month. xD I have a few ideas -- maybe another bullet journal post? Abbiee did a monthly highlights "post" in a vlog format on her blog, which I thought was pretty sweet. So maybe that?
If there are any specific topics that I could post on, I'm open to suggestions! Sometimes my brain needs a push in the right direction for the inspiration to spark. :P
Hope your week is amazing and that you can make it awesome.
<3,
katie grace
your February sounded awesome!!
ReplyDeletefor the most part it definitely was. :D
DeleteI hope yours was just as great! <3
Wow! Sounds like a great month! I need to get a job like yours :)
ReplyDeleteYou totally should! It's awesome. (and keeps me busy... but I need to get money so I can buy books somehow. ;)
DeleteSounds like you had a great February! I'm pulling myself from the depths of decision-making and craziness of last month, but...whew. I'm glad it's over.
ReplyDeleteCamp O.O I SO WANT TO DO IT. But I'm going to have SO much editing by then. I can't keep the all the information straight in my sequel and I'm supposed to get my first novel back from betas by then, so I probably won't do it.... But I said that in November and look what happened xD
I hope you have a great March!
audrey caylin
*gives you coffee and blankets and stuffed animals* Try to relax with a book. :P
DeleteHEY and with Camp NaNo you don't have to write a first draft! Camp NaNo is made for breaking the rules. I do edits with Camp alll the time, and the rules for Camp is that an hour of editing = 1,000 words.
I hope your March is AMAZING.
Wow, it looks like you had a great month! :) You can read 240 pages in an hour?! Woah! That is impressive. *nods* If I could read that fast, I'd read like 50 books in a month. :P
ReplyDeleteI've never participated in Camp NaNo. I don't even know if I will this year, I'm behind in some stuff *cough* editing *cough*
I hope March treats you well! :D
Not sure why I don't read fifty books in a month with that speed... but... I suppose life is also a thing. :P
DeleteLike I said above in reply to Audrey's comment, you can totally do editing for Camp NaNo! That's one thing I really love about Camp -- it's flexible and basically exists for the community and motivation to complete goals. :)
Wow! It definitely sounds like you had a crazy month. But at least you got a little vacation squeezed in there. It all sounds so fun! ^_^
ReplyDeleteUm. HOOOOOOW do you read 240 pages in an hour???? GIRL. YOU ARE LIGHTNING.
How exciting you'll be doing Camp! I'm going to resist temptation because I desperately need to be editing annnd there's a bunch of other stuff going on in April in my life, so it'd be a terrible decision. XD BUT I HOPE YOU HAVE THE BEST TIME.
MEEP. You linked to my post. THAT WAS SO SWEET. I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Thank you!!! <333
I do so hope March is absolutely amazing for you, girl!
YEAH I DIDN'T REALIZE I COULD READ THAT FAST IT'S A BIT STRANGE. I think I actually have some alien blood in me and my parents are telling me something... *side eyes*
DeleteYES OF COURSE I LINKED TO YOUR POST. It was so great and you perfectly summed up a bunch of thoughts I've had lately. Keep being awesome. <3
Well, I think you read more books than I did this month (and I'm not even working yet). :P (Btw, a coffee shop sounds like an awesome place to work! And that's so cool that you got to meet fellow bookworms!)
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I want to see more of your photography (and I really hope the weather does better soon!). Your photos are always really pretty. <3 But yeah, another bujo post would be cool! Or maybe one about being organized as a writer-person or something.
(Yes! It makes me ridiculously happy with how many fellow bookworms I see in the coffee shop. :D)
DeleteEeep I really can't wait to take some more pictures. I just need the sun to come out so there's great lighting. xD
I think I will do a bujo post. *nod* And organization is cool -- I could combine that with bujoing.
I think the only thing that will MAKE me write more consistently is by doing Camp NaNo again, so yes, I'm planning on joining. :)
ReplyDeleteSounds like you had an amazing month! Good luck on your March goals! :)
YAY! It makes me happy when other writers join in on the insanity xD
DeleteYay to vlogs!! I think you should definitely do another vlog. Also go you for working a lot of hours and managing to still edit and read and have a life. XD I'm going to be getting a job within this next year, and I have no idea how I'm going to do all that I want to! XD
ReplyDeleteOooh, really? Do you know where you'll be working?
DeleteI know, not having enough time is something I've been struggling with. I JUST WANT TO DO ALL THE THINGS. Apparently that's too much to ask?
Katie. o.o "I took an accidental six day editing break." "I read six books this month." Seriously, HOW IS THAT TINY IN ANY WAY? Here I am stressing over my current novel and procrastinating working through the mess of a plot... and you're reading six books and editing 20k a month while juggling school and life and work??? HOW IS THIS HUMAN?? I cannot do that, hands down. xD
ReplyDeleteEek, we're 1/6 of the way through 2017! O.o That... is crazy.
My February was pretty busy as well, though not insane. School took up most of it. Pretty sure I stressed about it way too much, but is that different than normal? ;) And... I read Cress and half of Winter. Now THAT'S what you call a low reading month... although low reading months are what's normal for me. :P
Eek, I'm excited for Camp NaNo! I'll be trudging through my NaNo novel... again. It's been giving me LOTS of trouble, but I truly do love the story, and hopefully camp will give me a big leap towards the end. Although... I wouldn't be surprised if the end is over 100k off. o.o
Wow, the anniversary of when you put out beta sign-ups is coming up, isn't it? I remember that lovely story. <3 Can't wait to read the sequel.
Well... kind of tiny? :P But I see what you mean. You are the most encouraging person. And school honestly doesn't take me as long as other people -- I'm very blessed to have a teacher who only give me the essentials. :P
DeleteO.O ... WHAT?! Wow. It's quite insane when you put it that way. o.O
*hugs* School is so tough and so easy to stress over. You got this. Only a couple more months until summer arrives!
Okay, but Cress and Winter are HUGE. So... you have an excuse. :P
I'M SO EXCITED AS WELL! If you're not planning to be in another cabin... do you want to join mine again? I'll start setting it up in a week or so here, but just want to put it out there. <3
Over... over 100k? o.O How long is your novel right now?
YES. Wow, that's a bit nostalgic. :') I haven't sent out the beta reader email for this year yet... but it's going to be later than April because of the unexpected rewrites. *sniff* :/ I'm hoping that I can send it out in June!
I hope March is amazing for you. <3
Ahhh, I would love to be in your cabin again, but my sister and several of her friends are trying it out for the first time so I thought I'd be in their cabin. I still have the link to the Mibbit chat, though - so I'll be able to word war and talk to you people from Mitchtam! <3 <3
DeleteYes, they are rather big books. xD But my sister read both Stormlight Archive books in a little over a week, sooo. yeah. o.o
Heh, it's about 55k. I've barely touched it since NaNo because of all my plot woes. :P I am less than a third of the way through the storyline, but I hope to pick up the speed from here on out. So... about a third done, maybe?
THAT IS OKAY. You are making the story the best it can be, and that takes time! I am super excited to read TSDS, though. <3
Ooh, that sounds like fun! Yes, definitely join us for wars and fun. <3
DeleteBOTH OF THEM? O.O Um. Um. Um. The first one alone took me well over two weeks to read. Eek. That's insane! Props to your sister. :P
Whoaaah. O.O (this comment is turning out to be filled with large, wide-eyed surprised faces. :P) That... your novel... Over 150k total? I'm in awe. That's totally crazy! I've always wanted to someday write a giant novel but I don't think I would have enough content. Go you! :D
Eep, thank you! <3
*raises hand* I'm doing Camp NaNoWriMo. I won't be going for the full 50K, and I might be going rebel and editing a certain number of words instead of writing that many, but it's going to happen.
ReplyDeleteYay for finding fellow bookworms through the books they're reading!
I sympathize with the big about having to rewrite your whole manuscript. That stinks. :P
YAY! Hey, I edit all the time for Camp NaNo. Usually in July. It's very helpful to edit for a NaNo event because my motivation is increased by 110%. :P
Delete*shudder* I know. So gross. xD
I AM SO ENTHUSED FOR CAMP NANO. It's going to be epic.
ReplyDeleteAND EEEEK I FINISHED MY NOVEL'S DRAFT. So now I can plot out my next one for April and everything is so crazy but so exciting and I honestly just can't wait.
SAME. Do you know what you'll be writing for it yet? (do you have any details* ;)
DeleteEEEP YOU DID?? AHH. JANE. JANE!! THAT IS SO, SO, SO, SO AMAZING! *sprinkles confetti and glitter and streamers everywhere* I am so proud and excited for you. That's awesome. :D How many words did it turn out to be?
As a southern girl, I say ya'll when referring to more than two people. :p It pops up rather frequently...
ReplyDeleteexcept when I'm writing in one of my stories and then it is *nonexistent*!
CAMP NANO NO ITS SO CLOSE BUT I'M NOT READY
I CARRY BOOKS EVERYWHERE. Seriously. One time I stopped a lady in Pepper's and was like, "ma'am. what tome of knowledge do you hold?" she was like, "it's a historical mystery." So we talked about the Victorian era and all that jazz.
I'm a northern girl, so I usually resort to "you guys" instead. It's weird how languages work. xD
DeleteOoh, that's awesome! Striking conversations with strangers can be scary, but it's also fantastic when it's about books. :P
Another thing:
ReplyDeleteARE YOU A NINJA i mean seriously. You have school and a job and stuff and you're EDITING SO MUCH and STUFF and I barely write 1k a day with school and babysitting.... YOU'RE A NINJA.
AHH YOU'RE SO SWEET.
DeleteI barely wrote 1k in February. It was a rough editing month. :P But aside from school and work and life... basically all I do is write, sooo. xD
hehe I feel you about the forgetting-about-blogging thing...it just...happens sometimes.
ReplyDelete240 pages an hour?!?! WOW, and I thought *I* was fast. o.0
*the voice of someone indecisive as to stage whisper or to chant* BULLET JOURNAL POST!
I know it's the worst. xD
DeleteI just wish I could retain those words for an extended time. But at least when I reread a book, it's like reading it for the first time! :P
YESSS!
I hope to try NaNo camp this year but have never done it before. Enjoyed the post!
ReplyDelete-A fellow blogger (=
Go for it! It's such a fun experience. :D
DeleteThank you! <3
Loved this post! Sounds like you had a rad February. :D WOW six years of writing IS a lot!! o.O
ReplyDeleteSophy
lavender & blue
the inkpot girl
Right?? o.O I am so incredibly impressed by Hannah.
Deletesounds like a crazy but awesome month!! HAPPY MARCH!!
ReplyDeleteThat just about sums up my mouth. XD
Delete[that awkward moment when you type mouth instead of month. oops. who knows? my mouth might be crazy and awesome as well! or.. not. :P]
DeleteEeeeeehehehe HEY KATIE. YOU WANNA KNOW HOW MANY BOOKS I READ IN FEBRUARY? ehem.
ReplyDeleteone.
i read one.
and it was a re-read.
*slams forehead against desk*
I DID FINISH MY SECOND DRAFT. but I only read one book so XP YOU WIN! You are a lovely boss of epicness (and I always enjoy your lovely wrap-ups) <3
WELL... YOU DID EDIT LIKE A BOSS, SO THERE. You have an excuse. Speaking of reading -- WE NEED TO READ PERCY JACKSON ASAP! My hold expires soon. :P
DeleteYou are so amazing and I am SO PROUD OF YOU FOR FINISHING YOUR DRAFT! <3
Every year I think "Yes, I should totally do Camp NaNo!", and every year I look at my life in March or whenever and think "Oh wow okay no.". Ah, well.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you had a pretty great February! Hope your March is awesome too!
Ugh I know business is such a problem. Maybe you can do it in July? If your summer is less busy? Though sometimes summer can get even more crazy with projects and friends and doing everything you don't have time for in the school year. :P
DeleteI hope your March is fabulous, Erika! <3
OKAY THIS YEAR IS FLYING BY. How is it already March??*
ReplyDeleteAnyway -- lovely post, Katie! I did Camp NaNo last year to test the waters -- just a 10,000 novella-sized project that I haven't even rewritten yet (productive, that's me!). XD This year I'm going for 25k which is actually a tiny lil' word count goal but I'm a procrastinator so it's fitting I guess and I should really stop now because this is the worst run-on sentence I've ever written in a comment.
*honestly I see this at the end of every single month but stilllll it's true.
MY THOUGHT EXACTLY. Like Emily said above -- we're 1/6 of the way through the year. WHAT EVEN. xD
DeleteOoh, 42 word sentence. Fabulous. :P
That's a good goal! What project will you be working on? (I'd love to hear about it if you don't mind sharing! ^.^)
(yup same but it's always just as surprising xD)
I'm a stat person too XD. Have a happy March!
ReplyDeleteYAY FOR STATS! They're so interesting. xD
DeleteWow, you have been SO busy!!
ReplyDeleteOkay, I've got to ask...what did poor little Azkaban do to get a 4, and the other HP books a 5? XD
I HOPE THAT REWRITES GO WONDERFULLY!
I lovedddddd doing NaNo, but I know that I have absolutely no time to do Camp in April, because I have a show. >.< Casually crying.
You should totally do a vlog!!
Camp Nano sounds so cool! I've never done anything with Nano (yet), but I'm seriously considering this. Better hurry and decide if I'm really thinking about it! Thanks for this awesome post!
ReplyDelete