THE PROS AND CONS OF CRITIQUE PARTNERS

Happy Saturday!

As of last week, I finished my third draft of Where Shadows Lie. My critique partner read through the story as I edited it, so this also means that she reached the end as well! (which was rather nerve-wracking, but that's to be expected)

I knew that once we completed our critique sessions I wanted to write a post about the whole process... but how-to/advice posts aren't really my thing (especially since Rosalie and Alyssa recently wrote amazingly helpful posts on this topic). So instead this is just my experience of having my novel read by my critique partner, Emma. 

We met in person at the library weekly, which became a day I both dreaded and looked forward to, hehe. (yay for friends and writing! boo for being scared to have someone actually read your writing!) But here are some of my thoughts about the whole process:

PRO #1: INSTANT FEEDBACK

This can also be rather terrifying (especially if the feedback is negative), but mostly it's so helpful. As soon as my critique partner finished the chapter I received her all thoughts: the good, the bad, the confusing parts, and the parts where she fangirled over characters and plot twists (mwahahah).

And if I'm unsure about a certain plot point, I can ask her! I tried to ask general questions so I didn't narrow in on a small moment in the story. Instead of asking, "was this scene too slow?" I tried to ask, "how was the pacing in this chapter?" Then I'm not accidentally ruling out chances for other possible feedback. If I still need clarity after this question, then I can narrow in on that specific scene and ask about it's pacing.

CON #1: YOU REALIZE YOUR NOVEL ISN'T PERFECT

Sometimes when I'm writing, I sit back in my chair (or flop on the ground and stare at the ceiling) and pretend that my novel is perfect. I dream of handing over a chapter to my critique partner, only to have her say, "Wow! There's nothing but good things here!"

Spoiler alert: that doesn't happen. Ever. There's always something tiny to nitpick or readjust -- I think the main goal of editing is not to make your book perfect, but into something that you're satisfied with and proud of. Editing is a journey.

 

PRO #2: DISCUSSION OVER STORIES!

This is one of my favorite parts of the critique sessions I've had with my friend. I've been working on this book since October of 2016, and haven't been able to talk about the plot twists and characters with anyone until now. IT'S SO FREEING. It's a little preview of what it will be like to have people reading the published version someday. :D

Not to mention that it's so refreshing to study someone else's writing! It becomes tiring to continually evaluate my own novel, and it's a fun change to discuss motives and goals of someone else's characters. (ahem, though it's not fun when they die. -.-)

CON #2: YOU MIGHT FAINT

To those confused by this point, you've obviously never had someone read your work before. Because watching them intake your precious novel is pure torture. 

If you do feel faint during a critiquing session, here are some tips on how to avoid it:

• bring a paper bag to access if you start hyperventilating
• if you do faint, bring pillows so you can at least land on something soft
• also bring a fan to keep you cool when you start sweating
• or just bring a water bottle and dump it on your head if the nerves prove too much
• because then you aren't nervous about the story or fainting -- just the fact that you're completely drenched
• binge-eat comfort food (like pizza!!)

PRO #3: MEETING WITH A FRIEND

With working and Church activities and responsibilities and writing and just day-to-day life... it's hard to find a spare chunk of time. It becomes ever harder when you try to find a chunk of time that words for two people.

But somehow my critique partner and I were able to find a few weekend afternoons and mornings to squish in our writing time, which was so needed. Not only did we critique each other's novels to pieces, but afterwards we got to catch up on life. It's a 2 in 1 experience. ;)

CON #3: WATCHING THEM READ YOUR STORY IS PURE TORTURE

Before this novel, I've really never watched anyone critique my work in person, and I didn't prepare myself for how terrifying it was going to be. I'm sitting there, across the table, watching her scroll through my document. -- does she like it? is she yawning because she's tired or because she's bored with my story?! did her eyebrow twitch or was that an expression of intrigue and surprise?? --

See "con #2," because this is where the possibility of fainting might become a reality.

Obviously I jest a little bit, but it really was scary. The good thing is that my nerves lessened the more we met for critique session. I became used to the fact that I would receive lots of comments, and learned to be happy when she only pointed out a hundred errors instead of two hundred (ha).

PRO #4: YOU'LL SEE THE POTENTIAL IN YOUR STORY

me during our first critiquing session: please just like it please don't say anything bad please be nice please --

me during our final critique session: GIVE ME ALLLLL THE CRITIQUES.

At first each critique she gave hurt a little bit. I saw the truth. I saw the sense in her comments, but I took each correction as a negative. Because critiques = a bad novel... right?

Not necessarily. Because with each critique, there's a potential for making that weak part in your story a strong one. For instance, one of her comments was that she had trouble understanding my character's goal/purpose in a certain chapter. It might take a few tries to fix that problem, but then hopefully my character's motivation will come across clearly, and the negative critique (hopefully) becomes a strength in my story.

CON #4: NOW YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO GO EDIT THE THINGS

You see all of those bullet points in the notebook above? Those are all things I need to fix. Thankfully they're not all giant plot points -- some are just little line errors. But still. And those are only from the first eight chapters! I have six more pages like those filled with corrections (or should I say "potential strengths? :P).

I'm going to need so much pizza and coffee to get through this next draft.

But thankfully Camp NaNo is coming up! I'll desperately need that extra motivation to guide me through these edits. Yikes. xD

So, basically: find yourself a critique partner. Beside the risk of fainting, you really can't go wrong. xD

AND GUESS WHAT? IT'S OFFICIAL. I HAVE TICKETS FOR INFINITY WARS. *screaming forever* April 26th here I come. :P

<3,
katie grace

have you ever had a critique partner?

SHARING (+ cringing) ABOUT FIRST NOVELS

Hello, everyone!

Just last month, on January 18th, was my four year writing anniversary! (unfortunately I completely forgot about it at the time so there was no celebrating. boo-hoo) But now that I remembered, I've been thinking a lot about how I've grown throughout my writing journey. I like nostalgic things, so I opened up the document of my first novel I ever wrote.

Um. I DIDN'T BRACE MYSELF FOR THE HORRORS I WOULD SET MY EYES ON. It... it was bad. Laughably bad. After I got over the shock that I wrote this, it was quite enjoyable shaking my head at the naivety of my younger self. (I mean, really, Katie? It took your characters days to enter The Extremely Evil Castle, but were able to prance home without trouble once they defeated The Evil Dude Who Was Coincidentally Their Uncle???)

Yeah, very thought out and well-planned. Ha, go me.

Anyway, I wanted to showcase some of the cringy aspects of my first novel, and some wonderful writing friends of mine volunteered to to show theirs as well! (I appreciate your brave souls)

Just to be clear: the purpose of this post is to show that every writer starts somewhere. Even though most of us don't know what we're doing for our first novel, it's an extremely important part of the writer's journey! I've read stories from almost all of these writers below, and can assure you how amazing and awesome they were.

I've kept the author of each first novel anonymous, though I'm linking back to all of their blogs at the end of the post, so be sure to check them out. :)

FIRST NOVEL #1
started in 2011

•  main characters were twins separated at birth 
• of course they attend a magical school that totally wasn't a hogwarts ripoff 
• very inexplicable magical abilities
• one long lost twin was a werewolf
• author sent that twin to live with an evil aunt
• the villain was a guy who taught "magical defense" which wasn't anything like defense against the dark arts, mind you
• virtually no action tags ever

FIRST NOVEL #2
started in 2011

• the nefarious villain (in the first confrontation with the heroine) replied to the MC's question with, "it's kind of complicated. I'll explain later."
• the MC is The Only One who had the power to find the magical charms the villain was after and save the world
• characters bursting into tears at every climatic turn of events
• child characters spending a week at a camp and suddenly gaining the ability to defeat full grown soldiers with their bare hands
• facing the wind as tears stream, whispering something to the distance like, "I'll find you" or "just hold on"
• getting out of dire circumstances by summoning certain aspects of magic the character didn't know they had... then having that magic never show up again and the character never give it another thought 

FIRST NOVEL #3
started in 2011

• one of the characters was an amputee at the beginning of the novel... halfway through the author gave him his leg back
• there were not one, but TWO sets of long lost brothers wandering around, but they had amnesia so they didn't know they were chillin' with their bros the whole time
• every. single. person. had a love interest or triangle
• there was a potato fight 

FIRST NOVEL #4
started in 2014

• daughters and parents couldn't possibly get alone
• oh! look! The Chosen One from the Prophecy!
• no descriptions... at all 
• the Strong Female Character who is way better than everyone else
• nooo, you'd never guess it but now the mentor character is gone 

FIRST NOVEL #5
started in 2014

• magical objects were inserted into the story because the author considered it "cool"
• never used a simple "said" dialogue tag, opting instead to use "he chortled ridiculously" and the like
• a character was created solely for the purpose of a heart-wrenching death
• there was no conclusion -- the story ended immediately after the climax
• so many dramatic, capitalized words
• example: "But how will we SURVIVE?" You are CRAZY!"
• adverbs listed in just one page: naturally, simultaneously, surprisingly, politely, quizzically(x2), confusedly, inwardly, boringly, breathlessly, excitedly

FIRST NOVEL #6
started in 2014

• Hunger Games rip-off 
• character created only to be the love interest
• Chosen One Trope
• made of two parts that didn't have anything to do with each other
• surprise, you're adopted!
• surprise, you're the missing princess and there's a prophecy about you! 

FIRST NOVEL #7
started in 2011

• talking horses everywhere 
• even the villain was a horse
• wildly overusing the Chosen One trope
• SO MUCH convenience
• literally a flying sword saved the characters once
• much walking, not much action
• such choppy dialogue
• almost no action tags
• stole names of characters from books + games + movies that the author liked

FIRST NOVEL #8
started in 2008

• cookie cutter characters that couldn't think for themselves 
• (i.e. - there was never conflict between characters on the same "side" because they all thought and believed the same things)
• the main character's motivation was BECAUSE THEY WERE ANGRY ABOUT STUFF, OKAY?!?
• everybody in this medieval setting talking like kids from 2008
• wait, why are the characters going to this place? BECAUSE THEY'RE ANGRY ABOUT STUFF, OKAY?!?
• completely, ridiculously, piteously, unrealistic fight scenes where one character would kill like ten men by himself without suffering any wounds whatsoever
• also people killing willy-nilly with no mental side effects/trauma
• ...and they were killing because THEY WERE ANGRY ABOUT STUFF, OKAY?!
• also characters suffering many mortal wounds, and instead of dying like normal people, they just. kept, going. because they were awesome people who could just rip the arrow right out of their stomach and keep fighting for the next three days

Many thanks to Jeneca, Jane, Savannah, Alea, Rosalie, Hannah, and Caroline for sharing your... creative... first novels. :P I look up to all of you, and it's cool to see how you've grown from the beginning.

Well, there you have it. Hopefully you're able to gather some encouragement this! Even those amazing bloggers listed above had their first novel woes. (*cringes every time I scroll past my first novel description*)

Such is the journey of a writer. xD

<3,
katie grace

alright, now it's your turn. what were some of the cringy aspects of your first novel?

MY THIRD DRAFT EDITING PROCESS

Happy Saturday, everyone! (it feels weird saying that, because I am writing the beginning of this post on a Monday. It's a crazy, crazy busy week where I'm gone for the majority of it, so I'm trying to blog while there's time. :P) 

Like the title of the post says, I'm going to be taking you guys on the journey of my third draft editing process. So welcome to the chaos! xD

Before we dive in, I should note that not all of my third drafts look this way. I edit according to what works best for each book. Sometimes that means rewriting every. single. word. (been there done that. would not recommend if you want to keep your sanity) Sometimes that means chipping away on a computer document.

This isn't a "how-to" process, and this definitely isn't the only way to go about a third draft. But hopefully through reading what I do can help you gather ideas for your own editing process!

step one: print out the thing!

I printed my copy of Where Shadows Lie from Lulu! I've ordered from them in the past and am always extremely satisfied with the quality of their books. This was my first time buying a spiral-bound copy, and IT HAS CHANGED THE WORLD OF EDITING FOREVER. (shout out to Sarah for giving me the idea of ordering one!)That sounded a bit dramatic, but seriously. Having a paper copy to take notes in is so helpful! Because:

1. no distractions
2. I can edit in a cozy chair without having to balance a computer on my lap
3. fun editing pens!
4. it's easier for me to edit for long periods of time on paper rather than a computer

I decided to keep the cover super plain. Somewhat because I like the simplicity/minimalist look of it, but mostly because I was too lazy to whip up something fancy. (creating covers is SO hard and usually ends up leaving me frustrated. :P)

The words are double spaced so there's lots of room to make editing changes and notes (I need lots of room for this draft. -.-). I accidentally made the inside of the pages cream instead of white, but I don't mind the look.

(if you end up ordering your own copy from Lulu, wait until there's a sale! They have sales almost weekly, so I've never had to pay full price.)

two: gather my battle weapons

Editing on paper is great because it's also an excuse for a bunch of office supplies. Sticky notes, pens, highlighters, journals, notepads... the list just keeps going on. xD

The notebook pictured above is actually an art journal! I love the freedom of the blank pages so I can write sideways and create my own little system with columns.

Other editing essentials: chapstick, lotion, music, lots and lots of caffeine, fuzzy blankets...

step three: make a plan of attack

Before I dive into the edits I like to gather a basic idea on how I'll go about the edits. Sometimes I'll start the process by reading through the novel in one sitting, making some notes here and there, but I felt comfortable skipping that step since I had a giant outline of the plot.

I'm going through this book line by line. It's slow and painstakingly tedious, but I can already tell that it's helping the story and the quality of the words. I have a color-coded key to help guide me through all the marking up I have to do:

red = CUT THIS AWFUL SENTENCE

blue = rewrites I need to add in

yellow = hey! something I actually like! (the color yellow appears very rarely xD)

orange = it depends

I'll use the color orange for whatever I need it to mean: foreshadowing, bigger changes that will involve more thought, things I need to insert, plot questions I need to consider... It's a multi-purpose color. :P

step four: ATTACK!

This step is where I put on the headphones, shuffle my book's playlist, and edit like a madwoman. Not only has editing on paper helped me to focus better, but it's been so cool to realize how much I actually change. I'm probably deleting/changing/rewriting over 50% of the words in this book. There's rarely a page without half of it covered in red and blue lines. xD

step five: pizza + coffee break

 

step six: write down alllllll the changes

This picture isn't the greatest quality, but it's a good overview of my overall editing process. I markup the papercopy of Where Shadows Lie with all of the nitpicky line edits that I'm able to fit onto the page. I'm analyzing every sentence, trying to see if I can make it better.

While I'm reading through a chapter, sometimes I'll run across larger scene changes that I can't fix by cutting or adding in a couple words. I'll jot these down in my editing notebook under the "to-do" sticky note, and I'll work on those when I'm transferring the edits to my computer document.

(In the picture you can see that I have a "love" sticky note column to keep myself from becoming unbearably negative about my story. xD But the to-do section is always 10000000x longer than the good stuff (which makes sense because I am in the early stages of the novel).

seven: repeat until book is finished!

When I say "book," I mean "draft." Because once I finish this round of edits, another round is inevitable. And another. And another. And probably a couple more even after that. :P

I'm not pushing myself too hard with this draft. I've been doing about three chapters a week, which means I should be able to complete this draft by the second week of March! Craziness!

I hope the rest of your Saturday is awesome! I'll be editing in the afternoon and working in the evening... what does the day look like for you? May it be awesome whatever you end up doing. :)

<3, 

katie grace

are you currently in the middle of writing or editing?

2018 GOALS

We're a week into 2018. (well, not quite... BUT CLOSE ENOUGH. :P) How is everyone feeling about this year so far? After taking two months off of editing, I've gotten into the swing again and am having fun with this story. Hopefully that excitement won't wear off. :P

Here's my annual "goals for the year" post! But before I move into the 2018 goals, let's take a quick look back at how my 2017 ambitions went.

[ 2 0 1 7   G O A L S + how they went ]

1. take more pictures.

I'd say this was a success? I posted more on my Instagram and have really enjoyed figuring out how to take and edit pictures so they're pleasing to the eye. (though let's be honest -- I'm still figuring it all that out)

2. write two books.

I ACCOMPLISHED THIS ONE! When I made this goal, I really didn't think I'd be able to make it, but it happened and I couldn't be more excited. *flails*

3. send the sand dragon's song to beta readers.

HAHAH. Ha. Nope. After lots of editing and thought, I decided to put aside my desert duology for now in order to work on other stories. So I'm okay with not meeting this goal.

4. see the epic movies that are coming out.

I'll just leave my favorite movie of the year here... SPIDER-MAN HOMECOMING. <3

5. focus on God.

In the beginning of 2017, I planned on memorizing fifty-two verses. Ahem, that failed a couple of weeks into the year. But I did read through the New Testament and do some faith journaling! So overall a half-success. I'm still fully deciding on what to do this year for Bible reading... but I might go through the Old Testament next. We'll see.

6. read 100 books.

This was an epic, giant #FAIL. I only read 60 books, and even that was a challenge. :P

7. find a new show to watch.

In the beginning of the year I finished watching Sherlock Holmes, and later watched Stranger Things with Gabriela! I also started watching Psych with my sister, but the library kept demanding that we return it so we never got very far. :P

8. film more vlogs.

HA! Nope. I only filmed one. :P

[ 2 0 1 8    G O A L S ]

1. track the books i read.

Yes, I realize Goodreads exists (and love using it), but I want to create a separate document with a giant overview -- the genre, a one or two sentence review,  and in general an easier organization method to quickly glance over the stories I devoured of 2018.

2. send where shadows lie to beta readers.

*mumbled screaming* ?!?!!?!?!?

This is a bit of a terrifying concept, but I think I'll be ready by springtime -- probably around April -- to send it to betas. (that's assuming everything goes well and I don't have a sudden plot crisis. :P) As scary as it is (yikesyikesyikes), I'm so pumped because I've never been this passionate about a story before? *shrug* It's a cool feeling.

3. graduate high school!

I have a little less than two months of school before I graduate. *more mumbled screaming* (I feel like I'll be internally screaming my way through 2018. xD) School and I have never been best of friends, so I'm excited to finally part ways. :P

4. find a full time job.

Instead of going the college route like most people, I'm hoping to find a full time job that I enjoy and can get settled in until I'm called elsewhere. I'm unusually excited (and nervous) about the prospect of working.

Right now I only work part time at Starbucks, but there's rarely a day that I dread going to my job?? I'm getting paid to make coffee and talk to people while working with coworkers I enjoy -- how can it become better than that? So I'm praying that I can find a full time job that makes me feel the same way. <3

5. buy a car.

And since I'll (hopefully) be working full time, it won't work for me to use my parent's car any longer. So I'll need to actually buy one! :P There are a lot of big adulting steps I need to take in 2018. (including actually becoming an adult - YIKES.)

6. win nanowrimo.

Do I even have a hint of a story idea I could write? No. Will I have enough time? Probably not. But do I want to keep up my winning streak no matter what? YUP.

So it'll be an interesting NaNoWriMo, but I'm ready for the challenge. xD (thankfully it's ten months away so I have a good amount of time to prepare. phew.)

7. keep up with journaling.

With all of the crazy things happening this year, journaling is a great way for me to unwind and write down what's on my heart. The problem is, is that I have so many different notebooks to keep up with. I consistently use four journals every night. And four others that I use several times a month. #writerproblems

(Yes, I could cut down on journals, but WHERE'S THE FUN IN THAT?)

8. scream over infinity wars !!!!!!!

Words cannot explain how. excited. I. am. for. Infinity. Wars. Every time it crosses my mind I start squealing with anticipation. For preparation of the film, my family and I have been watching all of the Marvel movies in chronological order. I'm writing mini-reviews on Twitter as we watch them!

Boom, eight goals for 2018. I feel like that number is fitting, yeah?

Here's to conquering the next twelve months together! *hands out pizza for motivation* WE CAN DO THIS.

<3,
katie grace

what are some of your goals for 2018?

WRITING IS AWESOME

The year isn't quite over, but it's quickly coming to a close. For me, November means NaNoWriMo and writing whenever possible, and December means reading and Christmas and trying to recover from the previous sleepless month (aka: regaining my sanity).

I've learned a lot about writing this year -- more so than any other year. I've learned about the world of publishing, the art of crafting a novel, my limits, how I work best, re-evaluating my WIPs and thinking about my next steps in this journey.

One of the most valuable lessons I learned was during Camp NaNoWriMo back in April. My words ran dry. My creative soul was tired, brain pushed to its max with all of my crazy ambitions. I was bored with my story, frustrated with my goals, and losing energy, so I didn't have much of a choice but to take a break. 

I wrote a post during that break: The Joy in Stress Free Writing, where I said that I would take writing slowly until I rediscovered that passion. I'm someone who is driven by conquering goals and challenges, so it felt weird to not have any of those hanging over my head and clogging my to-do list.

It's been five months since my writing break. Did I rediscover the enjoyment?! Did it help? Did it teach me anything??

Well, yes. It taught me two things in particular.

1. I can't stop writing.

I've tried gymnastics. I've tried playing the piano. I've tried swimming. I've tried ice skating. I've tried painting. <-- I enjoyed all of these activities for a certain amount of time, but eventually lost interest. 

Writing is a different story (<-- I think I just accidentally made a really lame pun). When I take a writing "break," I find myself doing some anyway just because I enjoy it so much. Even editing isn't quite as bad as it used to be. Now I've come to appreciate how I'm making my story better and dream about it being on the bookshelves one day. *happy sigh*

The month I took off in May showed me how hard it was for me to take a break.  Yes, I may have taken a break from my story, but my writer brain is always churning, always thinking about some future idea. 

2. I can't stop writing because I really, really, really like writing.

Like I said before, I didn't like taking a break, but it helped me rediscover the joy in writing.

Let me clarify before you read into that: I never stopped liking writing... but I did let the stress and the pressure to overachieve impact the enjoyment. There's magic in creating characters and worlds, and that had dwindled.

So I kept my goals smaller than normal, trying to avoid another burnout or having this become a reoccurring problem. And hey -- it worked! Instead of trying to finish a full round of edits for Camp NaNoWriMo, I only went for half of my novel. I didn't get as much done, but I also didn't end the month hating my novel. (always a good thing)

I've fully recovered from the burnout, and goodness, I've realized how much I really loke writing. I love creating worlds. I love penning stories that can transport the reader to another dimension. (unfortunately not literally. though that would be rather impressive if I could send readers to a warped time in space xD)

When I first started writing I wanted to become a published teen author. I still think that would be awesome, but I also realize that my chances of that happening are becoming slimmer. And I'm okay with that.

Even if I'm never published, I'll keep writing because I enjoy it. I enjoy the escape, the thrill, the community around stories. God's given me this ability and place to spew my creativity. (and don't worry -- even though I'm content with being unpublished... I'm still going to work as hard as I can to become an official author. :P) 

I don't even know what my point is for this post. Writing is awesome, guys. And it's important for me to keep checking in with myself: am I writing because it's become a responsibility -- another task to complete and wordcount to meet? Or because I truly enjoy it? It's incredibly easy to get wrapped up in the hustle.

So someday I'll be seventy years old, counting down the days until NaNoWriMo, writing my 50th novel or something crazy like that. I'll have a cupboard overflowing with an enormous assortment of coffee mugs and tea cups. I'll be the NaNo grandma -- writing because she can't stop. Writing because she enjoys it.

(now I'm giggling over that image. CAN YOU IMAGINE IF THAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS? dude I want to be a cool writer grandma xD)

Anyway, thanks for reading my rambling post. "See" you next week with allll the October highlights! (and screaming about the fact that NaNoWriMo is SO SOON.)

<3,
katie grace

what did you learn about writing this year?

ABOUT MY SUPERHERO NOVEL

Happy Saturday! We only have seventeen days left to panic before NaNoWriMo begins! *yay* Last year I wrote a post about what I was writing for NaNo (it's funny how much of that story has already changed since editing), and that went surprisingly well, so I summoned the courage to do it again. 

I'm linking up with the Beautiful Books Tag hosted by Sky and Cait! Thanks for supplying the questions and the community. :D

I first got the idea at the MYWW workshop! I was in Sabaa Tahir's class and our assignment was to create a world together. One of the suggestions was that when a child turned eighteen they would receive a special dragon-speaking ability. That's been done before, so I wanted to turn the idea on its head. What if kids were born with superpowers, but lost them upon turning eighteen?

That's where my story originated! So I've had it for... four months? It came right in time for NaNo and I'm very thankful. xD

SUPERHEROES! *excitement*

Oh. Wait. You mean an actual fancy-professional-like blurb? I'll try. :P

They receive a superpower upon birth. They lose it once they turn eighteen. 

Ten years ago, Tasia's brother was kidnapped by hero traders -- criminals who use children's powers for their own crooked exploits. Her parents haven't been the same since, now convinced that he's dead. But until evidence proves her wrong. she refuses to believe that it's true. 

Tasia and her superhero partners are stationed in a destroyed underground railway system. Guided by her power of light, they spend their days patrolling for possible threats... until they stumble upon a dead body. Officials order them to let stronger heroes deal with this case, warning of hero traders involved with the murder. Clinging to the hope that it might be connected to her brother, Tasia convinces her team to go undercover and hunt the villain of this victim. 

The dead body is only the beginning. They learn crucial information about a rising villain, and soon their mission isn't just about restoring Tasia's family, but saving hundreds of lives in danger. 

The clock is ticking. Can Tasia and her team put their powers to use before they disappear entirely?

[only a rough blurb because it's SO LONG and needs condensing. but it'll do for now.]

 

YESS. This is my favorite question because I simply adore aesthetics. They create this powerful vibe and mood. It's almost like envisioning your book in movie form? I don't know, man. I'm kind of obsessed.

-- flickering lights, soft echoes, baggy hoodies, crunching boots on loose rock, the sound of cars thundering over a tunnel, radio static, coursing adrenaline as you flee death's arms, power, cuts and scrapes, day old fast food, bold newspaper headlines, missed calls, the indescribable bravery it takes to stand against evil --

ALL THE BRAINSTORMING! Lots and lots of brainstorming. I used to despise plotting, but now that I've experienced how helpful it is, I don't think I can ever go back to my pantser ways. Yeah, some people think it's boring to know exactly how the story is going to end (presumably, ha), but until I actually write it... it hasn't happened. I still get to experience that thrill and excitement. *shrug*

Other ways I prepare: ordering NaNo merch, going to a NaNo event at my library (I'm a little nervous about that because I have NO IDEA what to expect o.o), picking a theme album for my story, eating pizza, upping my caffeine intake (I kid, I kid)...

Before I start introducing the characters, please allow me to take a moment to ramble on the struggles of characterization. For instance: WHY IS NAMING CHARACTERS SO HARD? I've created temporary names for them (as you will see below), but... ugh. I despise naming like I despise spiders and vegetable pizza. >.< I'm assigning them a title that they will go by for the rest of their life! And that I will have to type hundreds of times! That's too much pressure for my little heart.

I could go in detail and describe all of my characters... but I have a lot and this blog post doesn't need to be the length of a novel. :P Instead, here are their powers and my pathetic naming abilities.

Tasia - can summon little, burning orbs of light out of her palms. (her name is the only name I have so far. #fail)
Mindy - mind reader. (MIND-y. Get it? :P)
Wallace - can walk through walls. (WALL-ace. Heh.)
Isaac - is able to see through other people's eyes. (EYE-zack.)

Missy [side character] - never misses a shot. (MISS-y. she never misses. :P)

I am so pumped about writing with a cast of characters! My last novel, Where Shadows Lie, had only one main character and one side character. There's little dialogue/interactions in that book, and now I'm transitioning into a Superhero story with four main characters. It'll be very different, but I'm ready for the change.

I'm also excited about finishing the novel! Because... if you weren't aware (you should be), Marissa Meyer comes out with a superhero book, Renegades, on November 7th. I have it preordered, but since I'm also writing a superhero book, I'm forcing myself to wait to read it until I've finished my own novel. Even though my project will be plotted out by that point, I don't want to accidentally sneak in any threads of inspiration from her. It'll be agony to wait, but then my conscious can remain clear in case I spot any similarities. :P

I also can't wait to find a title. Eventually. Hopefully. *grumble* Titles are usually one of my favorite parts of creating a new story... but it's giving me a headache this time. Oh well. xD

one: the majority of the story takes place in the underground railways. They've been abandoned for a looong time. Decades ago a supervillain destroyed them by exploded the railway transports, taking hundreds of innocent lives. It might be fun to write a short story about it someday... but I'm getting ahead of myself. I haven't even finished plotting the novel. xD

two: the world is an alternate US reality/timeline. I like the idea of placing the unfamiliar in the familiar. Then the core of the world itself remains the same -- but the culture, organizations, and how the cities run is obviously very different because there are young superheroes everywhere.

three: tying into the point above, it's been really fun exploring how having superheroes would impact the culture! I've created schools specifically for superheroes -- tests detecting their powers upon birth, how to use and maximize their powers, and short-term institutes specifically designed to help them adjust to life after losing their powers and to help settle them in the "real" world. (PHEW that was a long sentence. Oops.) Once they graduate from the school, the heroes will be assigned a mission or a station and use their powers for the good of their city until they turn eighteen. 

[those were more culture/world-building stuff than setting... but oh well. :P]

Well, I already mentioned this in the blurb, but if you skipped past that... my MC's (Tasia) goal is to find her brother who was kidnapped ten years ago. She was only seven when he first disappeared -- just a bit too young to go adventuring into a crime-infested city. :P

Now that she's older, with an opportunity at her fingertips. a group of friends that have her back, and limited time before her powers disappear... It's either now or never.

There you have it -- all the juicy little details of my NaNo novel. I hope you're intrigued! I don't think I've ever been this excited about writing a specific story. Beside the title, the ideas have come fairly easily, and so far there's not a sign of a sequel (I could cry I'm so happy about that).

Here's my NaNo profile so we can become buddies and scream about words, and then here's my Pinterest board for this novel (because #aesthetic).

<3,

katie grace

what are you writing for nanowrimo?