What’s Up Wednesday: Two Year Anniversary Edition
Seraphina by Rachel Watson. It’s awesome and the writing is wonderful. Aaaand the other night I had a fun dream that Rachel Hartman was on the same plane as me. Sadly, I woke up before I could meet her. Bummer.
WHAT I’M WRITING
Would you believe I’m still making my way through my edits? See, I rearranged a bunch of scenes and shipped it off to my writing group … who thought the order needed a bit more tweaking. THIS TIME I THINK I’VE GOT IT! And I’m charging full steam ahead. So, we’ll see if that bites me in the butt later.
So, you might want to ask: Kris, why are you editing the first 2/3s of the book when the last 1/3 hasn’t even been written yet? Shouldn’t you just always go full steam ahead in the first draft?
That’s a very good question. I’m glad you asked. As I’ve mentioned before, I was plugging along quite nicely when I hit the third act and got stuck. Beyond stuck. So I sent it to my brother who gave me lots of helpful critiques. As I went through these, I began to have a question in my mind about the essential premise of the book. I debated it for a long time, asked several people who are very familiar with the story and all had differing opinions, and fully decided we were all too close (me especially) and I needed a completely fresh opinion. Once I got that, the changes needed were huge. Aaaand I also realized I had written some scenes with one possibility in mind, and others with the other one. So, things were a bit goofy, obviously. And, as I’ve been going through these edits all sorts of new developments have been, well, developing and the tension is being amplified by, like, a million! See, I now realize part of my problem with getting stuck was I had killed the tension and there wasn’t enough to sustain the final act. (I’m a notorious tension killer. Good thing I have critique partners to yell at me when I do it!) The ending will be much different than it would’ve been. (Also, still not entirely sure how it’s going to all play out and I love that.) So, now this is all getting fixed and I can feel the third act finally within my grasp!*
Huzzah!**
WHAT INSPIRES ME RIGHT NOW
There’s been a rash of Love Lists lately, and I need to update mine for FR. So, here we go!
Lia and Jin
Their interactions and dialogue–so much fun to write
Gavin, the brother
Jor, the neighbor
Astrid, the best friend
The Antangonist (who shall not be named)
Fire!
The UN
Karaoke
New York City, specifically:
NYU
Columbia
Upper East Side
Coney Island
Summer time
THE kiss
Cute, post WWII neighborhood in New Jersey
Fire!
Unexpected connections
Unexpected genetic traits
Fortune telling gypsy
Rocky coves in the Pacific Northwest
Shattered windows
Kicking butt and taking names
The League of Nations
Rooftop pool
Red herrings and political intrigue
Old photographs
Pez dispensers
And more fire!
WHAT ELSE I’M UP TO
First off, I just celebrated my blog’s two year anniversary! And by celebrate I mean I got an email from WordPress and said, “Oh, cool.” Yay!
Well, last week I went on a four-day camping trip dressed in pioneer-ish garb with a bunch of teenagers. I know it sounds weird, and it kinda is, but it was so much fun. I’ll be honest, being responsible for 9 teenagers 24/7 (with the Mister’s help, of course) was hard at times, but it reminded me why I write YA. I think teenagers are fun and great, and I want to give them awesome books to read.
Also! My CP, Kate Scott, interviewed me on her blog on Monday. You should check it out because, duh, it’s me! ~_^
*You know, as soon as I finish editing what I’ve got.
**You’re probably Huzzah!-ing that the long explanation is over.
#writing #youngadultbooks #reading #youngadultfiction #fiction