March Madness Wednesday Check in

Posted by Jen on Wednesday, March 17th, 2010 @ 3:44 am

We are now smack dab in the middle of March Madness, and it’s so awesome to see so many still writing away and checking in every day.

I don’t know about you guys, but the middle is when it starts getting really hard for me. I’ve heard it called many things. The Dreaded Middle. The Middle of Doom. But awhile ago I decided to change this by sheer force of will and started calling it The Fantastic Middle Where Lots of Awesome Things Happen. I’m convinced that if I call it this enough times, I’ll eventually be convinced and I won’t feel like I’m slogging through the middle anymore. I’ll let you know if that works out!

So, how is everyone doing?

Comments

By Angelina C. Hansen on March 17th, 2010 at 10:26 am

Middle of the month, middle of the week, middle of my middle grade novel. Fantastic Middle Where Lots of Awesome Things Happen. Thanks, Jen

Six hundred so far today, 400 to go.

One of the things that helps me write a first draft is this: at the end of each writing session I leave myself a note(on the MS) with thoughts on where the story’s going next. It makes it easier to start up again.

Have a great middle day, everyone!

By phoquess on March 17th, 2010 at 10:53 am

Blargh. I didn’t write at all yesterday because I was busy finishing the tons of homework my professors assigned. I should get a little done today and tomorrow. Also, I guess I’m in the middle right now, although I think part of why I’m having a hard time is because this scene is such a change of pace from my previous scenes.

By Amanda on March 17th, 2010 at 12:57 pm

Woot to great things happening! Today I have been totally side tracked and have been working on this flash contest http://krylyr.livejournal.com/231435.html?view=1963787#t1963787

I am entering something that was 150 words longer then their max 500 words. Cutting 150 words out of something already short is quite a lot. But, after it is all said and done, I actually like this version better.

By elle strauss on March 17th, 2010 at 4:02 pm

Plugging along. Had to do more research but it gave me ideas, so that good, because so far I’m lacking on the word count. Bit by bit.

Happy Middle writing everyone!

By Kayeleen on March 17th, 2010 at 4:05 pm

Not having much luck with writing recently. Family crises have bad timing.

By Shari Maurer on March 17th, 2010 at 7:18 pm

2 kids home sick today, so I didn’t even get to think about my WIP. Fingers crossed for everyone to return to school tomorrow and a really productive day…because they’re off again on Friday for a Supt. Conference Day. Sigh.

Not sure what my middles are like, but hoping to push through the middle of this month and stay focused.

By Denise Jaden on March 17th, 2010 at 7:38 pm

I’m into my fantastic middle (thanks for the tip, Jen!) and actually, I am really loving my characters and story. I’m still trying to be objective enough to see if anyone else will love them though - LOL. My big obstacle this week has been time, but I’ve been pecking away and getting a little done each day.

By VR Barkowski on March 17th, 2010 at 9:23 pm

Partly made up for my dearth of words Monday and Tuesday. Yay! If this keeps up, I’ll be caught up by Friday. Thank goodness I have to check in each day. These mini-confessions help

By Deb on March 17th, 2010 at 9:27 pm

Hah! Great tip, Jen…yes I am now in the awesome middle of my story and the slowing down is because there are so many fantastic things happening, one right after the other.

Yesterday revised (yet again!) The same old same old chapters eight and nine. Tonight I am going to write one new scene…

Enjoy the rest o’ St. Paddy’s Day all!

By Jess on March 17th, 2010 at 10:34 pm

Ooh, I like the idea of a fantastic middle. Better than the swampy middle, which is how I referred to it yesterday!

Yesterday I got in a few words in the WIP, but today I wrote out revision ideas for my first book and sent them off to my agent. It’s in preparation for a phone call with him tomorrow followed by a phone call with a potential editor. *bites nails*

Good luck, everyone!

By Mindi Scott on March 17th, 2010 at 11:15 pm

I wrote two new scenes today. I keep losing track of my total, but I believe I have only six or so left until I meet my goal of 25. If I complete them all before the end of March, I think I’ll start working on a new proposal.

By Shari on March 17th, 2010 at 11:21 pm

Day job (and a bit of craptastic stressful stuff) is getting in the way a bit, but I did get some new words done. Not as much as I’d hoped, but better than nothing!

By Kai on March 17th, 2010 at 11:38 pm

I got another 800 plus words down. Pretty sure they won’t make it past the first revision but it is nice to hear the click, click, click of the keyboad. Except that back space key. Is my keyboard the only one whose back space key sounds completely different?

By Carol J. Garvin on March 18th, 2010 at 1:25 am

Okay, so where’s Shana tonight? I said yesterday that if I could stop procrastinating and get moving again, I knew she could, too. It took me until this afternoon to make my start, but I finally got a full chapter revised. So now I want to know if Shana managed to get something written today, too. Where are you, Shana? Are you writing?

Midway in March, and I’m on page 227 of 409. in chapter 23 of 36, so I’m encouraged to see I’m well past my half way mark. Staying accountable to all of you is definitely helping.