Editing Experiment

You know me, I’m a mad scientist when I’m not writing, doing experiments every day.  But this time around I’m trying an experiment with revisions on A Paranormal Bromance, which you might remember was my NaNoWriMo novel last year.  Or maybe not, since it was NaNo, and who has time to write then?

As I wrote aPB, I knew I was going to have to rewrite at least one of my main character’s voices, possibly both.  I also noted a ton of structural problems, some because I’ve had the same problems in the past.  And then I knew there were things I wanted to add throughout the novel and characters that needed to change.  Knowing that the way I usually edit might not be effective for these edits, I decided to try something new.

For aPB, I’m rewriting the book from scratch in a notebook.  I have the original on the Kindle, and I’ll admit to referring to it a lot, but by writing out even the sentences, paragraphs, and scenes I want to keep intact, I still force myself to look at each sentence, paragraph, and scene and think about it, the way that I sometimes don’t while writing the first draft because I might be in the zone, or even just plodding along to get words down (because, let’s face it, it was NaNo).  It’s also easier to cut something and fix that cut when writing it anew, as opposed to trying to squeeze transition or info into lines that are already there on the screen.  For me, it’s just a mindset thing.  If I’m already rewriting it, it’s easier to change or add to it, at least in my brain.

I haven’t gotten to a part where I have to add more than a line or a feeling or descriptive details, so I don’t know how well this experiment will work there, but I’m excited to find out.

At the very least, this helps me change the voice and to create stronger sentences and paragraphs, so no matter what, I see it as a great exercise.

According to my Kindle, I am currently 13% done, but that’s a bogus number, because it will depend on what I add or subtract.  I’m also debating a plot/characterization point, and I’m sort of at a standstill until I decide it, but I don’t think that will last long.  Worst case scenario, I’ll flip a coin

Anyway, I’m excited to see where this new experiment leads me.  It feels productive right now, but we’ll see how I feel at 30% or 50% or 80% when the end looks so close, but so far.

What revision techniques do you use? Do you rewrite or revise within the same document you wrote the novel in?

Lots of love,Sage

The Write Way (#NaNoTip)

For the past few weeks, people have been giving out advice right and left about how to succeed at at NaNoWriMo.  For the new NaNoers or those that have never won, I’m sure that this advice is helpful.  Then there are people who beg you to tell them every detail of how you get through NaNo so that they can emulate you.  It’s really flattering.

But here’s the deal, folks.

There is no right way to write.

There is no right way to win NaNoWriMo.

Every writer is different.  Two writers might find that a technique works for both of them, but that doesn’t mean that every piece of advice will work for every writer.

I see this:

• Listen to music with headphones
• It has to be quiet
• Tweet your wordcount to keep you motivated
• Do not open the internet under any circumstance
• Start with a character and have them dictate your plot
• Start at the end and plot backwards
• Plot everything before you start
• You have to outline to keep yourself on track
• Don’t outline or you’ll get bored
• If you don’t click with your character from line one, pick a different character
• Change plot halfway if it feels too hard
• Do not change anything, just keep going because you can fix it in edits
• Don’t fix typos
• Fix typos but don’t fix whole lines
• Fix whole lines, but do it by crossing out the old one so you can keep the words
• It’s only a NaNo project, so what you write doesn’t matter
• Think about each line, because it matters
• Use Write or Die
• Write or Die will make your novel suck
• Write by hand so you can avoid distractions
• Write on your computer so you don’t have to type it up later for verification
• Write huge amounts on the weekend so you can relax on weekdays
• Write 1667 consistently every day
• Don’t take any breaks
• Take breaks
• Even if you have five minutes somewhere, write a line or two then
• You need to have big chunks of time to really get into the zone
• Have a ritual
• Don’t have a ritual or you won’t be able to write unless you’re in that situation

I gave some advice for the #NaNoPrep blog posts, but I tried to make it general and to keep in mind that what works for some, doesn’t work for all.  But I see so many people preaching their methods like gospel.

Here’s what matters during NaNoWriMo:

• You get to 50K before Dec. 1
• You have fun doing it

If you find that a certain writer’s past experiences help you get through your novel in November, that’s awesome!  But what works for someone else may not work for you.  So don’t stress that someone’s told you that you need to write during your five-minute break at work and you know that that’s not enough time to get into the story enough to write even a sentence.

There is only one right way to write: The way that works for you.

Have fun!

Lots of love,
Sage

Researching (#NaNoPrep)

Researching?  What is this researching thing?  We don’t need no stinkin’ research before NaNoWriMo.

Okay, I’ll admit it.  I tend to do my real research when I come across a need for it mid-book.  Very rarely do I say, “I’m writing a book set at a ranch, let me do all my research on horses in the months preceding it.”  I use horses because I did some recent horse research for a chapter book I wrote a few months ago.  It was very minimal, as I was just refreshing myself on some terms I already knew.  In that case, it didn’t take too much time away from my writing.

But in NaNo, having to do even a little research can detract from that all-important word count, so it’s good to get it in October or before, if you know what you need.  (Let’s not forget that pantsers might not even know what they could possibly research)

This year I was planning to do a different novel from A Paranormal Bromance, and it was going to require heavy research.  I searched for books, I watched documentaries, I looked for credible information and personal accounts on the internet.  Then I changed novels, so that research will have to hold for another time. But I certainly know people who do the heavy research where they read non-fiction about most of their novels, even interview people for them.  I really admire those people and their dedication, not to mention their creativity to make a novel out of this research.

But here’s how I usually research in October.  I read fiction in the genre I’m writing or about the same subject or for the same age group.  Last year when I was writing my chapter books, I read a lot of chapter books (and low MG to see the difference) to prepare myself for writing for that reading level.

This year I’m writing that paranormal bromance.  And I haven’t decided if it’s a paranormal romance but without lust between the mains or if it’s simply a contemporary fantasy with a humorous title.  Because these are two totally different things.  Even if I go the contemporary fantasy route, I still might use some tropes from PR.  So here I am reading ghost stories (because one of the mains is a ghost).  Oh, darn, ghost stories in October.  But I’m also reading paranormal romances, which are totally not my usual thing, as research.  What tropes do I want? Do I want any? Should I have a similar tone to PRs? Is there a certain formula that I can either follow or parody? Should I stay far far away from anything PR at all?  So that’s the kind of research I’m doing now.  But that’s generally the kind of research I do the most, and no matter whether you’re a planner or a pantser, whether you’re someone who does heavy research about the subject or not, I suggest reading books like yours (or potentially like yours)

What kind of research do you do leading up to NaNo or any other books you write?  Do you do any at all?  Do you find yourself researching mid-book like I sometimes do (or even during edits)?  Have you ever wished you had researched something before you started?

Lots of love,
Sage
P.S. Less than two weeks left to enter the Trick-or-Treat Love Sucks Giveaway.  This also means less than two weeks to Halloween and NaNo!

Taylor is off the Assembly Line and Ready for Quality Control

Today I finished my rough draft for Taylor-Made.  I started the reboot at the beginning of February, so this was a very clear two-month novel. I know I started in February because on Jan. 31, I posted about the Rosie debate.  Would I change her from my initial vision or keep her the same?  I ended up keeping her the same…and writing it all from Taylor’s POV.

February saw me write about 20K (there was a little overlap with the 5K of my original in that total).  There was one 10K-Saturday challenge, in which I wrote 8K, so the other 28 days resulted in 12K, including the rebooted stuff.

Then I hit March.  I had another 10K Saturday that first Saturday, and I made the goal that day.  I also was more productive during that week.  In those first 13 days of March I got the novel up to 40K.  Things were getting easier once Rosie and Taylor got together.

And then on the 14th, I had the day off (I work weekends), and I was plodding along all day.  But that was the day that Taylor found out what he was.  And it was amazingly intense.  I stayed up writing because I couldn’t go to bed, not when I was so filled with Taylor’s emotions.  I continued writing until I hit a Justin scene, which I had written in a notebook earlier.  There was no need to stay in Taylor’s head at that point, so I finally went to bed.  But for the next two weeks you could not drag me away from writing.  Working in the lab was wasted time, particularly when my coworkers were around me and wanting to talk to me.  Yeah, there was a lot of “Beware of writer”-shirt-wearing and noise-reducing-headphone-wearing too, in the past couple of weeks.  When I got home, I was instantly on my computer.  My days off were spent hanging out in a cafe writing.

So another 30K was reached steadily in the following two weeks.  Yep, it was pretty much a NaNo novel in March, but the full novel clocks in at 71,675.  At least until the first round of edits.  And, man, do I have edits to do.

Note, that this is my longest novel since Echoes of Silence, way back in 2005 (which was twice as long and is not going anywhere, but anyway).  Most of my novels that I do something with are in the 55-65K range.  Once I pass 50K, I call it a word count victory.  I have had novels that were shorter.  And for MG, that’s fine (In a Pear Tree is safe at 42K), but for YA, under 50k is a tough sell for spec fic.  Anyway, I knew when I hit 50K that this novel was probably going to land at about 70K, and, look, I was right!  It’s a word count I’m really happy with.  But of course, it will change in edits.  I know many things that have to be added, and things that will probably be removed.  It’s amazing to be going into my first round of edits with some of this stuff already figured out.

While I joke about starting a Hero/Villain or Love Sucks sequel right away, I am actually pretty excited to do some of these bigger edits.  First up is to rewrite the first chapter (It’s in Rosie’s POV, oops).

So that’s what I have to look forward to.  You know, besides that little thing where Love Sucks comes out in 4 weeks.  I secretly love editing (don’t tell anyone), so this is not sarcasm in any way.

Anyway, yay for Taylor-Made’s first draft being done!

Lots of love,
Sage

Teaser Tuesday – Hot Kiss

So here’s a fun little teaser.  I’ve written so many different types of things in this novel this week that it’s hard to believe that this was one of them, but once I went back that far I wanted to share with you.

Previously on Taylor-Made: Taylor found out he was a Simulant/BOIS-friend–an android programmed to be the perfect boyfriend.  He is the one and only Simulant recycled from another one, who was named Justin and belonged to Malinda.  Taylor has been having dreams of Justin’s life with Malinda.  Taylor is actually programmed for Rosie.

“Taylor?” Malinda says softly. She’s looking at me now, and her eyes sparkle in the flickering of the TV’s light. She’s closer too, and she folds her knees under her on the couch, leaning in towards me. “This is so stupid, and I know it’s going to ruin everything…”

“No it won’t. Just say it.” My mouth feels dry. I don’t know what I think she’s going to say.

She says nothing at all. She sits up on her knees, putting her face just higher than mine. She pushes my hair back and leans in to kiss my forehead, but before she can, I tip my face up and meet her lips with mine. Her eyes widen in surprise, but she clenches her hands in my hair and practically melts into me. I wrap my arms around her waist, like I’ve been wanting to do all night, to be honest, and I pull her tight against me. Her body against mine, I can’t stop thinking about it that night, her naked body in the moonlight.

She lets out a soft moan, but I push her away. My face is on fire, and my body’s warming up quickly. I push myself off the couch and run to the kitchen for some water. Oh, god, is my body punishing me for kissing someone other than Rosie?

I find a glass exactly where I know it is and pour some water from the faucet. I take a great swig from the glass. It’s not cold enough.

“Taylor?” Malinda hugs the doorway, watching me.

“Malinda, I can’t. I physically can’t. I– God, I’m burning up.”

“Oh,” she says softly. She enters the room and puts her hand against my cheek. Her fingers are cold. “No, Justin did the same thing. It’s okay. You’re okay.”

Justin? I look at her like she’s crazy. There’s no way he kissed another woman. “The same…”

She hesitates and looks around. “Maybe I’m wrong. What… what were you thinking in there?”

I flash back to her body and feel another wave of heat. I get some ice from the freezer and put a cube against my forehead. “I don’t really feel comfortable telling you what I was thinking.” Right now the flush in my cheeks might be unrelated to the rest of the heat in my body.

“O-Oh. No, I mean, that’s right. That’s what happens when you’re not programmed for…for making love.” She twists her hands together and looks down at them, blushing. “When Justin and I– But he was okay after he got some sleep. His system needed to recharge. You don’t want to hear about this, I know, but that’s what he needed. Anyway, that’s what’s happening. I think. I mean, right?” Her eyes flick up to my face.

Sex. Holy smokes, it’s sex.

Hope you enjoyed

Lots of love,
Sage

Teaser Tuesday – Simulant

Oh, hey, it’s Teaser Tuesday and I nearly forgot.  Which would be tragic since I love everything I wrote this week.  But here I am, and here you go.

This excerpt is in no way spoilery, though in most novels you would expect it to be.  But, hopefully, the revelation Taylor makes in this scene has already been figured out by the reader.

Context: In a dream Taylor’s been having of Austin, a soldier Simulant, Austin’s arm was cut deeply, exposing his electronic bits inside.  Right before this scene, Taylor was told that the only Simulant to be recycled was Justin, who he also has been dreaming of.

I pace back and forth, trying to talk some reason into the jumbled craziness in my head. I just keep seeing Malinda over and over, calling me Justin, and the five seconds it took me to remember that I was Taylor.

“I’m Taylor!” I scream and punch the wall between my bedroom and bathroom. I lean my forehead against it and pound it a few more times with the heel of my hand.

I can’t be a Simulant. Because it would mean that Rosie ordered me, and Rosie doesn’t even like BOIS-friends. And she didn’t want me. She made me chase her for months. I can’t be her BOIS-friend. I can’t be a Simulant.

I look up and right above my head is the poster that she defaced ages ago. The pimply faced girl was supposed to be her apology to me. Saying, “look at how I defaced myself.” The girl is hand-in-hand with a Simulant.

It’s supposed to be me. I’m the Simulant in the picture.

“No.” I rip the poster out of its pushpins and tear it up. “No.”

I run into the kitchen and search the drawers for a knife. I’m not a Simulant, and I’ll prove it. I find my sharpest knife in the drawer near the fridge. I cut along the tip of my left pinkie finger, not deep enough to do a lot of damage, but deep enough that it should bleed. I squeeze my eyes shut at the pain, but force them open to look at the blood.

And wait.

It doesn’t come.

I’m practically hyperventilating now. I take the knife to the bathroom and look at myself in the mirror. “Is that you, Justin?” I whisper. I shake my head. But I remember him getting ready in the mirror. Same wild blond hair, same blue-gray eyes. Who has gray eyes?

I bite my lip and put the knife against my left arm. I know about how deep to cut if I have to, but if I see blood, I’ll stop. That’s all. I’m about to pass out at the mere pressure of the blade against my skin, but I force myself to press down. I hope for blood, but there’s nothing. I press harder and cry out at the pain. I clench my teeth and keep going, but there’s no blood, just a clear liquid starting to dribbled down my arm. I stop when I see a flash of silver that isn’t the knife. I stop when I can see a spark of electricity under my skin. My right arm falls limply to my side as my left arm exposes me for what I am.

I’m a Simulant.

Lots of love,

Sage

Come on, Lucky Seven

Carissa Taylor tagged me to participate in the Lucky 7 Meme.  So here I go!

Here’s how it works:

1. Go to page 77 of your current MS
2. Go to line 7
3. Copy down the next 7 lines – sentences or paragraphs – and post them as they’re written. No cheating
4. Tag 7 authors
5. Let them know

Pretty easy, huh?  Here’s seven lines (I did literal lines on the page) from Taylor-Made.

“I’m having trouble getting the connections in the forum to link up properly,” Alex says. “Everything else is ready for you to take over, but I want to get this done right the first time. Do it right, and you won’t every need to see programmer mode again.”

“Thank goodness,” I say.

She laughs. “Thought you’d say that.”

I glance at her as she works. Her eyes get so intense, which is accented by the contact lenses she wears to make them red. Some girls call her the “computer demon” because of this. I think it’s kind of cool.

Let’s see.  Who to tag?  Who to tag?

Cat Hellisen

Elissa Janine Hoole

Gracetopia

Hannah Moskowitz

Rae Mariz

Ryan Gebhart

Suzanne Young

Lots of love,

Sage

Teaser Tuesday – Electives

Quite  a lot has happened in the novel since we last saw Taylor.  Like, now he’s dating Rosie.  What?  I know.  Here’s one of their few happy scenes before I send the world crashing down on them again.

Context: When they finally got together Taylor promised Rosie he wouldn’t kiss her until she’s ready and that meant that she could initiate all the kisses.  Oh, and Rosie told Taylor about her current ideal guy, basically describing her ex. BOIS are android boyfriends and soldiers.

I’m lying on my stomach in the grass outside the auditorium, trying to fill out this form. “What classes are you signing up for?” I ask Rosie, peeking at the form she’s filling out on top of a textbook.

“None of your business, nosy,” she says, pulling it away from me.

“Hmm.” I flip through the elective book. Most of this form is easy. We fill out the classes that come next, no problem. But now that I’ve finished my gym requirement, I get an elective next fall.

“Senior year’s soooo hard,” Kara says. Only last week did she start hanging out with Rosie and me at lunch again. Rosie had been spending time with her after school, but she refused to see the two of us together. She still won’t come to PET-BOIS. I don’t think she liked it much anyway.

“Yeah. It’s all about our future,” Rosie says. “As if we don’t have enough to worry about with applying to college and stuff.” I know she’s thinking about her scholarship speech. It’s coming up, and she’s been worrying about it a lot.

“What do you want to do in the future?” I can’t believe I’ve never asked her this before, actually.

“Fight for BOIS rights, of course. So, let’s see. Maybe something social science-y.”

I make a face. I definitely prefer real science to social science. “I hope I get Craig in advanced chemistry. Science won’t be the same without him.”

“He probably wishes the same thing,” Kara says. “He’s always talking about how grateful he is that you’re his partner on dissection days.”

“Not much dissection in chemistry.” But I grin at her because it’s a compliment and because she and Craig are talking even though they don’t share a club anymore.

Then it’s back to business. I stop at the industrial arts section of the booklet, remembering how Rosie wished for a guy who was good with cars. Even though I know she was just listing Graham’s qualities, I still want to become the guy she always wanted. There’s an auto shop class listed, and it’s during a period I have free.

Of course, maybe I should learn to drive first.

“I should join drama,” Kara says.

Rosie grins. “You’d be great at that.”

“You think?”

I let their conversation slip to the background as I continue flipping through the book, slipping in a mental bookmark for that industrial arts page. I don’t find anything else that interests me until I get to the computer science section. “Hey,” I say, lifting myself up on my elbows.

“What?” Rosie asks.

“Computer science. I want to take that.”

“Really?” She wrinkles her nose.

“Yeah. I love our website, and I’d really like to know more about how to make something like it. It’s really interesting the way Alex can make all those numbers and symbols mean something.”

“Oh. Alex.” She snaps her booklet closed.

“What?”

“Nothing. You just seem to like her company a lot.”

“Yeah, she’s nice.”

Rosie glares at me. Oh. “Aw, Rosie, are you jealous?”

“As if.”

“You know there’s nobody for me but you.” I push myself up to kiss her. I know this is okay now because last week she totally told me that if I didn’t pick up the slack and stop making her do all the work kissing, she was going to punch me in the gut. I kind of believe her.

Hope you enjoyed the only happy romance scene I’ll probably ever post.

Lots of love,

Sage

 

Teaser Tuesday – A Little Bit Broken (Justin and Malinda)

This week I did another 10K Saturday challenge, and this time I actually made it!  But with the 10K I typed up that day, it’s another day’s work this week that I really love.  Yesterday I pulled out my notebook and wrote all the Justin and Malinda scenes (and one Taylor and Malinda scene) that I know about.  I love these two so much.  Probably because the book isn’t about them, so they serve as a building block for Taylor and Rosie’s story.  If the book was about Justin and Malinda, I’d probably find them boring

Since I wrote in my notebook, I’m typing this up from scratch, so I apologize for the roughness that comes with typing this up right this second. (I had to type the first four words three times to get them right, sigh)

Context: Justin is a BOIS, a boyfriend android created specifically according to his girlfriend’s wishes.  Malinda’s dad, who was paying for college (Taylor and Rosie are in high school, don’t worry), lost his job, and she’s been working to help pay for it.

“It’s just a little thing.  Nothing to worry about.”  Malinda walks her fingers up my arm to my shoulder as we lay in bed.

“I’m broken? I don’t feel broken,” I say quickly.  I don’t want to spend any more seconds away from her. She’s working at the ice cream parlor and doing school.  I only get to see her a little, and now I have to spend that time at the factory?

“It’s one tiny part.  They say we can bring you in for a quick fix, and we’ll be out in less than an hour.”

She’s watching her fingers instead of my face.  I wish she’d look at me.  I wish she’d promise me it will be okay.  I’d believe her.

I believe her.

“An hour’s a long time.  But we’ll be together forever.  And that’s longer.”

“Yes,” she whispers.  “Forever’s a lot longer.”  She turns over and lies her head against the pillow.  It’s my cue to press myself against her back and wrap my arms around her.  We’ve fallen asleep cuddled like this ever since that first night she came to me.

But tonight she turns in my arms so she’s facing me. “Let’s make tonight last forever.”

I don’t know what that means, but we both stay awake watching each other for a long time.

#

I think I fall asleep first.  But she’s asleep now, wrapped in sunlight and the blankets and me.  I stroke her hair.  She sighs and opens her eyes.

“Good morning.”

She tucks the blankets up to her chin. “Hi.”

“It’s time to fix me forever.”

She squeezes her eyes shut and nods.  “Let’s get dressed, and we’ll go.” She gets up and walks to the door.

“I love you,” I say before she leaves.

“I know,” she says.  But she forgot the most important part.

Someone reading this in the novel knows exactly what’s coming, but I wonder if you can guess from this little excerpt.  Or remember past posts that clue you in (hint: a little birdie could tell you).

Hope you enjoyed it!

Lots of love,

Sage

Anatomy of a Soundtrack – Coin-Operated Boy

This is the Taylor-Made theme song, and the first song on the playlist, but it wasn’t the first song to be added to the playlist.  That song, “Tailor Made” by Colbie Caillat was the inspiration for the novel.  But this came right as soon as I had a plot for the novel and not just a glittery hint of idea floating around in the ether.

So no story about the process as I tried to decide the perfect song for this role.  “Coin-Operated Boy” by The Dresden Dolls was the clear choice.  I first heard this song on the alternative station several years ago, but I didn’t really fall in love with it until I saw a fan music video using the song and scenes from the series Buffy the Vampire Slayer (my first love in television, you should know).  In the video, Riley is the coin-operated boy, Angel is the boy Buffy’s turned to the COB after, and Spike is the boy in the bridge that she swears she will never go to.  The music video worked so well that I bought the full song so I could remember it every time it played.

But here I am writing a novel about androids (BOIS) that are created to act the part of the perfect boyfriend for each girl.  The entire novel focuses around these BOIS, first while Taylor and Rosie fight for the BOIS’ right to freewill, then when Taylor discovers that he’s one of them, created for Rosie (Although his POV doesn’t know this for a long time, it should be pretty clear to any reader from chapter 1, so I’m not spoiling anything, I promise).

Anyway, here’s the song (no lyrics, because I couldn’t find a good one with lyrics, sorry)

Perfect song for TM, right?

Lots of love,
Sage