Shanna Swendson's Blog, page 293

Quick Pre-Con Post

Ack! So much to do in so little time today. I had a long to-do list yesterday but managed to get very little of it done, then overslept this morning, thanks to being wide-awake at about 3 a.m., when I thought I heard a prowler outside but then eventually realized that my neighbor was apparently working in her garden at that time (there were outside lights on over there, the sound of flowerpots being banged around, and coughing). I think she's mentioned having the occasional bout of insomnia, ...

Reading Likes

I am pleased to announce that I am now ready for fall. Not emotionally ready for cooler weather and sweaters (I've been there since about June), but prepared for fall baking and eating. I have tons of blueberries in the freezer for making blueberry muffins on cool mornings. I have peaches in the freezer for making peach butter to go on biscuits or homemade bread. I have several slices of peach cobbler in the freezer, as well. And last weekend I made my fall batch of strawberry jam, so I'm rea...

Editing in Layers

I've got another reader request writing topic this week: editing. This is a pretty complex topic, and I'm sure that each writer approaches it differently. In general, this is how I think about it.

I see the editing process in layers and generally approach these one at a time, though you may work differently and do it all at once or as you go. However you work, it helps to break it down and think about what you should be considering as you review your work.

1) The story level
This layer is all a...

Reading Dislikes

I had a late-morning appointment after getting up late, so my day is really running behind.

A couple of months ago, I started doing some self-assessments (as part of the Ongoing Quest for World Domination) and listed some of the things I like and dislike in books. I've since been testing that in library and bookstore visits, seeing what elements will make me put a book back on the shelf and what will make me grab it. The theory is that these are things I should think about in my own work.

I wan...

FenCon News and Weekend TV

I was such a horrible slug this morning, but it was cool and rainy -- perfect sleeping weather -- and I had nowhere in particular to be, so I let myself sleep in and lie around for a while. This was after a weekend in which it rained the entire time, so I spent most of the weekend on the sofa, reading while marathoning season 5 of The Office.

In other news, I have good news, for a change. Because the people at FenCon love me (and because someone else cancelled), I now have a reading slot. I'll...

On Being Wrong (plus more New York

Yesterday felt utterly unproductive because I couldn't seem to focus on anything. But then I realized that it felt like my subconscious was up to something, and that was why the day came across as a waste. Sure enough, I think I've come up with some good stuff, and I've realized that I've been totally wrong about a lot of things. It seems like no matter how much planning I try to do, it doesn't count for much until I actually start writing. Then once I meet the characters on the page and see ...

My FenCon Schedule

I think my summer of early waking is over. I'm back to my usual wake-up time, which now feels late. However, I'm spending the last half hour or so daydreaming about the book, so it's not like I'm being a lazy slug. Today, I figured out the logistics for the next scene I need to write. I do still need to do some brainstorming and world building to figure out part of the story. Since I have a convention next weekend, I'm not planning to try to delve into in-depth writing until afterward. Right ...

The Fall TV Season

I'm off to a late start this morning, thanks to oversleeping, probably because of a particularly tough (and long) ballet class the night before. Or else my summer streak of early waking is now over. The new book could have something to do with it, too, as there was some daydreaming. I made a good start yesterday, though it was somewhat hampered by a lot of business stuff and errands I had to deal with. I have more business stuff today, then two choir rehearsals tonight (since I joined the a c...

Repeating Myself

I have a feeling this is going to be one of those weird weeks when I have trouble keeping up with what day it is. It started when I had to go to the church and sing in the choir for a funeral on Saturday, which made the day feel like a Sunday. So then I had to remind myself on Sunday that it was actually Sunday and not Monday. But then Monday felt kind of like a Saturday. Now it's Tuesday but it feels like a Monday. Having ballet tonight should help because that will remind me that it's Tuesd...

Virtual Vicarious Vacation Friday: New York

I'm still playing with the idea in development, and I've found that for this stage of work, it actually helps to have some kind of background noise going. When I write, I like absolute silence, but for brainstorming, having the TV on in the background seems to distract the conscious brain so the unconscious can play. However, some of the ideas I've played with will now require additional research, but it's more the kind that just requires a few Internet searches, not a library trip.

When I wen...