Katherine Nabity's Blog, page 267
September 30, 2010
2010 Third Quarter Summary ( #amwriting )
First Quarter Summary
Second Quarter Summary
Model Species
Eric took a look at the query letter I had been sending out and significantly rewrote it. We floated it past our friend JT, who gave it an a-okay. Eric and I also decided that I should be more aggressive with my querying. I decided at the beginning of September to send out two queries every Tuesday. Two per week seems to be what I can handle and still stay sane, but I might attempt #10bythen in October. Thirteen rejections so far this year; currently out to ten other agents.
Pas de Chat
Still being posted every Sunday and pimped every Tuesday. I seem to have about 40-45 readers. At some point, I'll probably clean her up and post her as a PDF, either for free or for a very small bit of money.
Divine Fire and Zeta Iota
Both have been put aside for the moment.
Luck for Hire
I have 10K done on this project. Should be more. We decided to go public with the process and I post pieces of Luck for Hire as I go. There's been a few mis-steps that have made the website as well as some posts about how Eric and I work. The writing has been slow. Since Luck is contemporarily set, I tend to second guess how things work "in the real world." I probably relied too much on "TV world" when writing Pas de Chat.
Other"Breakfast in the Garden" is set to be published in the January 2011 issue of Bards and Sages Quarterly.My flash story "Consequences" written for 52|250 was included in the editor's quarterly magazine, thirteen .Luck for Hire posts have been doing #FridayFlash duty. Otherwise, I spruced up two old pieces for fill-in and wrote three new pieces for 52|250.Analysis
Between writing about process for Luck for Hire and the 30 Days of Writing meme, I've been writing more about writing. Good thing? Bad thing? I don't know. I've been enjoying writing more, but I've found it hard to get into a good working groove.
Plan
Increase pace on Luck for Hire. I'm shooting for 10K in October. Might do faux NaNoWriMo to make a push to finish a first draft in November. I need to bump things to Eric more often. Otherwise, keep doing what I'm doing. Submit Model Species. Maybe do some posts this month for Book or Treat blog party. More 52|250 entries.
Second Quarter Summary
Model Species
Eric took a look at the query letter I had been sending out and significantly rewrote it. We floated it past our friend JT, who gave it an a-okay. Eric and I also decided that I should be more aggressive with my querying. I decided at the beginning of September to send out two queries every Tuesday. Two per week seems to be what I can handle and still stay sane, but I might attempt #10bythen in October. Thirteen rejections so far this year; currently out to ten other agents.
Pas de Chat
Still being posted every Sunday and pimped every Tuesday. I seem to have about 40-45 readers. At some point, I'll probably clean her up and post her as a PDF, either for free or for a very small bit of money.
Divine Fire and Zeta Iota
Both have been put aside for the moment.
Luck for Hire
I have 10K done on this project. Should be more. We decided to go public with the process and I post pieces of Luck for Hire as I go. There's been a few mis-steps that have made the website as well as some posts about how Eric and I work. The writing has been slow. Since Luck is contemporarily set, I tend to second guess how things work "in the real world." I probably relied too much on "TV world" when writing Pas de Chat.
Other"Breakfast in the Garden" is set to be published in the January 2011 issue of Bards and Sages Quarterly.My flash story "Consequences" written for 52|250 was included in the editor's quarterly magazine, thirteen .Luck for Hire posts have been doing #FridayFlash duty. Otherwise, I spruced up two old pieces for fill-in and wrote three new pieces for 52|250.Analysis
Between writing about process for Luck for Hire and the 30 Days of Writing meme, I've been writing more about writing. Good thing? Bad thing? I don't know. I've been enjoying writing more, but I've found it hard to get into a good working groove.
Plan
Increase pace on Luck for Hire. I'm shooting for 10K in October. Might do faux NaNoWriMo to make a push to finish a first draft in November. I need to bump things to Eric more often. Otherwise, keep doing what I'm doing. Submit Model Species. Maybe do some posts this month for Book or Treat blog party. More 52|250 entries.
30 Days of Writing: Day #28 - Disabilities ( #amwriting )
28. Have you ever written a character with physical or mental disabilities? Describe them, and if there’s nothing major to speak of, tell us a few smaller ones.
In Weordan, there are the facere who are pretty firmly on the autistic end of the thought spectrum. They are a linchpin in the fuel eater society. I have a minor character in Model Species that is a facere and a major character, Ysenof, in Fuel Eaters. (This assumes that one considers autism spectrum disorders to be disabilities. Where one falls on the spectrum might be the difference between "difference" and "disability," I suppose.)
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It's the end of September, but it doesn't feel like the end of September. The temps haven't significantly dipped below 100. I have Halloween decorations up, but my candles are melting. And my orange marshmallow pumpkins too.
Played a decent game of disc today. Nearly half the players were from my league team, including Paul, one of our new guys. Fun. Sweaty fun since it was probably in the high 90s, but still some good play.
The current scene of Luck for Hire would work better if I actually...uh...wrote it. Tomorrow I take a look at the third quarter.
In Weordan, there are the facere who are pretty firmly on the autistic end of the thought spectrum. They are a linchpin in the fuel eater society. I have a minor character in Model Species that is a facere and a major character, Ysenof, in Fuel Eaters. (This assumes that one considers autism spectrum disorders to be disabilities. Where one falls on the spectrum might be the difference between "difference" and "disability," I suppose.)
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It's the end of September, but it doesn't feel like the end of September. The temps haven't significantly dipped below 100. I have Halloween decorations up, but my candles are melting. And my orange marshmallow pumpkins too.
Played a decent game of disc today. Nearly half the players were from my league team, including Paul, one of our new guys. Fun. Sweaty fun since it was probably in the high 90s, but still some good play.
The current scene of Luck for Hire would work better if I actually...uh...wrote it. Tomorrow I take a look at the third quarter.
September 28, 2010
30 Days of Writing: Day #27 - Keeping Up Appearences (#amwriting)
27. Along similar lines, do appearances play a big role in your stories? Tell us about them, or if not, how you go about designing your characters.
A big role? Not overall, but situationally. Weordan is a different world, so a reader might notice that the people of Weordan look differently, skin-color-wise. Since the stories are told within the context of the world, I never expressly comment as an author on the differences. Joanne of Pas de Chat has a "condition" that gives her skin splotches. She also has a scar from a childhood accident. Otherwise, my characters kind of follow my lack of fashion awareness. I'm also a little face-blind and I wonder if that plays into my non-description of characters.
Something I noticed when doing my urban fantasy "tasting" was that so many of the writers gave very vivid descriptions of characters' clothes. For my taste, too vivid. As a reader, I don't really care that much about what characters are wearing unless it has some bearing on the character's ability to do things, or if it's the kind of detail that *really* tells me something that I need to know about the character.
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My back is a little sore today, but in a good way. I wonder if running barefoot on grass engages my core more than running in shoes on a treadmill. When the weather finally cools down, I might start running in the baseball outfield once a week or so.
A big role? Not overall, but situationally. Weordan is a different world, so a reader might notice that the people of Weordan look differently, skin-color-wise. Since the stories are told within the context of the world, I never expressly comment as an author on the differences. Joanne of Pas de Chat has a "condition" that gives her skin splotches. She also has a scar from a childhood accident. Otherwise, my characters kind of follow my lack of fashion awareness. I'm also a little face-blind and I wonder if that plays into my non-description of characters.
Something I noticed when doing my urban fantasy "tasting" was that so many of the writers gave very vivid descriptions of characters' clothes. For my taste, too vivid. As a reader, I don't really care that much about what characters are wearing unless it has some bearing on the character's ability to do things, or if it's the kind of detail that *really* tells me something that I need to know about the character.
---###---
My back is a little sore today, but in a good way. I wonder if running barefoot on grass engages my core more than running in shoes on a treadmill. When the weather finally cools down, I might start running in the baseball outfield once a week or so.
30 Days of Writing: Another Two-fer (Days 25 & 26)
25. Do any of your characters have pets? Tell us about them.
Not really. In some incarnation, Marie probably has a horse she's fond of, but she's provincial. Her horse isn't exactly her pet. There are sentient moths in the Weordan books, but nobody would be dumb enough to consider one a pet.
26. Let’s talk art! Do you draw your characters? Do others draw them? Pick one of your OCs and post your favorite picture of him!
While I play around with art occasionally, my abilities don't hold up to my mental vision. (My OCs? OC? er...)
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Chris was in town this weekend between training. We went to dinner with him and his family and Brittany (Chris's girlfriend) and her family on Saturday and lunch with the two of them today. And in between we talked Brittany into playing two on two ultimate frisbee with us. Chris and I on one team; Eric and Britt on the other. She has good catching ability, but Chris and I were victorious today due to my being in "ultimate" shape and being semi-used to playing in the heat. Played most of the time barefoot. Made my ankles feel like they were actually working. I'll see what kind of soreness I experience tomorrow.
I have not gotten anything done yet today...
Not really. In some incarnation, Marie probably has a horse she's fond of, but she's provincial. Her horse isn't exactly her pet. There are sentient moths in the Weordan books, but nobody would be dumb enough to consider one a pet.
26. Let’s talk art! Do you draw your characters? Do others draw them? Pick one of your OCs and post your favorite picture of him!
While I play around with art occasionally, my abilities don't hold up to my mental vision. (My OCs? OC? er...)
---###---
Chris was in town this weekend between training. We went to dinner with him and his family and Brittany (Chris's girlfriend) and her family on Saturday and lunch with the two of them today. And in between we talked Brittany into playing two on two ultimate frisbee with us. Chris and I on one team; Eric and Britt on the other. She has good catching ability, but Chris and I were victorious today due to my being in "ultimate" shape and being semi-used to playing in the heat. Played most of the time barefoot. Made my ankles feel like they were actually working. I'll see what kind of soreness I experience tomorrow.
I have not gotten anything done yet today...
September 25, 2010
30 Days of Writing: Day #24 - Murder!
24. How willing are you to kill your characters if the plot so demands it? What’s the most interesting way you’ve killed someone?
Very willing. This shouldn't be a surprise considering my philosophy about characters being the drivers of plot. Death makes good drama. Would Hamlet be as good if it didn't end the way it does? Or Se7en? Sometimes an author has to show that he/she means business, that no one is safe. I have to give Joss Wheadon that; killing off a good-guy in the ninth episode of a...
Very willing. This shouldn't be a surprise considering my philosophy about characters being the drivers of plot. Death makes good drama. Would Hamlet be as good if it didn't end the way it does? Or Se7en? Sometimes an author has to show that he/she means business, that no one is safe. I have to give Joss Wheadon that; killing off a good-guy in the ninth episode of a...
September 23, 2010
30 Days of Writing: Day #23
23. How long does it usually take you to complete an entire story—from planning to writing to posting (if you post your work)?
Every project is a bit different, and I don't exactly keep track. Lucinda at the Window took about a year, though I was still putting polish on it in 2000 (after starting it in 1998). I worked on the Two Sprawling Fantasy Novels from sometime in 2000 until about mid 2004. The idea for the character of Marie originated in 1998. Pas de Chat was drafted in 4-5 months. It ...
Every project is a bit different, and I don't exactly keep track. Lucinda at the Window took about a year, though I was still putting polish on it in 2000 (after starting it in 1998). I worked on the Two Sprawling Fantasy Novels from sometime in 2000 until about mid 2004. The idea for the character of Marie originated in 1998. Pas de Chat was drafted in 4-5 months. It ...
September 21, 2010
30 Days of Writing: Days #21 & #22
The answer to yesterday's question was short and I had little else to say...
21. Do any of your characters have children? How well do you write them?
None of my characters have children. I occasionally write short pieces from a young person's POV, but not often. None of my stories thus far have called for a child character.
22. Tell us about one scene between your characters that you’ve never written or told anyone about before! Serious or not.
Okay, I suppose it's best to take a moment and diffe...
21. Do any of your characters have children? How well do you write them?
None of my characters have children. I occasionally write short pieces from a young person's POV, but not often. None of my stories thus far have called for a child character.
22. Tell us about one scene between your characters that you’ve never written or told anyone about before! Serious or not.
Okay, I suppose it's best to take a moment and diffe...
September 19, 2010
30 Days of Writing: Day #20
20. What are your favorite character interactions to write?
Conversations. I like writing dialog and there's an interesting challenge to integrating action into character conversations. Alternately, I hate writing fight scenes. They never contain conversation. Sometimes, I think screenwriting would be easier for me. I hear characters more than I see them. My impression of screenwriting is that you write the dialog and sum-up the setting and action to a greater or lesser degree. Can't do that w...
Conversations. I like writing dialog and there's an interesting challenge to integrating action into character conversations. Alternately, I hate writing fight scenes. They never contain conversation. Sometimes, I think screenwriting would be easier for me. I hear characters more than I see them. My impression of screenwriting is that you write the dialog and sum-up the setting and action to a greater or lesser degree. Can't do that w...
September 16, 2010
30 Days of Writing: Day 19 - Minor to Major
19. Favorite minor that decided to shove himself into the spotlight and why!
None really come to mind. Two reasons for that:
First, I know many writers talk of characters getting out of hand. This doesn't happen to me. Occasionally, something I have a character do doesn't ring true, and that's probably because what I've done is somehow wrong in terms of the plot (or I didn't know what the character needed to do in terms of plot). When the plot is straightened out, the characters act right becau...
None really come to mind. Two reasons for that:
First, I know many writers talk of characters getting out of hand. This doesn't happen to me. Occasionally, something I have a character do doesn't ring true, and that's probably because what I've done is somehow wrong in terms of the plot (or I didn't know what the character needed to do in terms of plot). When the plot is straightened out, the characters act right becau...
September 15, 2010
30 Days of Writing: Day 18 (& Life)
18. Favorite antagonist and why!
Alcander of Model Species . The tricky thing here is that I can't really get into why I like Alcander without being spoilery. Alcander is smart. He acts deliberately in his own best interest. He is not a mustache-twisting black-hat-wearing baddie. There are shades of gray to what he does. And...yeah, I really don't want to say much more. Eric has written some of his back story and I get to have more fun with him one of these days in Fuel Eaters.
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Last Fri...
Alcander of Model Species . The tricky thing here is that I can't really get into why I like Alcander without being spoilery. Alcander is smart. He acts deliberately in his own best interest. He is not a mustache-twisting black-hat-wearing baddie. There are shades of gray to what he does. And...yeah, I really don't want to say much more. Eric has written some of his back story and I get to have more fun with him one of these days in Fuel Eaters.
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Last Fri...
