The Spring Cleaning Writerly Challenge Tag

Can you guys believe we’ve made it to spring? (Probably not judging by the frigid temperatures…) Hoooow is it nearly April? Pretty sure Christmas was yesterday!

But since spring is pounding on the door like an uninvited guest (seriously, I want it to still be January!), I suppose I better let it in and offer it cookies and tea or something. (Please don’t waste your precious lives trying to make sense of my analogies.)

In honor of spring arriving and the urge to spring clean, my frabjous and brilliant friend Deborah O'Carroll has created a spring cleaning tag. But we’re not talking housecleaning. Nooo. This is WRITING CLEANING!

As a total neat freak and a writer, this tag is pretty much the most me tag I’ve ever seen. It’s basically a quick challenge to get our writing/writing plans organized and return our enthusiasm for our WIPs! Because ya know all those big, thrilling goals we had in January? Well, they maaay have tapered off a bit at this point, amiright? NEVER FEAR. If you’re struggling to keep up with those big, writerly plans, this challenge is just the thing to get you pumped and organized again. Deborah is a GENIUS.

If you want to get a full explanation of how the tag works, you can check out her ORIGINAL POST to get all the details. But it’s not complicated, I promise!

Alrighty, lets get to some (writerly) spring cleaning!

 

RULES

• Link back to the person who tagged you. (Deborah herself tagged me. Thanks, Deb! <3)
• Share the picture. (*points to pic above*)
• Answer the questions (naturally…) or even pick and choose which ones you answer. (Almost to that part!)
• Tag 3 other writers and inform them that you tagged them (via comment/message/email or hey, even carrier-pigeon or smoke signal; I’m not picky). (*see end of post*)

 

. . . THE TAG . . .

 

1.) Dust-bunnies and Plot-bunnies:
Reorganize Your Writing Goals (Or Make New Ones)

In a extremely shocking turn of events, I’m actually sorta kinda mostly keeping up with my 2018 goals??? Like…WUT. This never happens! But here we are.

I know I’m falling so short on many though. So let’s reexamine them and see how I’m doing.

EDIT BURNING THORNS

Working on it! In fact, I’m roughly halfway through the draft, and making fairly good progress. Which is good, since this was my main goal for 2018. I need to get this thing into tip-top shape and ready for…querying. *gulp* I’ve been doing quite a bit of rewriting with a lot of bits and then more tweaking and polishing with others, so it’s been a mix of uber major editing and easier stuff. And…strangely? I’M LOVING IT. Every bit of it. Sure, I’ve had a few headaches, but after every single writing session I feel excited about the story.

Yes, editing is hard work, but GUYS. It’s the most satisfying feeling in the world seeing a WIP you love shape up into something even better. My young self would never, ever believe it if she heard this but…I like editing. Actually, I kinda love it. I KNOW! I don’t know who I am!

Anyways! BT edits are definitely fully underway and going well so far!

ATTEND REALM MAKERS

My other big goal for this year and biggest dream for this season in my life and…IT’S HAPPENING!!!!!!!! I am officially registered, been plotting the trip there with my awesome dad (who has graciously agreed to drive his directionally-challenged daughter), and have even listed out all the things I need to do/get done/buy/prepare for the event. REALM MAKERS THINGS ARE HAPPENING. At the beginning of the year it was still a hopeful dream, NOW IT’S A REALITY AND I CAN’T STOP SHRIEKING IN EXCITEMENT ABOUT IT.

This is also why I’ve actually been getting on top of editing. Because I gotta get Burning Thorns polished enough to pitch at the conference. Deadlines give me anxiety but they also push me to DO THE THING so yay?

RESEARCH LITERARY AGENTS
AND WORK ON A QUERY LETTER

Erm…okay, I’ve kinda failed on these things. I have looked into the agents that will be at Realm Makers though. I’ve actually decided to wait to do some of this until after Realm Makers, once I get some professional input on my book. There are some query-ish type of things I need to prepare for the conference though. So yes, that is one thing I need to get going on! But the actual looking into literary agents and querying thing will probably be a second half of the year goal. I think I’ll feel much more prepared after Realm Makers. *nods*

EXERCISE

Again, shockingly, I’ve mostly been keeping up with this. o.O I’ve definitely missed lots and lots of days, but for the most part, each evening I do some stretches and things. Seriously, WHO AM I???

READ MORE

Eheheheheh. Not sure this one is going over well. Especially these past few weeks. I just never seem to have enough hours in the day to do all I want to. I’ve got to make more time for reading!

PARTICIPATE IN NANOWRIMO

Well, obviously I can’t do this yet. *grins* BUT OF COURSE IT’S HAPPENING. Annnd I have two particular books that have been fighting to be my NaNo 2018 novel (yes, I’m already totally making NaNo plans #Obsessed), and both of which have bombarded me with plot ideas. So I’m more or less pre-planning for NaNo? Or at least brainstorming…?

UNPLUG MORE

*cricket, cricket*

Welllll. Remember how I said I don’t have enough hours in the day to get everything done? Yeeeah. My plan was to unplug by 7 or 8 every night. And, actually, I was doing just that back in January. But at some point in February things fell apart, I got busier, editing BT became more demanding, Realm Makers plans started gettin’ serious, annnnd yeah. These days I’m barely clocking out by 10. O_O AND IT’S NO GOOD. I have basically zero time to read or just unwind and I’m feeling the negative effects it’s having. So much stress and exhaustion. So this is definitely one I need to brush the dust off and get back into! Recharging time is SO IMPORTANT. (<--- Preaching to myself.)

ORGANIZE MY TIME

Mmmm… Half and half on this one. Originally I was thinking about doing hourly goals, but that hasn’t happened once. :-/ BUT every day I start off by writing out a to-do list which has helped SO MUUUUCH. You guys have no idea. I think it’s 97% why I’ve been able to stay more or less on top of things. That urge to check off every. single. thing. by the end of the day is STROOOONG.

BE INTENTIONAL

Intentional—my word for 2018. And…I’ve stuck to it-ish. That whole Realm Makers deadline has been my biggest push to be intentional about my writing and get things done, and done well. For once, I’m being serious about pursuing my dreams. THIS IS HUGE, GUYS. I have never been one to do hard things and intentionally make my dreams a reality. But this year I have been extremely motivated (again, can probably thank Realm Makers for that) and getting things done. And I’m realizing I’m a much happier person because of it. I feel productive and accomplished and braver and more confident with my writing. I still fall so, so short, but I can see growth taking place this year and I hope to continuously be intentional about my dreams and my entire life in general. Not for just this year, but the rest of my life!

Wow. That was…longer than it should have been. But I love how this tag made me examine my big goals and reevaluate them. So basically…

GOALS I’M ACCOMPLISHING:

• Editing Burning Thorns
• Attending Realm Makers
• Exercising (ish)
• Participate in NaNo (brainstorming!)
• Organizing my Time (we can pretend I’m doing okay???)
• Living Intentionally (trying, at least!)

GOALS I NEED TO REEVALUATE:

• Research Literary Agents and Work on a Query Letter (Yeah, definitely need to do more there, but will probably get real serious about it during the second half of the year.)
• Read More (MUST. MAKE. MORE. TIIIME.)
• Unplug More (Or unplug at all. SHEESH!)
• Organize My Time (Yes, this is one both lists because I can aaalways do better with this!)

A bit half and half there, but it’s so good to really look at my goals and remember what I should be working on. Plus I’ve got you guys keeping me accountable! *grins*

 

2.) Which Stage Are You At? Expound!

• a. Remodeling layouts (planning the story)
• b. Painting the walls in colorful hues (writing)
• c. Polishing the windows and scrubbing the floors and putting flowers in vases (editing)
• d. Blueprints (not to the cleaning or remodeling yet… just drawing up plans for the very beginning inklings of a story)
• e. Some combination of those things (cleaning out a closet)

I love the comparisons here! I’m definitely polishing the windows and scrubbing the floors and putting flowers in vases a.ka. making Burning Thorns as pretty as I can make it a.k.a EDITING!

Although, like I said, my potential NaNo novels have been bombarding me with ideas. (Because whenever I edit or do something that’s not first drafting, the plot bunnies attack ruthlessly. Is that just me???) So just the smidgest hint of blueprinting on the side.

 

3.) Treasure From the Back of the Closet:
Share one to three snippets you love!

Well, since my focus is Burning Thorns, I guess I’ll pull out something from that. I’ll share some rewritten scenes for funsies!

“Her feet went before her mind, veering from the muddied road to the meadow where wet blades of grass scratched at her ankles. Through the blur of rain, a mass of pure blackness covered the way ahead. Ominous, daring her to draw any closer. Only the rattle of the prison wagon pursuing behind pushed her forward until the dark splotch took form. Twisting, gnarled trees appeared before her, deformed behind sheets of rain.

She halted just at the edge of the trees—the Forest, named thus because something so old needed no other name. It had stood at the center of Elda Grae long before even humans began inhabiting the continent.

Nightmarish stories of wicked creatures and dark fae slithered through her thoughts with an icy chill like the rain down her back. The land of the fae was no place for a human.

 

“Rose did not know how long she stayed in that state—neither awake nor asleep, stuck in a dark restlessness in between—but when she opened her eyes the dim light of dawn cast the Forest in a hazy green. Her eyes ached from tears, and she could barely move her cold, stiff body.

 

“The Dragon thrust her out the door, and once more their eyes locked. All his years of pain, anguish, loss, regret, poured from that single gaze. His lips parted and closed several times before the quiet, strained words came out. “You are no longer welcome in this castle.” Licking his lips, he grabbed the edge of the door. “Goodbye, Rose.” With that, he shoved the door and it closed with a resound click.

 

Lolz. Look at all that drama. XD

 

3.5.) Bonus: Do Some Actual Spring Cleaning of Your Writer Self! (and share a picture!)

Confession: I don’t actually use a physical “writing space”. I basically sit in my recliner during all my writing. *sheepish grin* Sure, I have a desk. But why use that when I can sit in a big, comfy chair?? And I pretty much keep all my writing work and notes and all that fun stuff on my laptop itself. So yeah.

BUT. Just about a month ago ago I created a doc called “The Writing Space” for all my writerly thoughts, and it has basically been one of the best things I’ve ever done for myself.

A lot of amazing people keep writing journals or physical notes and all that fun stuff. I’ve tried…for years. But, despite my unhealthy love for pretty journals, I never keep up with them. I’ve lost many a plot bunny due to forgetting to jot it down. Eventually, once I realized how many ideas I was losing due to my laziness of using pen and paper, I took to keeping notes on my phone. But, as I’ve discussed, I’ve gotten much more motivated and intentional about my writing this year. Thus I decided it was time to get ORGANIZED.

I sat down, made a new Scrivener file, and titled it “The Writing Space”.

I think I need to pause here to scream about MY COMPLETE AND UTTER LOVE FOR SCRIVENER. I am a perfectionist. I love things to be organized and all together. I like putting things in categories and listing them and color codes and all that delightful stuff. And guess what? SCRIVENER DOES ALL OF THAT. I honestly can’t even fully express my obsession with this writing program. It makes me want to work on my stories just so I can use it. THAT’S HOW FABULOUS IT IS. Yes, it does take a bit of time to learn, but it’s so worth it. I adore Scrivener with my entire being!

With that out of the way… BEHOLD.

MY WRITING SPACE

 

See that binder on the far left side? (You can click the pic for a full view.) That’s all the documents and folders and folders within folders. It’s basically like having a bunch of word documents all in one place!

ANYWAYS. As you can see, this is where I keep my hodgepodge of writerly business. My goals, my story ideas (why are almost all my ideas retellings though???), character name ideas, magazines and contests I want to look into, writing tips I’ve gathered and want to remember, interviews I’ve done on the blog, blog posts ideas, etc. Since it’s fairly new, I’m still adding stuff as it hits me. I don’t even have ALL my story ideas on there. Just the ones I bothered to make notes of on my phone and then copied over to there. There are pleeenty more in my head that need jotting down!

But basically, this is a place I can keep ALL THE  WRITING THINGS, and it motivates me to keep up with it. Because it makes my organizing-loving self happy! (Have I mentioned how much I love Scrivener???)

Essentially, I “spring cleaned” my writerly thoughts into that document. And though I did this weeks ago, I can count it, right? #Cheater

WELL. For a tag with only 4 questions, I sure turned this into a monster post. (What’s new?) BUT I LOVED THIS TAG! It was both motivating and eye-opening. It helped me see my accomplishments, but also look at the things I need to work harder on. I told you guys Deborah is a genius!

Now to pass this on to others! *rubs hands together in glee*

TAGGING

Sarah @ Sarah Plain and Average | Savannah @ Scattered Scribblings | Victoria @ Wanderer's Pen + anyone else who wants to steal the tag. GO FOR IT! (But nooo pressure to those tagged or anyone else to do this.)

Here are the Questions
(For copy and pasting purposes)

1. Dust-bunnies and Plot-bunnies: Reorganize Your Writing Goals (Or Make New Ones)

2. Which Stage Are You At? Expound!

a. Remodeling layouts (planning the story)
b. Painting the walls in colorful hues (writing)
c. Polishing the windows and scrubbing the floors and putting flowers in vases (editing)
d. Blueprints (not to the cleaning or remodeling yet… just drawing up plans for the very beginning inklings of a story)
e. Some combination of those things (cleaning out a closet)

3. Treasure From the Back of the Closet (Share one to three snippets you love!)

3.5. Bonus: Do Some Actual Spring Cleaning of Your Writer Self! (and share a picture!)

Thanks for putting up with all my writerly ramblings! You guys keep me constantly motivated to pursue my dreams! <3

 

TALK WITH ME!

Tell me some of your 2018 goals you’re totally rocking! I’d love to cheer you on. If you’re working on a writing project, what stage are you on (editing, writing, brainstorming, etc.)? How’s it going? What do you use to log those slippery plot bunnies and writing thoughts? (Am I the only one who totally fails at keeping up with journals?) Annnd is it feeling like spring at all in your neck of the woods?