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| GUTGAA |
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| by Ninja Captain Alex |
Happy September!
August was productive for my writing with Camp Nano, but not with the blog. So I am jumping right back into it, doing some hops and helping Deana Barnhart with GUTGAA.
Of course I can't do just one thing! Since the "What I did last summer" blog hop is this week (M-W-F), I am bumping my IWSG post to today as well as my meet and greet bio for GUTGAA. (btw, I love seeing the buttons I made for it! =)
First a quick lament for IWSG -
I'm a terribly slow reader, especially compared to some of you guys! Reading challenges of 100 books in the year, reading and reviewing three or four books a month. You guys are amazing! I'm lucky to finish six or seven a year! Yes, I'm a poke. Amazing books I can finish quickly, that's why I have to set the so-so ones aside after a while of face-making at them because I don't want to read them. I am proud to say I just finished Storm of Swords (3rd in the Game of Thrones series) and at over 1000 pages, it went pretty quick. Love those books and the series. Anyway, I want to read my friends' newly published stuff, but I have such a long and growing TBR list, it seems impossible!
Okay, techies, instead of upgrading the gadgets we have, how bout inventing that new thingie that makes time stand still for an extra hour a day?
How fast do you read?
And here are the answers to Deana's great get to know each other questions and a little bit about me:
Where do you write?
at my
writing desk, of course! It was exciting to get!
Quick.
Go to your writing space, sit down and look to your left. What is the first
thing you see?
a pile
of “to do” stuff and three notebooks with ideas, ready to be filled with pens and pencils in varying shades depending on my mood =)
Favorite
time to write?
morning
– after getting kids on the bus; night – after kids go to bed. these are my
only quiet times! (oh, and waiting on kids when picking up from practice!)
Drink
of choice while writing?
coffee,
what else?
When
writing , do you listen to music or do you need complete silence?
silence
please. I need one of those "Sh!" signs from golf tournaments
What
was your inspiration for your latest manuscript and where did you
find it?
sitting in my car, watching my boys’ football practices and subbing at high school – i decided to write a barrier
breaking ya/mg novel about fantasy creatures in high school
What's
your most valuable writing tip?
don’t
quit is a given, so I will say to get many people to read your MS. you need many
opinions because you will want many different people to buy it, but don't try to please them all! Compromise. Polishing it
means making sure your story, voice, and best foot get across!
My quick bio - I'm pretty boring now, but my stories are exciting and I live vicariously through them. A math teacher by trade, subbing until my kids are a little bit older, I have become more serious with my writing in recent years. Always liked reading, but never thought about writing until my adventures and friends inspired me. Now writing is what keeps me going with new ideas hitting me all the time! It's awesome!
39 comments:
Don't worry - I'm a slow reader as well. A book or two a month. And with so many on my iPad right now, I am way behind.
I totally agree about getting more people to read your MS! The more opinions and advice you get, the better! :D
Good advice. And yeah, I can be slow in the reading dept too. 3 books on the go at the moment. I have to organise my free time with military precision...
I'm a fast reader. I've gotten better though at putting down books that don't hold my interest - I'm never going to read all the books I want to, let alone one I feel like I "have" to. :)
As for that extra hour in the day wish, you might rethink that after your read THE AGE OF MIRACLES by Karen Thompson. (Coming of age, apocalyptic /dystopian story - really good.) :)
I'm a fast reader, but I don't read as quickly now that I have kids. I also need more hours in the day!
I'm a super fast reader, I can get through a book in a day. (It's not idea...obviously something gets sacrificed, I try not to let it be dinner! lol) I'm just now thru half of The Game of Thrones. LOVE IT!! I don't read those quite as fast!
Great advice! I love getting other peoples feedback, but your right, you can't please everyone, with everything.
I'm not as fast a reader as I used to be. But I love reading all the same. I need silence for writing too. I play music sometimes but I always write ten times slower and sometimes pause to bop, big no no.
I'm a pretty fast reader but most of the time, I feel like I'm not reading fast enough. I've only done the 100 books in a year thing once.
And yeah, Game of Thrones is awesome.
i thought i was a fast reader until i started reading the "outlander' series :)
I'm a terribly slow reader! I'm so impressed with others who read quickly (and find the time for it). You made some of the GUTGAA buttons? They are fabulous!
I used to read about 10 books a year until I started writing seriously. Advice I kept seeing was to know the market you're writing in and read widely. Stephen King's On Writing book suggests to ignore friends and social obligations to read. funny, but a nugget of truth is there. I use my lunch break at work to read, I turn off the TV and read, I get up a little earlier on Saturday and read. I also gave myself permission to stop reading a book I didn't like since I had twelve more books waiting to be read. I also listen to audiobooks when I'm commuting. The library is a great resource!
Here's my GUTGAA Meet & Greet post: A Girl and her Diary
Two for one! A lot going on here. But I think I can do it.
Reading is something that takes time even with the best of books so I can understand where you're coming from.
And I love your answers, fitting in your writing with flexible perfection :-)
I think I'm an average reader. I can read 30 books a year.
Oh, you are definitely busy. Who has time to read, write, blog, work, and raise kids? It's crazy!!!
I'm a fast reader, but I have very little time to read. I could probably get through a novel in a day if I had the time.
When I read a book, I obsessively read it all day, so I finish quite quickly. My problem is I can't start another one straight away, because I would just turn into a reading blog on the settee, and nothing else would get done!
I'm not taking part in GUTGAA, but it seems everyone else is - having a great time!
I like to read a book like having dessert. I savor it and enjoy it. Don't even pay attention to how many I read. Have read some as often as 6 times.
I also find anytime the kids are gone to be the best time to write :) Stinkin kids!
I love how you change your banner with the seasons! I have at least 10 hrs a week in the car, so I listen to audiobooks as well as read before bedtime. If it weren't for the commute, I wouldn't get through as many books. See you around GUTGAA!
Great advice. It's true, you can't please everyone. My fav. quote on that says that statistically speaking someone out there hates Harry Potter, bacon AND puppies... so yeah, you can't please them all. :) Thanks for posting!
I can appreciate the need for silence - your image of the golf sign made me laugh.
I'm enjoying the GUTGAA blogfest it really has thrown me back into the blog routine. I've been so busy for the past few days I almost forgot I've be MIA for a month.
LOL to the "Sh! signs from golf tournaments" Totally laughing! ;)
I've seen a few people mention the importance of critique partners, etc., and I completely agree with that! Great tip :)
I've always been a fast reader. I practically digest books. I completely agree with your advice. I don't know what I'd do without my CP's. They've made such a difference with my MS.
Saying hello from GUTGAA...You must get to eavesdrop on so many interesting conversations among high school students to help with your YA writing!
alex, glad i'm not alone!
kyra, yup, they're awesome!
neil, i have a pretty tight schedule too!
madeline, thanks for the book rec!
dana, yes, kids are a total time suck!
Nicole, i've taken a break after game of thrones, reveling in it.
sheena, exactly why i can't listen to music, makes me want to sing along!
mj, i love your reviews! glad you're a fast reader!
lynn, why is that?
kim, thank you!
steph, nice to meet you!
angela, thanks, sweetie!
michael, i liked mj's review of your book slipstream, anxious to dig through my pile to get to it!
kim, crazy is the word!
sherry, time is a slippery bugger!
annalisa, yes, a good book does take priority!
mom, great analogy!
angie, ha ha! stinkin kids!
brinda, thanks! and another vote for audio books!
jeannette, ha! that's a great one!
elaine, glad you are participating!
morgan, hee hee!
trisha, thanks, i've seen a bunch too. guess we're on the right track.
jessica, hard to survive without them!
cynthia, yes, but the conversations are not 1/2 as exciting as the books, let me tell you!
thanks, guys!
Lol! I had a wonderful image of you holding up one of those Shh signs and walking through the house before sitting down at the desk.
I live vicariously through my stories as well!!! Great post. Thanks!
I was a super fast reader "back in the day"... I'm talking three thick novels per week.
Now I'm a fast reader- that is, WHEN I find the time... (which is not often enough)
The reading thing is so tough! hard to fit it all in! Good luck with GUTGAA!
You are totally not boring! :)
Wanna have a reading contest? I bet I'm slower than you. It's not so much that I'm slow as I get distracted by things around me and by what I'm reading. I can't keep up with everything my blog friends are writing, let alone all the books I've accumulated over the years.
Lee
Wrote By Rote
Funny! We have just about the same writing times!;) Great meeting you!
I'm really all for an extra hour added to the day. They could do it too. Who cares about the sun rising and going around the planet, etc.?
I'm a slow reader, too. Maybe it's the time I allow myself to read, not my speed. I stick reading time into short sessions, which isn't entirely fair to myself. Sigh, just not enough hours in the day. Wish ya the best with GUTGAA, Tara!!
I'm not a quick reader either ... as some of our writer friends will most certainly attest ... I read before bed and rarely get more than a chapter or two in.
You are busy hopping and networking. Cool.
It's nice to meet you. Good luck with GUTGAA. http://anjeasandro.blogspot.com/
I got started a little late with GUTGAA, but I'll enjoy reading your blog!
I'm both a slow and fast reader, depending on the time of the year. I'm very busy during the school year, so I'm a poke, but during the summer I can blow through three books in a week. Great post!
(Late posting from a IWSG member)
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