Category: Writing

Posted in Writing

WIP Marathon 19

Posted on by Amy McNulty

Last report wordcount + chapter count/scene count:

1. Short story: 10,003 words (second and final round completed; just waiting on a proofread/publisher approval)

2. NOBODY’S LADY (NEVER VEIL 2): 67,652 words, 28 chapters (working on first round of publisher revisions)

Current report WC + CC/ SC:

1. Short story: 10,037 words (proofread completed and turned in to publisher–no more edits?)

2. NOBODY’S LADY (NEVER VEIL 2): 70,747 words, 28 chapters (first round of revisions completed and turned in to publisher)

WIP Issues This Month: As usual, not finding time or brain power to work on my own writing. (My eyes are acting up lately, too.)

Four things I learned this month in writing: 1. I love how new scenes added in revisions can really add depth to a manuscript.

2. It seems like revisions are never done (until all of a sudden, they are).

3. I’m very picky about being in the right “mood” to work on my own writing; I can’t have a ton of things on my to-do list.

4. Editing is more fun than business writing.

What distracted me this month while writing: I had a lot of work again this month, including editing a long manuscript for a client that took up every moment of my work time not devoted to the usual clients. (I also finished editing my friend’s manuscript right before then–I’ve been busy editing!) I didn’t know I’d have that client last time I updated, so there was no way I’d complete the goals I set then.

I did go to the local Renaissance Faire, as I tend to do once a year! I just love the ambiance. I was a little sad I decided not to waste any money on a trinket like I usually get, though, but I had good food.

I found out the publisher of my short story has delayed the publication until next year! And I think I’m done approving it, so I probably won’t mention it again… Until I can finally announce it.

Goal for next month: I’ll be done editing for the client by the time September starts, so I think I can finally devote some time to a new manuscript. Maybe. I haven’t worked on one in almost a year. I’m not expecting second round of revisions for NOBODY’S LADY (which will most likely have a new title in time, by the way!) until October.

Posted in Geek Out, Writing

Guest Post: Erin Latimer, Author of Frost

Posted on by Amy McNulty

Frost-Tour-Banner-pt-1

Today I’m hosting a spot on the tour for Erin Latimer’s YA novel, Frost! We met because we once shared the same agent, and we both love YA novels. She’s the one who convinced me to sign up for Wattpad (@AmyMcNulty), so I asked her to share some of her experiences with the site.

Below is her Wattpad story:

watt

I joined Wattpad four years ago, on the recommendation of a friend who’d found some pretty great success over there. I started posting a story that had received quite a few rejections from literary agents, figuring the only other thing I could do with it, was put it in a drawer somewhere. And that seemed like sort of a waste.

Those first couple months I was shocked that people were actually reading it. That they cared enough to comment. That they wanted more!  It was wonderful to have people read my writing.

I remember when I hit two thousand followers. I was so excited, I’d been clocking every single comment and new follower, and that seemed like a huge milestone for me. I also remember hitting nine thousand. For some reason those are the two numbers that stuck in my head, the ones I got really excited about.

My first fan letter was shocking. I opened my email and there it was, in my inbox. Someone who had not just commented, or “followed” me, but taken the time out to find my email and write an entire letter about how much they liked my story. I was completely floored. And hooked for life.

Heck, even my first nasty comment was a big thing. I had enough people reading that there were some that DIDN’T like it. To me, that was still something.

Four years on Wattpad have led to lots of amazing things. I’ve become a featured author, and part of the Wattpad “Star” program. Harlequin twitter chats, and periscope sessions with Hachette books. And most of all, one of my best-loved stories, Frost, accumulated over ten million reads.

It was released August 25th with Patchwork Press, and without Wattpad, it wouldn’t exist.

So do I recommend Wattpad?

Yes. I bet you saw that one coming.

I recommend it not only to writers looking to build a platform, but also to readers. It’s a great place to find hundreds of stories for free, and to bond with your favorite writers. Wattpad is a wonderful mix of stars (like Felicia Day, John Green, Beth Revis and Lauren DeStefano) and unknown authors just starting to break out.

Sign up and post that story that’s been languishing on your desktop, or those snippets of poetry you’re not sure what to do with. Or just open a new Wattpad page and start writing from scratch. There’s no greater motivation than readers commenting on each chapter as you go.

And if you do sign up and you have questions, or you just want to say hi, feel free to drop me a line. I’m @ELatimer over on Wattpad, and I’d be happy to hear from you.

 

latimerErin Latimer is a young adult fantasy writer who was born and raised in Victoria, BC and recently moved to Vancouver. She writes books, makes silly vlogs about writing and reads excessively.

Her book FROST is being released by Patchwork Press on August 25th, 2015. FROST is a YA fantasy based on Norse mythology, about a teen who accidentally freezes the first boy she kisses and discovers her family tree is weirder than expected.

For more about Erin, check out: http://www.erin.patchwork-press.com/

Buy FROST today!

Front-Cover-300-DPI

Megan Walker’s touch has turned to ice. She can’t stop the frost, and the consequences of her first kiss are horrifying.

When her new powers attract attention, Megan finds herself caught up in an ancient war between Norse giants. One side fuelled by a mad queen’s obsession and an ancient prophecy about Ragnarök, the other by an age-old grudge. Both sides believe Megan to be something she’s not. Both sides will stop at nothing to have her.

Fire or frost. It’s an impossible decision, but she’ll have to act soon, because the storm is coming.

Or try to win a copy in HUGE Rafflecopter giveaway!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in Writing

WIPMarathon 18

Posted on by Amy McNulty

Last report wordcount + chapter count/scene count:

1. Short story: 9996 words (first round of revisions done and turned back in to publisher)

2. NOBODY’S LADY (NEVER VEIL 2), returned to me for first round of revisions: 69,931 words, 28 chapters

Current report WC + CC/ SC:

1. Short story: 10,003 words (second and final round completed! Just waiting on a proofread/publisher approval)

2. NOBODY’S LADY (NEVER VEIL 2), 67,652 words, 28 chapters (As of right now, I’ve been approving deletions to improve wordiness mostly, but I still have more to do and will probably be adding scenes. Revisions are due at the end of the month, too. Gah, I wish I had more days off from work!)

WIP Issues This Month: Work/life/fiction writing balance!! ;-; Heeeelp….

Four things I learned this month in writing: 1. I love fiction editing and writing and really wish I could devote more of my time to it.

2. Supporting other authors is awesome and makes you feel less alone!

3. My first drafts can be very wordy.

4. Revising is a lot of work!

What distracted me this month while writing: More work than I can handle, but I’ve been trying to balance everything. I also went to Chicago twice (check out photos here), once to Lincoln Park Zoo with my boyfriend and once to the Field Museum/Navy Pier with him and his family. (Including a 3-year-old and a 1-year-old! Very cute and energetic!) My boyfriend and I also celebrated our 10th anniversary just yesterday! 0-0 But we were both so busy with work, we didn’t do much besides go out to eat. (But we usually do that on Fridays anyway.)

I also joined “Waiting on 2016,” an awesome group spearheaded by fellow WIPMarathoner Suzanne van Rooyen (our own Emma L. Adams is a member, too) for authors with NA, YA or MG books coming out in 2016. Not just for debuts or big 5 publishers, it’s the first open group of its ilk I’ve had a chance to join. I opened an account on Wattpad while I was at it, so “follow” me there if you have an account.

I still haven’t been able to announce what the short story will be in! But I’m crossing my fingers for this month.

Goal for next month: I HAVE TO finish my first round of revisions to NOBODY’S LADY this week, even if I have a lot of work to do as well. After that, I’m going to finish editing the second book in the Smoke and Mirrors series for my friend Melissa Giorgio. (The first book came out this week! Check it out here!) Then I’ll finally be *free* for a time (until I get more revisions back). I may start working on my YA suspense page-1-rewrite. More likely, I’ll try to get ahead with work instead, though. *sigh*

Posted in Writing

Poem on Wattpad: Foregone Task of a Shinto Priestess

Posted on by Amy McNulty

I’ve decided to make Wattpad a place to post some old works of mine, in addition to whatever previews and new short stories I can share. If you haven’t already, check out my YA contemporary horror short story, DROWNED SILENCE, which is now complete. This week I’m posting an old poem, “Foregone Task of a Shinto Priestess.” My poetry is very prose-like, but the medium allows me to experiment a little more with imagery.

shinto

A kami (Japanese god) watches a modern miko (Shinto priestess) and yearns for the days in which the miko truly believed they were his brides.

“Gliding on the breath of spring, Crimson petals of the sakura cascade around her.”

Start reading it here!

 

Posted in News, Writing

My New Project! Read Drowned Silence for Free!

Posted on by Amy McNulty

A few NOBODY’S GODDESS readers have contacted me to ask about my next projects. Besides NOBODY’S LADY (July 2016) and NOBODY’S PAWN (February 2017) and a short story that will be published this fall (I can’t share the details yet!), I didn’t have any other news to share.

However, I decided to join Wattpad. You can read the prologue to NOBODY’S GODDESS there, as well as a scene from NOBODY’S GODDESS from the lord’s point of view–for FREE! Now I’m going to try serializing a short story there that won’t be published anywhere else. I’d love it if you read it and stayed tuned for future installments:

drownedcover2

Living in a home dripping with silent tension, lonely teen Dylan finds refuge at school—until Kelsey is assigned to be his class project partner. Kelsey, the school outcast, is allergic to water, dresses in Gothic Lolita fashion and refuses to use technology from past the 19th century, which makes working together difficult to say the least.

Invited to Kelsey’s house during her sister’s Halloween party, Dylan uncovers a frightening connection between Kelsey and a death that took place on her property years before.

A serialized YA contemporary horror short story from the author of Nobody’s Goddess (the Never Veil Series).

Click here to start reading!


	







	
	
	

		Posted in Writing		
WIPMarathon 17
		

			Posted on  by Amy McNulty					

			


	

		
Last report wordcount + chapter count/scene count:


1. Short story: 9988 words (first draft done and turned in to editor)


2. NOBODY’S LADY (NEVER VEIL 2) was returned to me this month and is ready for round one edits, but…


Current report WC + CC/ SC: 


1. Short story: 9996 words (first round of revisions done and turned back in to publisher–I know, it seems like it barely changed, ha)–btw, I still haven’t been able to spill the beans on what this project is, but I hope I will be able to by this time next month!


2. …I haven’t even touched them yet.


WIP Issues This Month: Managing to work on my fiction writing or editing AT ALL.


Four things I learned this month in writing: 1. I love celebrating a finished project! It was fun to have my book on display at BookCon and feel a little like a “real author.”


2. Editing other authors’ manuscripts is so rewarding and I wish I could do it more often. (I mean, I could OFFER to do it, but I can only afford to take on my beta readers’ for free. The rest I have to take on as clients, and I wish I could find more.)


3. You can go a LONG time without drafting a new project somehow. 😦


4. I can never manage to figure out how to cram in a lot of business writing work and fiction writing work in the same day. Even taking breaks, I’m just spent by the end of each day.


What distracted me this month while writing: So much! First off, you can read about my first author signing and my NY/BookCon trip here. After I got back from that, I had non-stop work writing to do, for better and for worse. (Seriously, I’m so tired out each day from work writing, I don’t have the brain power to work on fun writing.) I got to share some good news for my NEVER VEIL SERIES (read here). You’ll also notice the fabulous art I commissioned in my new banner. (Read more about that here.) I’ve also been to the cinema a lot this month, and it was my mom’s birthday and some things were really stressing me out. Just… Yeah, next to no fiction work done. (I did finish editing another author’s manuscript, but that was a paying job, so I was able to make time for it. At least that was fun, though!)


Oh, my comic spec script I worked on last month got rejected. I’d keep trying to submit it places, but finding a comic book publisher that takes spec scripts from authors without an artist is nigh-impossible.


Goal for next month: I do not see myself drafting at all this month because my time is limited and I have NOBODY’S LADY (NEVER VEIL 2) round one revisions due at the end of the month. So whenever I actually have the time and brain power to work on my own projects, that will get my full attention. I also want to edit my friend’s manuscript whenever I can, so I’ll at least be working on that, too. I might get my second round of edits for my short story this month, too, although I don’t anticipate those being major changes. Still, alas, this summer may not be the time when I finally write another manuscript after all.

	







	
	
	

		Posted in Writing		
WIPMarathon 16
		

			Posted on  by Amy McNulty					

			


	

		
Last report wordcount + chapter count/scene count:


1. 88,544 words and 36 chapters in NEVER VEIL 3 (I’d just started making changes based on beta’s suggestions, but I had to set it aside to work on short story)


2. Short story: 4399 words


3. Comic spec script done (one issue written a couple of years ago with nowhere to submit it to), but no outline for entire series


Current report WC + CC/ SC: 88,805 words and 36 chapters in NEVER VEIL 3 (edits based on beta’s suggestion complete and turned in to publisher)


2. Short story: 9988 words (first draft done and turned in to editor)


3. Comic spec script, pitch and outline complete (2251 words for outline/pitch), turned in to Oni Press for their open submissions period (it’s rare to find a comic publisher that will accept pitches from writers without artists).


WIP Issues This Month: Juggling fiction writing, work writing and travel nervousness.


Four things I learned this month in writing: 1. I can somehow juggle multiple projects at once.


2. I can go a long time (over a year!) without an agent and prospects for my future writing but apparently still feel okay about it. (A successful new release helps with that!)


3. Writing for the comic medium is interesting; your descriptions are only going to be seen by an artist and editor, so you have to rely on visual cues and dialogue alone to tell the story.


4. People can have vastly differing views on your writing. (It seems obvious, but they really, really can!)


What distracted me this month while writing: I’m posting this ahead of time because I’m due at Book Con in NYC Saturday to sign NOBODY’S GODDESS! 0-0 (Hopefully I’ll make it in time to add my name to the blog list.) It’s going to be amazingly fun as both a reader and a writer. I’m also just touring NY (as I tend to do yearly to visit my bf’s family) for a week! I didn’t have as much work this month, but I was still busy–I got a fellow author client (my favorite kind!) and have been working on editing a manuscript for her. I also attended a small local authors fair back home before I left for NY. Plus, Amazon selected NOBODY’S GODDESS as a feature in one of their newsletters and sales have really picked up this month. I’m excited to have all these new readers!


Goal for next month: I have my first round edits for the short story due in a couple of weeks (and may be able to announce what that’s all about next month). If I get first round edits for NEVER VEIL 2, I can start working on that, but I’m not sure when those are coming. It might be time to get back into manuscript drafting and tackle that YA suspense I wanted to start over from scratch… I don’t know… I have some editing to do for other authors as well.

	







	
	
	

		Posted in Writing		
WIP Marathon 15
		

			Posted on  by Amy McNulty					

			


	

		
Last report wordcount + chapter count/scene count:  1. 88,537 words and 36 chapters in NEVER VEIL 3 (first edits complete, sent off to beta, but I hadn’t had a chance to go over her edits for the first few chapters yet)


2. Short story: Just an outline


Current report WC + CC/ SC: 88,544 words and 36 chapters in NEVER VEIL 3 (I’d just started making changes based on beta’s suggestions, but I had to set it aside to work on short story)


2. Short story: 4399 words


(I also write a short 2000-ish-word scene from the lord’s POV for my NOBODY’S GODDESS book tour.)


WIP Issues This Month: Finding time to write and getting back into drafting–I hadn’t drafted since November!


Four things I learned this month in writing: 1. It’s really hard for me to juggle fiction writing with work writing, but I try anyway. 0-o


2. You can feel like your first draft of something is crap but have to keep pushing through it when you’re on a tight deadline.


3. It’s hard for me to avoid info-dumping in a short story. Maybe I’ll fix it in revisions.


4. Enthusiasm for your debut is a great mood-booster!


What distracted me this month while writing: So much! I participated in the Spring 2015 YA Scavenger Hunt in early April and made an appearance on a lot of blogs to promote NOBODY’S GODDESS, both for my book tour and as guest spots. NOBODY’S GODDESS released on the 21st, yay. It was also my birthday and my boyfriend’s birthday the week before. Plus, we went to C2E2 in Chicago just yesterday.


Goal for next month: I have to finish and polish up this short story–it’s on deadline for something I can’t announce yet, but it will be published! (Assuming they don’t think it sucks after reading it. ;-; It was taken on outline, so…) Even though I have a lot of work this weekend, I really want to finish it before Monday. Then I have to finish my beta-suggested edits for NEVER VEIL 3 because it’s due to my publisher June 1st and she turned in all her suggestions, so it’s just waiting on me! That’s enough for me, so no other writing goals for the month! And I’ll be traveling to NY the last week of May to do my first book signing–at BookCon!

	







	
	
	

		Posted in Writing		
WIPMarathon #14
		

			Posted on  by Amy McNulty					

			


	

		
Last report wordcount + chapter count/scene count:  88,294 words and 36 chapters in NEVER VEIL 3 (almost done with first edits)


Current report WC + CC/ SC: 88,537 words and 36 chapters in NEVER VEIL 3 (first edits complete, sent off to beta, but I haven’t had a chance to go over her edits for the first few chapters yet)


WIP Issues This Month: Finding time to work on it, really. I did devote a few weeks to proofreading my friend’s book instead (while she worked on beta’ing mine and wrote another manuscript–she’s a busy bee!), but it was really hard for me to find time to edit at all, let alone write. I guess that’s good that I’ve been busy with work. (I’ve also been busy gearing up for NOBODY’S GODDESS promotions!)


Four things I learned this month in writing: 1. Working had on first edits is worth it–my beta reader noticed I’d improved on certain issues!


2. It can be hard to balance the time you spend on your writing with all the work and other stuff you need to do–even when you’re really trying to fit it all in. (*same lesson as last month, lol)


3. Promoting my book is fun but time-consuming.


4. I certainly take a lot of time off between writing manuscripts sometimes.


What distracted me this month while writing: Work and proofreading for a friend. Month9 put together a blog tour for NOBODY’S GODDESS that will start late next month and I made it into the Spring 2015 YA Scavenger Hunt in early April! Fellow WIP Marathoner Suzanne van Rooyen is even on the same team. (Team Gold!)


Goal for next month: I need to do edits to NEVER VEIL 3 as my beta reader’s suggestions come in, but she’s really busy, so we might not finish in April. I intend to do even more promotion for NOBODY’S GODDESS since it’s release month: April 21st! I still don’t feel up to going back to writing something new, unless opportunities come up. Right now my goal is to get back into writing this summer.

	







	
	
	

		Posted in Writing		
WIPMarathon #13
		

			Posted on  by Amy McNulty					

			


	

		
I just realized we’ve been doing the monthly check-ins for over a year now!


Last report wordcount + chapter count/scene count:  88,514 words and 36 chapters in NEVER VEIL 3 (first draft finished in November but first edits needed)


Current report WC + CC/ SC: 88,294 words and 36 chapters in NEVER VEIL 3 (doesn’t seem like much of a difference, but I added a few thousand words for an entire new scene and have also subtracted a few thousand words while reading it)


WIP Issues This Month: Ever since I went through the editorial wringer with my Month9 book, I’ve gotten better at editing–a good thing, naturally. But that means I’m applying lessons learned at this stage, my very first read-through of my draft, and it’s significantly slowed my pace. My biggest issue is I talk about where characters are looking or where their eyes are, in addition to having a few extra words like “I noticed…” I had to decrease those in NOBODY’S GODDESS and this time I’m trying to save my editor some work by addressing the bulk of them from the get-go right now. But man, I feel like I have to edit every other sentence!


Four things I learned this month in writing: 1. I find I have a lot of the same types of sentences if I’m looking for them.


2. It can be hard to balance the time you spend on your writing with all the work and other stuff you need to do–even when you’re really trying to fit it all in.


3. While writing and editing, you go through phases when you love your work and phases when you hate it. That’s normal, I assume!


4. Reviews coming in for your book are scary but exciting–and a great review can really make me happy!


What distracted me this month while writing: This was the end of January, but to update from last month, we really did enjoy ALA Midwinter and came back with so many books. (Have I read any yet? Nope! I had too many others I wanted to get to first.) I had work for a few new clients and it didn’t seem like I had time to edit as much as I’d like–and my “cheat” for squeezing editing in anywhere (doing it on my Kindle and jotting down notes on what to change) doesn’t work so well when you want to change every other sentence. 😛


We revealed the prologue for NOBODY’S GODDESS this month! If you missed it, check it out here.


Goal for next month: I have to finish these initial edits for NEVER VEIL 3 and send it off to my beta–which I honestly think I’ll be able to do this weekend, yay. Ideally, I’d even make her suggested changes to the draft by the end of March so I can turn it in to my publisher in April, but that’s just the earliest I can turn it in–I have until June if neither of us can get the work done fast enough. 😉 (I should have edited much sooner if I wanted to turn it in sooner!) I also have some proofreading to do for her on a project I betaed a few years ago, so there will be NO time or desire for writing this month.