hey FFFers - it's been a while since I posted about the process. Lots going on. Sometimes, the process doesn't go smoothly, and that's happened to me. We all know we'll go through the editing process, right? I expect and even look forward to making my story better for the reader. Every editor has a personal preference on how they'd like the books they publish to read/look. Bigger houses have more than one editor, so you can change editors if things aren't working smoothly. Small houses usually have only one editor. So, if an author and editor in a small publishing house don't agree, hard decisions have to be made.


This has happened to me. I started the editing process, even though I didn't care for what the editor asked me to do; specifically, take out pretty much every dialog tag. And the tags I left in could not be "said." I like using said because it's invisible. It doesn't slow down the action. It's simple. I've taught at conferences and I teach my editing clients to use said, in most cases, especially when writing for children. But my editor didn't care for it, so I worked to eliminate as many dialog tags as possible. It was hard at first, but I got the hang of it, and I think I did a pretty good job. I tightened sentences, fixed the timeline, and changed a major plot line. That was the first round of edits.


For the second round of edits, my editor asked me to read a book about using Deep POV, so I could change the style of my writing to what she liked. Doing this would change my voice, so I declined. And I used the clause in the contract to terminate things. My editor said the changes she asked for were "industry standard." I'm not sure what that means, as I'm reading books in the industry (Christian publishing) and I see different approaches in different books.


This brings up the question of voice. We've talked about voice in the past, but it's been a while, so I think it's probably a good time to discuss it again. Some authors are willing to change their style (and their voice) according to what the editor wants. Nothing wrong with that. It's a personal decision. I've worked hard to find and develop my voice and I want to keep it. God gave it to me, after all. I remember telling our pastor several years ago that other people can teach Sunday school, sing in the choir, sit on the missions board, etc. but no one can write what God has called me to write. So, I'm pulling back and regrouping for the time being, and I'm starting to work with a mentor in January to see what I can do with the story and pray about what my options are.


So, what do you think about voice? How important is your voice? Are you willing to change your voice to be published? Let's talk!

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I've been working on the first set of revisions for over a week. Just turned them this morning. Revisions are tough. If you've never been through the editing process, it can feel very personal. But, really, it's not. It's always an editor's goal to help make your book the best it can be. That's always my goal when I do edits on someone else's project.


We all know our stories are our babies. We pour so much of ourselves in each character and storyline. We live in that world for a good part of our lives. In fact, Terry Brooks said in his book, Sometimes, the Magic Works, that authors are not all there. Because at all times, part of our brain is in whatever world we're working on. That's sure true for me. No matter what I'm doing, part of my brain is living and breathing and working in the story world of my novel. It's kinda cool, and nonwriters just don't get it.


When an editor comes into the picture and starts messing around, it can be jolting. The thing we all have to remember is to remain teachable and open minded. Not always easy. For me, Fairyeater has been part of my life for almost 8 years. I know the characters like I know my best friends. I've lived in their world, ate their food, wore their clothing, and had conversations with them. But sometimes, that makes me too close to see where I've assumed the reader also knows the characters and the world like I do. I need a fresh pair of eyes to see the places where there are plot holes or things that aren't clearly explained. This is where a good editor comes in.


Something you also need to know is that you can talk to your editor. You don't have to accept every suggestion just the way he or she makes it. If you like the suggestion, put it in your own voice. If you have a good reason for not wanting to make that plot change, let your editor know. Between the two of you, you'll come up with the best thing for you story.


Another thing to work out with your editor is the title for your story. A title needs to be eye catching, easy to remember, and give some sort of idea about the story. My working title for almost 8 years has been Fairyeater. It's a cool title! But it's not what the story is really about. We've kicked some ideas around, and I'm waiting to see what the final outcome is, but I like this: The Fairy Guardian Chronicles: Akeela and the Quest for the Fairystone. I've started the prequel, and I have the germ of an idea for a sequel, so a nice set of three would be under the same series title.


Next, I'll talk about the cover design. Most authors don't have a lot of input on the cover, but I've been blessed to be part of the process. Stay tuned!

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Okay, so it's September and I want to get back to blogging regularly again. I've missed the interaction and hope everyone will get back into the swing of talking about fantasy writing with me again.


First, life has been hectic and busy. My youngest daughter, Mary, is back in college for her senior year.  Woo Hoo! Anna continues to enjoy her day program. My grandson started Kindergarten this year and my granddaughter is in 3rd grade. No more babysitting on a regular basis for me. This opens up my schedule a bit, which I'm going to need because I'll be working on editing my novel and starting to do some marketing.


I have a release date of Feb. 17, 2015. That's not too far away and I'm pretty excited, and even a little nervous. What if everyone hates my book? What if everyone loves my book? It's kind of funny, but these things run through your head when you have a book coming out.


As it often happens, an editor will change the working title of your book. I thought Fairyeater was a fantastic title, and so it is.  It's memorable, simple, and a bit startling. However, it doesn't really reflect what the book is about. So, my editor suggested Quest for the Fairystone. It's not as startling, but it does tell you a little of the storyline. I ran it past my writers group and they like it. One friend suggested a series title of The Fairyeater Chronicles, with the first novel being Quest for the Fairystone.  I love that idea, so I sent it to my editor. Am waiting to hear if she likes it. I think it will work because I'm already writing the prequel and plan to call that one Rise of the Fairy Guardian.

We're also talking about cover designs. As you know, a weak cover can kill book sales, especially in fantasy. My suggestion is a circle of runes with the Fairystone in the middle because Akeela's birthmark is a circle of runes and she has to place the pieces of the Fairystone in the middle. I googled rune alphabets and found some really cool ones. Sent them to my editor and am hoping she'll like the idea. I'll keep you posted!


So, that's what I have for you this week. What's up with everyone?  Anyone have any news to share? Let's start talking again.

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hey FFFers!  I'm excited to announce my fantasy novel, Fairyeater, is going to be published! I signed the contract on Friday with Hope Springs Books.  Sooooo excited and still pinching myself. I'll keep you posted on details as they come.


I know I posted that I've moved this blog to my website, but I think I can work it out to stay here. I like the format and the colors, not to mention the fabulous header my friend, Kim Sponaugle, drew for me. (see her info in the sidebar)


Hope to get back to blogging again on a regular basis in September!

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hey FFFers - I've decided to start blogging about writing inspirational fantasy on my website: www.pamhalter.com


I can post pictures there, as well as post new topics, much easier than here.  I'll leave this blog up for anyone who wants to check out the archives.


Hope to see you at my new place!


pam <><

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Hey FFFers - I've been quiet on the blogging front because I've been working with my agent, Sally, on revisions of Fairyeater. I've learned something big, which I should have known, but for some reason, didn't. MAKE A TIMELINE before you start to write. It would have saved me lots of time and effort if I had done that. So, I'm thankful to have Sally with her good eye and excellent editing. I started revising in January and finished up in April. I not only revised the content, but rearranged the order of the beginning of the story, which was extensive. I should have blogged while I was working, but I was so deep into it, I simply didn't think of it. I'm sorry for that.


There are some different ways to make a timeline. Some authors use index cards so they can switch things up, if needed. Some use a spreadsheet. Some simple write it out. Here's a great article that may help you: http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Timeline


I plan to see if I can improve my timeline before I continue working on my new fantasy novel, the prequel to Fairyeater.  I'm calling it Fairystone and I have the first two chapters done.


I'm hoping to blog more often about the process, starting with a mentoring intensive weekend I spent a few weeks ago.  I learned a lot - the first thing is that writing a novel is harder than people realize. At least, if you want to make it excellent. I hope you'll hang in there with me and share what you're doing and how you're making out.


I'll also report on the Realm Makers Conference, which is the end of this month.

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The Realm Makers Conference is coming!  Mark your calendars now - May 30-31 at Villanova University, PA.  I have an interview with the founder, Becky Minor. For even more information, see the website: http://www.realmmakers.com/

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Hey FFFers - I know, I know.   I've been silent for a LONG time.  Just poking my head in now and then.  I'm sorry.  And I know I've lost many of you.  Life is sooooo busy and full with writing and editing and taking care of grandchildren and writing/revising my novel, Fairyeater. My agent is amazing, and she's given me lots of work to do before submitting to the editors who want to see it.


But I wanted to share something you may already know about - Flash Fiction. Who else writes this? I'm learning about it because of a contest for the Realm Makers conference the end of May.  (realmmakers.com)


I didn't know a thing about writing Flash Fiction, so I googled it and found these great tips from David Gaffney: http://www.theguardian.com/books/2012/may/14/how-to-write-flash-fiction


Realm Makers gave us two picture prompts, a limit of 500 words and a deadline. http://faithandfantasyalliance.wordpress.com/2014/01/31/want-a-chance-at-a-free-registration-to-realm-makers/


The deadline is Feb. 21st, which only gives you 3 more days.  I'm kind of excited about my story.  I don't expect to win as this is only my first time writing Flash Fiction, so I'm sure there's more to learn. But I liked doing it and will probably try writing more.


So, who else out there writes Flash Fiction? Who else wants to learn? I'll go through the steps during the next few weeks. Maybe that will help get me back to blogging regularly again! 

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If you want to write a novel, or if you've started and need some support, check out Joyce Magnin's new Editing and Mentoring Services.  Joyce is a terrific writer and teacher. She's tough, but she knows her stuff.  Joyce has published seven adult novels and two middle grade novels.  She also teaches at conferences and offers one day workshops. Joyce makes even the most difficult aspects of writing easier to understand. She's encouraging, but doesn't allow you to stay where you are. She pushes you to better yourself and cheers you on when you do. You can't get better than Joyce!

http://joycemagnin.blogspot.com/p/editing-and-mentoring.html 

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I just read an interesting article on fiction and the Bible. http://www.compellingtruth.org/Bible-fiction.html

In this article, the writer talks about people in the Bible who told stories, or parables. These stories, while fiction, were used to teach some truth. I believe this is the same with fantasy stories. We can reveal great truths in fantasy at the same time we engage and entertain.

As a Christian person, whatever I write is filtered through my Christian worldview. That includes my fantasy, whether I mention God and the Bible or not.  Just like the book of Esther, which never mentions God by name, my fantasy reveals my faith and love for God and His truth.

How do you handle telling the truth in your fantasy?

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hey FFFers - I attended the ACFW conference (American Christian Fiction Writers) this past weekend in Indianapolis, IN, and it was terrific! I met some other speculative authors and hope they will join us.  I'm also going to get this blog started again.

I wanted to let you know THREE editors are interested in my fantatsy novel, Fairyeater! I'm totally excited and working on the proposals. I also met an agent this summer at the Philly conference and am hoping she'll like my writing enough to represent me.

So, let's get things going again. I'll be posting once a week unless I have news that needs telling.

What are you all up to?

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hey FFFers! I'm sharing a link for a blog post about writing horror stories from a Christian perspective. It's an excellent post for all of us, whether we write fantasy, sci-fi or horror.

I look forward to your opinion on the post.

http://historythrutheages.blogspot.com/2013/04/why-horror-story-is-not-necessarily-of.html

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During a writing exercise with my group that meets once a year, our mentor gave us something that helped me a lot. She said, without thinking about it, writing down five movies you could watch over and over again. Then look at them and see if there is a common thread.

I also focus on the verse that says, there is no greater love than laying down your life for a friend. I believe that sums up all the things we're to focus on in Philppians 4:8.

I want my readers to srive along with my characters and come out of my books feeling like they, too, can do what God has called them to do.

How do you work in the things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely and admirable into your stories?

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Hey FFFers - before we go on with talking about writing fantasy, and because I'm up to my eyeballs with summer theatre and my husband's health issues, let's talk about some good books. 

Right now, my reading consists of my script. But after the show is done and we're on vacation, I'm planning to read Harriet Beamer Takes the Bus by Joyce Magnin, Cooking the Books by Bonnie Calhoun and a nonfiction book, Unleashing the Writer Within by Cec Murphey.  I may reread The Hunger Games.  Depends on how busy my family keeps me and how often I can get to the pool by myself.

Good writers are avid readers. We can read to learn, to enjoy, to glean what we can from those who have gone on before us. So, let's hear from everyone! What are you reading now? What are you planning to read?

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hey FFFers - I can finally post something new!  I want to update you on what's been going on with me before getting onto the next thing in fantasy writing.

I attended the Colorado Christian Writer's Conference in May - on faculty - and taught a workshop on writing fantasy. It was great. I also met with several editors and was asked for the full of my YA fantasy novel, Fairyeater. I'm super jazzed and will keep you posted.

An agent I signed up to meet with ended up with pneumonia and couldn't make it, so I signed up for a phone conference when I got home. I spoke with her assistant for almost an hour and was asked for three proposals: Fairyeater, a middle grade novel and a nonfiction book. I'm also waiting to hear and hoping it won't take too long.

I'd love to see more first paragraphs that show us something about your main character, so please send me something and I'll take it apart like I did for Russell in the previous post.

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Okay - let's expand our discussion on flat characters. What makes a character "flat?" It can be a matter of opinion. Look how popular the Twilight books are. Bella is a flat character, especially in the beginning. She has no real goals and her conflict isn't that big, either. At least, not for a novel. So, what can a writer do to make sure their main character is not flat? Uninteresting? Three dimensional? The first thing is to give your hero a goal. What does he/she want? What do they *think* they need? Does it make you care? Remember, we are the first readers of our work. What kind of emotions are stirred up when we read our opening paragraph? If you are really honest, you'll know if what you've written is weak and needs some pumping up.

Here's an example of before and after in my WIP, Fairyeater - the first is what I had. The second is what I decided to go with after some feedback.

Mist hovered just above the lake as the sky began to show the violet-pink glow of a new day. Akeela pulled the leather archery glove on her right hand. She sighed, sat on the stump of a tree, examined her bow and waited for the forest to wake up. Hunting was the only escape she had from Krezma’s sharp tongue.

Akeela yanked the leather archery glove on her right hand. She sighed, sat on the stump of a tree, examined her bow and waited for the forest to wake up. Hunting was the only escape she had from Krezma’s sharp tongue and she was sick of both.

Do you see the difference? Now, it's your turn. Give us the first few sentence of your opening paragraph and we'll see what we can do with them.

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hey FFFers - wow, has it really been since Feb. that I've posted? I've totally lost my sense of time and I'm sorry. Life has been really hectic lately. I kept thinking about my blog, but did not get around to posting anything. We last left off talking about characters. This is a good place for me right now. See, I entered Fairyeater in the ACFW Genesis contest. I did not make the semi-final round, but got some good notes. The judges spoke mostly about character development for my main character, Akeela. Then one of the members of my writer's group read through the manuscript again and suggested a couple of MAJOR revisions to the plot. I'll bel showing Fairyeater at the Colorado conference in May and don't have time to totally rewrite my grand, epic fantasy adventure. But I need to do something. What's a writer to do? Let's keep talking about character development. What makes a flat character? A stereo-typical character? And how can you rescue them? I look forward to your input.

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We've taken a good look at building a fantasy world for your characters. Now let's build those characters. What makes fantasy characters different from non-fantasy characters? What kind of characteristics should you include when developing the protagonist? Antagonist? Secondary characters?

1. The protagonist – this is your hero or heroine. They usually have some kind of gift. Sometimes they know about it, sometimes they discover it. It can be magic or a special talent. They often are not aware of how special they are. This is typical for fantasy. It’s your job to come up with something totally fresh.

2. The antagonist – this is your hero’s enemy. They should be as strong as or stronger than your protagonist. In fantasy, the antagonist is typically the evil dark lord/lady who is going to destroy the world. If you don’t want to write a typical fantasy adventure, you’ll need to give this a twist.

3. Secondary characters – you can give these characters magic/powers or nothing at all. But they need to have something that helps the hero in some important way. Be careful your secondary characters do not outshine the main character.

Let's start with the main character. Once you've decided what kind of fantasy you're writing, you now can build your hero. Let's say you're writing high fantasy. Your main character will need some kind of magical quality or skill, even if she doesn't know it yet. It can be full magic. It can be one type of skill. The hero can know about it from the beginning or discover it. It can help them or hinder them at first, but should help them at the end.

In Fairyeater, Akeela has what I've called "spirit sight." She can see the auras around living things, including plants. It's something she's always had, and it helps her save herself and the group she's traveling with when they're lost in the caves because she can see where to walk in the combined light of everyone's auras.

So, let's talk about your main characters and their characteristics.

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Let's have some fun. Pull out a few random books and use the titles to write a fantasy story line or poem. Put the titles in caps. Here's mine:

TWO OLD WOMEN, CARRYING MASON, THE DRAGON RIDER, set out on a DARK PURSUIT in the VIOLET DAWN to search for the VANISHED TWO TOWERS in the FAIRY REALM before A STAR RISES IN PERSIA for the purpose of MAKING EYE CONTACT WITH GOD and to plunge into the HEALING WATERS

You can use fiction, nonfiction or children's ... whatever you have! Hey, maybe you'll get an idea for a new novel. Don't forget to share your book poem with us!

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hey FFFers - here's a fun thing: http://thebestsellercode.com/

It tells compares your writing to established authors and scores you 0-20 on if your writing is strong enough to be considered "best-selling."

I entered the beginning of chapter one of Fairyeater and scored a 14.1. Pretty good. Then I did the beginning of chapter two and scored a 3.4. YIKES! And an editor told me chapter two was stronger than chapter one. HA!

So, try it and see what you think. It's just for fun. I'll get back to writing posts when things have settled down here. My husband was dianosed with Bell's Palsy on Sat. night and we're a bit weary at the moment.

Happy Testing!

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hey FFFers - hope you had a good Christmas and a great start to 2012.

Over the Christmas break, I read three books I received for Christmas. You are probably familiar with them: THE HUNGER GAMES trilogy by Suzanne Collins.

WOW.

If you can handle the violence, these books are an incredible example of world building. The setting is earth, North America, and post-apocalyptic. It's a perfect example of how the setting compliments the characters and the story arc.

If you've read these books, chime in and let me know how you liked them, but don't give anything away.

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Sienna had a great question: Do you have any tips for creating a very different world without having to spend pages and pages on description?

The first thing is to know you don't have to describe EVERYTHING all at once. How your characters interact with the setting is key.

Here is part of a writing exercise from my notes on my new fantasy novel, Koda's Quest. It's about setting:

A character we often forget is the setting. The setting brings the character into the story. Have something specific in mind. Choose carefully. It’s part of the hero’s hidden need. It can lend itself to natural symbolism.

What is the specific setting for Koda’s Quest?
"The Mirasol Valley in the middle of the Blacktooth Mountains where the Stone Kings stand guard."

Is it Koda’s ally or enemy? "Both"

Write a quick paragraph where Koda expresses his feelings about the setting.

Koda stared up at the Stone Kings. Karack, the taller of the two, faced direct south. Anar stood gazing to the east. Koda never got tired of their solemn expressions or wondering what their last thoughts were before the magic transformed them from flesh and blood to solid rock.
“Someday, I’m going to climb you,” he whispered.
The breeze seemed to whisk his words away as a flock of crows rose from the sunflower fields. The sun shone heavy on his head, but he shivered as the caustic cries of the black birds followed them out of the valley.

Do his feelings change in the course of the story? Why or why not? "No, they do not change because his destiny is so linked to saving his world."

Find one symbol inherent to the place that could point Koda to his hidden need. "Karack, though bigger, is crumbling more rapidly than Anar. Anar is less important in everyone’s mind, but it is really because of him that Karack can be strong. Koda will find out he needs others to help him be strong."

Can Koda come upon this during the course of the story? "Yes, in the caves Koda finds a journal. It belonged to King Karack. In it, Karack writes about his need for Anar."

Is this the right setting for the book? "Yes!"

Now, you interject your book and characters in the questions and see what you come up with.

Remember, the setting is also a character. We can come to know it a little at a time, just like the living characters in the story.

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I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving. Let's talk about SETTING.

When writing fantasy, you need to decide how different your world is from the contemporary world. Some fantasies are Earth-based, with all the rules of Earth, like gravity. Some fantasy worlds are slightly different. Some are radically different. When choosing your fantasy world, you’ll want to be careful you don’t slip into sci-fi.

Earth-based: the rules of gravity apply, one sun, one moon, weather patterns are similar, north is cold, south is hot, geography/plant life similar.

Earth-like: the rules of gravity apply, one or more suns/moons, weather similar, geography similar, plant life can be similar but maybe with different qualities. If you are using this setting, make sure you have a few things that keep it from being too close to Earth-based.

UnEarth-like: anything goes, although you don’t want space ships or other technology that would make it feel like science fiction.

Remember, your setting is a character in your story. Don't be afraid to put as much research and development into the setting as you do your characters. The setting can enhance the story, add to the tension, and help the protagonist. As you write, ask yourself if you chose the right setting for your hero as well as the story.

Your thoughts? Need help with your setting? Let's talk!

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WORLD BUILDING BASICS
*Know the rules of your world. You need limitations – but not too many.
*Be specific with your descriptions
*Plant seeds from the beginning
*Make sure knowledge is natural to your character
*Avoid awkward dialog that doesn’t match your world
*Learn the basic craft of writing

Let's break this down and talk about them one at a time. Rules: when I say know the rules of your world, what do I mean? Think about our Earth - the sky is up, the ground is down. There's atmosphere that holds the air we breathe. The sky is blue because of how the sunlight refracts through the atmosphere. There are clouds that bring rain. Storm fronts, cold fronts, warm fronts - these all cause the air to move, sometimes violently. We have gravity. We have one sun and one moon. The Earth spins, giving us day and night. The Earth also tilts, giving us the seasons.

What are the rules of your world? Fantasy and SciFi allow our imaginations to run wild, but the world HAS to fit the story. Is your world radically different from Earth? That's fine, but it still has to be natural and you must keep your rules in mind as you're writing. Be consistent. If you aren't, you'll jerk your reader clean out of your story. And they won't believe you anymore.

Being specific with description: Does this mean you need to set up a couple of pages of description? No, of course not. But you can weave in the "rules" of your world within the action and dialog of the story. Remember, if your world is strangely different from Earth, it's normal for your characters. And you don't have to give every detail - allow for the imagination of the reader. This pulls the reader in and makes them part of the story. We all love it when that happens, don't we?

Dialog that fits your world: is your world futuristic or historical? In Fairyeater, my world is Earth-like except for the three moons. There is no modern conveniences like electricity or machines. The people are simple peasant folk, so their language is simple.

Learn the craft: this barely needs mentioning, but I'm going to say it anyway. It takes more than a good idea to write a great book; there's a craft to it. One of the best books I've read on writing a novel is "Stein on Writing" by Sol Stein. Now, he's not a Christian, so his examples are not always the best for young writers. For you teen writers, I recommend "Seize the Story" by Victoria Hanley.

Get a good book on the craft and learn it. Once you've mastered the craft of writing, you can creatively break the rules. But you don't have to. What does your story require? What does your world require? Only you can determine that.

Share your world with us. I love hearing what you're doing.

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hey FFFers - sorry for the silence. Life has been hectic. Let's get back to talking about fantasy writing. Some of you have sat in my workshop "We're Not In Kansas Anymore." I'm going to use that format here.

Fantasy stories don't only include fairies, elves, dwarves, etc. and magical elements, it also needs a special setting, even if you are writing contemporary fantasy like urban fantasy. When you are developing your characters, don't forget your setting. It's also a character and can add or take away from the action/plot.

First, let's look at the different types of fantasy. This will help you know what you're writing and what kind of world to start building.

• High fantasy
• Urban fantasy
• Steam punk
• Magical realism
• Portal worlds
• Dystopia
• Paranormal


High Fantasy – usually a world other than our Earth. Example: The Lord of the Rings, or The Elfstones of Shannara. It typically includes the usual gang of fantasy characters; dwarves, elves, fairies, etc.

Urban Fantasy (or contemporary fantasy) – kind of a merging with sci-fi, but with definite fantasy elements. Similar to Paranormal, sometimes merging the two. Example: Harry Potter

Steam Punk (trendy historical fantasy) – like Victorian England with certain technologies. A couple of examples are: Around the World in 80 Days, or A League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

Magical Realism – set in the real world with fantasy elements. Examples: Mudville, Faerie Rebels

Portal Worlds – our world with a portal to another world. Example: Artemis Fowl

Dystopia – post apocalyptic. Example: Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse, Bones of Faerie

Paranormal – can be set in the real world with fantasy elements. Similar to Urban Fantasy, but with more of a gothic feel. Example: Twilight

What is the difference between fantasy and contemporary? How did Dorothy know she wasn’t in Kansas anymore?

Your world and characters are what makes the reader know it’s fantasy.

So, let's identify what we're writing before we go on. We've touched on this before, but it's good to refresh. I'll get us started: I am writing high fantasy right now. I have a series I started years ago that was more urban fantasy with a portal world twist. I've left it go for now - it was more of a "practice novel" for me, but maybe someday I'll be able to revise it.

So, let's hear what you're working on!

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