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Good question, huh?
Think about it, and I'll get back to it....

I've embarked on my fifth, maybe sixth writing class with Val Hobbs last night. It's an eight week session, then after the holidays, she begins again. And, unless I plan to go to a conference, I usually sign up for another round. I love it. The rituals, the pace, the writers, the discussions and especially Val herself.
The writers in the class are accomplished. Many I have known for quite a few years. Everyone brings a new viewpoint or suggestion to a piece. This is, after all, what we're there for.

With writing, the learning never stops. My husband knows this. Not once in the past four years has he said, "Really? You're taking another class?" I'll admit, at times, that's exactly what I say to myself. But the truth is, you never stop learning. Even Val herself said so last night. She explained that there are only a few things to teach about writing but our filters change as we grows as writers, and so, we hear the same things differently each time.
So true.
How many times have we all heard show, not tell? It's the first piece of advice I read when I was starting out, and it's still challenging to master.

My critique group did a challenging exercise last week. We had to come up with a one sentence premise for our WIP that indicated genre, conflict our MC faces and a hook. Not easy. We also had to list what our MC desired, what her strengths and weaknesses are and what her view of the world is. It was a great exercise. Since I did a lot of groundwork before starting my novel, I felt I knew the answers to these questions.

But...

Last night, Val presented us with two more questions, that in my opinion, were tough. She asked, "Regarding your WIP, who needs to tell this story and why does it need to be told?"
Let me tell you, answering these two questions can leave a writer very depressed. Perhaps it's not enough to know what your characters strengths are...or how she struggles with daily life...there is something deeper that we need to seek out. That something special that makes a promise to our reader that the book will be worth reading.

So that's my current goal. To listen very carefully for the answers to these questions. I've taken the guilt out of it, not feeling too bad that my book isn't earth shattering. In fact, it probably won't ever be, but, it'll be her story...and for that, I need to keep going.

Do you know why the story you're working on needs to be told???

I have one more week of my "official" summer break left. It's been long. Three whole months of no work. Soon, my structure-less days will end. I've been writing like crazy. Rewriting my first novel, making sure the plot lines are threaded throughout the story, and the biggie, ensuring my character's motivation is consistent. That, I have to say, is really freakin' HARD!!! Arggh!

Just when I think I have it right, I'll re-read a chapter and groan. With rewrites, the biggest hazard, as least for me, is eliminating an important piece of information (not intentionally) the reader needs to know. You know, a logistical question that pops up in critique groups, a problem that needs to be mentioned but not elaborated on, then poof. You rewrite and take it out, thinking it's not important because you're going in a new direction. I'm probably not making sense. But that's where I am. Ironing out the consistency's. And it's really difficult.

This is what occurred to me. Writing a novel is painstaking. It really is. Do I sound negative? Good. It's reality smacking me in the face.

But, and there is always a but, I love my story. I believe it has potential. I know I'll rewrite until I'm happy with it.

But...

"Don't sit on it too long," people have said.

I seriously don't understand this contradiction. I think the best thing you can do is sit on it (or rewrite it) until it feels right. Maybe it means, don't expect it to be perfect. Believe me, I don't. I just want it to be enjoyable.

To lighten my mood, I visited my favorite bookstore, Chaucer's, and picked up a few tantalizing novels.
Savvy by Ingrid Law, the paperback version of An Abundance of Katherines by John Greene, and The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey by Trenton Lee Stewart.

I plan to write a few more hours today, maybe switch gears and focus on my second novel. My critique group has a fun writing exercise that we're doing next week...looking at plot lines and chapter details to ensure our story is flowing the way it should. Perfect timing, I think.

Early morning fog did not dampen my family's back-to-school enthusiasm. I'd love to bottle that first day of school energy and save it for a rainy day in February.
My high school freshman son bounded down the stairs (which I'm sure will never happen again) energized about his "options" for the coming year. And I don't mean academic choices.
Tate hobbled, excited yet reserved, about his first day of junior high on crutches.
Elly drove off with her best friend and most loyal companion, for their first day as fourth graders.
Have to say, it was blissful seeing them all go. I'm sure every parent out there can relate.

I've always considered September my "New Year's Eve". It's the start of a new year for my kids and for me, it's when I reestablish my own goals and consider what I'd like to accomplish for the upcoming year.

• Most of you know that I ripped apart my first novel. I've spent most of my free time this summer reworking, rewriting and rethinking many parts. In between watching Nastia Liukin absolutely shine at the Olympics, I hammered away mostly at internal and external motivation. I'm thrilled with what I accomplished. But my goal is to finish this rework by the end of the month. I can do it. I'm on a roll...
• Work on finishing my first draft of my second. I'll be bringing this novel to my Writing Class with Valerie Hobbs later this month. I like the way this novel has evolved. With the help of my critique group, FarFlung Writer's, and with my writing class critiques, I should have lots to think about with this one.
• Chose a weekend writing retreat to attend. Last November, I went to Big Sur Writing Workshop and loved it. I'm considering going again but want to explore others as well. Does anyone know of a great retreat coming up in California this Fall?
• Enter the Santa Barbara SCBWI Writer's Day Writing Contest. LOVE attending this event. Great people. Great organizers, Great time.
  

My Far Flung Writers novel group is looking for two new members. This is a fantastic group. (If you don't believe me, you can ask P.J., or HipWriterMama, or Chris, or Kim, or Patty.)

What we write:

• Middle Grade and YA novels
  

• approximately 5,000 words every four weeks

• In 3 of 4 weeks, we read and critique two 5,000 word subs. (In week 4--the week you submit--you only critique one.) This is a major time commitment, I won't lie. Two hours a week or more, depending on your speed.
  

Some quick thoughts on books I’ve read recently:

Popco by Scarlett Thomas. Alice is singled out by her large children’s toy company to create a new fad for teenage girls. While trying to understand her new task Alice is also trying to solve the mystery of a locket left to her by her grandfather, a coding genius. Scenes of scary insights into marketing for children are interspersed by Alice’s memory of herself as a young girl and teenager.

There were many great elements to this book but overall I don’t know that it really worked for me. I loved the whole code breaking aspect (I would have been a sucker for the children’s spy kit described in the book), Alice’s teen experiences rang true and there were lots of intriguing side stories. But I think some of the suspense in the book was let down by the various ensuing events. I also wasn’t convinced by Alice’s sudden conversion to understanding the evils of mass marketing/mass meat production etc. But I know other people found the story meaningful, so I might have been a bit hard on old Alice. I think rowana recommended this book to me – thanks Ro!

All seated on the ground by Connie Willis. Aliens have landed on Earth, but they just stand around looking disapproving. This was a fun novella by one of my favourite authors, with Christmas carols playing a large role, so I enjoyed reading it. But I admit I’m glad I hadn’t bought the expensive hardback as a lot of the themes and storytelling methods were reminiscent of other Willis stories and I’m hungry for something new.

Flora Segunda: Being the Magickal Mishaps of a Girl of Spirit, Her Glass- Gazing Sidekick, Two Ominous Butlers (One Blue), a House with Eleven Thousand Rooms, and a Red Dog by Ysabeau S. Wilce. Everyone has written about this book extensively over the last year so I won’t write too much (hee, that’s a good excuse isn’t it?). As the wonderful title suggests, Flora Segunda is set in a fantasy world crowded with colourful names and magical beings. Unfortunately things aren’t going so great for Flora – her mum is absent, her dad depressed and the magical butler that is supposed to look after Flora’s house has diminished and the whole place is collapsing around the family. But in the best tradition of a penny dreadful, the plot soon picks up and Flora is having adventures all over the place. I thought it was great fun. At times the characters seemed two-dimensional, but this might have been in comparison to the flamboyant setting and plot. I look forward to reading the sequel!

by Jeanne Willis illustrated by Tony Ross Andersen Press 2006 In this Aussie import the animals all view the behavior of bat decidedly odd. She requests and umbrella to keep her feet dry, she refers to "the sky below her" and claims the rising waters of the nearby river could get her ears wet. Surely there is something mad about her, the other animals believe, or else how could she have so