I’ve been doing Camp NaNoWriMo this month, working on a young-adult science-fiction novel. The goal is to write 50,000 words in a month. At 2 a.m. today, I hit 50,000 words. And it’s only April 16. I was rather shocked when I added my latest word count to the website and the Winners’ screen flashedContinue reading “50,000 Words”
Category Archives: Writing
Friday Five: Last Call
Today I’m answering five questions for the Friday Five. These are all about something that was last. Who was the last person you called? The last person I called on the phone would be my mother. I planned to send her flowers for her birthday, but something in a group text made me think sheContinue reading “Friday Five: Last Call”
Camp NaNo: Ten Days In
It’s the tenth day of Camp NaNoWriMo, and I am speeding ahead with my book. NaNoWriMo is, of course, National Writing Month. It’s officially in November, but Camp NaNo is the more flexible version, and it’s happening now in April. I’m working on a science-fiction novel, which I started some time ago. In fact, IContinue reading “Camp NaNo: Ten Days In”
Camp NaNo: a Good Start
Camp NaNoWriMo started yesterday, and I blew past my word count goals for both yesterday and today. The goal is 1,667 words a day, to finish a 50,000-word novel by the end of the month. I am mostly editing and rewriting my rough draft, so the task isn’t as daunting. Well, it isn’t as dauntingContinue reading “Camp NaNo: a Good Start”
Camp NaNo: April Fool’s Edition
If it’s April, this must be Camp NaNoWriMo! I began work at midnight on this National Novel Writing Month challenge. Yes, it’s true that National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is November, when participants attempt to write a 50,000-word novel in a month. But twice a year, we also have Camp NaNo, a more flexible versionContinue reading “Camp NaNo: April Fool’s Edition”
Editing Update: Plugging Away
I am still plugging away at the latest book I’m writing. I’ve been doing an edit of my manuscript draft, and sending a few chapters at a time to my editor Lawrence (actually, we’ll be listed as coauthors on the cover). And it’s finally starting to come a bit more naturally; I used to speedContinue reading “Editing Update: Plugging Away”
Hearing Voices
I posted an update a couple days ago on the progress I’m making on my novel manuscript. I now have a major breakthrough. After way too long working on this book, my characters are finally talking to me even when I’m not writing them. If you’re a fiction writer, you probably know exactly what IContinue reading “Hearing Voices”
Write Away: Chapters 17-20
I’ve been revising and reworking parts of my novel manuscript. I’ve been hung up on Chapters 17 to 20 this week, but I think I’m getting close. The hard part is trying to reconcile different versions. Chapter 17, in particular, was feeling too long and complicated. I felt it was slowing the action too much.Continue reading “Write Away: Chapters 17-20”
Novel Update
It’s been such a long time since I gave an update on the state of my latest work-in-progress. This is the science-fiction novel for teens that I have mentioned on occasion, the one I started just before the start of the pandemic and then was having so much trouble moving ahead on. I am stillContinue reading “Novel Update”
Month of Valentine Letters
I posted yesterday about February being the Month of Letters, or LetterMo. I’m taking the challenge, as I usually do, which means writing and mailing at least one letter or card each day this month, and replying to anyone who writes to me. Valentine’s Day is coming, so several of the cards I’ve sent inContinue reading “Month of Valentine Letters”
The Petrini Page 