Spring Bootcamp Check-In No. 1: Holy Research, Batman

As mentioned last week, I'm participating in the YA Bucaneers Spring Writing Bootcamp. I'm part of Team Defiance (check out all the lovely ladies here). Already I love my team. My progress? Not much, yet. I was on vacation last week so I wasn't writing. I did, however, read Gone Girl, so I'm keeping up with my goals.

Our banner courtesy of the one and only Tracey Neithercott.

I also spent a good bit of time researching this weekend and am making progress toward having the facts I need to do a rough outline for the rest of this Civil War series. And that horror? Yeah not sure if that's what I'm writing next. I think I'm going to do a Southern Gothic, but there's a chance it will have some magical realism and horror elements. Trying not to think too hard about it because of the outlining goal that I want to focus on.

This is a weird challenge for me overall,  because word counts are not a part of my goals at this time. Which is sort of a first. But I'm excited and glad to have the accountability to make progress.

Goals remain the same:

1. Roughly outline the rest of the STARS & STRIPES series, so that I have somewhere to go should it become something. As a note, this goes hand-in-hand with additional Civil War research. Made it through the summer of 1863 in my research.
2. Think through some ideas for my next project. I have some basic plot ideas for this.
3. Outline and/or begin my first draft of that piece.
4. Read. Not sure how much, but just read. Read Gone Girl. Crazy, crazy read.

Are you participating in YA Bootcamp? What accountability team are you on?

Springs Writing Bootcamp

After a week of thinking (making me late to the party), I've decided to participate in the YA Buccaneers Spring Writing Bootcamp. I'm in a weird place with projects right now, but I think some accountability will help keep me from floundering.

More information here.

So here are my (tentative and subject to changes based on where things go) goals for March/April/May. I still need to iron out when I'd like to accomplish what, but there you have it.

1. Roughly outline the rest of the STARS & STRIPES series, so that I have somewhere to go should it become something. As a note, this goes hand-in-hand with additional Civil War research.
2. Think through some ideas for my next project. Pretty sure it's going to be horror. I have a lot of different pieces and parts floating around at the back of mind, but I'm not sure where to plug those in.
3. Outline and/or begin my first draft of that piece.
4. Read. Not sure how much, but just read.

It's only three goals, but they're pretty big ones for me. Like I said, not sure if these will be my goals by the end of the challenge, but I think they're a good place to start.

Writer Recharge: Final Update

 Writer Recharge is a month-long motivational challenge to get you through the dreary February days with a little (or a lot!) of progress on your current WIP. For many of us, a little accountability goes a long way. Join in by posting your progress every Monday and linking it here, and don't forget to join in on Twitter with #WriterRecharge! Your hosts and cheerleaders: Katy Upperman, Alison Miller, Elodie Nowodazkij, Sara Biren, and me. Learn more here.

Wow! This has been a month. Thanks to all of you for participating--blogging, Tweeting with us, and (obviously) writing. If you didn't reach all your goals, don't worry. We're on Twitter a lot writing together, so keep writing with us! If you did--fabulous.

I (amazingly) accomplished all my goals, which were:

• Revise my query letter
• Read through my post-beta-edits draft
• Make any necessary changes
• Revise my synopsis
• Revise my query letter (again)
• And Query!
• Then start outlining the rest of this series

Still working on the outlining but I bought a beautiful whiteboard and am up to my nose in research, once again. Here's a little spring trivia for you (and a reminder that tax seasons is coming up!): The first federal income tax in U.S. history was imposed August 5, 1861.

Thanks again for joining us!