RSW: Writing and Revising

In case you’ve just tuned in, I’m taking part in Ready, Set, Write. It’s a summer writing intensive hosted by Alison Miller, Katy Upperman, Erin Funk, Jaime Morrow, and Elodie Nowodazkij that encourages goal-setting and provides accountability. Basically it’s a bunch of writers cheering each other on to meet their writing or revising goals. There’s whip-cracking, too, for slackers like me.

And now, my update:

1. HOW I DID ON LAST WEEK’S GOALS

Considering I didn’t have any goals last week, I’d say I did a bang-up job. I revised at least five times last week, which was my goal from two weeks ago. This week, that was a lot of writing new scenes and doing crucial research.

2. MY GOALS FOR THIS WEEK

• Work on revisions at least five times this week
• Revise at least six chapters

3. A FAVORITE LINE FROM MY STORY OR ONE WORD/PHRASE THAT SUMS UP WHAT I WROTE/REVISED

Since I did some writing this week, I have stuff to share. It’s unedited, so read at your own risk.

“One day, maybe you’ll tell me about it.” 

“You might not believe me.” 

I rest my head on his shoulder. “You can’t imagine the impossible things I’m willing to believe. Like right now, I believe there’s more to us than on the island.” 

“Was that ever even a question?” He’s looking at me like he’s discovered a treasure, like I was buried for years before he dug me up. He dips down and kisses me so deeply it sinks the sun into the ocean and draws the moon up into the sky.

4. THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE I FACED THIS WEEK

Back when I was writing this, I sped through a plot element I knew I’d need to come back to during revisions. I was being all cutesy and writerly, leaving myself a note in the MS that said something to the effect of “No, YOU fix this giant plot hole.”

And, I mean, come on, Past Tracey. Way to pass off all the work. So this week I spent a crazy amount of time trying to rework an element of the plot that makes no sense if you account for people acting like rational human beings. Which they tend to do.

5. SOMETHING I LOVE ABOUT MY WIP

The story is primarily told from the POV of Ruby, a teen girl on a treasure hunt. But some chapters are also told from the POV of Cooper, a boy with no memory of his past who recently woke up on the mysterious island. I’ve never written from a boy’s point of view before, and it was insanely fun. One of my favorite things about the story is the relationship between Cooper and a man named Bishop:

Bishop rolls his eyes, which is strange for a guy so old. “The way you act. You have a Bart-ness to you.” 

“What the hell’s that even mean?” 

“Don’t curse,” he says. “And it means that I had a really nice dog named Bart and you remind me of him.” 

“I’d really rather not be named after a dog.” 

“He was a good dog.” 

“How’d you like it if I called you Rover instead of Bishop?” 

“You have a dog named Rover?” 

I slump against the store window. “Obviously I don’t know that. I don’t know anything. But I could.” 

“Oh, do whatever you want. It’s your fake name.”

How are you doing with your writing goals?