Thursday, February 10, 2011

Evil Plots & Other Fun Stuff

1. For those who are asking, no, I am not accepting anymore entries for the Crit Partner Classifieds. I'm sorry! It was a lot of work to format the 100+ entries I did have, and I kind of have editing and critting of my own to do.

BUT.

Good news! I am currently working with some cool writers on a website that will make the Crit Partner Classifieds permanent and way more functional than it currently is. So be on the lookout for that! It'll be so incredibly awesome. I promise.

2. I kind of tore my rotator cuff, which means my shoulder aches constantly, and hurts REALLY BAD when I pull up my pants or try to buckle my seat belt. It's a party, I'm telling you. And how did I tear my rotator cuff? By exercising—exercising for my insurance company that FINES ME if I don't.

And now I know why. Because when I get injured exercising I have to pay them to go to the freaking doctor. Oh, the evil of my insurance company knows no bounds. Seriously, I might have to write a dystopian about this. Gattaca, but worse. Like, living in a society where you are constantly at risk of being penalized for not meeting physical standards. And if you don't meet enough—THEY KILL YOU. You know, since you are basically worthless to society anyway.

Yeah, I smell a bestseller. Except I am so not morose enough to write dystopian. Is there such a thing as funny dystopian? All my stuff ends up mildy humorous, or at least bitingly sarcastic. Hmm, maybe that could work.

Also, you think I'm playing their games? Heck no, I'm going to TAKE CARE OF MYSELF. (Don't worry, it's not *that* bad. Little tear. Not in agony here.)

3. Ninja Girl found scissors. She has very short bangs now. How does that happen? Seriously, every little kid I have ever known has done this. I have picture from my own childhood with this super short bang treatment I gave myself. It's like a rite of passage.

She looks hilarious. I can't help but laugh every time I look at her. I'm so going to give my kids some raging complexes. Can't. Wait.

4. You know what's really cool? When your agents gets back to you saying she likes your book! Wee! And not only that, but her suggestions for edits are FUN. So you can't wait to get going and everything you get to add is awesome and makes the book better. It's been a very, VERY long time since I've enjoyed editing this book. I honestly never thought I'd even like the story again.

It's incredible what a little positive feedback can do. What? The book is good? REALLY? Whoa. I can't believe it's actually good. I mean, yeah, I edited it for over a year, but still. I was pretty sure it was crap.

But it's not! Who knew?


And know I'm gonna go make pizza. Yes, I make my own pizza, and it's way better than any chain. I know I'm making you jealous, but I did spend the entire afternoon at the DMV and the Health Department, which totally evens it out.

30 comments:

  1. I actually like your idea of a humorous/sarcastic dystopian. So glad your agent loves your story. That must feel awesome!

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  2. Just wanted to say Thank you for doing the crit classifieds. :) You are awesome.
    Sorry about your shoulder.

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  3. Sorry to hear about your shoulder. I wish you a speedy recovery. And yay for your agent liking your book! And whenever your shoulder hurts just look at ninja girl's bangs because they say laughter is the best medicine.

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  4. The website you and your writer friends are making sounds pretty awesome. Of course, I'm not sure how you're able to do that because technology absolutely hates me. I'm still a teenager (oh the horror..) so my parents are still taking care of my insurance. (thank god) I'm sure that it's amazing that your agent loves your story, but it's probably because you deserve it! Karma and your hard work paid off! (Or are they the same thing..?) I'll stop typing up this reply because I'm using way too many parenthesis. Bye~

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  5. Congrats on the feedback from the agent. Honest positive feedback can feel like writer crack.

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  6. Oh yeah. The hair-cutting. Unfortunately I did mine when I was 12. I wanted to look like Rei Hino (Sailor Mars), from Sailor Moon. Yeah well, everyone go google that "fringe" and tell me if it looks like a dangerous idea. I combed almost half my hair to the front of my face and cut. straight. across. I have...very voluminous hair.

    In anime world? I would have been awesome.
    Sixth-grade? I was Mushroom-girl.

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  7. Hurray for fun revisions! I always love getting feedback that makes me excited to go back and fix things. Good luck!

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  8. Hopefully that feedback helps you placebo your way toward a speed recovery with a good mood.

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  9. That's so great about your agent liking the book! Gives you a great feeling, too. Enjoy your pizza :)

    Kelsey
    kelseysutton.blogspot.com

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  10. Wow, were we seperated at birth? We must be twins. You just exactly explaned my life. I love the idea for the book btw. You should totally do it. I would read it. I'm glad you are liking the editing again. I hate it when you get to the point of actually (hating) your book. I hope I never get to that point with this one. IhopeIhopeIhopeIhope.

    Good luck with the pizza. Homemade is the best!

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  11. YAAAAY #4!

    I hope the rotator cuff thingie isn't affecting your writing, though?? Guh, after just 4 days of full-time writing, my wrists are already starting to flare up. I'm trying to take LOTS of breaks and adjust my work station and do my exercises, hoping to ward off the worst of it, but I can tell this is going to be a long, painful year...

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  12. Congratulations on getting positive feedback from your agent!

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  13. That must be such a relief that your agent likes the book...I know I'd be stressing after such a long overhaul. Congrats!

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  14. Oh, funny dystopia! I have just finished "Shades of Grey" by Jasper Fforde, so such a thing exists!

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  15. I make my own pizza too :) Half with green peppers for me and half with pineapple and ham for my husband.

    Thanks again for doing the Crit Partner Classifieds!

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  16. I love making my own pizza, especially with chorizo. Any time I make it, it doesn't last long.

    That's great news about your book! Hope the edits go well.

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  18. A lot of countries actually look at physical criteria when considering immigration applicants. I read a story a few years back about a man immigrating to Australia who was turned away because he was considered obese. Probably wouldn't be that hard to write about a world where the physically 'inferior' are ostracized. And funny dystopians may be the next big thing.

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  19. I love your funny dystopian idea.

    Also, I'm really glad to hear that you're learning to love your story again.

    :-)

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  20. 1. Yay for making the Crit Partner Classifieds a permanent website! I didn't join before, but I'll check out the site when it's up!

    2. Take care, and hope your shoulder feels better soon! I am currently on crutches because of exercise-induced plantar fasciitis. Had to get a cortisone shot in my foot yesterday (shudder). Too much exercise is bad! Not enough exercise is bad! We can't win!!! (Interesting idea for a novel, though!)

    3. The good thing about hair? It grows. =)

    4. That's wonderful that your agent loved your work! So happy for you! Can't wait to read it!

    4.5 Homemade pizza? Yum. I'll have to order some today because the whole "cooking on crutches" thing might not go well!

    Love your blog, Natalie! I look forward to every post!!!

    Quitting My Day Job

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  21. I'm laughing about Ninja girl. My boy and girl did that at least once. I, on the other hand, cut my baby sister's hair. She had a little curl, right in the middle of her forehead. When she was good, she was very, very good, but I was worried about when she was bad. I didn't want her to be horrid. I told my parents as much, but they tell the story as if I was jealous of the curls. Which I was not. I was concerned about her behavior.

    So, it's normal to think your book is crap? Though I'm pretty sure the one I'm on is crap and I can't quite let it go. I'm afraid a new one needs to be started and this one needs to be set aside, but after 2 years of writing and reworking, I feel we need to still query and try to get someone to read it.

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  22. I second Shades of Grey as a funny dystopian! Oh, and a good example of a sarcastic one is The Carbon Diaries 2015.

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  23. Dystopian begs for snark to abate the darkness. You know I almost typed "dark" because even though I hate rhymes with a vengeance I just read Horton Hatches the Egg to my class and it kinda STICKS WITH YOU.

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  24. Love to hear you're getting good input on your book. About dang time.

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  25. Oooh, I remember the phase of trying to cut your own hair...it gets in your eyes and you're too lazy to wait for it to grow out so you cut it yourself. Fun times. I also shaved half my eyebrow off once when I was 12... Darn middle school bullies.

    Congrats that your agent liked your book! :D Have fun on the edits, if anyone deserves it, it's you.

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  26. Homemade pizza is fantastic. My husband makes it so well it's only a hair away from the most delicious NYC pizza. Mmmm.

    What's scarier than when your daughter gets the scissors and cuts herself some bangs? When she gets the scissors and cuts her little brother's bangs because she wanted to see his face better. How a 7 year old managed to not gouge the toddler's eyes out I still don't know.

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  27. So if we see someone driving around sans seatbelt and pants...

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  28. I'd love to read a humorous dystopian and I think it can be done.

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  29. Hey Natalie, I'm so sorry about your insurance and your rotator cuff. I daylight as a massage therapist when I'm not writing, and I can't help myself, I had to mention that sometimes massage works wonders for that injury. I'm sure you may already have considered that, and I don't know what your options are right now, but wanted to let you know. If you did, you'd just have to be sure to get someone who really knows their structural/clinical bodywork. And yay for your agent liking your book!!!

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