The Importance of Research

AAAARRRGH. That's me screaming. I had this whole post written--what a beauty too--and I accidentally hit something and it DISAPPEARED! Woe is me.

Anyway...I was rambling on about how I hadn't accomplished much this week other than mucho tinkering with the old plot thanks to some help from my online plotting group Plot Hatchers. Bless you, ladies! I also did a lot more research on roller derby. I concentrated on reading blogs related to roller derby and got lots of ideas for conflict, plot twists, etc. I would highly recommend it. If you are writing about a particular subject...horse racing, for instance...go to blogspot or your favorite and plug it into the search engine. All sorts of wonderful things will pop up.

I discovered one most amazing thing. According to a news report I unearthed, girls, desperate to get into a top college in this year when college applications have hit an all-time record, have turned away from the unbiquitous sports like soccer and lacrosse, to...you guessed it...roller derby!

Hmmmm, can I work an over-achieving coed into my manuscript?

Are We Having Fun Yet?

I've got 45 pages, and I'm darned proud of it. I've even had some fun with it. Did you know that my protag's brother-in-law would suddenly announce after 15 years of marriage and three kids that he's gay? Neither did I, but I'm going to have a lot of fun with it. (I'm working on a humorous cozy mystery meaning most violence is offstage).

I would have liked to have written more, but this has been the week of all weeks. I have to stop viewing writing as WORK which I never used to before I started writing so much on my day job. It helps to grab my Alphie (portable word processor) and get in bed early with it or sit in my great big chair with the ottoman.

Coming up on the weekend and that's the hardest time for me to write what with family all over the place expecting attention. Tomorrow I am doing research though--hubby and I are going to a roller derby game. My mystery is set in the world of roller derby, and I can't wait to see a game firsthand.

On your mark, get set...

I'm almost ready to join the great novel race. I just needed a blog. My blog at xanga is probably defunct by now and wouldn't be relevant anyway filled as it is with answers to stupid questionnaires with stuff like "what time do you get up" and "what's your favorite drink". So I am starting over here.

I'm still in the plotting stage and plan to start writing on Monday, February 12th. It's a mystery. Set in the world of women's roller derby. Hopefully funny and a little chick lit-ish. No title as of yet. It's something like my 8th manuscript. Mostly mysteries, a couple of YAs and two romances. I've had two agents and a lot of disappointments. But back on the horse. Maybe this will be IT.