Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Terra Incognita

~~I know I've haven't been around much lately, but I promise I've been writing and I now find myself in a new place, one I've never experienced in my writing before. It's a whole new world and I'm still trying to get my feet under me and find myself on the map. Like the mariners of old, I'm wondering what sort of monsters I'll find and where the edges are.

~~I don't really write from an outline, but I do have a list of possible scenes in rough chronological order for my current work-in-progress, FRIENDLY FIRE. I write where ever the mood of the day strikes, or as Diana Gabaldon describes it, what I can see. In the last few weeks, though, I've been able to complete the first page of my scene list. Since I have the last page of the outline done already, that leaves me with the middle page, much of which I've never been able to see well enough to even take rough notes. Terra Incognita indeed! I'm feeling my way into the big middle of the plot and so far, so good. I have a plan for how to show the good and the bad that knits the start of the story to the end. Keep your fingers crossed.

~~Here's to opportunities you might be interested in:
  • If you'd be interested in submitting a story to Good Old-Fashioned E-Publishing Company's "Plot Beasties" anthology, go HERE for more info. I'm happy to say that my submission, "Of Books and Bunnies," is in the editing stage with editor/publisher Ron Wodaski.
  • Rachael Harrie has launched her Third Writers' Platform Building Campaign HERE. The second campaign was a hoot and a big boost for my blog, so come and join us. You have to sign up before August 31. 
~~I'll be here more often, I promise. Keep cool in the Shade.
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19 comments:

  1. TaraAugust 23, 2011 at 9:12 PM

    Woohoo. So excited to get a glimpse into this new one, Zan Marie. Aug X? Time is dwindling...[eg]

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  2. Jill W.August 23, 2011 at 9:16 PM

    Fingers crossed!

    Glad to see an update from you - wondering how you've been doing. :-)

    Good luck navigating strange waters. I hope you are pleasantly surprised by what you find!

    Getting more and more ideas as time goes on, but just...not...committed to one yet for the anthology. Working on it, though. I have most of September to crank this thing out. [g]

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  3. SylviaAugust 24, 2011 at 10:28 AM

    you and I have the same technique in story planning. I am working on a whole new approach to an idea I worked out years ago. Thought I would have started already, but some non fiction projects came first :)

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  4. Zan MarieAugust 24, 2011 at 10:36 AM

    Tara,
    Ah, the Aug. X...Not this time, I'm afraid. I can't wrap my mind aroung too much or none of it gets done. My one stab at it did convince me that another old scene idea no longer fit the story. I call that progress. ; )

    Jill,
    I've already been pleasantly surprised. This morning I roughed a great new scene about a nightmare for Laura Grace. It's a big one. ; D

    Slyvia,
    I think we all need to hunt down the correct process for us. I realized that a lot of what I thought was in the story isn't and that's OK. I've already gotten on with the next ideas. Good luck on your projects.

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  5. Rachael HarrieAugust 25, 2011 at 11:56 PM

    Hey Zan Marie, welcome on board the Campaign. I don't think you filled out the right form to sign up officially, could you please pop back here and put in your details?

    Thanks heaps,

    Rach

    http://rachaelharrie.blogspot.com/2011/08/third-writers-platform-building_02.html

    ReplyDelete
  6. Zan MarieAugust 26, 2011 at 8:15 AM

    Thanks, Rach. I'll be right over. ; )

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  7. Dawn M. HamsherAugust 26, 2011 at 10:10 PM

    Zan Marie,
    I'm a fellow Campaigner! Should be fun!

    The Write Soil

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  8. Ruth SchiffmannAugust 26, 2011 at 10:40 PM

    Fellow campaigner and new follower here (Christian articles/devotionals) stopping by to say hello.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Zan MarieAugust 27, 2011 at 8:27 AM

    Hi, Dawn and inluvwithwords! It's always fun to meet new people!

    ReplyDelete
  10. AnnAugust 27, 2011 at 9:44 PM

    Been slack with blogging myself this summer. Time just got away from me. Glad to hear you are knitting your story together.

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  11. Zan MarieAugust 28, 2011 at 8:41 AM

    Ann,
    It's one step forward, two steps back this last week. Frustrating, but it is progress of a sort. Good you see you in the Shade. ; )

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  12. AnonymousAugust 28, 2011 at 12:49 PM

    Hey there,
    I'm a fellow campaigner!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Zan MarieAugust 28, 2011 at 4:49 PM

    Hi, Elena!

    ReplyDelete
  14. TrishaAugust 30, 2011 at 3:39 AM

    Hi Zan Marie - just stopping by to say hi AND to say that I'm happy to be in that Contemp/Mainstream campaign group with you!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Zan MarieAugust 30, 2011 at 8:49 AM

    Hi Trisha! I've got to get busy on the campaign! I'll follow you over in a bit. ; )

    ReplyDelete
  16. jonyangorgAugust 30, 2011 at 7:14 PM

    Just saying hi, we're in the same campaign group!

    ReplyDelete
  17. JoAnna77August 31, 2011 at 4:14 PM

    Hi Zan Marie,
    Just dropping in to say 'hi' from the Campaign, looking forward to getting to know you better. I am in the same Christian Articles Group.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Francesca ZappiaSeptember 1, 2011 at 6:12 PM

    Hey! Thanks for stopping by my blog. It's great to meet a fellow campaigner and group member! :D

    ReplyDelete
  19. Zan MarieSeptember 8, 2011 at 12:47 PM

    Jon, Joanna, and Francesca--Hi! I just noticed the additional comments. I think I've been to all your blogs...There' *so* many. ; )

    ReplyDelete

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