Hope everyone had a great July 4th yesterday! It’s another new month (whew, the months are flying by fast) and it’s that time again, IWSG day. A day where us writers come out of our caves to support each other in their writing journey. And all thanks that we’re able to do so goes to ninja extraordinaire Alex Cavanaugh.
Interested in joining us? Click on the badge above.
Our Twitter hashtag and handle are #IWSG and @TheIWSG.
And don’t forget to check out today’s awesome co-hosts:Tamara Narayan, Pat Hatt,Patricia Lynne, Juneta Key, and Doreen McGettigan!
So what’s going on with me this month?
Well eight days before July Camp NaNoWriMo I was without a laptop. How that happen? Well, when I turned on my Chromebook the screen was all horizontal lines. And flickering pastels like a firefly. And no matter how many times I shut it down and rebooted it, the image remained.
Started thinking I’m cursed because last time I tried to do camp NaNo my laptop charger shorted out (almost electrocuting me) just after camp started. And had to order a new one through Amazon. By then, I’d already lost steam and was all f@#$ it.
But turns out maybe I’m not as cursed as I think. The reason my laptop stopped working on me was because apparently my six year old son was stepping on it. We don’t have a computer desk anymore ever since my husband got a smart TV. So my laptop and lapdesk is always where I used it last, downstairs in the den or upstairs next to the couch. Still, he was stepping on my computer!!!
Then got a new laptop, an Acer Chromebook. And let me tell you what happened with that one. The Sunday I got, I charged it and made my settings preferences. On Monday I watched a few episodes of Charmed on Netflix so didn’t go on my Chromebook. Tuesday I open my laptop and it’s all wonky. Most of my Google apps in my apps launcher had 3D grey icon images. Some of them wouldn’t open when I clicked on them. And my extensions were missing too.
Two and half days after the purchase, had to take it back to Best Buy’s Geek Squad so they could fix it. Which they did with a power wash. Now it’s working like brand new, which it also is. Thank you Geek Squad! 😀
So maybe I’m not as cursed as I think. Maybe just partly cursed. And of course that little situation gave birth to the theory why writers shouldn’t have children.
Other than that, I’ve started sketching out chapter one of the sequel to Dreaming of You. In the sequel, the BFFs of the first main couple, Kim and Terrell, gets their own love story in Not Dreaming of You.
I’ve also entered Dreaming of You into the Watty’s again. It’s currently at 16 chapters on Wattpad and probably will be completed after 7-10 more chapters. Afterwards, I’ll put it away to stew and focus on completing and editing my novella WIP The Soul Traveler, another Wattys entry. Which I’ve also written an epilogue set five years later. The latest chapter on Wattpad is dedicated to my grandmother who recently passed away. She lived until 100 years old. And was blessed to have all her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren to celebrate her 100th birthday. The funeral is this Saturday.
Have any writing-children fiascoes? How did you handle it? What happens next after you complete a novel? Do you prefer writing and or reading a stand alone or series? Ever dedicated a scene, character, etc. of someone in your story?
July 5 Question: What is one valuable lesson you’ve learned since you started writing?
That suckage is a state of mind. You can think that your writing sucks more than a deluxe vacuum. But if that was true, then what about the people who like your writing? Are they certifiable? Stop being negative and believe in yourself as a writer. It’s what’ll quiet all that negativity and doubts. Besides, that’s what rewrites, edits, beta testing, etc are for. To make your writing not suck shine.
Paving My Author's Road 
Stepping on a computer is not good for it! Sorry it was a rough start with the Chromebook but now you are ready to rock and roll.
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I was sorry too. But the new Chromebook is much faster and has a larger MB than the old one. So it’s all well that ends well. Could’ve done without the whole stepping part though.
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I am so happy you got your computer up and working and happy that you could take it to Best Buy. They seem to be reliable people.
All the best and keep writing.
Shalom aleichem,
Pat G at Everything Must Change
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Me too, me too. Geek Squad is my new crush.
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Good luck with Wattys! As for standalone vs series: if I look at my bookshelves I like to read both, but the series are all really standalones set in the same world with mentions of the characters from previous novels in the series (except for middle grade and young adult novels – most of those have the same main characters in each book in the series).
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Thank you. I like to read both too but a bit more picky with my series, especially if it’s a romance. Much prefer romance series where each book is a standalone and features a different main couple. Who were also mentioned in the previous novels. A series that features the same couple turns me off a bit. If their story spans more than two books and doesn’t pique my curiosity to read more, I don’t want to read it. Now if it’s a fantasy series, where each book has a new threat and builds more to an overall threat (HG and HP), then I’m all in.
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That isn’t good for any computer haha Go Geek Squad.
What if you are certifiable? Does that mean your readers are sane? Just asking from a rhyming cat lol
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Computer problems are such a headache. Glad you have yours worked out. I am doing NaNo too. Congrats on your story. Happy Writing.
Juneta @ Writer’s Gambit
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Computer problems are the worst. Glad you got it figured out!
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Aww, sorry you had troubles, but glad you got it sorted.
I had to replace my Chromebook recently as well after I spilled water on the old on. It’s not too bad since I was going to be replacing it in a year anyway, but I would have preferred to wait.
The new one (also acer) has mega screen glare and occasionally has trouble staying connected to the internet. But I now have access to the play store, so that’s nice. I also like converting it into a tablet while I eat to protect the keys. Then again, I’ve already lost the “h” key, soo. Well not lost. I have all the pieces but those things are so finicky to put back together and it was driving me crazy so I’ll try again later.
I could really do to take your advice about suckage. 🙂 I keep telling myself, you’ll have plenty of time to edit, but not if you keep stalling on writing that first draft. Alas, it hasn’t sunk in yet. One day.
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Spilling something on my chromebook is one of my greatest fears (I can be clumsy and messy). Thankfully that hasn’t happened yet.
I have the same problem of suckage too. I want to write my manuscript perfectly and ready to publish in one sitting. That’s not possible and I’m realizing that. But every once in awhile I slip up and my writing halts because of it. At least I’m getting better (somewhat).
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My kids haven’t ruined my computer, yet, but my cat loves the warmth of the keyboard and will sit on it, leaving a long trail of jjjjjjjjjjkdlsl……… in the middle of my current manuscript. Maybe she is just trying to type her meowmoir?
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Lol, meowmoir.
My youngest have done that too. Would come and lay down on my arm which will then leave a long trail of ddfsfdsfdsfsdfff. Finally got him to stop but now he takes my arm, wrap it around his shoulder and snuggle into my side. Lost count the amount of times I had to tell him I can’t type one-handed. Now he just rests on my thigh or on my shoulder.
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