Ink Rally archive

The rally rockers of Ink Rally 2012 have officially reached the finish line, brain, heart, and typing fingers still mostly intact! Their mighty deeds will be passed down from film company to film company, enchanting future generations with their courage, wit, and high speed car chases—and they’ve got the medals to prove it.

Our goals | week 1 | week 2 | week 3 | week 4 | week 5

Allison : @echodrift

Week 6:
Photo organization: I now have 3 years worth of photos in my Lightroom catalogs and have started tagging and deleting duds. Finally catching up after getting a new computer 2 years ago.
Blogged: once. I really struggled with this goal because…(reasons)

Goal tally:

1. November photo project: completed!
2. Blog 2-3 times per week: not met, with only 6 posts over 5 weeks.
3. Organizing photos: have a good start on this so just need to keep the momentum.
4. Organizing my office: mostly met. I just have too much stuff and not enough storage.
5. Photo book for my aunt: completed, ordered, and delivered!

Angela : @angelacervantes

One book away from my 2012 book-reading goal and I’m mid way through it. Revising the 10,000 words on second novel to send to my agent by Dec. 24th deadline. Drafted a synopisis for next novel as well. Rescheduled photo session. Pen jar is amazing. Life is good. Take that, cyclops!

Connie : @ConnieBDowell

I’m not anywhere close to my ridiculously ambitious goal. (This is my first attempt writing a mystery and I needed much more plotting than I thought.) I do have several good chapters, a lot of research, and a well developed plan to tackle during my holiday break. I’ll be happily writing through Christmas and New Year’s.

Helen : @BillyElm

Completed goal (15,000 words of Last of the Marogs) I set myself for #inkrally12.

My goal beyond Ink Rally 12 is to finish the first draft of ‘The Last of the Marogs’ by end of March 2013, and to finish edits by end of June, so I can enter it for the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission’s Creative Writing Contest 2013. I also need to keep up with my blog posts, but the story will take precedence. By last week, which I thought was the deadline, I’d reached my Ink Rally goal to finish chapter 2 and write 2 more chapters. Since then, one more chapter is finished, achieved by avoiding Facebook and Twitter. A little dog of mine has wormed her way into my story, so Delroy will get the dog he always wanted, and I have some rewriting to do!

Kelly : @KellyBar

Okay, so goal one was to finish the WIP, which I knew was a huge goal so not reaching it is not surprising. I did make significant progress on it though so yay for ink rally getting me moving!

Goal two was met. Short story “Collapse” is revised and sent out. The waiting game begins.

Lisha : @lishacauthen

When I was a Cub Scout/Girl Scout leader orchestrating weekly meetings for 30 8-year-olds, I learned that plans were merely a framework and goals were a moving target.

For the Ink Rally, I listed everything I could possibly get to in the time allotted. I didn’t get to many of them. I did manage to post pretty much every week on my blogs, which is spiffy. And I am following up on several submissions at this moment, in fact.

But the biggest goal on my list was finishing my WIP second draft. I thought I had three chapters left, but the main character had some time to ruminate, and then when he had this confrontation with another character? Well. Turns out there are a few more layers to the story. So six chapters later, I am NOW three chapters from the end. I think.

And there was this unexpected opportunity to grab a server for next to nothing on cybermonday, so I’ve been trying to get my new website running. That’s a goal I hadn’t counted on that’s become a top priority, as I’ve got my .com name pointed at something kind of hideous looking.

I have loved this exercise and am so proud of everybody, and I appreciate the incredible work and good spirits Tessa has infused into my writing life this past 6 weeks. Ink Rally has helped me tremendously and I TREASURE this medal and am honored to wear it. IN FACT I will wear it to Panera’s the next time I go. AND THAT IS A PROMISE.

Pam : @PamelaKWitte

First, thanks to everyone who sent snow vibes my way. It snowed last night and I should start teaching on the mountain Friday!

On a Rally note, I’m rocking through my final tweaks of my WIP, and having a blast. I got my first rejection of my MG adventure today and it was as awesome as rejections get (agent said I was a talented writer and would like to see my other work)! Groovy.

I still haven’t cleaned my office, but oh well.

I’m happily rocking an amazing Ink Rally medal (see blurry phone photo) and am proud of all participants!

I especially thank Tessa for all her work and encouragement. This is as much phone typing as my index finger can take. Joy to all!

Rebecca : @rlbelliston

My WIP is finished!!! I’m just doing the final edits. It feels awesome to be at this point. I’m sending it to a few last readers before it’s off to the publisher. Yay!

As for my other WIP, it took a backseat while I finished this one up. I only queried a few agents the last six weeks. Now that I’m done with Augustina, I’ll be hitting that one hard next.

Sarah : @sbelliston

I finished my one and only goal. Yippee!

In spite of a computer crash, a child leaving preschool, many doctor’s appointments for the babe in my belly, and general holiday craziness. I started at 61K and ended at 89K, not only editing plot points but adding 28K in the process. It’s not pretty, it’s not nearly finished, but it’s in one piece and off at a (hopefully kind) CP.

Tessa : @tessaelwood

Made four out of five! Not too shabby.

1. Finish WIP1 revisions

Hells yes! So this grew on me. Ideas spawned other ideas until there were whole damn hordes. Not that I mind—I can also use more minions.

2. Make inroads into WIP2

Hahahaha um, no. Not to mention I have no idea which of the three stories floating around on my computer will turn into WIP2. Have new ideas for two of them though, once I get that far.

3. Tend the poemtrees with @rina_bell in Deciduus

Mostly. I’m behind with the last poem! It’s drafted but as yet un-posted.

4. Complete November photo project with @echodrift

Really pushed me to think and shoot, when all I’d have done otherwise is work & revise.

5. Work up to half marathon milage by the week of 12/3

Yesssssss. Clocked out at 15 miles, almost 2 miles over half distance. On track with my full training, logging 175 miles for the rally. Oh yeah.

Vivian : @VLeeMahoney

Rewrite to the First 5 pages workshop! Revising is slow, but I’m making progress one chapter at a time.

Home stretch! Our projects are coming together nicely, even with the sometimes necessary two steps back. Life’s picking up with the holidays, but our rallyers are bound and determined to stay the course and show those goals who’s boss.

Our goals | week 1 | week 2 | week 3 | week 4

Allison : @echodrift

Finished out the November photo project with @tessaelwood
Completely failed at blogging this week with 0 posts. Oh well.
Made a tiny dent in tagging and further organizing my photos. Still tons to do on that!

Angela : @angelacervantes

My herculean efforts (week 4): Up to 10,000 words on second novel. Photos taken. Pen jar is useful again. No progress on website; although I think about it a lot. Almost done with book I’m reading. Have identified the next book I’ll read to meet my 2012 goal.

Ann : anningalls.com

Herculean acts of productivity! she says. Well, hardly, but I am trying.

Connie : @ConnieBDowell

My progress: nearly a chapter, not bad for being so close to finals.

Deb : debramcarthur.com

Ended NaNoWriMo with a “half WriMo,” 25,000 words. Stalled out on new chapter #22, but made a fact-finding trip to MO Town 1855 for more blacksmith details and other horse info. Now I’m ready to get going again!

Janet : @MsVerbose

So my goals. I have been researching science books for my revisions, and still thinking about the next BIG IDEA. So nothing exactly to SHOW for my work, but I’m slowly moving forward.

Jenn : @JennBailey

House clean and food made for party! W00T!
Scrivener App researched and Scrivener tutorials watched in anticipation of Newest Novel WIP
PB edited and sent to Agent along with request for planning meeting

How’s Them Apples!

Kelly : @KellyBar

My short story, “Collapse,” is out in the world. The submission process has begun.

Lotsa kids have fears they’ll walk in on an intimate moment between their parents. I never had to worry about that. I was convinced Pop touched Ma only twice. Once to have me. Once to have my brother. Pop never held her hand. Never hugged her. The only thing he ever said, “I love you” to, was her meals. So the first time Jimmy touched me I thought he musta loved me like you see in movies.

I rewrote a scene in the WIP (“Fault”) that is an emotional turning point in the story.

I rear back as soon as I realize what I’m seeing. That the body of a woman, a person, a human being is lying in front of me and her fingers are stained with the red of her blood, and the red of the stains on Ry-Ann’s shirt and the stains of tears and disappointment and loss, all crashing like waves against the dead body of this woman, this mother, my mother, everyone’s mother, no one’s mother. It’s then that I realize she isn’t alone because a boy, small and wide-eyed, sits beside his mother’s body and holds her hand between his two smaller ones.

Lisha : @lishacauthen

Two more chapters finished—the closer I get to the climax, the more layers I discover. Rather than hurry the end, which I did in the very first MS I ever wrote, I will patiently work through this draft and uncover all the goodies it has to offer.

Pam : @PamelaKWitte

Life is getting hectic, as it usually does this year, but I’m determined to keep my focus!

New work on my finished YA novel (does new work make it a WIP again..?) has begun. Just that tweaking of sentence structure and dialog here and there that always tightens things up. I figure if I get through 4-5 chapters a week, I should be ready to ring in the New Year with a polished ms. I know I’ll get sidetracked with the holidays, but I’m sticky with stick-to-itiveness!

Blogging is going well. My I & A Gate Crashers’ blog is ready to go up next week. Let me give you a hint… What do authors want for Christmas?

Also, next week a Surprise Author interview is going up with a cool giveaway, so stay tuned and be sure to leave comments!
I’m happy to see other Ink Rally participants sticking to their goals and working hard. I’m especially impressed with all Tessa’s running! In a Santa hat even. You go girl!

Happy writing & keep on rocking!

Rebecca : @rlbelliston

My WIP has crossed the 100k threshold. It’s around 107k right now, which means the second I’m done writing, I’ll be cutting. Gotta love being an author.

Sarah : @sbelliston

I’m at 81K so I did 20K in the last week. Which is more than what I said I had left the last time. I have 5k left of what’s already written and still a little more to add. But I’m on track to be done. So HOORAY!

Tessa : @tessaelwood

Made goals 4 & 5! Completed the photo project with @echodrift, and ran 14 miles on Monday! Which is a half marathon and change. Came home wanting to die, but soldiered on to clock in another 140 odd pages (can’t remember where I left off from last week’s count) on WIP1. Am very, very close to being done—after I go back to re-edit some things.

Logged 40 miles for the week (amazing how long runs add up), and sported my ugly sweaterness in the local 5k (which was actually only 2.3 miles, but who’s counting?). Am a bit behind @rina_bell with poems but fully intend to catch up. Soon. Hopefully.

Vivian : @VLeeMahoney

Basement is still under wraps. Even though I’m getting closer to have a working space, it’s messier than ever with all the books, boxes, and IKEA parts that need to be assembled. Wish me luck.

As for writing? I’ve revised a few more chapters. I also submitted my first five pages to the 1st 5 Pages December Workshop – Mahoney. Hopefully, this will push me to complete this project.

We baked, lounged, hooked up with family, and plotted to take over the world our stories over slabs of pie. But even with all the sugar floating around and Uncle Eddie’s ever hilarious story involving jalapeños, Gramps, and a busted Shop-Vac, our dedicated rallyers still found time to rally on—energized, no doubt, by the quite accidental connection of Uncle Eddie’s head with a surprisingly haunted broom handle that acted entirely of its own accord. (There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio dear. Please pass the gravy.)

Our goals | week 1 | week 2 | week 3

Allison : @echodrift

It’s a light update due to holiday travel.
Photo project with @tessaelwood kept up with.
Squeaked by with two blog entries.
And not really a goal met but photo book was delivered and adored.

Angela : @angelacervantes

Checked out two author websites and noted what I liked about them. I made an appointment with a photographer for a photo for my book and (hopefully) my future website. Disposed two non-functioning pens from my crowded pen jar. Made progress on reading goal. Wrote a new chapter for 2nd MG novel, revised my first four chapters and sent chapters (on time!) to the FireHouse Five.

Ann : anningalls.com

Not much progress on the novel but found these tips on Writing and Illustrating, the NJ SCBWI site.

Connie : @ConnieBDowell

Due to the holiday my progress is all research. On the way to my parents’ house I was able to make an important research trip and got a lot of great stuff answering some questions essential not only to this manuscript, but to later books in the series.

Deb : debramcarthur.com

The holiday, with required family travel, slowed me down a bit. I’m lagging on my chapter-a-day goal, but confident I can catch up over the next few days. I realized this week that I have more than doubled the length of my WIP since the first of the month, and that is amazing! And I’ve also figured out the main theme and resolution, so now I’m eager to ride it to the end!

Helen : @BillyElm

This week, I’ve only got as far as one third the way through chapter 6 of Last of the Marogs. I made a new blog post a priority and duly posted “To Beat or not to Beat – Part 2 in the Home cont.”

Corporal punishment is accepted, even thought to be necessary in the Jamaican culture. It’s not often acknowledged that the aggressive behaviour of some children be as a result of power assertion by parents. This post explains why corporal punishment is often ineffective and suggested alternatives for the 4 – 12 age group. Included in the alternatives is the power of reading to young children and older ones reading on their own.

Janet : @MsVerbose

I have been brainstorming for new ideas for the next book, but nothing solid yet. AND I’m a mere 13 pages from finishing reading for a friend *wink-nudge*.

I also ate lots of turkey and stuffing and spent time with family that came out to visit. That should count, right?

Lisha : @lishacauthen

Sometimes, we are a little optimistic.

So it’s time to regroup and reprioritize.

With one week left I have looked at my list of goals and decided that the two most important things I want to accomplish on this list are:

1. Keeping up the blogging schedule.
2. Finishing the second draft of my WIP.

So I will do these things.

Pam : @PamelaKWitte

Mother Nature is conspiring against me and encouraging me at the same time. If that isn’t a strange statement, I don’t know what is. But it’s totally true. As a ski instructor all I want is SNOW, enough to open our mountain and get to work! But no snow also means I’m being more productive as a writer than I expected to be this close to December and ski season.

That means I’m accomplishing my goals. And then some!

Read finished WIP and formulate list/plans for tweaking. Done.
Flesh out query letter for finished WIP. Done.
Begin synopsis/outline for WIP. Done.

And to top it off, I’ve got most of my Christmas shopping done and wrapped!

Blog? Did you see the awesome interview with Miriam Forster? If not check it out!

And…My Happy Holiday blog is almost done. Hurray!

Happy Ink Rally Two everyone. Keep on rocking your goals.

Now please, do a snow dance and aim it at Ski Apache, New Mexico!

Sarah : @sbelliston

I’m at 61.5K, so I did 10K in edits last week. Though half the week was wasted with the holiday. I only have about 18K left, which sounds doable, but involves rewriting the climax, so….

Tessa : @tessaelwood

Got through another 40 pages, which is less than last week but somehow feels like more. Maybe because of where I’m at? The hurdles jumped? Who knows. Also read an amaaaaaazing ms from a critique partner, several quotes from which I want tattooed on my arm. Cannot. Stop. Laughing.

On the running side: logged 22.7 miles, a 5k, and shaved a little over a minute off my best 10k time during a training run. Wasn’t even supposed to be at pace. Go figure. Long run wore me out today, but was worth it as always.

No poems with @rina_bell (I think she’s ignoring me :p), and missed a day with @echodrift (Thanksgiving).

Vivian : @VLeeMahoney

Slow week writing wise. Instead, I’ve been working on creating an awesome basement work area/kids’ hangout area. First off, is a work area. This is what I’ve been drooling over…

Too bad it’s not in the budget. Hope to have a working area before and after pics for next week.

We baked, lounged, hooked up with family, and plotted to take over the world our stories over slabs of pie. But even with all the sugar floating around and Uncle Eddie’s ever hilarious story involving jalapeños, Gramps, and a busted Shop-Vac, our dedicated rallyers still found time to rally on—energized, no doubt, by the quite accidental connection of Uncle Eddie’s head with a surprisingly haunted broom handle that acted entirely of its own accord. (There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio dear. Please pass the gravy.)

Our goals | week 1 | week 2 | week 3

Allison : @echodrift

It’s a light update due to holiday travel.
Photo project with @tessaelwood kept up with.
Squeaked by with two blog entries.
And not really a goal met but photo book was delivered and adored.

Angela : @angelacervantes

Checked out two author websites and noted what I liked about them. I made an appointment with a photographer for a photo for my book and (hopefully) my future website. Disposed two non-functioning pens from my crowded pen jar. Made progress on reading goal. Wrote a new chapter for 2nd MG novel, revised my first four chapters and sent chapters (on time!) to the FireHouse Five.

Ann : anningalls.com

Not much progress on the novel but found these tips on Writing and Illustrating, the NJ SCBWI site.

Connie : @ConnieBDowell

Due to the holiday my progress is all research. On the way to my parents’ house I was able to make an important research trip and got a lot of great stuff answering some questions essential not only to this manuscript, but to later books in the series.

Deb : debramcarthur.com

The holiday, with required family travel, slowed me down a bit. I’m lagging on my chapter-a-day goal, but confident I can catch up over the next few days. I realized this week that I have more than doubled the length of my WIP since the first of the month, and that is amazing! And I’ve also figured out the main theme and resolution, so now I’m eager to ride it to the end!

Heather : @HTBeers

My progress has been slow since we were out of town Wednesday through Sunday last week (with 27 of those hours spent with our butts glued to our car seats as we drove roundtrip 15oo miles to Alabama and back). I DID, however, rewrite the opening of my essay and jotted more changes which I will incorporate this week!

Helen : @BillyElm

This week, I’ve only got as far as one third the way through chapter 6 of Last of the Marogs. I made a new blog post a priority and duly posted “To Beat or not to Beat – Part 2 in the Home cont.”

Corporal punishment is accepted, even thought to be necessary in the Jamaican culture. It’s not often acknowledged that the aggressive behaviour of some children be as a result of power assertion by parents. This post explains why corporal punishment is often ineffective and suggested alternatives for the 4 – 12 age group. Included in the alternatives is the power of reading to young children and older ones reading on their own.

Janet : @MsVerbose

I have been brainstorming for new ideas for the next book, but nothing solid yet. AND I’m a mere 13 pages from finishing reading for a friend *wink-nudge*.

I also ate lots of turkey and stuffing and spent time with family that came out to visit. That should count, right?

Kelly : @KellyBar

3,000 words added to the earthquake WIP.

Lisha : @lishacauthen

Sometimes, we are a little optimistic.

So it’s time to regroup and reprioritize.

With one week left I have looked at my list of goals and decided that the two most important things I want to accomplish on this list are:

1. Keeping up the blogging schedule.
2. Finishing the second draft of my WIP.

So I will do these things.

Pam : @PamelaKWitte

Mother Nature is conspiring against me and encouraging me at the same time. If that isn’t a strange statement, I don’t know what is. But it’s totally true. As a ski instructor all I want is SNOW, enough to open our mountain and get to work! But no snow also means I’m being more productive as a writer than I expected to be this close to December and ski season.

That means I’m accomplishing my goals. And then some!

Read finished WIP and formulate list/plans for tweaking. Done.
Flesh out query letter for finished WIP. Done.
Begin synopsis/outline for WIP. Done.

And to top it off, I’ve got most of my Christmas shopping done and wrapped!

Blog? Did you see the awesome interview with Miriam Forster? If not check it out!

And…My Happy Holiday blog is almost done. Hurray!

Happy Ink Rally Two everyone. Keep on rocking your goals.

Now please, do a snow dance and aim it at Ski Apache, New Mexico!

Sarah : @sbelliston

I’m at 61.5K, so I did 10K in edits last week. Though half the week was wasted with the holiday. I only have about 18K left, which sounds doable, but involves rewriting the climax, so….

Tessa : @tessaelwood

Got through another 40 pages, which is less than last week but somehow feels like more. Maybe because of where I’m at? The hurdles jumped? Who knows. Also read an amaaaaaazing ms from a critique partner, several quotes from which I want tattooed on my arm. Cannot. Stop. Laughing.

On the running side: logged 22.7 miles, a 5k, and shaved a little over a minute off my best 10k time during a training run. Wasn’t even supposed to be at pace. Go figure. Long run wore me out today, but was worth it as always.

No poems with @rina_bell (I think she’s ignoring me :p), and missed a day with @echodrift (Thanksgiving).

Vivian : @VLeeMahoney

Slow week writing wise. Instead, I’ve been working on creating an awesome basement work area/kids’ hangout area. First off, is a work area. This is what I’ve been drooling over…

Too bad it’s not in the budget. Hope to have a working area before and after pics for next week.

Yep, rally people rock and they know it. Set our goals, took off running, and kept it up. (ALSO signup for the Kidlit Scoop, one of the best industry newsletters out there.) This week’s updates:

Allison : @echodrift

Blogged twice, have kept up with the photo project, photo book is 90% complete, should be finished by Wednesday.

Angela : @angelacervantes

Wrote a third chapter for my new MG novel. Confirmed an outline and synopsis deadline with agent/cheerleader. Finished reading: Count on Me-Tales about sisterhood and fierce friendships. Now I’m four books away from my 2012 goal. Anyone got any book recommendations? Still snacking while I write. Haven’t cleaned up pen jar, but I stared at it for 10 minutes yesterday.

Connie : @ConnieBDowell

I’ve got a fleshed out outline and most of a first chapter!

Deb : debramcarthur.com

I’m still digging my fingernails into the dream of NaNoWriMo, but my word count is not on goal now. I’m glad I could choose my own goal for the Ink Rally. I started on Nov. 1, with a goal of writing a chapter a day. Although I haven’t written a chapter every day, some days I’ve done two, so I’m still on target with twelve new chapters in twelve days! I can barely believe it.

Our unlucky hero and blacksmith’s apprentice, 14-year-old Sam, has snuck away from Lawrence (December 1855) in the middle of the Wakrusa War. He gets caught at the edge of town by the blacksmith:

But I don’t even see it coming when his right hand snaps out and grabs ahold of my left ear. “Head home,” he says, like I’ve got a choice, since he’s already leading the way and he’s got an iron grip on my ear. He leads me right down the middle of Massachusetts street, three blocks up to 7th, then two blocks over to Kentucky. He’s walking fast, and it’s all I can do to keep up with him so’s I can keep my ear attached. People on both sides of the street stop to watch. Some laugh, but most just stare slack-jawed as we go by. And I’m crying now, but even I don’t know if it’s the pain or the shame of being dragged down the street this way. We make it the rest of the way down Kentucky to his house before he lets go to open the door and shoves me inside.
“Sit,” he says, and I do.

Heather : @HTBeers

My office/writing room/knitting room is looking awesomer every day, and the crappy first draft of my essay is done and ready for the uncrapifying process!

Helen : @BillyElm

Halfway through new ch 3 of Last of the Marogs sequel to Delroy and Marog Princess.

Janet : @MsVerbose

So my progress is slow, but I have revised the same chapter about 3 times now (Augh!), and I have five more chapters to go through to finish before sending it to beta-readers. But these 5 need lots of work, so it’ll be slow going. I also got notes back from my agent for one more change, so I finished that too.

Jenn : @JennBailey

100 pages of MG Novel sent to Agent.
Drafted PB but still early stages.
Being hijacked by new MG Novel idea. May have to change focus.

Kelly : @KellyBar

Rough draft of cover letter for short story complete.
Plugging away on the MS. Here’s an excerpt:

“Are you alone?” I ask.
At this, her eyes finally fall from mine and cast back to the liquor store. I’m about to question whether or not she’s mute when her soft voice slides into the breeze between us.
“Mama,” she says.
I move to follow her stare but I can’t see anyone through the shattered door. From this vantage point I can only see toppled aisles with bricks and bottles littering the floor.
“Is your mama in there?”
She looks through the doorway still, clearly seeing something I can’t, and tightens the fist around the purse strap.
“Mama’s gone,” she says.

Lisha : @lishacauthen

I have FAILED to complete my WIP. Have approx 3 chapters of rewrites to go.

I will post on blog the other tonight, thereby reaching my blog post goal this week: 3

Have not followed up on queries and the like because of the work I’ve been doing on the Kidlit Scoop Newsletter. You can read about it here, and even join my cult. I MEAN SUBSCRIBE.

Rebecca : @rlbelliston

I wrote 2,000 words and queried 1 agent. Yikes! Maybe checking in isn’t such a good idea. What exactly did I get done last week? I’d like to say editing, but who knows. I hope to do A LOT better this week.

Sarah : @sbelliston

I’m at 36.5K in revisions which means I’ve done 10K in the last week. I’m adding scenes as I go, so 3K of that is BRAND NEW WORDS. The novel is borderline between contemp and fantasy, but all magic is subtle. Not a good week to start Grave Mercy. Now I want to write an awesome fight scene.

Pam : @PamelaKWitte

Revise MG adventure JET LEE DRAGON WARRIOR as soon as it comes back from editor, check!

Because my friend (who happens to be an awesome freelance editor) had some glowing things to say, (see photo) I’ve revised my goal from, “learn all about epublishing,” to write query letter and query agents, try for traditional publishing, shoot for the stars. Query letter written. It was a pain in the butt, but I did it! (See photo of me exploding with joy and relief… Okay, maybe that’s not me, exactly.)

Work on Ink & Angst posts. Now about halfway finished with November’s Thanksgiving blog!

Christmas cards? Okay, not so much. But, I did get the photos for them taken care of and ordered some address labels so I won’t have to write them all out longhand!

Progress with YA WIP? I’ve been reading the finished draft on my Kindle and will be ready to write queries soon. Hopefully.

Tessa : @tessaelwood

Ran a 10k & logged 11 miles in my long run—only 2.1 more for a half!

(me & my cheering section.)

Got through two new scenes of WIP1, but spent a couple days re-revising a past section…so maybe 18 pages total? Pleased with it though.

Wrote more poems with @rina_bell, stayed odd with @echodrift, and took part in an awesome plot party.

Vivian : @VLeeMahoney

Revisions are going S L O W L Y, but, it’s moving along. Edited first three chapters. Made a couple changes that I need to keep consistent in next section. I’m really happy with this.