Beth Ciotta's Blog
April 29, 2017
I've Moved!
In cyber sense anyway. My website has a fantastic new look and as of May 2017 that's where you'll find my 'official' blog entitled--News & Muse. A page that highlights updates and fun giveaways. Please amend your bookmarks and visit me at: https://bethciotta.com/blog/ That said, I've lived here at Blogger for many years and as such there are archived posts featuring some of the most exciting highlights of my career. Feel free to peek into my past. Then skip over to my new home for the latest!
Blessings,
Beth
April 2, 2017
Spring (and change) Is In The Air
In case anyone still checks in on this blog from time to time, you'll note a new look. This is just a taste of changes to come. For instance this blog will be obsolete. Yes, even more obsolete than it's been for the last year (or more). I'm moving to a new cyber home in the near future. That said there are years and years worth of posts and memories on this blog so I'll leave it active. If you happen to land here, feel free to skim my history. Updates on my moving status coming soon!December 31, 2016
Happy New Year!
Wishing everyone a year brimming with good health, good fortune, and joy!
November 23, 2016
Happy Thanksgiving!
I don't anticipate being on line much over the next couple of days, so I wanted to take this moment to wish you and yours a holiday packed with love and joy and, of course, yummilishis (my word!) food! Counting my blessings...and you are among them!
November 4, 2016
The Reality of it All
The fourth day of NaNoWriMo and here's what I'm learning.
*I won't come close to 50k in one month. *I'm most productive when I can start writing in the morning and continue throughout the day. All day.*I'm least productive on the days I have to work the day gig. I can write a little before, but not after. My focus and creativity is close to shot.*I cannot fully fly into the mist. I need to research aspects to root me in the reality of my tale.*I freewrite/freethink better on FB then I do on my blog. (But that's another story.)*The good news is, via research I had a break through today. Behold the visual proof.
*I won't come close to 50k in one month. *I'm most productive when I can start writing in the morning and continue throughout the day. All day.*I'm least productive on the days I have to work the day gig. I can write a little before, but not after. My focus and creativity is close to shot.*I cannot fully fly into the mist. I need to research aspects to root me in the reality of my tale.*I freewrite/freethink better on FB then I do on my blog. (But that's another story.)*The good news is, via research I had a break through today. Behold the visual proof.
November 1, 2016
So it begins...
November 1. Launch day of NaNoWriMo. (National Novel Writing Month). And so it begins.
I had the advantage of a full writing day so I took full advantage, dedicating a good portion of my time to writing for speed, not perfection. I did better than I thought I would, although I had to work hard and not nit pick and embellish what I knew could be better.
Mostly I succeeded. Mostly. I can always go back and embellish later, right? Right. The purpose of NanoWriMo, as I understand it, is to ignore your inner editor, to fly into the mist with the goal of writing an entire novel in one month. Or at least the bare bones first draft of a novel. In the words of the most awesome Nora Roberts: You can fix anything but a blank page.
I get the concept. And, after day one of NanoWriMo, I also get why it's easier to attempt this challenge with a clean slate. A completely new story instead of a work in progress. Rebel that I apparently am, I bucked advice and went with a WIP. Here's what I learned.
Due to advance assessment, I tweaked the first six chapters of this WIP before NANO launch day. (I had eight chapters written) Those tweaks prompted ditching chapter seven and writing a whole new chapter (that coincided with today). That chapter, previously only partially written, was easily discarded and the new chap flowed out of me with shocking speed. Chapter Eight however was, for the most part, good to go. It just needed revising in order to be in line with other changes. Revising a previously written chapter was far harder than writing a spanking NEW chapter. And much, much more time consuming.
Hence why I now understand why being a NanoWriMo Rebel may not be as glamorous as it sounds. Regardless...
I'm thrilled with my output today. Not perfect, but progress. Writing time for the rest of this week is hindered by the day gig, BUT from here on out I'll be writing from scratch. Curious as to how that will go.
#NaNoWriMo
I had the advantage of a full writing day so I took full advantage, dedicating a good portion of my time to writing for speed, not perfection. I did better than I thought I would, although I had to work hard and not nit pick and embellish what I knew could be better.
Mostly I succeeded. Mostly. I can always go back and embellish later, right? Right. The purpose of NanoWriMo, as I understand it, is to ignore your inner editor, to fly into the mist with the goal of writing an entire novel in one month. Or at least the bare bones first draft of a novel. In the words of the most awesome Nora Roberts: You can fix anything but a blank page.
I get the concept. And, after day one of NanoWriMo, I also get why it's easier to attempt this challenge with a clean slate. A completely new story instead of a work in progress. Rebel that I apparently am, I bucked advice and went with a WIP. Here's what I learned.
Due to advance assessment, I tweaked the first six chapters of this WIP before NANO launch day. (I had eight chapters written) Those tweaks prompted ditching chapter seven and writing a whole new chapter (that coincided with today). That chapter, previously only partially written, was easily discarded and the new chap flowed out of me with shocking speed. Chapter Eight however was, for the most part, good to go. It just needed revising in order to be in line with other changes. Revising a previously written chapter was far harder than writing a spanking NEW chapter. And much, much more time consuming.
Hence why I now understand why being a NanoWriMo Rebel may not be as glamorous as it sounds. Regardless...
I'm thrilled with my output today. Not perfect, but progress. Writing time for the rest of this week is hindered by the day gig, BUT from here on out I'll be writing from scratch. Curious as to how that will go.
#NaNoWriMo
October 30, 2016
Enchanting Inspiration
Throughout my life, cinematic films have had an immense impact on my imagination, creativity, and professional pursuits. Even more so than books. Did she actually say that? Yes, I did. Shocking perhaps (considering I write novels instead of screenplays), but true. Movies, of most all genres and years, have inspired me to sing, dance, act, and write. They sparked my obsession with romance, history, and the supernatural. All of which play into my writing in some form or fashion.
Most recently three upcoming films (in particular) have me all a tingle. I was entranced by the trailers and I cannot wait to see them. I know without a doubt that I will leave the theater enchanted and inspired. I'll share a visual teaser as well as the trailer. Let me know what you think. And if you have more recs, do share!
La La Land
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Rules Don't Apply
Most recently three upcoming films (in particular) have me all a tingle. I was entranced by the trailers and I cannot wait to see them. I know without a doubt that I will leave the theater enchanted and inspired. I'll share a visual teaser as well as the trailer. Let me know what you think. And if you have more recs, do share!
La La Land
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Rules Don't Apply
October 29, 2016
Digging Deeper, Going Darker
I've lost count of the times I've tweaked and revised the first sixty pages of NO PLACE LIKE NOWHERE. These revisions have taken place over the course of several months. Yeah, months. I've had to stop and start this project time and again for various reasons. The stilted momentum entailed me having to go back to the beginning, to reread and reconnect (multiple times). I can't move forward with a story unless everything I've written thus far 'clicks' in my mind. It's a feeling. A part of my natural process that I've never been able to circumvent. Interesting because that's exactly what I'll have to do once I take this project to NANO on November 1. (Read yesterday's post if you're unfamiliar with NANO.)
Part of the problem stems from this being the fourth story in a series. A series with recurring characters, connected subplots, and an overall series arc. Weaving in back story without bogging down pacing is a challenge. Since I generally write heavily connected trilogies/series, I've been here before, but (dang it!) this aspect never gets easier. Let's just say I'm looking forward to writing a stand-alone story in the very near future! That said, this complication was not the whole of the problem.
I'm happy to say that from the get-go, for the most part, I liked everything I had on the page. So every time I made tweaks and revisions they were relatively small. Still... Something was off. Something that wouldn't allow me to write ahead. For the longest time, I blamed the plot. I did not write an extensive outline, but I have several scenes and turning points firmly in mind. I can envision how the ending plays out as well. But I couldn't get past where I was to get TO any of those envisioned scenes.
As of yesterday, while I was tweaking in those first 60 pages yet again, I realized that all the revising I'd been doing had to do with the two main characters--Emma and Zeke. The tweaking involved digging deeper which led to going darker. The problem wasn't connected to the plot (although this epiphany may extend to a renewed vision), it was rooted in characterization and tone. In a nutshell, I was trying to force a lighter story when NO PLACE LIKE NOWHERE is in fact a very emotional story. I don't know why it took me so long to figure that out. But the tweaks I'm making now are generating one after another 'click'. Instead of thinking it to death, I'm going to go with my gut and by the time I get to page 60...just in time for NANO...I'll be ready to FLY into the mist.
Part of the problem stems from this being the fourth story in a series. A series with recurring characters, connected subplots, and an overall series arc. Weaving in back story without bogging down pacing is a challenge. Since I generally write heavily connected trilogies/series, I've been here before, but (dang it!) this aspect never gets easier. Let's just say I'm looking forward to writing a stand-alone story in the very near future! That said, this complication was not the whole of the problem.
I'm happy to say that from the get-go, for the most part, I liked everything I had on the page. So every time I made tweaks and revisions they were relatively small. Still... Something was off. Something that wouldn't allow me to write ahead. For the longest time, I blamed the plot. I did not write an extensive outline, but I have several scenes and turning points firmly in mind. I can envision how the ending plays out as well. But I couldn't get past where I was to get TO any of those envisioned scenes.
As of yesterday, while I was tweaking in those first 60 pages yet again, I realized that all the revising I'd been doing had to do with the two main characters--Emma and Zeke. The tweaking involved digging deeper which led to going darker. The problem wasn't connected to the plot (although this epiphany may extend to a renewed vision), it was rooted in characterization and tone. In a nutshell, I was trying to force a lighter story when NO PLACE LIKE NOWHERE is in fact a very emotional story. I don't know why it took me so long to figure that out. But the tweaks I'm making now are generating one after another 'click'. Instead of thinking it to death, I'm going to go with my gut and by the time I get to page 60...just in time for NANO...I'll be ready to FLY into the mist.
October 28, 2016
Writing for the Joy of It
I so rarely blog. So rarely, that I can't imagine anyone comes here anymore. I'm most probably talking to myself right now. But that's okay. This is more for me anyway. A place to free-think/write as I explores new worlds over the next couple of months. I've decided to shake up my writing routine in order to increase my productivity and joy. Here's a couple of opportunities I'll be exploring.
1) This blog. A place to pour words onto a page. Any words at all. Words that may or may not be connected to a novel or novella in progress. Just a way to flex my free thinking writing muscles in a place other than Twitter or Facebook. Not that I'm deserting FB (my fave place to socialize), but this blog gives me more room to ramble.
2) NANO. Which stands for National Novel Writing Month. Here's the description per their website.
National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to creative writing. On November 1, participants begin working towards the goal of writing a 50,000-word novel by 11:59 PM on November 30.
I won't go into details regarding this organized event. If your interested hop over to their website for a look-see. I'll just say that it's something I've never done before and it's a little out of my comfort zone, but I'm going to try it for that exact reason. Something different to shake up what is beginning to feel like a rut. Although NANO suggests you focus on a brand new story, I'm going to use it to explore a work in progress, a novel readers are waiting for. A story that I'm having a difficult time with because I'm thinking too hard and the inner critic is wreaking havoc. Since NANO is based on celebrating word count, I'm hoping I'll rise to the challenge of just spewing from my heart and gut... flying by the seat of my pants like I used to do when I first started... which was a whole lot of fun. I uploaded a NANO word count widget in the left column. Maybe that visual graph will help to spur me on. We'll see.
Speaking of visuals, I'm also going to create and share visual teasers as I progress. Inspiration for me. Proof for you... that magic is in the making. Behold Teaser #1.
I have some other things in mind when it comes to exploring new worlds, but I'm not ready to 'commit' just yet. I'm starting small--This Blog and NANO for November. If I can stay true to both that will be a huge accomplishment. Huge. :)
1) This blog. A place to pour words onto a page. Any words at all. Words that may or may not be connected to a novel or novella in progress. Just a way to flex my free thinking writing muscles in a place other than Twitter or Facebook. Not that I'm deserting FB (my fave place to socialize), but this blog gives me more room to ramble.
2) NANO. Which stands for National Novel Writing Month. Here's the description per their website.
National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to creative writing. On November 1, participants begin working towards the goal of writing a 50,000-word novel by 11:59 PM on November 30.
I won't go into details regarding this organized event. If your interested hop over to their website for a look-see. I'll just say that it's something I've never done before and it's a little out of my comfort zone, but I'm going to try it for that exact reason. Something different to shake up what is beginning to feel like a rut. Although NANO suggests you focus on a brand new story, I'm going to use it to explore a work in progress, a novel readers are waiting for. A story that I'm having a difficult time with because I'm thinking too hard and the inner critic is wreaking havoc. Since NANO is based on celebrating word count, I'm hoping I'll rise to the challenge of just spewing from my heart and gut... flying by the seat of my pants like I used to do when I first started... which was a whole lot of fun. I uploaded a NANO word count widget in the left column. Maybe that visual graph will help to spur me on. We'll see.
Speaking of visuals, I'm also going to create and share visual teasers as I progress. Inspiration for me. Proof for you... that magic is in the making. Behold Teaser #1.
I have some other things in mind when it comes to exploring new worlds, but I'm not ready to 'commit' just yet. I'm starting small--This Blog and NANO for November. If I can stay true to both that will be a huge accomplishment. Huge. :)
October 12, 2016
Mega-Big HAPPY News!
I've devoted most of this year to exploring new worlds, specifically pertaining to my writing. I have a few irons in the fire, but one of them is a definite and yesterday I got the official okay to shout the news to the world. So here I am—shouting and happy dancing like a loon.
I’m thrilled to announce that I’m collaborating with James Patterson (Yes, you read that right. Bestselling author JAMES PATTERSON!) and his Bookshots team to write a story for Bookshots Flames!
The working title of this romantic women's fic endeavor is THE WEEKEND WIFE and… I’ll share details as soon as I can. Just know that I am over the moon excited about this fast-paced, emotional tale and this very special opportunity.
A shout out to my agent, Amy Moore-Benson, and my editor, Laura Fazio, for their tremendous support. And, of course, to James Patterson for the challenge and thrill. Somebody pinch me!
I’m thrilled to announce that I’m collaborating with James Patterson (Yes, you read that right. Bestselling author JAMES PATTERSON!) and his Bookshots team to write a story for Bookshots Flames!
The working title of this romantic women's fic endeavor is THE WEEKEND WIFE and… I’ll share details as soon as I can. Just know that I am over the moon excited about this fast-paced, emotional tale and this very special opportunity.
A shout out to my agent, Amy Moore-Benson, and my editor, Laura Fazio, for their tremendous support. And, of course, to James Patterson for the challenge and thrill. Somebody pinch me!
