Lights, camera... read!

Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments, you can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic.

This Week's Topic:
We'd like to know, in your opinion, what is it that makes some books seem ideal for a film translation?

This is interesting. When I write I generally 'see' the scenes playing out as a movie in my mind, but my WIP had a beta reader commenting 'I could see this being one of those movies where everything happens on one amazing weekend'. When interrogated... i mean, questioned, he didn't know whether it was different writing or what.

For me, it's a combination. i would consider something that paints a vivid picture in my mind. it needs a good pace and a great hook to make a good movie poster.

A cute hero and kissing is nice too!!
=)
What do you think?

meandering me

Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments, you can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic.

This Week's Topic:
Are you doing NaNoWriMo, or have you ever? Does having a deadline inspire you?


I am a complete deadline fangirl*. If I don't force some kind of goal I tend to meander about and not get anywhere pretty much.

I love the pressure and the words mounting up. Seeing the story evolve fast is all sorts of rush. But it's also HARD. and hard is, well, hard.

Cos November is all things summer and outdoors here the RWAus run a 50k in 30days in June where we can all sit inside in the cold and write. i completed that for the first time this year. Usually I'm more of a 44k in a month as my upper limit.

What about you?




*Note I might change my tune if/when I have someone else's deadlines to work to.

Full of awesome

Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments, you can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic.

This Week's Topic: What do you hope to be writing in one year? Three? Five?

 

I can actually answer this one pretty easy... Something AWESOME!

Definition of awesome - so good it needs to be read on a swing.

 

 

It's maybe simplistic but it's true. In a perfect world there will be agents and editors and readers finding it full of awesome but the first person I need to wow is myself. Because to slog through the months of writing I need to be convinced it's great. I need to love the character and hate the character and bleed on the page for them. Or why waste my time?

 

What about you?

 

 

Some magic required

Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments, you can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic.





This Week's Topic:
What was the best book you read in September?

I read a few books this month, as usual, and they were all pretty good. But the things that sticks in my mind most wasn't something i read but was read to me.

Last Tuesday i had one of those sweat-inducing days where my computer decided to

WIPE EVERYTHING OFF ITS HARD DRIVE!

I didn't breathe all day. What had I backed up? What had I missed? Stories? Pics? Important emails? yeah, so I wasn't a pleasant person to be around while I waited for hubby aka Computer Nerd to get home.

All this while entertaining my mil who was staying and prepping for my 7yo's 4th ear operation Wednesday. it wasn't something easily fixed and we had to leave it while we went with princess to the hospital.

I couldn't read. I couldn't focus for worrying. But then while we waited - for hours - Princess read to me. She's a really good reader and a really passionate one. I met the lovely Amanda Ashby at a RWAus conference and she signed the first 2 books in her Sophie's Mixed Up Magic series to my girl. And it made all the difference for Princess to persist with a book that she had to work hard to read.

So i sat in the hospital and listened to Princess read Wishful Thinking and was able to relax for a while. I really enjoyed the story. It was my definite fave book in September and I'd recommend it to any lovers of fun MG.

And for a happy ending, Princess can hear again and is reading Book 2 and Computer Nerd saved everything like a true hero.

What was your fave book in September?

Don't go changing...

Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments, you can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic.





This Week's Topic:
What word processing program do you use to write you manuscript, and can you share one handy trick you’ve learned in that program that has helped you while you write?

Okay, this is one road trip i plan to follow with interest. because I am back in the old word dark ages. i see people using interesting programs but the thought of change...

*shudders*

The best trick is more about critting and it's not anything spectacular, but the track changes function is awesome. It's helped me to incorporate my CPs wisdom.

Also the simple find and replace has helped when I've inadvertently aussified something (the use of some Australian slang that NOBODY will ever understand outside of a stone's throw from where I live) and can check the rest of the doc for the same thing.

But I know other programs do even more. So tell me, what do you use and why?

Lucky me

Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments, you can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic.





This Week's Topic:
Back to school time! What's your favorite book that you had to read for a class?

Love this topic. Have to say I devoured anything I was set at school. Didn't love it all but I'm a fast reader and just inhaled anything i was given. However the two I really, really enjoyed (don't get me wrong i really liked others so no disrespect) were by local Aussie writers.

The first... Tomorrow When The War Began by John Marsden. We had to read the first and I read the whole series. I've seen the movie and I think it was great. however after chatting on an earlier blog I appreciate that such real violence might not be appropriate in every school. our time/school was pretty fortunate and it was a wonderful book.

The second is now one of my fave authors... Looking For Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta. How lucky to have such a great author to read cos I had to. It's not my fave of hers but I really liked it!

What about you?

Conference reads

This is a RWAus conference and a RTW post combined.


Because I actually read both my fave books for this month while travellling. It's amazing for me to have hours and hours and hours to read without interruption (unless you count bouts of nervous nausea for my pitch appointments). This year's conference was on the sunny (compared to icy Sth Australia) Gold Coast in the funkiest of hotels, QT.


The whirlwind weekend included meeting brilliant people, old friends and learning so much my brain hurt. The cocktail party on the Friday night let me get my Grease on:



With Pink Ladies Rach Johns (Aussie Mira author) and Jackie (Entangled and Samhain author).

The workshops were amazing (am still processing) and the awards dinner was inspirational. Kind of like the early morning view. What made me think a 7am breakki Sunday was a good idea? But even only 3h sleep Eloisa James was worth listening to although I've never read Historical Romance.

Was a brilliant time but I was also really happy to get back home to the family!
Anyway, that brings me to the two best books I read this month:



Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments, you can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic.





This Week's Topic:
What was your best book for August?


This is no particular order....

On the way to the conference I read Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry. And... wow. These two people were so full of pain and so strong. i laughed, i sobbed. i sobbed more... I was thankful my eyeliner stayed more or less in place (am not used to dressing up and these days). It was one of the best books i've read in ages... but there was more to come...


And on the way home i read First Comes Love by Katie Kacvinsky which didn't make me cry... as much... (i'm not usually so weepy, honest) but I loved for the fact it really seemed like it was HIS story more than hers despite them being told in alternate POV. Was really interesting.




What about you? What did you like in August?

=)