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Cathy C. Hallhttps://cathychall.wordpress.com/I write, write, write. Then I rewrite, rewrite, rewrite. THEN I submit all those polished-up words out into the world and sell 'em. It's a plan that's worked pretty well.

Finding Something Friday: Off to a Conference!

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I’m in a bit of hurry this Friday, what with a SCBWI conference on my schedule! But I had to drop in and check on the October Things Baseball Giveaway. I sorta, kinda forgot when the giveaway closed and the winner was supposed to be drawn.

So I took a few minutes to read all those swell writing tips. How serendipitous! A tip or two was just what I needed to pack for the conference.

From Donna over at Donna’s Book Pub: “Sometimes you have to “play ball” with editors and agents to get published.

From Barb Hodges at God Whispers in My Ear: When we network, someone else may go to bat for us.

From Jodi (who’s doing a conference, too!): Baseball is like writing because we’re both wacky superstitious!

Which reminded me that I need my lucky boots on the trip with me. Along with Cathy-on-a-Stick, my business cards, and my courage.

Perhaps courage is what I need to find the most this Friday. When I attend big conferences, that little, shy girl who never opened her mouth all through first grade seems to grab a hold of my hand once again. But since I go to conferences to network and make new friends, speaking is required.

So, I’ll be packing my smile, my Southern charm, and a few prayers, too. And then I’ll start introducing myself.
(P.S. Since I’ll be conferencing, I’m extending comments on the Baseball Giveaway till Sunday. Drop in here this weekend for a chance to win -or maybe read the swell writing tips yourself!)

Keeping Up with National Novel Writing Month

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Last November, I wrote a Southern YA mystery of humor and haints. I didn’t exactly start out to write a Southern YA mystery of humor and haints. But that whole National Novel Writing Month thing took hold of me and wham! By the end of November, I sorta had a novel.

I say sorta, because I’ve been rewriting and editing since January. And I’m almost (if by almost we can mean 5 or 6 chapters from the new and improved ending) done. So, now I need to write the sequel. And instead of jumping in this year, flying by the seat of my pants, I actually have characters and names and places and all that fine stuff one needs when writing a novel.

All I need is a plot, a story line, a real humdinger of a starting sentence. I think if I could get that sentence, I’d be off. Which brings me to this free web application I found that you might want to keep if you’re also writing a novel this November. It’s called bubbl.us and it’s all about brainstorming. Which is sorta exactly what I need about now.

Of course, you can use bubbl.us anytime. But with National Novel Writing Month just a few weeks away, I think I’ll check it out before November 1st.