Week Four - 'After' Book Three

I got back into the swing of it this week, and my words came faster and better than last week. Thank goodness!

The goal I set myself each day for 'After' book three was 2,000 words. I'm now about 5,000 words behind that target. According to my chart, I should reach 62,000 words today, but I'll be happy with 57,000. I would've been closer but I let myself have yesterday off. I think one day off a week isn't too much to ask.

Sometimes you have to be strict with yourself. But this isn't one of those times.

So I wrote around 11,000 words last week which is nice and steady. It's not my best, (I've been known to write 30,000 words in one week before--I know, mental) but it's steady and that's all I'm looking for.

When I set my target, I didn't consider how insanely busy I was going to be working on getting ZA ready for its big release. In hindsight, I should've set my target to 1,000 words a day, which would've been more than achievable. But we live and learn, don't we?

As far as 'After' book three is concerned, it's going to be a lot longer than I imagined. I might even reach 100,000 words for the second time ever (though I nearly hit 100,000 words with one of the ZA drafts).

We'll see. Bring on week five!

Molly Looby

Author / Editor in Chief at Molten Publishing / Freelance Editor / Writing Coach / Reviewer / Blogger / Wrimo / Movellian / ZA Ready

molly@moltenpublishing.co.uk

Visit me on Facebook / Twitter / LinkedIn / Movellas / NaNoWriMo

ZA: An Apocalyptic Writing Competition

Exciting news! I have teamed up with amazing writing site, Movellas, to bring you a Zombie Armageddon themed writing competition!

Enter to win a signed copy of ZA and feedback from me!

Here are some more details but visit the competition page on Movellas for everything you need to know.


How to Participate

1. Write a fanfiction or regular story about the Zombie Armageddon, or where the world is ravaged by another type of apocalypse. This can either the outbreak or years later.

2. Write a fanfiction or regular story where a group of people must band together. Whether they're in a desperate situation or not is up to you!

3. Design an alternate cover for the book (after reading the extract of course) or an alternate trailer.


The Prizes

1st place will receive a signed copy ZA and feedback on their entry from Molly.

2nd & 3rd place will also receive a signed copy of ZA.

Best cover/trailer will receive a signed copy of ZA.

ENTER NOW!

Molly Looby

Author / Editor in Chief at Molten Publishing / Freelance Editor / Writing Coach / Reviewer / Blogger / Wrimo / Movellian / ZA Ready

molly@moltenpublishing.co.uk

Visit me on Facebook / Twitter / LinkedIn / Movellas / NaNoWriMo

Week Three - 'After' Book Three

So week three wasn't my best. In fact, it's a pretty poor show actually. But give me a break, I took the week off (mostly). 

I wrote 402 words. Total.

I've gone from being 4,500 words ahead of my daily goal to 4,500 words behind my daily goal.

I can no longer compare book three to Thereafter and Hereafter as I'd finished them both by this point. And now that I think about it, how crazy is that? That seems super human. How was I ever supposed to keep up with that?

Instead of writing, I've been spending time with family and friends and basically just being a normal human being. And I guess we all have to do that every once in a while.

But it's all right. I've worked out where the next five or so chapters are going and what exactly is going to happen in them so writing this week should be easier. Fingers crossed.

Maybe this week I'll actually do some writing.

Molly Looby

Author / Editor in Chief at Molten Publishing / Freelance Editor / Writing Coach / Reviewer / Blogger / Wrimo / Movellian / ZA Ready

molly@moltenpublishing.co.uk

Visit me on Facebook / Twitter / LinkedIn / Movellas / NaNoWriMo

Week Two - 'After' Book Three

As expected, week two is much more difficult than week one.

I spent much of this week hating every word, wondering why I didn't just throw in the towel and write something else. My other half asked me why I didn't just skip my words for a day. But if I don't do if for one day, what makes me do it the day after that and after that and after that? Next thing I know it'll be three years later and I'll still be no further on. No. Not writing isn't me. In fact, the idea terrifies me.

So I battled on, making myself write 2,000 words a day.

Let me tell you, that's not easy when you find yourself writing a scene of faff and you know you're 90% likely to cut it in editing. As an inexperienced writer, I never had this problem. Ah, the easy days.

The second half the week was much easier, thank goodness, and I'm getting excited about where the story is going again.

This week I managed 18,000 (almost 19,000) words.

I'm now 3,000 words behind where I was writing Book Two (Hereafter).

And a massive 23,000 words behind Book One (Thereafter). But like I said last week, Thereafter was filled with NaNo madness.

Just got to keep chugging along!

Molly Looby

Author / Editor in Chief at Molten Publishing / Freelance Editor / Writing Coach / Reviewer / Blogger / Wrimo / Movellian / ZA Ready

molly@moltenpublishing.co.uk

Visit me on Facebook / Twitter / LinkedIn / Movellas / NaNoWriMo

Week One - 'After' Book Three

I started it.

Yep. After Book Three is now in progress and I'm falling back in love with writing. Not that I ever fell out of love with it but you know what I mean. Well, you will if you're a writer.

So, to follow on from last week's blog post, I am trying to be more of a writer and less of a reviewer on here. After all, I am a writer always. When I'm watching the TV and not paying attention because I'm thinking of my work in progress, and when I'm in the shower and the hot water runs out because I'm too busy considering a new character's back story, and especially when I'm exactly 0.01 seconds away from falling asleep.

Anyway, back to it.

So I've written a trilogy before--the Immorality of Immortality trilogy--and it occupied me from the ages of 15-17 and in many ways, defined me as a writer. The After trilogy I guess is similar in some ways but insanely different in others. What I think I'm trying to say is, I've written a trilogy before, so I know what it feels like.

But saying that, this one feels different. I of I's third book (Chancing the Truth) was written from three characters perspectives and in a lot of respects, that made it easier. But not After. All I've got for my narrator in After is Abia Angel, intelligent, logical, and no-nonsense. And she poses a few challenges, let me tell you. But it's fun to write someone who doesn't like the things you like.

Anyway, I'm blabbering aren't I . . .

So week one went well. From Saturday 19th to Saturday 26th  I managed to write 24,000 words which is more impressive than I can even express. Book Three is officially 5,000 words larger one week in than Book Two (Hereafter) was at this time. However, it's 7,000 words shorter than Book One (Thereafter - link takes you to Movellas to read a draft if you want) was at this time, but then again, that was NaNo!

I think I can put my success down to fear. I have a limited time to write each day so I just have to blast it. I have my lunch break and the short amount of time between when I finish my work for the day and my other half gets back from work. The majority of this novel is going to be written at those times and I've never been so constrained before. But now I'm an adult with responsibilities. Bleugh.

It's doing me well so far. But week one always goes well doesn't it, writers? You Wrimos will know what I'm talking about.

Wish me luck for week two.


Molly Looby

Author / Editor in Chief at Molten Publishing / Freelance Editor / Writing Coach / Reviewer / Blogger / Wrimo / Movellian / ZA Ready

molly@moltenpublishing.co.uk

Visit me on Facebook / Twitter / LinkedIn / Movellas / NaNoWriMo

A Change of Direction

Hello,

It's me, Molly.

So I've been thinking about this blog and I think something needs to change. I set it up as a place to talk about writing and I almost never find myself talking about writing. Yes, I talk about books and that's great, but that's not really what I wanted to get out of this. I've realised this blog is becoming a list of book reviews.

And though I am both a book reviewer and an author (among a list of other things), only one of those job descriptions do I live and breathe.

So something needs to change.

I'm still going to write book reviews (I couldn't stop even if I wanted to, it's a curse) but they're going to have other homes. I might do a monthly or bi-monthly update of books I've read and post links to their reviews so interested parties can still find my reviews with ease. 

If I don't let myself post book reviews (or many at least) that really puts the pressure on to think of more interesting things to write about. Namely: writing, writing events, writing tips. And that might bring along more readers - yay! A more writerly audience is what I'm looking for as I'm always looking to connect with writer friends. We're a special breed and we need to stick together.

So just sit back and enjoy the new posts to come :)

Molly Looby

Author / Editor in Chief at Molten Publishing / Freelance Editor / Writing Coach / Reviewer / Blogger / Wrimo / Movellian / ZA Ready

molly@moltenpublishing.co.uk

Visit me on Facebook / Twitter / LinkedIn / Movellas / NaNoWriMo

Questions for Book Lovers

I was tagged by Stories in Books to answer these super fun book questions!

1. What is the first book you read by yourself?

Matilda by Roald Dahl. I loved every page.

2. Did your parents read to you before bed? If so, what did they read to you?

Yeah, every night I think! My dad read lots of books to me and my brother. The ones I can remember off the top of my head are: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, The Diamond Girls, Dr Doolittle, and loads more I can't think of! 

My grandad also used to read to us when we were staying. He read a load of Mr Men books, The Bad Tempered Ladybug, Meg and Mog, and a whole basket load I can't remember off the top of my head!

3. Name a movie that is better than the book?

Meet the Robinsons - it's based on a picture book by William Joyce called A Day with Wilbur Robinson. I don't have to tell you that they're not that similar at all but I'd much prefer to watch the Disney film than read the 20-odd page book. I need my complex character-arcs!

4. What was the worst movie adaptation of a book?

The Darren Shan film. Nobody go and watch it. Darren Shan himself will back me up. They utterly destroyed a fantastic book series with the world's worst film. I mean, what was with the monkey girl!

5. Outdoor or indoor reading?

Indoors. Outdoors is where the bugs live. Also I burn by so much as glancing outside.

6. Book you're most embarrassed to have never read?

Anything that people expect me to have read. I hate it when people assume I've read everything! But I would say I'm most embarrassed on the classic front. I hadn't read any Austen until last year and I've never read a whole Dickens novel either. Plus, I started Dracula in 2010 and it's up my loft somewhere with the bookmark still in!

7. Most embarrassing book you've ever read?

Embarrassing? I guess the Morganville Vampire books aren't great literature but they're so damn entertaining! I don't think I've ever been embarrassed by a book before. 

8. Worst book you ever read or stopped reading?

I want to say How I Live Now but since reading that I've read The Awakening which is the first Vampire Diaries book. Please, please, please, everyone avoid it like the plague. I hear the TV series is good but I can assure you the book is unbearable. (I'm sorry L.J. Smith but I just hated Elena so much! She's super sexist towards all the men in her life and she thinks she's perfect and loved by everyone and I couldn't bear it!)

9. Do you prefer digital or paper?

Paper forever. I've never liked a book I've read on my Kindle very much and I blame the fact it doesn't smell like a book.

10. What character would you like to suckerpunch in the face?

Elena from The Awakening (Vampire Diaries) and Daisy from How I Live Now.

11. What character would you like to be best friends with?

Gaby from Paula Weston's Rephiam Series. I know we could talk and laugh all day and she'd always have my back. (She also knows how to wield a katana).

12. How many physical books do you own?

Including the books up the loft . . . It's got to be between 300-400. Can you imagine how many I'll have in ten years? Twenty? Thirty? I need a library.

13. What books do you want to make sure you read to your children?

The Harry Potter series, or at least start it with them. The Winnie-the-Pooh stories. The Very Hungry Caterpillar, The Bad Tempered Ladybug, We're Going on a Bear Hunt, The Tiger That Came to Tea, all of Roald Dahl.

14. What book describes you best?

I don't really understand this question. I've read a huge stack of books. So many you couldn't stack them all. And if you did and it fell over it'd kill me. I've left a piece of my soul in every book I've ever loved and that list grows longer and longer each month. There's no one book that describes me but Carrie Ryan's The Forest of Hands and Teeth trilogy remind me most of myself I guess.

15. What are you reading right now?

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey. I've been so busy that I'm only about 150 pages in but it's brilliant so far!

I invite everyone to go and answer these questions, especially Adventures with Squonk and Poetic Chances.

Molly Looby

Author / Editor in Chief at Molten Publishing / Freelance Editor / Writing Coach / Reviewer / Blogger / Wrimo / Movellian / ZA Ready

molly@moltenpublishing.co.uk

Visit me on Facebook / Twitter / LinkedIn / Movellas / NaNoWriMo