It's time for What's Up Wednesday, a weekly meme run by Erin L Funk and Jaime Morrow. Here's what I've been up to this past week!What I'm reading
After reading so many AMAZING books in a row (Ruin and Rising, We Were Liars, More Than This, Shatter Me...etc), I had a few days where I just couldn't get into anything! Which very rarely happens to me. o.O Thankfully, I reread The Archived, and it got me out of my reading slump. ^_^
I also read Banished by Liz de Jager, an engaging and action-packed contemporary fantasy. Then I read The Burning Sky by Sherry Thomas, which I also really enjoyed.
Now I'm reading The Memory Keepers by Natasha Ngan, which I picked up at YALC.
What I'm writing
I finished my edits (on Darkworld 4 and 5)! I also worked on my draft, my novella, and outlining for another series - it's been another crazy multitasking week! Mainly because this new series idea just won't leave me alone. :P Well, it's the Shiny New Idea I got a month ago and I've been working on it in bits and stages since then. It's a complicated multi-book, multi-universe idea which will need a ton of planning before I even start writing...because apparently, I can never make things easy for myself. :P It's also insanely genre-and-category-confused (it's probably upper-YA/adult crossover urban fantasy...with alternative universes. Like Diana Wynne Jones's Deep Secret.) so I don't even know if there's a market for it...but ehh...
What inspires me
A certain shiny new idea...It's funny, because I used to worry that I'd run out of ideas! Now, I can't even keep track of them all. :P But I'm also a lot more critical, so when an idea sticks, I know it's here to stay! Especially when parts of the story start playing out in my head like a movie. That's when I know it'll be a definite WIP!
I'm also inspired by all the choices open to writers these days. I've kind of come to the conclusion lately that validation is overrated, that there are a ton of reasons books are rejected which have nothing whatsoever to do with quality. I try to make every book I write as good as it can possibly be, and as long as I do that, I'm going to find a way to share all my stories with the world regardless of marketability or publishing pressures!
What else I've been up to
Apart from edits, not much! My shiny new cover was revealed to the world on Monday, so now I'm waiting for the new version of Darkness Watching to go live!
Wow, crazy multitasking is right! You've been very busy lately! It's great that you're working on this SNI whether you think there's a market for it or not. That shows a true love for your craft, and I bet the story will be amazing because of it. Good luck on all your writing projects this week!
ReplyDeleteI have The Archive on my nook. I haven't started it yet, but it's defiantly on the top of my TBR pile. Good luck with the edits. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteOooo I need to start the Shadow/Bone series. I have the first two on my shelf. Sounds like you have an awesome line up there. :)
ReplyDeleteAfter reading that many books, it's not surprising you'd hit a slump. And those sound amazing! Yay for you for writing what you want and feel the urge to. We can't really predict the market anyway. I'm sure your story will be great!
ReplyDeleteI think I will just start transferring anything you read into my TBR pile, because we like all the same stuff. You commented on my blog post that The Thief was in your stack, and I think you would love the series. If you're anything like me though, you'll only be mildly impressed by The Thief. The Queen of Attolia, which comes next will knock your socks off.
ReplyDeleteHi, Emma! You've got a lot of writing going on. That's awesome. Send some of that writing mojo my way, please!! ;) Keep it up!
ReplyDeleteHappy reading and writing! from Laura Marcella @ Wavy Lines
I know what you mean about reading funks. Sometimes when you read so much awesomeness nothing else compares. Which is why I take a reading break and wait until the awesome book which took over my life stops invading my thoughts. Glad Shiny New Idea is inspiring you! I love when that happens!
ReplyDeleteYou have been busy! Congrats on finishing edits and working on a shiny new idea. I worry sometimes too that I'll run out of ideas but I really don't think that's much of a possibility
ReplyDeleteYay for shiny ideas! It's funny to me, too, because I also used to worry about running out of ideas. Now I see how every single idea we get spawns even more ideas! This is such a subjective business. I totally think there's a market for the crazy genre fusion idea. ^_^
ReplyDeleteGlad you got out of your reading slump. And that' great that you have so many ideas!
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine you running out of ideas :D
ReplyDeleteI hope you like The Memory Keepers! I sure did.
Have an amazing week, Emma!
Erin - Thank you! I hope so, too! :)
ReplyDeleteLeslie - Such a good book! Thanks. :)
Valerie - It's one of the best YA fantasy series I've read!
Tonja - I figured it couldn't hurt. Thanks! :)
Melanie - I do have a never-ending TBR list. :P I'll be sure to check out the series!
Laura - It's the first time I've been really inspired in ages! Thanks. :)
Prerna - I find it impossible to take reading breaks. :P But these things do happen!
Rachael - Thanks! There really are unlimited ideas (though finding the RIGHT idea can be tricky!)
Krystal - Thanks! I hope you're right! :)
Loni - Thanks!
Cole - I really enjoyed it, too! Thanks! :)
I have so many ideas in the pipeline, but my problem at the minute is I just can't settle on anything. I really need to sort myself out and force myself to write; I haven't written properly in ages now.
ReplyDeleteI hate those reading slumps, glad you broke yourself out of it!
Oh my, you just listed a bunch of winners. I need to go read more. =) I keep hearing amazing things about The Archived, and I really need to get me a copy of that.
ReplyDeleteWoohoo for the SNI!! How exciting, it's always such a thrilling time when you're caught up in a brand spankin' new project, I hope you're enjoying it. And whoa, you're a reading machine! Glad to hear you found some treasures! :D
ReplyDelete- Caitie
Hooray for Shiny New Ideas!! I'm suffering from SNI syndrome myself right now. *grin* But I'm right there with you on being excited about them and also about how there are so many more options for writers out there today to share all those ideas. (marketable or not)
ReplyDeleteHope you have an amazing week! And with all that multi-tasking, remember to breathe and eat. (snacks are important) :)