The Plan to End All Plans

Filed Under Tales from the Author's Desk, Tools of the Trade, Updates | 2 Comments

Okay, not really. But I’ve decided to take a leaf out of Holly Lisle’s book and make a Master Checklist. It includes my plan to get published, my plan to improve my craft, and there’s even a checkbox for when I finally get my Masters. Take a look:

First off, we have the Narrator task force. I’ve included all the main tasks I need to complete: rewriting, sending out to beta readers, revising, and querying (broken down into query, synopsis, perfecting the first 10 pages, and agent research).

Second, I have the Holly Lisle classes I need to finish / take: How to Think Sideways and How to Write a Series. I’m extremely pleased with HTTS, and I want to take another course. The series one sounds perfect, considering all the series ideas I get.

Third, I have space for writing a second novel. Notice I didn’t put the name – I’m going to go back through HTTS to plan my next project, whether it’s Shadows, Echoes, and Reflections, Gatekeepers, or Sight.

This checklist should help me keep an eye on the Big Picture. Hopefully when I dive into Narrator I won’t get downtrodden by Endless Revision Syndrome. The light – and tally mark – are just ahead!

So there you have it. My master plan to be awesome. What’s on your master checklist?

So Many Updates

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NaNoWriMo: Yesterday was the halfway point, and I was 5k down. I’m going to get further behind this weekend since I’ll be out of town (see below), but hopefully I can catch up and surpass my 50,000 words after that!

Holly Lisle lessons: I’m a little behind, but at least I’m not skipping any!

Grad School: The semester is almost over, thankfully. Just one assignment and one final.

Anime USA: I’m going to be at AUSA this weekend, working on staff as a blogger. If you’re going, let me know, and we can meet up!

Before Harry Potter…

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…there was Alanna of Trebond.

As part of Beth Revis’ Thankful for Books contest, I thought I’d give thanks for the book that first drew me into the world of YA fantasy: Alanna: The First Adventure, by Tamora Pierce.

As part of our Medieval Studies unit in fifth grade, our teacher split us up into four groups and gave us each a book from the Lioness Quartet. My group got the first one. Alanna is a fantastic character. She’s brave, strong, and doesn’t put up with any crap.

As soon as I’d devoured the first book, I moved on to the rest of the quartet, then on to the Immortals Quartet. I loved her characters, her plots, her humor, her worldbuilding. Tamora Pierce was now my favorite author.

From her books I launched into the rest of the genre, with classics like Dealing with Dragons, Ella Enchanted, and The Hobbit. I’ve never looked back.

Fourteen years later, Tamora Pierce is still my favorite author, but I’ve discovered other favorites along the way. She’s the main reason I decided to write YA fantasy myself.

And it all started with one book.

So, what was your Gateway Book?

ROW80 – Check In #7

Filed Under NaNoWriMo, ROW80 | 6 Comments

NaNoWriMo: Well, I’m behind, but not by much. I’m probably going to fall further behind though, since I need to make some baby hats for my new cousin before I see her this weekend. But I am determined to keep up as well as I can!

Holly Lisle lessons: Trying to keep up. I think I accidentally skipped a lesson. I’ll have to go back and do that.

Other: Fellow ROW80 participants and campaigners, I plan on going around and reading your blog posts and leaving comments and stuff. I just…yeah, you know I’m busy. I’ll get to it, I promise!

Now let’s keep writing!

Update on NaNoWriMo

Filed Under Tales from the Author's Desk | 1 Comment

As you can see by my progress bar, I’m still on track for NaNo. It’s tough going, even though I have an outline this year. I’m not sure if it’s lack of good conflict in my scenes or what, but it makes for frustrating writing!

A few minutes ago I decided to try a completely new and “non-canon” scene with my main character and the antagonist to see where they take it.

Back to writing!

ROW80 – Check In #6

Filed Under NaNoWriMo, ROW80 | 7 Comments

I finished my outline a few hours before NaNoWriMo started. Isn’t it pretty? (The colors don’t mean anything, except that Giant was out of white 3×5′s.)

Then my friend and I had our annual launch party. We started writing at midnight on the dot – although neither of us lasted for longer than half an hour. We’ve gotten so old!

I didn’t make the daily goal the first night (thanks class and commute), but I should be able to make up for it tonight.

For those of you who follow me on Twitter, you probably already saw my love note to Scrivener:

“Finished first scene of NaNo last night. It’s honest to goodness awful. Not at all what I had in my head. But thanks to Scrivener, I can put how I want to fix it in the “document notes” section of each scene. Scrivener, I love you, and I might just want to have your babies”

Before Scrivener, I would have had to open up my Word doc reserved for the novel’s notes and describe the scene so I could (hopefully) find it again. Now it’s all in one place, and I know exactly what my notes refer to! Thank you Scrivener!

  • Welcome

    new haircut

    Hi, I'm Jenn, new grad student and old YA fantasy writer. I've long dreamed of being a novelist, and I bet you have too. I hope you find my blog helpful, inspiring, and maybe just a little bit fun. (But not too much fun. Writing is serious business, you know.)

    You can follow me on Twitter or Facebook, or email me at:
    jennifer.a.johnson7 at gmail dot com

  • Official Progress


    4/21 segments

    A narrator hijacks a cliche fantasy story, much to the chagrin of its characters.

    Status: Second revision



    1,639/70,000 words
    A young noblewoman with strange powers must choose: her king or her soul.

    Status: First draft



    1,087/70,000 words
    When a girl's heart is stolen, she's plunged into a world of magic and shadows - but can she get her heart back before she loses it completely?

    Status: First draft





  • All writing, unless otherwise specified, is the property of
    Jennifer Johnson © 2010