One Year Already?! My 1 Year Blogiversary!

So, being the incredibly attentive person that I am, I went on through my day, doing this and that...and then, suddenly, I paused, said crapcrapcrap, and realized today was the 1 year anniversary of my blog!  =D  My little baby An Author's Quest has turned the big 1!  [insert confetti and roaring applause here] 

So, as I did when I hit fifty followers back in October, I decided I'm going to write another poem to celebrate such amazingness.  (I unfortunately don't have any cool prizes to give out, or really any imagination at the moment since it's now 10:30--I'm such a party pooper--so I hope this suffices, though, trust me, I'm truly ecstatic that it's already been a whole year!) 

So, here we go again.  I think I'll call this one An Author's Quest Hits One Big Year.  Enjoy! 

My oh my the time has flown 

Through twelve short months our words have grown 

I've met new people on these blogs

And gobbled up your posts like a flock of ravenous hogs (okay, that one was bad) 

Being writers we're all so cool

And one day all our books will rule 

I'm proud to annouce and be so clear

That An Author's Quest hits one big year! 

I thank you all it's been so fun

And look, another year's begun! 

So, there you go.  Oh, and thank you thank you thank you!!!  =)  I really couldn't have pushed onward and gotten where I was without all of you behind me, leaving comments and being genuinely good people (and writers) as I moved forward on this crazy (understatement anyone?) journey.  I can't wait to see where this new blog year takes me, and I can't wait to see what you guys all have going on as well!  

Again, thank you so much!  Now, if I could just figure out some way to better remember things...  ;)   

Why the Book Hate?

Ugh.  I'm a little angry right now...  One of our friends was over a few hours ago, and--for whatever reason--said she hates books.  Just hates 'em.  I kept my curious composure after she'd said it, and just sat there (shaking my head inside) as my brother showed her a few of our books, trying to convice her to read at least two before summer's end.     

She agreed, though I remained suspicious, and then, five seconds later, decided she didn't want to read them anymore.  She said, expressionless, "I hate books."  And, don't get me wrong, I'm not just pointing her out...because, sadly, I've heard this more times than I can recall. 

It greatly angers me when I hear that, and saddens me.  Books can do so much for someone, for anyone...and even if you're not into that whole intellectual aspect of them, they're still most definitely a source of incredible entertainment.  I honestly don't know why people say this.  In fact--perhaps there are others--I can really only think of one reason, and it's unfortunate.  That reason--the only real thing I can attribute it to--is school.  Because we are given required books we (most of the time) don't like, or barely even read (or just don't read at all) through our years of school, I suppose a bad taste is put in our mouths about books, and thus makes various people "hate" them as a whole.     

I still don't understand, though.  Go ahead.  Don't read whatever you're being "forced" to read.  Fail your test.  Whatever.  But don't say you hate all books because of that. 

Yes, there have been numerous things I've read in school that I haven't liked much.  I haven't hated them completely, but I've certainly disliked them.  But so what?  Everyone has books they don't like.  On the other end of the spectrum, though, there have been other books that---had it not been for school--I probably never would've heard of, never read, and never fallen in love with.  "School," to me, seems like a sorry excuse for hating books, yet it's unfortunately the only one I hear every time I ask why, and that's the truth.   

So, that's my little angry rant for the day.  I can't figure out how you can hate an object that's done nothing to you, something so glorious as a book, no less.  You don't have to like reading, but don't just hate all books because of one experience or what you're being told.

So, what do you think?  Is the reason I run into so many kids and teenagers who "hate" books school?  Do you know anybody who hates them as well?  Maybe there are other contributing factors...?      

I'm a Little Behind, Yes...

...but for good reason. 

I began a new novel a week or so ago, and though there's always that underlying, seemingly elusive this-is-the-book-I-can-feel-it-deep-down-inside kinda feeling with everything habitual writers write, I sorta wanna admit that I get that feeling with this one, too.  But I think it's pretty strong.  Maybe stronger than normal.  *sounds really stupid and realizes it* 
 
Funny thing is, I hadn't even been intending to start it when I did.  Heck, I didn't even plan on writing something new that day, or for a long while, for I already have a few WIPs (that I'm beginning to lose touch with--cue sad face)...but of course I only want to work on those projects that I'm most passionate about.  So I was mindlessly checking my email, laughing through some YouTube vids, and checking up on everything else--and suddenly, I was wrought with an itch to write.  So, naturally, I opened Microsoft Word and started something...and kept going...and going...and going.

And here I am, blogging about how awesome it is to have something I'm so excited to get going on!

I don't have a plot.  I don't have an ending.  I'm only a few pages in.  But it's started.  And I don't plan on stopping.

So, yes.  I'm incredibly excited to see where this project goes...or doesn't go (though I'm rooting for the former, of course!).

In other news (I believe I can safely say I'm a little behind on this one, too), I was checking up on Beth Revis's website and blog (Across the Universe is looking so enticing on my TBR pile right now...), which led me to her helpful things for writers page, and thus to Authoress's blog, a.k.a. Miss Snark's First Victim.  I think I'm falling in love.  It's a fantastic blog for aspiring authors where monthly "Secret Agent" contests are held, among other things, and where success stories are beginning to become abundant!  Go check it out, if you haven't already (which, considering there's already over 400 followers, I wouldn't be surprised if you haven't already been loyally following)!  You won't be disappointed.  And what more, but Authoress and I share somewhat of a common trait: we're both a little mysterious, and haven't fully given our true identities away (though she's an agented YA author, and may be revealing herself anytime now...). 

So, that's it for now.  Thank you for reading; I aim to be back soon!        

Some Short Advice

I often write short stories (page or two long, or at least until I lose interest in my practice characters, practice plot, etc.) and get to thinking about the best (and worst) ways to begin a piece.  Book, blog post, newspaper article...  The list goes on and on.  But, of course, I'm speaking more toward novels. 

So, the best way to start your tale?  Or, rather, the way you NEVER want to... 

DON'T START YOUR NOVEL WITH YOUR CHARACTER WAKING UP. 

Don't.  Don't EVER.  If there's one piece of writing advice I've seen everywhere, from literally every agent that's ever spoken on the topic to other writers' blogs, it's that you do NOT ever want to start your novel with someone waking up.  Why?  It's a cop-out.  No, really.  As other agents have said in one way or another, surely there's another way you can start your story.  Surely.  And trust me, it'll do you loads to make this fix.  In fact, agent Mary Kole once said that if your story does not begin with someone waking up, you're already a caliber above 50% of the submissions she sees.  This, of course, does not determine whether or not she chooses one submission over the other, but it most definitely places you in a better light, so-to-speak.   

In other news, I recently began The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien.  And I'm not lying when I say it's AMAZING.  I can't put it down.  And the weird thing is, it's a war story.  I don't like to read about war when it so abundantly (and unfortunately) happens around the world, for death is not exactly a happy topic, but it's so heartfelt and sincere a work that I just cannot get away from it.  Go check it out from the library or read some reviews online.  You'll know what I'm talking about. 

Well, that's it for now.  =)  (Oh, sidenote: I don't exactly know why the date on my last post says April 4th, because I most definitely posted it around the 20th.  Just something that was bothering me, and something that I wanted to make note of.  Hopefully this post has the date right...even though if it doesn't it's my fault in the first place, for I should be checking things more thoroughly; today's May 22nd.) 

I leave with this unusual fact (who doesn't like random, unusual facts?):

When glass breaks, the cracks move faster than 3,000 miles per hour. To photograph the event, a camera must shoot at a millionth of a second!  (http://www.strangefacts.com/facts1.html)

To Prologue or Not To Prologue?

Hello again, everyone! I'd imagine, while reading this, some of you are curious where I've been the past weeks. In earnest, it's quite a long story, but things just seemed to pile all up and crash together, making for a very hectic few weeks and basically zero time to blog. But hey, that's life. :) I hopped around every so often, reading other bloggers' blogs and simply checking up on mine. And now, finally, I'm jumping back in, ready to put this blog of mine into drive and slam on the pedal. =) Hopefully, you guys are all willing to jump back on, rev your engines, and get ready to ride too! (Not sure why I'm using the car metaphor so much...?)

So, moving right along...

There are a lot of things I've been wanting to gush about on here--I've probably started to forget some, but they'll return--so I suppose I'll just have to take things one at a time. With that, I wanted to discuss prologues...

Frankly, I don't know whether or not to write one, and if I do...is it really necessary? I understand prologues serve the purpose of explaining something indelibly important to the novel, hence the fact they're at the very beginning, but still... I often find myself reading some that I feel are entirely unnecessary, ones which, after I finish the book, I flip back to and ask "Why the heck are you here???"

Hmmm.

So, any opinions on the matter? Like 'em? Hate 'em? Can't even write 'em? (I try...but then I realize there really is no point, no matter what I'm writing.) I've seen quite a few posts about it from agents and industry peeps in my days of perusing blogs, blogs, and more blogs, and more often than not, they say you really, truly, totally need to look at your prologue/preface (is there a difference?...because I truly don't know) and ask yourself if it's critical to the opening and the novel as a whole. For if it's not, it better pack up and head out before it lands in front of an agent who probably won't be too happy about it, since odds are they have hundreds of other queries to read.

Now, let's take a big breath. :) Gosh, publishing is tough.

Random fact: I started a new novel! And this one's a first for me. For one, it's literary, not commercial. Two, it's first person (99.9% of the time I do third). And three--the weirdest one of all--it's romance. Something I've never written, and something I most certainly never intended to write. Yet there's something about it... I keep writing and writing. I continue to dive back into it and think of more and more things. I hope it goes somewhere. :)

So, that's it. I better be back here in the next week or so (I really need to make myself a schedule, like so many diligent bloggers do), typing up another post. I apologize for leaving so abruptly, as if I'd fallen off the face of the planet. I'm here! I promise.

Now let's dance!

Write on!

Can't Smile Enough :)

I'm SO SO SO completely ecstatic to see I've surpassed 100 followers, most of whom are fantastic Crusaders! You guys are amazingly amazing; I'm coming as fast as I can to all of your blogs to say hi and introduce myself (and follow, of course)! :)

I guess all I'm trying to say is welcome, new followers! I hope each and every one of you enjoy all my blog has to offer, and that we all grow as friends and authors as our journeys move forward!

Also, I'd like to give a special shout-out to my fellow group 8 Crusaders/buddies (ironically, there are 8 of you!). I'm extremely excited to get to know you all, and can't wait to see where this Crusade goes!

So, you could say I'm pretty pysched!

Calling All Crusaders!

Yes. It's that time again.

Rachael Harrie, glorious blogger, created the one and only Writers' Platform-Building Crusade months and months ago. And, as of February 4th, the 2nd Crusade has kicked off!

What is it, you ask? Well, it's a way for us bloggers (those of us on the book journey, whether we're aspiring authors, industry peeps, published authors, or new or established bloggers) to make a name for ourselves in the blogosphere, so-to-speak, and hopefully gain some more followers and make awesome new friends, all while helping the other Crusaders build their platform and grow as bloggers and writers as well.

I'm a Crusader, and I ask you to join as well. You'll love it! Click here to check out the official post from Rachael's blog explaining it much better than me, and also to (hopefully) become a Crusader!

Well, what are you waiting for? :)