Good morning, Wipsters! Welcome to the third check-in for August! How’s your WIP progressing during these doggy days of summer? Panting along or all frisky?
As you know from my post last week, I just received a fresh batch of editorial notes, so my week was spent in planning mode. The highlight was a long chat with my editor where much brainstorming ensued, and still ensues as I plot out a new course for my book.
This is a business for folks with the long-term view. Sometimes it takes ages to sort out a plot. Sometimes a month to write a single scene. Sometimes years to land an agent. Sometimes decades between a dream and a deal. During all that time, we’re told to keep writing and keep learning. That’s great advice. The writers I’ve seen make it have put in tons of work toward mastering their craft.
But all this single-minded striving can have a downside, when the focus turns to obsession, and too much of our feelings of self-worth hinge on meeting that overarching publishing goal. That certainly happened to me, so much so that those around me could easily see how my quest was progressing by how morose I was.
Hoops and Books: Two of my favorite things to hang out with.
So, in 2007, after three years of writing and a year of querying, I decided I needed a second outlet, something else I could try to master besides writing. For me, that turned out to be hula-hooping (or simply ‘hooping’ as the cool kids call it). I spent the summer teaching myself tricks I’d seen on YouTube, then bought a few videos, and eventually enrolled in a class at a local circus school. Although I’d never be graceful or talented enough to perform in public, the important thing was that I was having fun and furthermore making progress. Progress I could see! (which hasn’t always been the case with my writing.) Hooping also turned out to be a great stress reducer when the writing wasn’t going so well.
The walls, ceiling and floors of my "office" are covered in "hoop kisses."
I think having a second hobby, one where you can witness tangible results, is a great antidote to the rejection-filled, hair-pulling angst we so often feel in the publishing biz. Mine sure helped me, and, who knows, there may be a hooper in one of my books someday.
How about you? Are you working toward mastery in any areas besides writing?
For this week’s giveaway, I’m offering a choice of either a copy of my favorite beginner hoopdance DVD or, if that’s not your cup of tea, a selection from the book collection I showed in my last post, minus whatever was chosen by last week’s winner, who is *drumroll*: Angelina Hansen!
Happy Writing!
Hooping – cool! We had a couple open up a hoop/juggling shop for the summer months in an empty Main St. storefront just a few doors from our town square. Hoops in the square is a pretty cool sight. How’s it for the figure? I need some exercise of some sort.
Mastery – I’m working on mastering my new Art common core standards. I’m trying to get back into actually riding my horses and, as boring as this is, I’m trying to master doing one little cleaning job in my house every day. Yawn.
I have 2 big WIPmadness pieces of news. I’m finally writing again after an unfocused couple of exciting agent-filled weeks. And, I have a new agent. I won’t announce who till I receive the contract (hopefully today) but I will say I am VERY excited. Keep an eye out on my Twitter feed for when I put up my announcement blogpost.
Yay, yay, yay for landing an agent, Jaye! And for getting back to writing again!
Wish we had a town square with hoopers. I’d join them.
This might be my favorite writing advice yet. And I LOVE that you took up hula-hooping–what a hoot!
My two “fun” hobbies for years have been yoga and cooking, and I definitely need them both. I especially love the creativity in cooking. I’ve already decided that I’m going to master the soufflé once the weather turns colder, so I’m pretty psyched.
I managed to squeeze in a little drafting during writeoncon, but I’ve been back at a more steady pace since the weekend! Hope everyone has a great week!
My family wishes I’d take up cooking. Combining it with yoga sounds like a great balance. Namaste!
You are so right about the long-term vision thing. It all takes time, from the craft to the query to the deal to the tour. I’m in it for the long haul and growing every day.
I finished another chapter last week and am sorting out the next step. As for developing other areas, I’ve been developing my photography skills. Some of you may have visited my Project 365 blog or my newest experiment with light and shadow. Photo safari time is great writing-in-my-head and meditation time.
Congrats, Angelina and keep on rockin’ Wipsters!
Bet the photography influences your writing and vice versa. I’ll check out your Project 365 blog.
You are so right, Jeane! They do influence each other. The project is still up at http://ghostgirl365.blogspot.com and there is a link to the new branch as well.
Now…a spangly hoola-hoop sounds awfully inviting…
What gorgeous photos, Mary Ann! You’re so talented! Thanks so much for including the link so I could check them out.
OMG! As I was reading this post I was thinking, “I used to love hoola-hooping as a kid. Great fun and great exercise! Great advice! And then I saw my name and the opportunity for a DVD on hooping. HOORAY! How cool is that? I’ve been fretting the need for a new hobby that involves exercise and voilà. ^_^ Thanks!
I am very very angsty about everything in my life right now, but I’m trying hard to get through this pass of my WIP (30 pages away). As I get closer to the end, I realize I have a long, long way to go with this one.
I’m in that place where I need loads of encouragement and reassurance. Yes, I’m very needy right now. ^_^
A sparkly hoola hoop is exactly what I need to buy myself right now. Can’t wait to get out and find one.
Well, you’ve come to the right place for encouragement and reassurance. You rock, Angelina!
How fun it would be if you take up hooping! I’ll get your DVD ordered ASAP! Tip: When you buy a hoop, make sure it’s a grown-up sized one. Those little ones at the toy store are made for kid-sized bodies and very difficult for an adult to keep spinning. It’s pretty easy to make one yourself with PVC tubing (just do a search for “how to make your own hula hoop” on YouTube). Alternatively, ask your local hoopsters in the park. Often, they’ll sell them out of their cars or at festivals. There are also high-end places online such as hoopnotica.com. I’ve even bought some on ebay. Let me know how it goes!
Hey there! My Writing has been well- 40 pages of a new story written out, and I’m about 80 pages into my 2nd edit sweep–things are really starting to congeal, coming up with a whole new vision.
Got lots of reading down including Deborah Harkness’ Shadow of Night and Patti Smith’s Just Kids.
As for other skills, I am a beginning massage therapist with many books to read. I also study herbalism. These are long term pursuits, I tend to learn the most as I come across individuals with problems. But it’s surprising how much I’ve picked up in the year and a half I’ve been doing this.
I’m all for following passions, in writing and otherwise! Thanks for the post.
I love finding out about folks’ other passions! Massage therapy and herbalism sound so nourishing, for you and your clients. Yay for getting so much writing done on top of all the rest!
Hula-hooping, awesome! I approve of this. XD
I’m plowing through prose edits this week. Goal is to have this book out to betas by the next check-in!
Great goal – it always is such a relief to hit the SEND button. Good luck!
I started working on a hobby, swordfighting, but I had to stop due to money, time, and health. I’d like to go back to it, though, at some point. (Health-permitting, of course. Sigh.)
This week I have awesomeness to report: I finished the polishing-pass of my WIP! I’ve given it to my beta group and I’m anxiously awaiting feedback. I am now working on the new WIP with full force, and having *so* much fun with it.
Swordfighting! How cool! Hope you can get back to it someday.
Congrats on getting that WIP polished! Enjoy the thrill of the new one!
Can I just say that I LOVE how these WIP Madness posts have turned into wells of wisdom and encouragement, and no wonder WIPMadness has taken on a life of its own that carries through so many of us all year long! Thanks so much for the great job of hosting, Jeanne!
As for me, I probably err on the side of having too many passionate hobbies. My main other one is Polynesian dancing (not too far from hula-hooping, I guess) but I also love cooking and weightlifting and crafty things, etc. But you’re right – these things do bring balance to my life!
Just got word that my agent likes my latest manuscript and is going to send it out on submission. Woohoo! Very excited about that. Plugging away at an older one this week and still hoping to get to the end by the end of August.
hey Congrats on the book, that’s very exciting!
I have too many side hobbies, too, I just tend to focus on a couple at a time.
A couple hobbies at a time is more than most of us have the bandwidth for, so good on you for having the energy to pursue multiple things!
Well, we have YOU to thank for launching the whole madness group, Denise! And your hobbies are so diverse, how cool!
Congrats on having another ms ready to sub! Here’s to a quick sale!
Great post! I need to try something else too especially since this revision is dragging on. Add to that MIL issues(that’s a whole other drama I could live without).
One other thing I love to do is review books. I’ve been going outside of just reading YA books too which has helped tons. Also I try not to just limit my reads to books I have to review. I need variety or else I start not liking something. I do hope to get back into yoga. Just need to schedule it into my planner and do it!
Oh boy, good luck with the MIL issues, a subject I know all too well. I agree about reading outside of YA sometimes. I’ve been going about fifty-fifty this summer between YA and adult, plus mixing some NF into the mix. It’s been good for my mental palate and for expanding my own writing, I think.