Just a quick update on what I’ve been up to, since I don’t write often enough on this blog anymore.
The past week was really busy–at least, it seemed to be, because I was constantly doing things. Whether those things were productive or not remains to be seen. However, I’ve broken the 37,000 mark on my novel, and moving along steadily. Things going fairly well there.
Still, I figure I’m about a week behind where I’d like to be in the novel. Still on the first chapter of part II. I had to do a lot of thinking and conceptualizing to figure out what needs to happen next, but I’ve come up with a plotline that I find really satisfying. Now I just need to write the thing. đŸ˜›
Life, the Universe, and Everything has been going on these past few days, and it has been AWESOME!!! I don’t know if I can emphasize that enough! Tons of writers, tons of interesting panels, lots of interesting people…it’s been great! I went up to the first panel at 9:00 am (a panel on being LDS and writing SF&F–the challenges, the strengths, etc. Skipped a class to attend it), and honestly I did not leave the Wilk until 8:00 pm. How crazy is that? The only hour I wasn’t at a panel of some kind was 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm. It was tiring, but definitely worth it! I’m so glad I went!
More updates on LTUE later. In fact, I’ve recorded just about every session I’ve been to, and plan on recording the rest, so if there’s enough interest I may post some links to the recordings on my site. I have my own hosting, and I’m fairly sure that my hosting service can handle all the bandwidth and other issues, so if you guys are really interested, I’ll put them up for you to download.
I’m a little bit worried that I’ve been too shy this conference. Since I plan on going to World Fantasy 2009 to sell my novels there, LTUE is good practice for approaching editors and authors and other notable people within the publishing industry. All morning, though, I pretty much kept to myself, kept at bay by sheer awe from all of these awesome people–however, by the afternoon, I figured out that it does absolutely no harm to shake hands with someone in the hallway and compliment them on something they said on a panel you attended.
So that’s the approach I plan on taking tomorrow, more for myself and to get used to talking with these people than to actually try to sell anything of mine. Because really, even with all the famous writers, there aren’t a whole lot of editors or publishers here. A handful, but mostly for YA, and that’s not what I write.
I’m sooooo looking forward to tomorrow! Another long day of SF&F awesomeness!
In 2007, when I went to LTUE, I talked with James Dashner and Julie Wright. My question was a corny “I know I’m supposed to network at these things, but I don’t know what to ask.” It led to a great conversation and an invitation to LDStorymakers – a writing convention for LDS writers. That convention does cost money, but I’m glad I went. I joined a group for attendants to LDStorymakers called Authors Incognito, and because of that, I’ve learned about great blogs to read, and gotten free books as people work to promote the things they’ve published.
And this year at LDStorymakers, there’s an awards ceremony for the Whitney Awards. Since Hero of Ages is a finalist in Best Novel and Best Speculative Fiction, Brandon Sanderson will be there, and Orson Scott Card should be there, as he’s getting a lifetime award, as well as Ender in Exile being a finalist in Speculative Fiction.
You can sign up at http://www.ldstorymakers.com/ It’s at the Provo Marriot center this year from April 24-25.
So, yes, talk to people. đŸ™‚
You should definitely post the audio files. I couldn’t attend very many panels this year, unfortunately. :/
Also, blackboard-ing your story is a good idea! But what would happen if you used those moving whiteboards in our Writing SF&F classroom? 3-D outlining that moves!